I think Rosemary stabbed Big Jim in the back with a pen knife. (Earlier she could "see her reflection in knife." Later she's on the gallows.) I'm thinking the Jack of Hearts was in the dressing room with Lily when Big Jim showed up with Rosemary beside him. Big Jim has the gun, but Rosemary has the knife. She stabs Big Jim to keep him from shooting Dylan (the Jack of Hearts). IMHO.
I always thought that song would have made a great video. "Blood on the Tracks," what a great album!
I think Rosemary stabbed Big Jim in the back with a pen knife. (Earlier she could "see her reflection in knife." Later she's on the gallows.) I'm thinking the Jack of Hearts was in the dressing room with Lily when Big Jim showed up with Rosemary beside him. Big Jim has the gun, but Rosemary has the knife. She stabs Big Jim to keep him from shooting Dylan (the Jack of Hearts). IMHO.
I always thought that song would have made a great video. "Blood on the Tracks," what a great album!
Okay, now we're talking. I would go a bit further to offer this: Lily is actually Rosemary in her younger self. Of course Big Jim is having an affair with Lily, but that simply means that the woman he loves is the young "princess" Lily, not the fading Rosemary (his wife). But Lily's heart wonders as represented by the Jack of Hearts. So, of course, Big Jim has to take a fall (i.e.: be a victim of a broken heart in losing a lover). Consequently, in metaphorical fashion, Lily breaks into the dressing room to put an end to Big Jim (their affair), and "the metaphorical "colt revolver clicks". But in the next verse we learn that Big Jim actually died by a penknife in the back, which refers back to Rosemary seeing her reflection in the knife. Of course, the reference to a penknife is an illusion to writing, and metaphorical meaning, and matters of the heart as opposed to literal meanings.
Remember, Rosemary was the one who had once tried suicide, with emphasis on tried - she could not go through with it. The new development is the Jack of Hearts (the new love that steals her away), so Lily who breaks in on the pair means simply that the drunk Rosemary sees her reflection in knife, which is actually her young princess self - Lily - who is in the doorway with the Colt revolver all poised to put an end to Big Jim - and she (Rosemary) thereby finds the courage kill Jim by stabbing him in the back.
The key point here is that Lily is the younger Rosemary, the young princess, who is capable of a) breaking Big Jim's heart/killing him, and b) conjuring up the memory in Rosemary of her younger self who was capable of breaking men's hearts/killing them. And so, the act of the older wife, Rosemary, murdering Big Jim is the metaphorical corollary of the young Lily breaking his heart. That's all it is, and it is one act on two levels, metaphorical and personified.
And yes, one great album. Lots of masterpieces tucked into one record.
I think you're reading a lot more into it than Dylan intended. I find it hard to believe it's that convoluted. Here's how I hear it: Big Jim is the rich dude who runs the town. He has two women; the older Rosemary, who "plays" the role of his wife, and Lily his young lover on the side. Both are fed up with Big Jim. Lily once had an affair with the Jack of Hearts, but hasn't seen him in a while; and Rosemary is attracted to him. As the Jack of Hearts gang is breaking into the safe next door the Jack of Hearts serves as a distraction. Big Jim thinks he recognizes him, but not sure from where. (Maybe on a wanted poster or a picture in Lily's wallet?) The Jack of Hearts and Lily go off to a room to get it on. (She takes off her dress). The suspicious Big Jim, with Rosemary in tow, breaks into the room. Big Jim has a gun. He's not surprised to see his young lover in bed with someone else. He clicks the hammer intending to kill one or both, but Rosemary, fed up with playing the wife, stabs Big Jim in the back. The next morning as Big Jim's lifeless body lies there, Rosemary is about to be hung (by the hanging judge). As Lily, left behind in town, reflects on the events of the previous night, the Jack of Hearts is off to meet up with his gang and the money from Big Jim's safe. I think it's that simple. I think it's a great little story and don't need to read any more into it. But, of course your interpretation could be correct.
Any songs you didn’t even begin to understand or relate to until years after you first heard them? Many songs I still don’t know what they mean, or maybe I have some vague notion of what they mean to me.
Blinded by the Light - you got me, what's it about? I have some hunches but not all the lyrics line up to fit one interpretation, at least not one i can feel confident of.
Bruce breaks down this whole song in his Broadway show (deuce/douche and all), which is available for streaming on netflix.
"wrapped up like a doucher"...seemed awkward at best. I only now (reading this thread) realize it refers to the little deuce (car). So there you go, escaped me until 7/18/23.
Doodlebops Get on the Bus= I always thought it was about a bus ride and jumping inside to take a bus ride. As I got older I realized it was about getting on a bus.
I think "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" is Dylan starring in his own little Western movie. If you look at the cover of the "Desire" album, that's Dylan dressed up as the hero, the Jack of Hearts.
When I was a devout church-going kid, I thought it was a blasphemous satanic song about worshipping the devil. Eventually I figured out it was just about a wild woman ... like most of AC/DC's songs. It's still a great song, but I liked it better when I felt like my eternal soul was in danger from listening to it.
I think you're reading a lot more into it than Dylan intended. I find it hard to believe it's that convoluted. Here's how I hear it: Big Jim is the rich dude who runs the town. He has two women; the older Rosemary, who "plays" the role of his wife, and Lily his young lover on the side. Both are fed up with Big Jim. Lily once had an affair with the Jack of Hearts, but hasn't seen him in a while; and Rosemary is attracted to him. As the Jack of Hearts gang is breaking into the safe next door the Jack of Hearts serves as a distraction. Big Jim thinks he recognizes him, but not sure from where. (Maybe on a wanted poster or a picture in Lily's wallet?) The Jack of Hearts and Lily go off to a room to get it on. (She takes off her dress). The suspicious Big Jim, with Rosemary in tow, breaks into the room. Big Jim has a gun. He's not surprised to see his young lover in bed with someone else. He clicks the hammer intending to kill one or both, but Rosemary, fed up with playing the wife, stabs Big Jim in the back. The next morning as Big Jim's lifeless body lies there, Rosemary is about to be hung (by the hanging judge). As Lily, left behind in town, reflects on the events of the previous night, the Jack of Hearts is off to meet up with his gang and the money from Big Jim's safe. I think it's that simple. I think it's a great little story and don't need to read any more into it. But, of course your interpretation could be correct.
Yeah, upon further thought, I think you're right. Reasonable interpretation. Some great lines in that song.
A single that first appeared on Blues Traveler’s fourth album, appropriately titled “Four.” The song follows the same chord progression as Pachelbel’s notorious “Canon In D
One day I realized that "squeeze my lemon till the juice runs down my leg" does not refer to making lemonade, at least not literally. It seems to be a euphemism for something even stickier.
When I was in the 4th grade, my friends and I wanted to sing TLC's "Waterfalls" in the school talent show and couldn't understand why we weren't allowed.
Cat's in the Cradle. I remember it well when I was a kid because it was popular and there was always a counselor at summer camp with an acoustic guitar who would sign it at the campfire. I thought it was just one of those really long story songs of the 1970s and didn't get it. After I had children, I heard it and was like "oooohhhhhh." I guess when you are a kid at summer camp and are more interested in roasting a marshmallow than song lyrics, you really aren't going to be receptive to a heavy message about family.
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