Monday, February 9, 2015

Dead Man, Dead Man

Dead man (false prophet?)
Tempts a righteous Christian man
Who's not having it.

"Dead Man, Dead Man" is one of the later hectoring songs from Bob Dylan as Christian missionary. In this track from 1981's "Shot of Love," he spends a few minutes pouring invective on someone whom he feels is plying him with false information and wants to take him to hell. You can see here:

1. Words from a reprobate mind, dying on the vine, can't separate the good from the bad. He can't stand it. Dead man has cobwebs in his mind and dust on his eyes.
2. Satan has the bad man by the heel, the man has a bird's nest in his hair (this reminds me of Hieronymous Bosch paintings), he might not have love or faith. His head hurts, he curses God with every move.
3. Glamour, lights and politics of sin. Bad man builds a ghetto, but ends up living in it himself. He pretends to be smart.
4. He tries to overpower Bob with the doctrine or the gun. He wants to take Bob to hell, all the while wearing a tuxedo with a flower in the lapel.


1 comment:

  1. Hello Robert, yes a very interesting analysis of a song from Bob Dylan's Music Box http://thebobdylanproject.com/Song/id/141/Dead-Man-Dead-Man So come and join us inside and listen to every song composed, recorded or performed by Bob Dylan, plus all the great covers.

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