bob dylan
This song is played Am - G - F on every second corner of every second street in every second town in every second best of all possible worlds. It first appeared on Dylan's eighth album "John Wesley Harding", released on December 27th 1967 - his first after a long recuperation following a nearly fatal motorbike accident, and produced merely acoustic by Bob Johnston; with only Charlie McCoy on bass [Dylan played the harmonica himself!], Kenneth A. Buttrey on drums and added Pete Drake on pedal steel for two cuts only. The material for this album is congruent with the basement recordings from Big Pink, and The Band was invited to overdub the studio tapes. Robertson & Co. decided that no improvements were to be made.
It's told that Jimi Hendrix got a hand on an early demo tape, and started working on it already by then. Six months after the original's release, he cut HIS version: an explosive containing one of the world's most famous guitar solos and a vocal burning any bone to ashes. Even His Bobness himself was impressed, and his following stage performances - more than 1500 - have all been leaning on Jimi's recording for the 1968 album "Electric Ladyland".
The lyrics carry elements from the Book of Isaiah (Chapter 21, verses 5–9) as well as verses from the Book of Revelation. Dylan has always peeled literature and mixed fragments his own way. He's even got the Nobel Prize for it. But wait ... John Wesley "HARDING" was a misspelling that remained, and you can't walk ALONG a watchtower, only pass by it ... but shit, it doesn't matter. The song is a jewel you may polish yourself, and you can go jamming with your friends for hours and forever ... it's a plague, sometimes.
The first verse I leave you with chords is the normal basic, though given B minor key for my own convenience. The next is MY interpretation ... holy cow! ... and a THIRD has to be your own work. Happy strollin' ALONGSIDE the watchtower.
«there must be some way out of here» said the joker to the thief
«there's so much confusion • I can't get no relief
businessmen they drink my wine • plowmen dig my earth
there is not so many among us now who feel what any of it is worth»
«no reason to get exited» the thief he kindly spoke
«there is so many of them now who feel that life is but a joke
but you and I have been through that and this is not our fate
so let us not talk falsly now • the hour is getting late»
all along the watchtower princes kept a wiew
all the women came and went • barefoot servants too
outside in a distance a wild cat did growl
two riders were approaching and the wind began to howl
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
Bm A G ...A there must be some way out of here Bm A G ...A said the joker to the thief Bm A G ...A there's so much confusion Bm A G G ...A I can't get no relief Bm A G ...A businessmen they drink my wine Bm A G ...A plowmen dig my earth Bm A G ...A there is not so many among us now Bm A G ...A who feel what any of it is worth Bm1 Bm/A Bm/G ...G1 A1 no reason to get exited Bm1 Bm/A Bm/G ...G1 A1 the thief he kindly spoke Bm1 Bm/A Bm/G ...G1 A1 there is so many of them now Bm1 Bm/A Bm/G ...G2 A2 who feel that life is but a joke Bm2 A2 G2 A2 but you and I have been through that Bm2 A2 G2 ...A2 and this is not our fate Bm1 Esus4 Em7 A1 so let us not talk falsly now Bm1 Esus4 Gmaj7 ... the hour is getting late
