Joan Baez used to perform Joe Hill and probably played it for Dylan before 65. Undoubtably he heard it and when he writes something so close to another he usually borrows not only melody and structure but meaning as well. Joe Hill was a labor organizer. Augustine of Hippo did the majority of writing on Original Sin. In fact Augustine said that all babies who are not baptized will burn in hell. Augustine appears in glory and luster (coat of solid gold) providing shelter from the proverbial storm (blanket underneath his arm). Augustine's belief in Original Sin explains the utmost misery and why the souls have already been sold. Augustine's only wish is to save those he meets and alert them to the sin they are unaware of. This of course doesn't work out so well. Who's he put out to death then? Jesus or St. Augustine. Either is the answer, since both would be a sin. The fact is that a sin has been commited. Beautifully stated, a sin that he committed in his sleep yet follows him into his waking hours, such as Original Sin which is not committed in life yet in ancestry. He then puts his head against the glass, seeing through to the other side (death) and cries.
Joan Baez used to perform Joe Hill and probably played it for Dylan before 65. Undoubtably he heard it and when he writes something so close to another he usually borrows not only melody and structure but meaning as well. Joe Hill was a labor organizer. Augustine of Hippo did the majority of writing on Original Sin. In fact Augustine said that all babies who are not baptized will burn in hell. Augustine appears in glory and luster (coat of solid gold) providing shelter from the proverbial storm (blanket underneath his arm). Augustine's belief in Original Sin explains the utmost misery and why the souls have already been sold. Augustine's only wish is to save those he meets and alert them to the sin they are unaware of. This of course doesn't work out so well. Who's he put out to death then? Jesus or St. Augustine. Either is the answer, since both would be a sin. The fact is that a sin has been commited. Beautifully stated, a sin that he committed in his sleep yet follows him into his waking hours, such as Original Sin which is not committed in life yet in ancestry. He then puts his head against the glass, seeing through to the other side (death) and cries.