This song is about a rich girl getting strung out on heroin or other opiates.
As with any Dylan song, he dresses it up quite obliquely and is addressing things on multiple levels here, but the heroin references are everywhere ...
Now, getting 'juiced' just refers to getting drunk, but that was back in school ... so that's how the addiction cycle started. Then it graduated to opiates, which people told her to 'beware' of or she'd be sucked in, but she didn't believe them.
The terms 'kicks' and 'hanging out' are both junkie terms for dope withdrawals. The general term 'kicking drugs' is derived from the phenomenon of 'the kicks', which are uncontrollable leg spasms that occur in opiate withdrawals. Early-on, she apparently thought addiction couldn't happen to her ... to the point where she laughed at people who were dope-sick (i.e. 'hanging out').
At the beginning of the song, the 'living on the streets' refers to how you have to go to bad neighborhoods chasing down the dope man ... and as an addict, you have to 'get used to it'. By the end of the song, she probably literally was living on the streets.
The 'mystery tramp' is the drug dealer(s), pure and simple. And I've got my suspicions that Napoleon is the drug habit itself ... it starts out 'amusing', but then eventually it becomes an addiction ... which in turn just calls you, and indeed, you can't refuse.
Due to her addiction, she ends up in life of misery and despair, pawning her possessions for drug money, and basically 'invisible' to the world, possibly homeless ... if not literally, then figuratively at least ... as addicts tend to drive everyone away from themselves.
One of the best explications I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Yes, a chrome horse could definitely be a car, and a "hooked up" car at that, as drug dealers tend to have, but the term "chrome horse" is generally used to refer to a motorcycle. As for the Napoleon reference, it could also be symbolism of the power that the "dope man" has over a heroin addict; many times they will trade sex for drugs, but I also like the OP idea very much as Napoleon is considered by some as the greatest conqueror of people...
One of the best explications I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Yes, a chrome horse could definitely be a car, and a "hooked up" car at that, as drug dealers tend to have, but the term "chrome horse" is generally used to refer to a motorcycle. As for the Napoleon reference, it could also be symbolism of the power that the "dope man" has over a heroin addict; many times they will trade sex for drugs, but I also like the OP idea very much as Napoleon is considered by some as the greatest conqueror of people that ever lived and did so through any means necessary, just as heroin/opiates or the dealers that sell it do. I guess it could have a dual meaning here.
"You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?"...a dime referring to a small amount of drugs for personal use. Many rich people (or any person for that matter) new to the drug scene are asked by people who have been in the scene for a while to "hook them up"...this being a reference to her, the rich girl, "hooking them up with a dime bag".
"You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you". Now, later in the song, she is more popular in these areas, and this is an allusion to the people, when they see her, running to her trying to be the dealer to score the sale.
"You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you". Kicks being used in a different way here, I believe, than the OP intended, referring to the drug itself, as one can never trust another person to score the drugs they are seeking out. You never know what else is added or how much is skimmed.
Just my 2 cent addition to the original posters ideas , which I also feel, hit this song right on the head.
This song is about a rich girl getting strung out on heroin or other opiates.
As with any Dylan song, he dresses it up quite obliquely and is addressing things on multiple levels here, but the heroin references are everywhere ...
Now, getting 'juiced' just refers to getting drunk, but that was back in school ... so that's how the addiction cycle started. Then it graduated to opiates, which people told her to 'beware' of or she'd be sucked in, but she didn't believe them.
The terms 'kicks' and 'hanging out' are both junkie terms for dope withdrawals. The general term 'kicking drugs' is derived from the phenomenon of 'the kicks', which are uncontrollable leg spasms that occur in opiate withdrawals. Early-on, she apparently thought addiction couldn't happen to her ... to the point where she laughed at people who were dope-sick (i.e. 'hanging out').
At the beginning of the song, the 'living on the streets' refers to how you have to go to bad neighborhoods chasing down the dope man ... and as an addict, you have to 'get used to it'. By the end of the song, she probably literally was living on the streets.
The 'mystery tramp' is the drug dealer(s), pure and simple. And I've got my suspicions that Napoleon is the drug habit itself ... it starts out 'amusing', but then eventually it becomes an addiction ... which in turn just calls you, and indeed, you can't refuse.
Due to her addiction, she ends up in life of misery and despair, pawning her possessions for drug money, and basically 'invisible' to the world, possibly homeless ... if not literally, then figuratively at least ... as addicts tend to drive everyone away from themselves.
Mmmm... perhaps. I don't think it's exclusively that, though.
Mmmm... perhaps. I don't think it's exclusively that, though.
personally, I think you've nailed it. I hadn't thought of it like that before, but your interpretation really rings true, for me at least.
personally, I think you've nailed it. I hadn't thought of it like that before, but your interpretation really rings true, for me at least.
Thanks. Good analysis. I never knew. "Chrome horse" is cool description -- a car? A pimp's car?
Thanks. Good analysis. I never knew. "Chrome horse" is cool description -- a car? A pimp's car?
I think you're right. I think the rich girl is Edie Sedgwick.
I think you're right. I think the rich girl is Edie Sedgwick.
One of the best explications I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Yes, a chrome horse could definitely be a car, and a "hooked up" car at that, as drug dealers tend to have, but the term "chrome horse" is generally used to refer to a motorcycle. As for the Napoleon reference, it could also be symbolism of the power that the "dope man" has over a heroin addict; many times they will trade sex for drugs, but I also like the OP idea very much as Napoleon is considered by some as the greatest conqueror of people...
One of the best explications I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Yes, a chrome horse could definitely be a car, and a "hooked up" car at that, as drug dealers tend to have, but the term "chrome horse" is generally used to refer to a motorcycle. As for the Napoleon reference, it could also be symbolism of the power that the "dope man" has over a heroin addict; many times they will trade sex for drugs, but I also like the OP idea very much as Napoleon is considered by some as the greatest conqueror of people that ever lived and did so through any means necessary, just as heroin/opiates or the dealers that sell it do. I guess it could have a dual meaning here.
"You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?"...a dime referring to a small amount of drugs for personal use. Many rich people (or any person for that matter) new to the drug scene are asked by people who have been in the scene for a while to "hook them up"...this being a reference to her, the rich girl, "hooking them up with a dime bag".
"You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns When they all come down and did tricks for you". Now, later in the song, she is more popular in these areas, and this is an allusion to the people, when they see her, running to her trying to be the dealer to score the sale.
"You never understood that it ain't no good You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you". Kicks being used in a different way here, I believe, than the OP intended, referring to the drug itself, as one can never trust another person to score the drugs they are seeking out. You never know what else is added or how much is skimmed.
Just my 2 cent addition to the original posters ideas , which I also feel, hit this song right on the head.