Franklin's Tower
Grateful Dead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your eyes looked through your mother's face
Wildflower seed on the sand and stone
May the four winds blow you safely home
Roll away, the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
I'll tell you where the four winds dwell
In Franklin's tower there hangs a bell
It can ring, turn night to day
It can ring like fire when you lose your way
Roll away, the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
God save the child who rings that bell
I may have one good ring baby, you can't tell
One watch by night, one watch by day
If you get confused just listen to the music play
Some come to laugh their past away
Some come to make it just one more day
Whichever way your pleasure tends
If you plant ice you're gonna harvest wind
Roll away, the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
I'll tell you where the four winds sleep
Like four lean hounds the lighthouse keep
Wildflower seed in the sand and wind
May the four winds blow you home again
Roll away, the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
Franklin's Tower is a song by the Grateful Dead that seems to transport the listener into a different time and place with its poetic lyrics that utilize metaphor to paint the picture of the winds and the tower that harbors them. The first verse of the song is a kind of invocation that sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer sings about forgotten space and eyes that looked through the mother's face, which could refer to reincarnation or the idea of life before birth. The second line, "Wildflower seed on the sand and stone," refers to something fragile and delicate that is planted in a place where it may not be able to grow - this can be interpreted as a metaphor for the human soul that travels through time and experiences, trying to find the right place to grow. The final line, "May the four winds blow you safely home," could mean several things - it could be a final destination, an end to this journey, or it could simply be a way of expressing the desire for protection on this journey.
In the chorus, the phrase "Roll away, the dew" is repeated over and over again. This refrain is open to interpretation, but it may be referring to the idea of rolling up the morning dew that appears on plants in the early morning. The metaphorical meaning behind this phrase could be that the morning dew represents the transient beauty of life - it is something that appears for a brief moment before evaporating into the air. The singer may be urging the listener to roll up that beauty and savor it before it disappears. The imagery of rolling away the dew is symbolic of the fleetingness of life.
The second verse of the song offers more concrete imagery. It speaks of "Franklin's tower," which is a bell tower that can turn night into day. This bell is described as having the power to ring like fire when you lose your way. The bell is a symbol of guidance and safety, and the singer states that "God save the child who rings that bell." The final line of the verse, "If you get confused just listen to the music play," seems to suggest that the only way to find your way home is to listen to the music, to be present in the moment and to remember the beauty that still exists in the world.
Overall, Franklin's Tower is a song that speaks to the human experience of trying to find one's way home, both literally and figuratively. It is filled with poetic language and metaphorical imagery that is open to interpretation. The chorus of the song may be the most memorable, as it is repeated several times, and its meaning is subject to many different interpretations. However, the power of the song lies in its ability to transport the listener to a different world, where the wind carries us home and the music is our only guide.
Line by Line Meaning
In another time's forgotten space
In a different era, a place lost in time
Your eyes looked through your mother's face
You inherited a look from your mom
Wildflower seed on the sand and stone
The beauty of life persists in harsh and inhospitable environments
May the four winds blow you safely home
May life's challenges not harm you and may you find your way back home
Roll away, the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
Roll away, roll away the dew
Let go of your worries, dance, and celebrate life
I'll tell you where the four winds dwell
In Franklin's tower there hangs a bell
The power to navigate life's obstacles comes from within, symbolized by the bell hanging in Franklin's Tower
It can ring, turn night to day
It can ring like fire when you lose your way
The bell can be a beacon of hope and guide you through dark times
God save the child who rings that bell
I may have one good ring baby, you can't tell
The bell can save the lost and provide guidance to those in need, even if it only rings once
One watch by night, one watch by day
If you get confused just listen to the music play
There is always support available, day and night, through the music
Some come to laugh their past away
Some come to make it just one more day
Whichever way your pleasure tends
If you plant ice you're gonna harvest wind
People seek solace in different ways, but it's important to plant positivity and not negativity in your life
I'll tell you where the four winds sleep
Like four lean hounds the lighthouse keep
Wildflower seed in the sand and wind
May the four winds blow you home again
The winds of destiny can be kind or harsh, like hounds guarding a lighthouse, but the beauty of life can still thrive in the harshest of environments
Lyrics ยฉ Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JEROME J. GARCIA, ROBERT C. HUNTER, WILLIAM KREUTZMANN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Austin Centolella
Good Morning
MP Oy IC XC
March 28th, 2023
๐๐โฃ๏ธ๐๐
#BCTweetyLikeyMe
#DammitQuint
#TheJawsGro
#aecjdrumwalk
#dreamhome
#movieoftheweek
#WomensHistoryMonth
๐โค๏ธ๐๐๐ด๐+
Cosmic Jaws
Welcome Home
Grateful Dead
"From 1975's Blues For Allah album, Franklin's Tower had an interesting place in the Dead's repertoire. It was joined to Help On The Way and Slipknot from 1975-1977, 1983-1985, and 1989, 1995, and was otherwise a free agent, popping up in various places throughout the setlist, in both the first and second sets." - David Lemieux
Ronnie Capitanelli
~ And Letโs Not Forget The Unsung Hero Of B.F.A. โSTRONGER THAN DIRT or MILKโN THE TURKEY ๐๐ป
(Good Stuff Brother ๐)
Josh Steele
Looking forward to being at all shows in legalized states.
Josh Steele
๐ Deer Creek will always rock, and in Jerry Garcia's day as lead guitarist, would play three nights in a row. What's your favorite venue for live Grate dead as well as other varieties of the band such as further and with John Mayer doing a great job as lead guitars surprisingly after gravity put living the lifestyle John Mayer's done a great job I'm excited and interested to see what his future projects will be so I don't think he'll go back to just playing the ladies๐ gravity!? Lifetime of musical experience will be great for the ๐ถ he'll be able to come up with for us all!!!!!! No need to question the talented Mr. Mayer and the legacy he will always have time for future projects!?๐๐๐๐
Josh Steele
Tears of Joy for the supposed last tour. 50th anniversary is only for the name, The band's legacy will always have tribute band's, such as "Hyrider" a tribute band' for the "Grateful Dead" original โพ๏ธ sounds will always be safe to share "without a net" or "Back to the Future " travel plans. John Mayer has found "My" definition of a wonderful band's "Last Waltz." Still love a piece of the great original Jerry band covers such as "Playing in the band." However I'm eager to see the opportunity to evolve with new creative subconscious, elevated, thoughts that could be best told as well as seen through the experienced, original "Warlock's!"
Josh Steele
Music for the Grateful Family will never fade away!! Tangled up in the lifestyle of the traveling band. The show will always remain the same for "Phans' and family!
mark kirsch
Hunterโs lyrics are just magical. โMay the four winds roll you home again.โ
SkiBoss420
who is hunter?
TheProClam
@SkiBoss420 Robert Hunter, he wrote a ton of songs for the Dead. Absolutely amazing song writer.
Lucy Lennon
@SkiBoss420 Robert Hunter was Jerry Garcia's songwriting partner; like John Barlow and Bob Weir's songwriting partnership.