Sunday, August 24, 2008

Dylan's humour

Dylan is most well known for somewhat serious songs such as Masters Of War, A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall, Desolation Row, Blowin' In The Wind to name just a few.

Not many people realise he has a great sense of humour which is often evident in his music.

This from Bob Dylans 115th Dream :

I went into a restaurant, Lookin' for the cook
I told them I was the editor Of a famous etiquette book
The waitress he was handsome
He wore a powder blue cape
I ordered some suzette, I said
"Could you please make that crepe"
Just then the whole kitchen exploded From boilin' fat
Food was flying everywhere And I left without my hat

this from I Shall Be Free:

Well, I got a woman five feet short
She yells and hollers and squeals and snorts
She tickles my nose pats me on the head
Blows me over and kicks me out of bed
(She’s a man eater,
Meat grinder
Bad Loser).

Thunder On The Mountain ( a couple of verses after name checking Alicia Keys...)

I got the porkchops, she got the pie
She ain't no angel and neither am I

Several of his 'Talkin' Blues' tracks are very funny: Talkin' Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues, and also Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues, but this one is my favourite...


Talkin' World War III Blues

Some time ago a crazy dream came to me,
I dreamt I was walkin' into World War Three,
I went to the doctor the very next day
To see what kinda words he could say.
He said it was a bad dream.
I wouldn't worry 'bout it none, though,
They were my own dreams and they're only in my head.
I said, "Hold it, Doc, a World War passed through my brain.
"He said, "Nurse, get your pad, this boy's insane,
"He grabbed my arm, I said "Ouch!"
As I landed on the psychiatric couch,
He said, "Tell me about it."

Well, the whole thing started at 3 o'clock fast,
It was all over by quarter past.
I was down in the sewer with some little lover
When I peeked out from a manhole cover
Wondering who turned the lights on.
Well, I got up and walked around
And up and down the lonesome town.
I stood a-wondering which way to go,
I lit a cigarette on a parking meter
And walked on down the road.
It was a normal day.

Well, I rung the fallout shelter bell
And I leaned my head and I gave a yell,
"Give me a string bean, I'm a hungry man.
"A shotgun fired and away I ran.
I don't blame them too much though,
I know I look funny.
Down at the corner by a hot-dog stand I seen a man,
I said, "Howdy friend, I guess there's just us two.
"He screamed a bit and away he flew.
Thought I was a Communist.

Well, I spied a girl and before she could leave,
"Let's go and play Adam and Eve.
"I took her by the hand and my heart it was thumpin
'When she said, "Hey man, you crazy or sumpin',
You see what happened last time they started."

Well, I seen a Cadillac window uptown
And there was nobody aroun',
I got into the driver's seat
I drove 42nd Street In my Cadillac.
Good car to drive after a war.

Well, I remember seein' some ad, So I turned on my Conelrad.
But I didn't pay my Con Ed bill, So the radio didn't work so well.
Turned on my player-It was Rock-A-Day, Johnny singin',
"Tell Your Ma, Tell Your Pa,Our Loves Are Gonna Grow Ooh-wah, Ooh-wah."

I was feelin' kinda lonesome and blue,
I needed somebody to talk to.
So I called up the operator of time
Just to hear a voice of some kind.
"When you hear the beep It will be three o'clock,
"She said that for over an hour And I hung it up.

Well, the doctor interrupted me just about then, Sayin,
"Hey I've been havin' the same old dreams,
But mine was a little different you see.
I dreamt that the only person left after the war was me.
I didn't see you around."

Well, now time passed and now it seems
Everybody's having them dreams.
Everybody sees themselves walkin' around with no one else.
Half of the people can be part right all of the time,
Some of the people can be all right part of the time.
But all the people can't be all right all the time
I think Abraham Lincoln said that.
"I'll let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours,"I said that.

Copyright ©1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music

So next time you feel like a chuckle, listen to some Dylan lyrics. I can recommend it.

No comments: