All Along the Watchtower: AN ENIGMATIC SONG

7 months ago

Introduction
"All Along the Watchtower" is a renowned song written by the iconic American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The song was originally released on his 1967 album "John Wesley Harding" and has since become one of Dylan's most celebrated compositions. "All Along the Watchtower" has also been notably covered by the legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, whose version is often considered one of the greatest rock interpretations in music history. The song's enigmatic lyrics and haunting melody have contributed to its enduring popularity and its status as a symbol of both the 1960s counterculture and the power of music to transcend generations.

Watch one or both of the versions of the song and answer the questions.

QUESTIONS
What on Earth do you think this song is about? 
What is a watchtower? And what was approaching? 
What do you think the "two riders" could symbolize?
What evocation does the phrase the "wind began to howl" give? What could it symbolize?
What kind of philosophy do you think is represented in the phrase "there are many here among us who think life is but a joke?"
Why do you think the thief says "let us not talk falsely now"?
What do you think is symbolized by the phrase "the hour is getting late"?
Lyrics
There must be some kind of way outta here
Said the joker to the thief
There's too much confusion
I can't get no relief
Business men, they drink my wine
Plowmen dig my earth
None will level on the line
Nobody offered his word
Hey, hey
No reason to get excited
The thief, he kindly spoke
There are many here among us
Who feel that life is but a joke
But, uh, but you and I, we've been through that
And this is not our fate
So let us stop talkin' falsely now
The hour's getting late, hey
Hey
All along the watchtower
Princes kept the view
While all the women came and went
Barefoot servants, too
Well, uh, outside in the cold distance
A wildcat did growl
Two riders were approaching
And the wind began to howl, hey
All along the watchtower
All along the watchtower

Jimi Hendrix


Bob Dylan