The duo gained attention with the release of a 1996 concert "Live at Luther College". VH1 recorded a 1999 performance to air as part of the program "Storytellers."
During the Dave Matthews & Friends tours, Dave and Tim opened with an acoustic set; however, they have played midset at some more recent shows.
Recently, the duo embarked on their first tour of Europe, marking their first tour outside of the States, as well as their first extended tour since the Winter 2003 tour.
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds have most recently released "Live at Radio City", a 2DVD/2CD album on August 14th, 2007 recorded in April of the same year.
All along The Watchtower
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Said the joker to the thief
There's too much confusion
I can't get no relief
Business men, they drink my wine
Plough men dig my earth
None of them along the line
No reason to get excited
The thief he kindly spoke
There are many here among us
Who feel that life is but a joke
But you and I we've been through all that
And this is not our fate
So let us not talk falsely now
The hour is getting late
All along the watchtower
Princes kept the view
while all the women came and went
Barefoot servants too
Outside in the cold distance
A wild cat did growl
Two riders were approaching
And the wind began to howl
All along the watchtower
Everywhere
Everywhere I went
, people were talking about this song, and I couldn't help but listen to it myself. As I listened to the song, it seemed to be a conversation between two people, the Joker and the Thief. The song seems to be driven by the idea that there's more to life than what's right in front of us. The Joker is looking for a way out of the present confusion while the Thief objectively lets him know that a lot of people don’t take life seriously. The last verse feels like a warning that there are forces out there greater than the two of them, and they need to be ready for what’s coming.
Line by Line Meaning
There must be some kind of way out of here
The joker and the thief are discussing how they can escape from the chaos surrounding them
Said the joker to the thief
The conversation between the joker and the thief continues
There's too much confusion
The joker expresses his feelings about the overwhelming confusion that is present
I can't get no relief
The joker cannot find any solution or respite from this confusion
Business men, they drink my wine
The chaos and confusion have caused the joker to lose control of his possessions and become vulnerable
Plough men dig my earth
The effects of the chaos have also caused farmers to destroy the environment as they try to find solace
None of them along the line
All the people who are trying to escape the chaos are in the same situation
Know what any of it is worth
But they do not know the true value of what they are struggling for
No reason to get excited
The thief advises the joker to stay calm and not get carried away by their emotions
The thief he kindly spoke
The thief is being genuinely helpful to the joker by offering him advice
There are many here among us
The thief recognizes that they are not alone in their struggle to find a way out of the confusion
Who feel that life is but a joke
Many of the people around them see their situation as some sort of sick joke
But you and I we've been through all that
Even though they have also experienced the chaos, they have come to an understanding about its nature
And this is not our fate
They believe that there is a solution to their problem, and they will be able to find it
So let us not talk falsely now
They both agree that speaking honestly is the only way to find a solution
The hour is getting late
They feel that the situation is becoming more urgent and time is running out
All along the watchtower
They have reached the vantage point where they can clearly see the entire situation
Princes kept the view
The people in power are not doing enough to help those who are suffering
while all the women came and went
The women are also caught in the confusion, but they are not in positions of power
Barefoot servants too
Even the lowliest members of society are affected by this chaos
Outside in the cold distance
They can see other dangers lurking in the distance
A wild cat did growl
The danger is becoming more obvious
Two riders were approaching
Two new challenges are on the horizon
And the wind began to howl
The danger is becoming more palpable
Everywhere
This situation affects everyone
Everywhere I went
No place is safe from the chaos
Contributed by William S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.