Monday Melee

I enjoyed last week's single album melee, so this week we're going from a 2007 album right back to 1963 and one of the classic albums of my childhood.

That deceptively romantic cover showing the sweetest looking couple wandering arm in arm down the street; the lovely Bob and the considerably lovelier Suze; concealing a big, heavy slab of vinyl, scratched with some of the rantiest protest songs ever (and some classic silliness).

Ladies and gentlemen, Old Dive, in association with Fracas Monday Melee gives you "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan."


1: The Misanthropic.
(Name something - about humanity - you absolutely hate).

"Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead"

"Masters Of War" from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan


2: The Meretricious:
(Expose someone or something that's phony, fraudulent or bogus).

Southern hospitality.

"Oxford Town, Oxford Town
Ev'rybody's got their heads bowed down
The sun don't shine above the ground
Ain't a-goin' down to Oxford Town

He went down to Oxford Town
Guns and clubs followed him down
All because his face was brown
Better get away from Oxford Town

Oxford Town around the bend
He come in to the door, he couldn't get in
All because of the color of his skin
What do you think about that, my frien'?

Me and my gal, my gal's son
We got met with a tear gas bomb
I don't even know why we come
Goin' back where we come from

Oxford Town in the afternoon
Ev'rybody singin' a sorrowful tune
Two men died 'neath the Mississippi moon
Somebody better investigate soon

Oxford Town, Oxford Town
Ev'rybody's got their heads bowed down
The sun don't shine above the ground
Ain't a-goin' down to Oxford Town"

"Oxford Town" from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan


3: The Malcontent:
(Name something you're unhappy with).

"I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children,
And it's a hard, and it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard,
And it's a hard rain's a-gonna fall."

"A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

I would have put the whole song in but Blogger doesn't have that much memory.


4: The Meritorious.
(Give someone credit for something and name it if you can).

"I got a bird that whistles,
I got a bird that sings.
I got a bird that whistles,
I got a bird that sings.
But if I ain't got Corrina,
Life don't mean a thing."

"Corinna Corinna" from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

Yes, I know he stole it from Robert Johnson, but it's still true.
And no, her name's not Corinna.


5: The Mirror.
(See something good about yourself and name it).

"Well, ask me why I'm drunk alla time,
It levels my head and eases my mind.
I just walk along and stroll and sing,
I see better days and I do better things.
I catch dinosaurs …
I make love to Elizabeth Taylor …
Catch hell from Richard Burton!"

"I Shall Be Free" from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan



6: The Make-Believe:
(Name something you wish for).

"I wish, I wish, I wish in vain,
That we could sit simply in that room again.
Ten thousand dollars at the drop of a hat,
I'd give it all gladly if our lives could be like that."

"Bob Dylan's Dream" from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

See you next Monday …