Bob's new pony is
Sexier than the last one.
He's gonna ride her.
I've heard a bizarre charge regarding this song: Dylan, that sexist, is comparing a woman to a pony, therefore he's a sexist. Let's leave that alone from the outset. There are plenty of songs that use animals as a metaphor for people, and sometimes in a sexual way, and when Dylan has expressed more caveman-like views toward women, he hasn't been shy about it (as much as I dislike it). "Ballad of the Absent Mare," "Milk Cow's Calf Blues," "Honeybee," "Closer to God" (I've noticed nobody ever gives Trent Reznor a hard time for his blunt and honest line, "I want to fuck you like an animal") and so on. The difference between those songs and this is Dylan's "naked" intent. He's singing about lust and sexual confusion, and the dirty, grinding blues of the song underlines his intent. It's one of his most raw songs, and I think it's effective. The blues guitar solo in the middle is rude and bad-ass, and is exceeded only by the nasty sound of the saxophone on the fade-out. The backup singers, sometimes off the beat, bellow, "How much longer?" in a terrifying way as Dylan growls through the verses, including his vocal fills, like "well-lllllll" and so on. I love this song. You can find it as track 2 on the 1978 album "Street-Legal."
Once I had a pony, her name was Lucifer
I had a pony, her name was Lucifer
She broke her leg and she needed shooting
I swear it hurt me more than it could ever have hurted her
Sometimes I wonder what’s going on with Miss X
Sometimes I wonder what’s going on with Miss X
You know she got such a sweet disposition
I never know what the poor girl’s gonna do to me next
I got a new pony, she knows how to fox-trot, lope and pace
Well, I got a new pony, she knows how to fox-trot, lope and pace
She got great big hind legs
And long black shaggy hair above her face
Well now, it was early in the mornin’, I seen your shadow in the door (This verse is not in the recording)
It was early in the mornin’, I seen your shadow in the door
Now, I don’t have to ask nobody
I know what you come here for
They say you’re usin’ voodoo, your feet walk by themselves
They say you’re usin’ voodoo, I seen your feet walk by themselves
Oh, baby, that god you been prayin’ to
Is gonna give ya back what you’re wishin’ on someone else
Come over here pony, I, I wanna climb up one time on you (I always thought he was singing, "I want to climb up on top of you." Whichever...)
Come over here pony, I, I wanna climb up one time on you
Well, you’re so bad and nasty
But I love you, yes I do
Sexier than the last one.
He's gonna ride her.
I've heard a bizarre charge regarding this song: Dylan, that sexist, is comparing a woman to a pony, therefore he's a sexist. Let's leave that alone from the outset. There are plenty of songs that use animals as a metaphor for people, and sometimes in a sexual way, and when Dylan has expressed more caveman-like views toward women, he hasn't been shy about it (as much as I dislike it). "Ballad of the Absent Mare," "Milk Cow's Calf Blues," "Honeybee," "Closer to God" (I've noticed nobody ever gives Trent Reznor a hard time for his blunt and honest line, "I want to fuck you like an animal") and so on. The difference between those songs and this is Dylan's "naked" intent. He's singing about lust and sexual confusion, and the dirty, grinding blues of the song underlines his intent. It's one of his most raw songs, and I think it's effective. The blues guitar solo in the middle is rude and bad-ass, and is exceeded only by the nasty sound of the saxophone on the fade-out. The backup singers, sometimes off the beat, bellow, "How much longer?" in a terrifying way as Dylan growls through the verses, including his vocal fills, like "well-lllllll" and so on. I love this song. You can find it as track 2 on the 1978 album "Street-Legal."
Once I had a pony, her name was Lucifer
I had a pony, her name was Lucifer
She broke her leg and she needed shooting
I swear it hurt me more than it could ever have hurted her
Sometimes I wonder what’s going on with Miss X
Sometimes I wonder what’s going on with Miss X
You know she got such a sweet disposition
I never know what the poor girl’s gonna do to me next
I got a new pony, she knows how to fox-trot, lope and pace
Well, I got a new pony, she knows how to fox-trot, lope and pace
She got great big hind legs
And long black shaggy hair above her face
Well now, it was early in the mornin’, I seen your shadow in the door (This verse is not in the recording)
It was early in the mornin’, I seen your shadow in the door
Now, I don’t have to ask nobody
I know what you come here for
They say you’re usin’ voodoo, your feet walk by themselves
They say you’re usin’ voodoo, I seen your feet walk by themselves
Oh, baby, that god you been prayin’ to
Is gonna give ya back what you’re wishin’ on someone else
Come over here pony, I, I wanna climb up one time on you (I always thought he was singing, "I want to climb up on top of you." Whichever...)
Come over here pony, I, I wanna climb up one time on you
Well, you’re so bad and nasty
But I love you, yes I do
Hello Robert, thanks for posting this interesting analysis of another Bob Dylan song. Join us inside Bob Dylan's Music Box http://thebobdylanproject.com/Song/id/445/New-Pony and listen to every version of every song.
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