High Water
#BobDylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the gold and silver are being stolen away
Big Joe Turner lookin' East and West
From the dark room of his mind
He made it to Kansas City
Twelfth Street and Vine
Nothing standing there
High water everywhere
High water risin', the shacks are slidin' down
Folks lose their possessions and folks are leaving town
Bertha Mason shook, it broke it
Then she hung it on a wall
Says, "You're dancin' with whom they tell you to
Or you don't dance at all"
It's tough out there
High water everywhere
I got a cravin' love for blazing speed got a hopped up Mustang Ford
Jump into the wagon, love, throw your panties overboard
I can write you poems, make a strong man lose his mind
I'm no pig without a wig
I hope you treat me kind
Things are breakin' up out there
High water everywhere
High water risin', six inches 'bove my head
Coffins droppin' in the street
Like balloons made out of lead
Water pourin' into Vicksburg, don't know what I'm going to do
"Don't reach out for me," she said
"Can't you see I'm drownin' too?"
It's rough out there
High water everywhere
Well, George Lewis told the Englishman, the Italian and the Jew
"You can't open your mind, boys
To every conceivable point of view"
They got Charles Darwin trapped out there on Highway Five
Judge says to the High Sheriff
"I want him dead or alive
Either one, I don't care"
High Water everywhere
Well, the cuckoo is a pretty bird, she warbles as she flies
I'm preachin' the word of God
I'm puttin' out your eyes
I asked Fat Nancy for something to eat, she said, "Take it off the shelf
As great as you are a man,
You'll never be greater than yourself"
I told her I didn't really care
High water everywhere
I'm getting' up in the morning I believe I'll dust my broom
Keeping away from the women
I'm givin' 'em lots of room
Thunder rolling over Clarksdale, everything is looking blue
I just can't be happy, love
Unless you're happy too
It's bad out there
High water everywhere
Bob Dylan's song "High Water" appears on his album "Love and Theft" released in 2001. This song is about the chaos caused by natural disasters, particularly floods. The first verse mentions the rising water levels and the looting that occurs as a result. The reference to Big Joe Turner, an influential blues singer, indicates that the flooding could be a metaphor for depression and mental turmoil.
The second verse talks about the impact of the flooding on everyday people. Bertha Mason is a character from Jane Eyre, a novel by Charlotte Bronte, who "hung it on the wall" after it broke. This could represent the resignation of people in the face of disaster. The line "You're dancing with whom they tell you to, or you don't dance at all" expresses the feeling that people are powerless and have no choice but to follow orders.
The third verse is more personal, with Dylan describing his love for speed and his desperation to escape the chaos. The line "Things are breakin' up out there" could be interpreted as a reference to his failing marriage at the time of writing.
Overall, "High Water" is a commentary on the fragility of life and the futility of resisting natural disasters.
Line by Line Meaning
High water risin', risin' night and day
The water level is continuously increasing, both during the day and at night.
All the gold and silver are being stolen away
Amidst the crisis caused by the floods, people are losing their valuables to theft.
Big Joe Turner lookin' East and West
Joe Turner, the blues singer and pianist, is taking a look around in search of safety.
From the dark room of his mind
He is trapped inside his own mind, trying to keep himself together from the chaos surrounding him.
He made it to Kansas City
Joe Turner has finally reached Kansas City in search of refuge.
Twelfth Street and Vine
Joe Turner has arrived at one of the crossroads in Kansas City.
Nothing standin' there
The place where Joe Turner has arrived offers him no hope for survival.
High water everywhere
The floods have taken over the area with water visible everywhere.
High water risin', the shacks are slidin' down
As the water level rises, small houses or shacks are also getting destroyed and carried away by water.
Folks lose their possessions and folks are leaving town
People are losing their belongings and leaving the area in search of a safer place.
Bertha Mason shook, it broke it
The floods have impacted Bertha Mason's mental state significantly.
Then she hung it on a wall
She has probably used art as an outlet to express her emotions amidst the crisis.
Says, "You're dancin' with whom they tell you to, Or you don't dance at all"
The society she is living in is restrictive, and she has to comply with their demands or have no say in her life.
It's tough out there
The situation caused by the floods is challenging and taxing on people's lives.
I got a cravin' love for blazing speed got a hopped up Mustang Ford
The singer craves speed and owns a modified car, a Mustang Ford.
Jump into the wagon, love, throw your panties overboard
The artist is trying to woo a woman into taking a reckless, carefree ride with him.
I can write you poems, make a strong man lose his mind
The artist is confident in his wordsmith abilities, and believes he can have an impact on people's lives, even the strong-willed ones.
I'm no pig without a wig
The singer denies any negative stereotypes that society may tag him with, for instance, being a pig.
I hope you treat me kind
The singer requests for kindness from the woman he's trying to impress.
Things are breakin' up out there
The world around the artist is crumbling, and things are deteriorating.
High water everywhere
The floods caused by heavy rain are present almost everywhere.
High water risin', six inches 'bove my head
The water is now up to the artist's neck, and the situation doesn't seem to be improving.
Coffins droppin' in the street, like balloons made of lead
The situation is worsening, and people are dying due to the floods. Coffins are floating in the streets amidst the chaos.
Water pourin' into Vicksburg, don't know what I'm going to do
The water is entering the town of Vicksburg, and the artist is clueless about how to cope with it.
"Don't reach out for me," she said, "Can't you see I'm drownin' too?"
The singer's attempt to help someone has failed miserably, and the woman he tried to rescue is now drowning as well.
It's rough out there, High water everywhere
The situation outside is challenging, and the floods and their aftermath are impacting everything.
Well, George Lewis told the Englishman, the Italian and the Jew
The singer is quoting George Lewis, who advises people of different ethnicities to keep their minds open to other perspectives.
"You can't open your mind, boys To every conceivable point of view"
George Lewis mentions that it's difficult to keep an open mind to all possibilities.
They got Charles Darwin trapped out there on Highway Five
Charles Darwin, the biologist, is stuck at Highway Five.
Judge says to the High Sheriff, "I want him dead or alive Either one, I don't care"
The singer is quoting a judge who is determined to capture Charles Darwin, whether dead or alive.
High Water everywhere
The floods have taken over the area.
Well, the cuckoo is a pretty bird, she warbles as she flies
The artist is starting a new verse about a bird called the cuckoo, known for its melodious singing.
I'm preachin' the word of God, I'm puttin' out your eyes
The birds symbolic flight and prophecy is being used as a metaphor in the religious context.
I asked Fat Nancy for something to eat, she said, "Take it off the shelf
The artist is interacting with a woman named Fat Nancy and asking her for food.
As great as you are a man, You'll never be greater than yourself"
Fat Nancy reminds the singer to stay grounded and not let his success get to his head.
I told her I didn't really care, High water everywhere
The situation outside is terrible, and the impact of the floods on Fat Nancy's statement does not seem to affect the artist's thinking.
I'm getting' up in the morning I believe I'll dust my broom, Keeping away from the women I'm givin' 'em lots of room
The singer is cleaning his house and keeping away from women in fear of getting into trouble.
Thunder rolling over Clarksdale, everything is looking blue
The weather is tumultuous and depressing, and the environment is reflecting it.
I just can't be happy, love unless you're happy too
The singer cannot find joy unless his woman is happy.
It's bad out there, High water everywhere
The condition outside is terrible owing to the floods, and it's adversely affecting nearly everything.
Lyrics © AUDIAM, INC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Liam Loyo Rosas
The banjo picking, the backing vocals, the apocalyptic imagery. Yep, this is a perfect song.
MA Jones
ANOTHER perfect song.
Bill Turner
The best song on the CD. Actually I got this cd by accident. Was in a record club and this was cd of the month 2001. I said what is this. Turned out to be my best cd at the time\ wow😳😳
Jennifer
One of my favorite Bob Dylan songs. His voice slays me on this one.
Samuele Conficoni
Thank you, Bob, the greatest poet of our times.
Bob Dylan
Hi there
Thanks for your love and support that has brought me this far, it has been a hard time for me going through this but your love and support keeps me going and standing strong in this difficult times. I do read your heartwarming comments and I truly appreciate all you’ve done for me throughout the years.
It’s a season of love for me and so I decided to put a smile on the faces of my fans by going through my page and checking out on my fans, so I can get to communicate with my fans better through discussion of depth and humor listening to compliments and criticism of my career.....
Johan Sterk
Don't get fooled by the imposter!!
Mario Velez
I can’t imagine Bob hanging out on YouTube
Jack Wendigo
That's one helluva banjo. A song that grabs you and doesn't let go.
Bob Dylan
Hi there
Thanks for your love and support that has brought me this far, it has been a hard time for me going through this but your love and support keeps me going and standing strong in this difficult times. I do read your heartwarming comments and I truly appreciate all you’ve done for me throughout the years.
It’s a season of love for me and so I decided to put a smile on the faces of my fans by going through my page and checking out on my fans, so I can get to communicate with my fans better through discussion of depth and humor listening to compliments and criticism of my career.......