For those of you from a younger generation, you must listen to this song. Originally composed by Bob Dylan in late 1967, within months it was re-worked by Jimi Hendrix who is responsible for making it a veritable all-time hit. Even Dylan ended up preferring Hendrix’s version to his own and showed it in the evolution of his many live performances (over 2,000 by one count) of the song. The link above is essential listening.

For those of you from my generation, add to your experience by reading the lyrics, which you will find at the end of this note. I could never fully untangle them from the music, which continues to carry me somewhere far away. Wikipedia informs us the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 21, verses 5-9 may have inspired them.

Apocalyptic thinking is not my style. I am fundamentally an optimist, if with realistic roots. I like equities, though value – when there – is what makes me like them. I don’t believe these are unprecedented times, and “new normals” need to prove themselves. But I do think “history’s rhyme” is getting stronger by the minute.

Enjoy the music and the lyrics.

“There must be some kind of way out of here, “

Said the joker to the thief,

“There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief.

Businessmen – they drink my wine

Plowmen dig my earth

None will level on the line

Nobody of it is worth.”

 

“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 you and I we’ve been through that

And this is not our fate

So let us not talk falsely now

The hour’s getting late.”

 

All along the watchtower

Princess kept the view

While all the women came

And went bare-foot servants too

Outside in the cold distance

A wild cat did growl

Two riders were approaching

And the wind began to howl, hey.