Sara

You have probably never heard this song and its a real shame. This song doesn't require any explanation of the lyrics (quite shocking for Mr. Dylan) but it does require some back story to be truly powerful.

This song is entitled Sara and is at the very tail end of the album Desire (1975), an album that is known for its story telling songs. This song is an exception in style and mood. It comes near the very end of one of the hardest parts of Bob Dylan's life: his divorce with his wife Sara.

Bob and Sara had been married for 12 years and had four children together. Bob has stated that Sara was the only woman he truly loved. "Sara" is the only song that is specifically about a portion of Bob's life and about a specific person. All other songs are written rather figuratively and they can never be truly pinned down to a specific person, "Sara" can. Bob wrote this song for his soon to be ex-wife as a final plea. A final plea for her not to leave him. Bob had never played this song with his band before and for some reason Sara walked into the studio just as Bob and the band were recording it. Bob looked up through the glass and saw Sara; he sang this song directly to his almost ex-wife. You can hear the pain in his voice as he is pleading to the love of his wife to never leave him. The pure earnestness in his voice is heart-wrenching, but it was no use. She still divorced him.

Think about that as you listen to this song. Imagine him looking up and suddenly seeing her. See him look up from being bent over his guitar and lock eyes with the woman who was the mother of his children and the woman that made him so happy. Feel all the emotions flash through his head and him opening up his heart to her to make his last plea. See him sing this to her with tears and pain, pouring all of himself into it to get to her heart and change her mind. A man singing a doomed song, as his world falls apart.

With no further adieu, "Sara:"

http://www.mojvideo.com/video-bob-dylan-sara/9ada7ef3f5f2793aa60c

I laid on a dune, I looked at the sky
When the children were babies and played on the beach
You came up behind me, I saw you go by
You were always so close and still within reach

Sara, Sara

Whatever made you want to change your mind?
Sara, Sara
So easy to look at, so hard to define

I can still see them playin’ with their pails in the sand
They run to the water their buckets to fill
I can still see the shells fallin’ out of their hands
As they follow each other back up the hill

Sara, Sara
Sweet virgin angel, sweet love of my life
Sara, Sara
Radiant jewel, mystical wife

Sleepin’ in the woods by a fire in the night
Drinkin’ white rum in a Portugal bar
Them playin’ leapfrog and hearin’ about Snow White
You in the marketplace in Savanna-la-Mar

Sara, Sara
It’s all so clear, I could never forget
Sara, Sara
Lovin’ you is the one thing I’ll never regret

I can still hear the sounds of those Methodist bells
I’d taken the cure and had just gotten through
Stayin’ up for days in the Chelsea Hotel
Writin’ “Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” for you

Sara, Sara
Wherever we travel we’re never apart
Sara, oh Sara
Beautiful lady, so dear to my heart

How did I meet you? I don’t know
A messenger sent me in a tropical storm
You were there in the winter, moonlight on the snow
And on Lily Pond Lane when the weather was warm

Sara, oh Sara
Scorpio Sphinx in a calico dress
Sara, Sara
You must forgive me my unworthiness

Now the beach is deserted except for some kelp
And a piece of an old ship that lies on the shore
You always responded when I needed your help
You gimme a map and a key to your door

Sara, oh Sara
Glamorous nymph with an arrow and bow
Sara, oh Sara
Don’t ever leave me, don’t ever go

Some Songs Pt. 1

For this post, I am just going to post YouTube links for some songs that I find rather enjoyable or appropriate. There will be no in depth analysis, because I deem these songs to be rather self explanatory. Enjoy.

What's A Guy Gotta Do By: Joe Nichols

-A song that seems to be a reoccurring thing in my mind.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5NgbBoqCpw&ob=av2e

Baby Let Me Follow You Down By: Bob Dylan

-Couldn't find the original, but it works.

-The message is still the same. (Never felt this way.....bleeding sarcasm maybe)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGQqChi8IK0

-Good cover; close to the original; just a girl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LqxdrXhk-Q&feature=related

You May Be Right By: Billy Joel

-For some odd reason I view this song as really fitting to me. 

-I was going to list specific lyrics, but pretty much the whole damn song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoyAg75PsTA

Well I guess that's enough for now. Expect another blog post rather soon, or it could be a little while, depending upon how caught up I get in this whole college thing and laziness affliction.

Cheers

BD: I Believe In You

Hello Blog Readers,

It seems I have been neglecting this little project for quite awhile now. But not to worry, for I am back; yet none of you seemed concerned enough to brink up my absence. Oh well, I will continue to scream into the darkness and preach to the wall.

My intention is to come at this blog with a renewed energy and post more often and about more varied things, so expect a few rambling posts.

With this first post, I will return to my tried and true method of trying to share with you music that speaks volumes to me and really moves me on multiple levels.

This song is "I Believe In You" by Bob Dylan, released off of his 1979 Slow Train Coming album. This album is one in a series of albums during Bob's "born-again Christian" phase where he focused on gospel-rock albums. At first it was hard for me to get into these albums, but one day this song just hit me and I've been struck by it ever since. One of my favorite types of songs are the ones where the musician can be singing to either God or a girl; there's just something utterly fascinating in that duality to me.

Lyrics Property of Bob Dylan

They ask me how I feel
And if my love is real
And how I know I'll make it through
And they, they look at me and frown
They'd like to drive me from this town
They don't want me around
'Cause I believe in you.

They show me to the door
They say don't come back no more
'Cause I don't be like they'd like me to
And I, I walk out on my own
A thousand miles from home
But I don't feel alone
'Cause I believe in you.

I believe in you even through the tears and the laughter
I believe in you even though we be apart
I believe in you even on the morning after
Oh, when the dawn is nearing
Oh, when the night is disappearing
Oh, this feeling is still here in my heart.

Don't let me drift too far
Keep me where you are
Where I will always be renewed
And that which you've given me today
Is worth more than I could pay
And no matter what they say
I believe in you.

I believe in you when winter turn to summer
I believe in you when white turn to black
I believe in you even though I be outnumbered
Oh, though the earth may shake me
Oh, though my friends forsake me
Oh, even that couldn't make me go back.

Don't let me change my heart
Keep me set apart
From all the plans they do pursue
And I, I don't mind the pain
Don't mind the driving rain
I know I will sustain
'Cause I believe in you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LRoDVaPb0k&feature=related
I love the sound of pain in his voice, the sound of pure emotion rolling from his heart and cracking his voice. If you don't appreciate the true beauty of his voice, please try to because you are missing out on something.

Verse I: This is the skeptical verse, where the he is among people who are skeptical of his love. It can be taken that these people don't believe he really loves the woman he loves and she is someone that they don't like, so they don't like him due to his faith in her. Or it could be that they don't believe in God and the fact that he truly loves God, makes them uncomfortable and they want him gone so they don't have to deal with their doubts and misgivings. Overall, both sides of it are easily applicable to God or girl.

Verse II: The feeling of because you love someone and that someone loves you back, allows you to always have a smile on your face and that someone in your heart no matter the oppression and hate you may suffer. This verse is easier applied to God, where because he won't conform to their non-belief, they hate him and want him gone. He does leave but his faith keeps him strong and unwavering, very similar to the way a pure love in a woman can keep a man up on his feet through the worst (i.e. many a soldier in many a war).

Chorus I: Applied to God: Even though he isn't physical with God, he is still spiritually near God and no matter how much time passes this nearness will never decrease, but only increase.

Applied to Girl: He doesn't quit loving her even though she can cause him pain, even through the good and bad, even though they aren't near each other, even though the day wears on. His love doesn't waver.

Verse III: This is his prayer. He doesn't want God/girl to allow him to stray from them no matter the temptation to. Their presence always makes him feel brand new and like a better person. All that God/girl has given to him (Love and the resulting change for the better) he can never given them back an equal amount. He feels they have overwhelmed him and he will be in their debt, but a good type of being in their debt.

Chorus II: No matter how much time has passed or how terrible things may get his faith won't shatter. Your friends can forsake you for dating a girl they don't approve of, or your friends can forsake you for having a total relationship with God when they aren't as sure as you. Either scenario, he doesn't care what they think and his love/faith will not be broken.

Verse IV: He doesn't want God/her to ever allow his heart to change back to the way it was before he discovered his love for God/her. I love the last lines " I don't mind the pain/ don't mind the driving rain/ I know I will sustain/ cause I believe in you." This is crux of it all. His love is so strong that pain doesn't factor into the equation and no matter how much misery the world can pile on top of him, his faith in either God or her will not end.

In summary, the song is about how he can suffer through any type of pain, misery, ridicule, or persecution because he has an unbreakable faith in either God or a girl. I guess which one it is really depends upon your believes and your background. I'm able to see both in my mind. You sing this song to both God and wife. Is not the true love of woman a way to replicate God's love for man? Is not one of the most noblest things to purely love one of his creations? My elegance is fleeting at the moment, but still things to ponder.

As always, feel free to comment and I strongly encourage you to do so. I need some form of feedback. Comment on here, on Facebook, or by text message, I don't really care; I would just like your opinion. That is rather an request on my behalf if you know me.

Well until next time, and I do plan on that being soon, Auf Wiedersehen.