All Along The Watchtower
Essex St. Band Lyrics

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There must be some way out of here
Said the joker to the thief
There's too much confusion
I can't get no relief

Business men they
Drink my wine
There plowmen dig my earth

None of them along the line
Know what any of it's worth

No reason to get excited
The thief he kindly spoke
There are many among us
Who feel that life is but a joke

But you and I we've been through all that, yes we have
And this is not our fate
So let us not talk falsely now
The hour is getting late

And all along the watchtower
Princes kept the view
While all the women all the women all the women came and went
Barefoot servants too
Outside in the cold distance
A wild cat did growl, la la la
Two riders, two riders approaching
The wind began to howl

The thief he take
My money take
The thief he take
My money take

Am I insane
Auf wiedersehen
Am I insane
The thief is safe

No reason to get excited

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "All Along the Watchtower" by the Essex St. Band are an insightful exploration into the human experience, particularly with regards to the feelings of confusion, desperation and the search for a way out of difficult situations. At the onset, we see the joker talking to the thief, both of whom feel trapped and unable to find a way out. The use of the imagery of businessmen drinking the joker's wine and plowmen digging the earth highlights the societal divide and the sense of exploitation and powerlessness that the ordinary people feel.

The use of the line "There are many among us who feel that life is but a joke" highlights the existential crisis that modern society is facing. The use of the pronouns "you and I" create a sense of solidarity that they both share, having been through difficult situations. The final lines of the song show a sense of impending doom as the hour is getting late and uncertainty prevails. This is further heightened by the imagery of the watchtower, where the princes look out for any threat that might come their way, while the common people go about their daily struggles unnoticed.

Overall, "All Along the Watchtower" is an excellent commentary on the human experience, highlighting the feelings of powerlessness that the ordinary people face and the existential crisis that modern society is going through.

Line by Line Meaning

There must be some way out of here
The joker speaks to the thief, questioning if there's any way to escape their current situation.

Said the joker to the thief
The dialogue between the joker and thief is established.

There's too much confusion
The joker feels overwhelmed by the chaos around him.

I can't get no relief
The joker is struggling to find any respite from the confusion.

Business men they
The joker observes the actions of businessmen.

Drink my wine
The businessmen consume the joker's belongings.

There plowmen dig my earth
Laborers work to till the joker's land.

None of them along the line
Despite their actions, none of those involved understand the true value of what they're doing.

Know what any of it's worth
No one understands how valuable the things they are taking and using really are.

No reason to get excited
The thief reassures the joker that there's no need to worry or panic.

The thief he kindly spoke
The thief continues to speak with the joker.

There are many among us
The thief claims that many people feel that life is meaningless.

Who feel that life is but a joke
Many people believe that life is not serious and has no real value.

But you and I we've been through all that, yes we have
Both the joker and thief have experienced the feeling that life has no purpose or value.

And this is not our fate
The joker and thief have managed to escape that fate and find meaning in their lives.

So let us not talk falsely now
The thief urges the joker to be honest and truthful in their conversation.

The hour is getting late
There is a sense of urgency, as if they may run out of time to find meaning before it's too late.

And all along the watchtower
The focus shifts to a watchtower where someone is keeping watch.

Princes kept the view
Powerful figures watch over everything from the watchtower.

While all the women all the women all the women came and went
Women move in and out of the scene without notice or regard for the watchtower and those watching.

Barefoot servants too
Servants are also present, seen without shoes.

Outside in the cold distance
There is something happening outside of the watchtower, in the unknown and uncertain future.

A wild cat did growl, la la la
There is a sense of danger and unpredictability in the wild cat's growling.

Two riders, two riders approaching
Two riders are headed towards the watchtower, causing some concern and anticipation.

The wind began to howl
The atmosphere intensifies with the howling of the wind.

The thief he take
The thief takes something once again.

My money take
The money is what the thief steals, causing frustration for the joker.

Am I insane
The joker starts to question their own sanity in light of everything happening around them.

Auf Wiedersehen
The joker says goodbye, ready to move on and begin anew.

The thief is safe
The thief remains free and out of harm's way.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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