Dylan’s "Love Minus Zero / No Limit"

[greendog]

In the aftermath of the election there has been a lot of discussion on DU about the misuse and abuse of God and religion to further the right wing agenda.

It’s made me think about this beautiful old song by Dylan where he describes his vision of God.

First, I’ll post the full text and then I’ll try to do a little deconstruction.

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My love she speaks like silence,
Without ideals or violence,
She doesn't have to say she's faithful,
Yet she's true, like ice, like fire.
People carry roses,
Make promises by the hours,
My love she laughs like the flowers,
Valentines can't buy her.

In the dime stores and bus stations,
People talk of situations,
Read books, repeat quotations,
Draw conclusions on the wall.
Some speak of the future,
My love she speaks softly,
She knows there's no success like failure
And that failure's no success at all.

The cloak and dagger dangles,
Madams light the candles.
In ceremonies of the horsemen,
Even the pawn must hold a grudge.
Statues made of match sticks,
Crumble into one another,
My love winks, she does not bother,
She knows too much to argue or to judge.

The bridge at midnight trembles,
The country doctor rambles,
Bankers' nieces seek perfection,
Expecting all the gifts that wise men bring.
The wind howls like a hammer,
The night blows cold and rainy,
My love she's like some raven
At my window with a broken wing.

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Dylan starts with....

"My love she speaks like silence,
Without ideals or violence,"

......or my God is silent - she doesn’t speak to me (or you) with words. She doesn’t require adherence to a specific theology and she doesn’t expect her will (which you can’t fathom) to be enforced by laws or violence.


"In the dime stores and bus stations,
People talk of situations,
Read books, repeat quotations,
Draw conclusions on the wall."

.....whenever you hear Dylan use the word "books", think "books of the bible". People can interpret the Bible any way they want because God is silent.


"The cloak and dagger dangles,
Madams light the candles.
In ceremonies of the horsemen,
Even the pawn must hold a grudge."

......the silent God is pimped out in the service of Generals, Kings, and Presidents. Organized religion assists.

"The wind howls like a hammer,
The night blows cold and rainy,
My love she's like some raven
At my window with a broken wing."

…..whenever Dylan uses the word "wind" , or "howl" , or "blowin", or "breeze" he’s talking about people who pretend to speak for the silent God (lies and deception).

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When you take these simple metaphors and apply them to Dylan’s songs, especially the songs on his first few albums some of his simplest songs become incredibly rich.