Continuing with my possible Grateful Dead references in the song: Just noticed that the very next line after - Goodbye Charlie, Goodbye Uncle Sam - is: Frankly, my Scarlet, I don’t give a damn. Yes, obviously, a Gone With the Wind reference. But one can surmise that the same Wind whips through the Dead’s Easy Wind - which notes that’s “there’s a whole lotta women, mama out in RED on the streets today. “ Then there’s Scarlet from Scarlet Begonias. Then .......another shade of red shows up just 2 lines later, Ruby, as in Jack, who commanded the Red Light district , referenced a few lines upward. Probably there , not by design, but it triggered my subconscious, had to share. LOL.
Members of the Dead are actually dead, and this fits in with the theme of the death of Kennedy. Recall that Garcia and Hunter were in the federal armed forces. Garcia famously experienced the cuban missile crisis, with his gf in California.
”Got blood in my ear” Exodus 29:20: to consecrate someone to a sacred cause, one should put blood ”on the right earlobe” (and on a hand and toe)
”Wake up little Suzie” Interesting that the name is spelled with ”z” (as in Suze Rotolo) and not with ”s” (as in the Everly Brothers song) on bobdylan.com ...
I like your thinking over Gone With The Wind. This made me think of Idiot Wind, "blowing from the Capitol to the Grand Cooley Dam". The song to me was always about the demise of America. Also, just now realize that Dylan's Idiot Wind may in fact be a protest, if you will, against Blowing In The Wind. If not an acceptance that the wind did not provide a satisfactory answer.
Wondering if anyone else has had this thought? Dylan wrote the lyrics many years ago, probably a different form and arrangement of the music, too - but decided not to release it as first intended. Kept the lyrics, but only recorded the music, just several years ago. I would not fall down if someone revealed it was first composed to accompany or be on the Soundtrack for Oliver Stone’s 1991 Movie, JFK. I’m not claiming this as true or fact - but having no other info on the project - a mind can wander. LOL Lyrically, there doesn’t seem to be any reference to anything not known before 91’. Any facts on this recording available? Anywhere? JFK (1991) Soundtracks Soundtrack Samples JFK: Original Motion Picture Soundtrac
Here's my deep dive into "Murder Most Foul" including a "footnotes" video I made. Essay and Video https://www.vinniefavale.com/post/eat-this-documentary Eat This Documentary Video "Murder Most Foul" Lyric Analysis https://www.vinniefavale.com/bob-dylan
Think the writing style and themes echo the Tempest songs so much that my belief is it originates from that era. I hear "Tempest" and Roll on John heavily (although better than both) with traces of ERK & Scarlet Town too in the language. Recording much more recent I reckon as per my previous posts.
The analysis is at critical mass. This is all going to get tied together very soon. I have faith... well, OK, something is going to get tied.
Interesting re: Idiot Wind. That was also my take on the song when I first heard it on the radio in post-Watergate America. And it strikes me how relevant it is to these times.... “...I noticed at the ceremony Your corrupt ways had finally made you blind!”
Others have already mentioned iTunes and Qobuz. Amazon, Google Play, and TIDAL (which has a very overpriced download store) also offer the track.
Anyone notice that MMF is mastered on the relatively quiet side? A fair bit quieter than the majority of modern music and recent Bob albums with the exception of Shadows & FA. It's all the better for it and get the impression that there's very little compression going on as can hear the differing volume levels of each instrument which is gorgeous and so refreshing. Audiophile gold. However, I do wonder if that is suggestive of a one off release. Would the powers that be release a full album of new Bob material in a similar fashion? I mean, of course they should but are they brave enough?
Bob's American Pie 1st thing I thought of, only using Kennedy instead of Buddy Holly as a touchstone for further decay. Quite masterful in use of song titles to further a story.
I have been looking at both sides of this argument and have not seen that those who are enthusiastic (even to the point of using the word masterpiece) about the song are talking about hidden, deep meanings or labored over or hidden symbolism or represent Absolute Truths bequeathed upon us. I have instead read people delving into the piece to find and attempt to understand the references. Without any notion as to Dylan’s thoughts about the assassination, it’s hard to see that it was not intentional to refer to points outside of the official conclusion — from Bannister and Ferrie to the tramps and grassy knoll. If he meant to eulogize Kennedy, he could have referenced Camelot and the Cuban Missile Crisis and be done with it. That doesn’t make him an oracle, but someone ruminating on the possibilities.
A strange irony is that Weberman, who has been mentioned several times in order to disparage those who are bringing up the references in the song, wrote a book about the three tramps whom Dylan references in his song.
He never references the Confederacy, directly or by inference. Tom Dooley is most known as a murder ballad. True, he had been a Confederate soldier, but the reference was likely about someone wrongly accused (an executed) for a murder he did not commit (seemingly the Oswald connection). Blood-stained banner has already been cited for Biblical references, several others of which occur in the song.
The direct message is part of what makes this whole thing so intriguing. When have any other releases had a message written to us in this manner?
Had a go at a speculative. Greatest Hits Vol 4., Which I am fully aware many people think is entirely unnecessary. But I like doing stuff like this, so there you go. Forgive the format; vinyl to come.* Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 4, a playlist by wondergrape on Spotify *not really
