Pat Speer Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 (edited) As a songwriter and music geek long before I started researching the Kennedy case. I always wondered why Bob Dylan never wrote a song about it. Well, evidently he thought the same thing. He just released his first new song in 8 years. It's a 17 minute song about the assassination! This should get some people talking! Here are the lyrics, according to the Genius Lyrics website: [Verse 1] It was a dark day in Dallas, November '63 A day that will live on in infamy President Kennedy was a-ridin' high Good day to be livin' and a good day to die Being led to the slaughter like a sacrificial lamb He said, "Wait a minute, boys, you know who I am?" "Of course we do, we know who you are!" Then they blew off his head while he was still in the car Shot down like a dog in broad daylight Was a matter of timing and the timing was right You got unpaid debts, we've come to collect We're gonna kill you with hatred, without any respect We'll mock you and shock you and we'll put it in your face We've already got someone here to take your place The day they blew out the brains of the king Thousands were watching, no one saw a thing It happened so quickly, so quick, by surprise Right there in front of everyone's eyes Greatest magic trick ever under the sun Perfectly executed, skillfully done Wolfman, oh wolfman, oh wolfman howl Rub-a-dub-dub, it's a murder most foul [Verse 2] Hush, little children, you'll understand The Beatles are comin', they're gonna hold your hand Slide down the banister, go get your coat Ferry 'cross the Mersey and go for the throat There's three bums comin' all dressed in rags Pick up the pieces and lower the flags I'm goin' to Woodstock, it's the Aquarian Age Then I'll go to Altamont and sit near the stage Put your head out the window, let the good times roll There's a party going on behind the Grassy Knoll Stack up the bricks, pour the cement Don't say Dallas don't love you, Mr. President Put your foot in the tank and then step on the gas Try to make it to the triple underpass Blackface singer, whiteface clown Better not show your faces after the sun goes down Up in the red light district, they've got cop on the beat Living in a nightmare on Elm Street When you're down on Deep Ellum, put your money in your shoe Don't ask what your country can do for you Cash on the ballot, money to burn Dealey Plaza, make a left-hand turn I'm going down to the crossroads, gonna flag a ride The place where faith, hope, and charity lie Shoot him while he runs, boy, shoot him while you can See if you can shoot the invisible man Goodbye, Charlie! Goodbye, Uncle Sam! Frankly, Miss Scarlett, I don't give a damn What is the truth, and where did it go? Ask Oswald and Ruby, they oughta know "Shut your mouth," said a wise old owl Business is business, and it's a murder most foul [Verse 3] Tommy, can you hear me? I'm the Acid Queen I'm riding in a long, black Lincoln limousine Ridin' in the backseat next to my wife Headed straight on in to the afterlife I'm leaning to the left, I got my head in her lap Hold on, I've been led into some kind of a trap Where we ask no quarter, and no quarter do we give We're right down the street, from the street where you live They mutilated his body and they took out his brain What more could they do? They piled on the pain But his soul was not there where it was supposed to be at For the last fifty years they've been searchin' for that Freedom, oh freedom, freedom over me I hate to tell you, mister, but only dead men are free Send me some lovin', then tell me no lie Throw the gun in the gutter and walk on by Wake up, little Susie, let's go for a drive Cross the Trinity River, let's keep hope alive Turn the radio on, don't touch the dials Parkland hospital, only six more miles You got me dizzy, Miss Lizzy, you filled me with lead That magic bullet of yours has gone to my head I'm just a patsy like Patsy Cline Never shot anyone from in front or behind I've blood in my eye, got blood in my ear I'm never gonna make it to the new frontier Zapruder's film I seen night before Seen it thirty-three times, maybe more It's vile and deceitful, it's cruel and it's mean Ugliest thing that you ever have seen They killed him once and they killed him twice Killed him like a human sacrifice The day that they killed him, someone said to me, "Son The age of the Antichrist has just only begun" Air Force One comin' in through the gate Johnson sworn in at 2:38 Let me know when you decide to throw in the towel It is what it is, and it's murder most foul [Verse 4] What's new, pussycat? What'd I say? I said the soul of a nation been torn away And it's beginning to go into a slow decay And that it's thirty-six hours past Judgment Day Wolfman Jack, he's speaking in tongues He's going on and on at the top of his lungs Play me a song, Mr. Wolfman Jack Play it for me in my long Cadillac Play me that "Only the Good Die Young" Take me to the place Tom Dooley was hung Play "St. James Infirmary" and the Court of King James If you want to remember, you better write down the names Play Etta James, too, play "I'd Rather Go Blind" Play it for the man with the telepathic mind Play John Lee Hooker, play "Scratch My Back" Play it for that strip club owner named Jack Guitar Slim going down slow Play it for me and for Marilyn Monroe [Verse 5] Play "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" Play it for the First Lady, she ain't feeling any good Play Don Henley, play Glenn Frey Take it to the limit and let it go by Play it for Carl Wilson, too Looking far, far away down Gower Avenue Play tragedy, play "Twilight Time" Take me back to Tulsa to the scene of the crime Play another one and "Another One Bites the Dust" Play "The Old Rugged Cross" and "In God We Trust" Ride the pink horse down that long, lonesome road Stand there and wait for his head to explode Play "Mystery Train" for Mr. Mystery The man who fell down dead like a rootless tree Play it for the reverend, play it for the pastor Play it for the dog that got no master Play Oscar Peterson, play Stan Getz Play "Blue Sky," play Dickey Betts Play Art Pepper, Thelonious Monk Charlie Parker and all that junk All that junk and "All That Jazz" Play something for the Birdman of Alcatraz Play Buster Keaton, play Harold Lloyd Play Bugsy Siegel, play Pretty Boy Floyd Play the numbers, play the odds Play "Cry Me A River" for the Lord of the gods Play Number nine, play Number six Play it for Lindsey and Stevie Nicks Play Nat King Cole, play "Nature Boy" Play "Down In The Boondocks" for Terry Malloy Play "It Happened One Night" and "One Night of Sin" There's twelve million souls that are listening in Play "Merchant of Venice", play "Merchants of Death" Play "Stella by Starlight" for Lady Macbeth Don't worry, Mr. President, help's on the way Your brothers are comin', there'll be hell to pay Brothers? What brothers? What's this about hell? Tell them, "We're waiting, keep coming," we'll get them as well Love Field is where his plane touched down But it never did get back up off the ground Was a hard act to follow, second to none They killed him on the altar of the rising sun Play "Misty" for me and "That Old Devil Moon" Play "Anything Goes" and "Memphis in June" Play "Lonely At the Top" and "Lonely Are the Brave" Play it for Houdini spinning around his grave Play Jelly Roll Morton, play "Lucille" Play "Deep In a Dream", and play "Driving Wheel" Play "Moonlight Sonata" in F-sharp And "A Key to the Highway" for the king on the harp Play "Marching Through Georgia" and "Dumbarton's Drums" Play darkness and death will come when it comes Play "Love Me Or Leave Me" by the great Bud Powell Play "The Blood-stained Banner", play "Murder Most Foul" Edited March 29, 2020 by Pat Speer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Brancato Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 Much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Speer Posted March 27, 2020 Author Share Posted March 27, 2020 I checked the forum to make sure no one had posted anything about this, but now realize it hadn't updated since last night, and that Robert Wheeler had in fact posted something about this. Oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Brancato Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 This is Dylan’s legacy, his message to all of us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Andrews Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 17 minutes ago, Paul Brancato said: This is Dylan’s legacy, his message to all of us I'm betting he read JFK and the Unspeakable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Palamara Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 7 hours ago, Pat Speer said: As a songwriter and music geek long before I started researching the Kennedy case. I always wondered why Bob Dylan never wrote a song about it. Well, evidently he thought the same thing. He just released his first new song in 8 years. It's a 17 minute song about the assassination! This should get some people talking! Here are the lyrics, according to the Genius Lyrics website (Excuse the links and weird gaps): [Verse 1] It was a dark day in Dallas, November '63 A day that will live in infamy President Kennedy was a-ridin' high Good day to be livin' and a good day to die Being led to the slaughter like a sacrificial lamb He said, "Wait a minute, boys, you know who I am?" "Of course we do, we know who you are!" Then they blew off his head while he was still in the car Shot down like a dog in broad daylight Was a matter of timing and the timing was right You got unpaid debts, we've come to collect We're gonna kill you with hatred, without any respect We'll mock you and shock you and we'll put it in your face We've already got someone here to take your placeThe day they blew out the brains of the king Thousands were watching, no one saw a thing It happened so quickly, so quick, by surprise Right there in front of everyone's eyesGreatest magic trick ever under the sun Perfectly executed, skillfully doneWolfman, oh wolfman, oh wolfman howlRub-a-dub-dub, it's a murder most foul [Verse 2] Hush, little children, you'll understandThe Beatles are comin', they're gonna hold your hand Slide down the banister, go get your coatFerry 'cross the Mersey and go for the throatThere's three bums comin' all dressed in rags Pick up the pieces and lower the flags I'm goin' to Woodstock, it's the Aquarian AgeThen I'll go to Altamont and sit near the stage Put your head out the window, let the good times roll There's a party going on behind the Grassy Knoll Stack up the bricks, pour the cementDon't say Dallas don't love you, Mr. President Put your foot in the tank and then step on the gas Try to make it to the triple underpass Blackface singer, whiteface clown Better not show your faces after the sun goes down Up in the red light district, they've got cop on the beatLiving in a nightmare on Elm Street When you're down on Deep Ellum, put your money in your shoeDon't ask what your country can do for you Cash on the ballot, money to burnDealey Plaza, make a left-hand turn I'm going down to the crossroads, gonna flag a ride The place where faith, hope, and charity lie Shoot him while he runs, boy, shoot him while you can See if you can shoot the invisible man Goodbye, Charlie! Goodbye, Uncle Sam!Frankly, Miss Scarlett, I don't give a damnWhat is the truth, and where did it go? Ask Oswald and Ruby, they oughta know "Shut your mouth," said a wise old owl Business is business, and it's a murder most foul [Verse 3]Tommy, can you hear me? I'm the Acid Queen I'm riding in a long, black Lincoln limousine Ridin' in the backseat next to my wife Headed straight on in to the afterlife I'm leaning to the left, I got my head in her lap Hold on, I've been led into some kind of a trap Where we ask no quarter, and no quarter do we give We're right down the street, from the street where you live They mutilated his body and they took out his brain What more could they do? They piled on the pain But his soul was not there where it was supposed to be at For the last fifty years they've been searchin' for that Freedom, oh freedom, freedom over me I hate to tell you, mister, but only dead men are free Send me some lovin', then tell me no lie Throw the gun in the gutter and walk on byWake up, little Susie, let's go for a drive Cross the Trinity River, let's keep hope alive Turn the radio on, don't touch the dialsParkland hospital, only six more milesYou got me dizzy, Miss Lizzy, you filled me with lead That magic bullet of yours has gone to my headI'm just a patsy like Patsy Cline Never shot anyone from in front or behind I've blood in my eye, got blood in my ear I'm never gonna make it to the new frontierZapruder's film I seen night before Seen it thirty-three times, maybe more It's vile and deceitful, it's cruel and it's mean Ugliest thing that you ever have seen They killed him once and they killed him twice Killed him like a human sacrifice The day that they killed him, someone said to me, "Son The age of the Antichrist has just only begun" Air Force One comin' in through the gateJohnson sworn in at 2:38 Let me know when you decide to throw in the towel It is what it is, and it's murder most foul (Verse 4) What's new, pussycat? What'd I say? I said the soul of a nation been torn away And it's beginning to go into a slow decay And that it's thirty-six hours past Judgment DayWolfman Jack, he's speaking in tongues He's going on and on at the top of his lungs Play me a song, Mr. Wolfman Jack Play it for me in my long Cadillac Play me that "Only the Good Die Young"Take me to the place Tom Dooley was hung Play "St. James Infirmary" and the Court of King James If you want to remember, you better write down the names Play Etta James, too, play "I'd Rather Go Blind" Play it for the man with the telepathic mind Play John Lee Hooker, play "Scratch My Back" Play it for that strip club owner named Jack Guitar Slim going down slow Play it for me and for Marilyn Monroe [Verse 5] Play "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" Play it for the First Lady, she ain't feeling any goodPlay Don Henley, play Glenn Frey Take it to the limit and let it go by Play it for Carl Wilson, tooLooking far, far away down Gower Avenue Play tragedy, play "Twilight Time" Take me back to Tulsa to the scene of the crime Play another one and "Another One Bites the Dust" Play "The Old Rugged Cross" and "In God We Trust"Ride the pink horse down that long, lonesome road Stand there and wait for his head to explode Play "Mystery Train" for Mr. Mystery The man who fell down dead like a rootless tree Play it for the reverend, play it for the pastor Play it for the dog that got no master Play Oscar Peterson, play Stan Getz Play "Blue Sky," play Dickey Betts Play Art Pepper, Thelonious Monk Charlie Parker and all that junk All that junk and "All That Jazz" Play something for the Birdman of Alcatraz Play Buster Keaton, play Harold Lloyd Play Bugsy Siegel, play Pretty Boy Floyd Play the numbers, play the odds Play "Cry Me A River" for the Lord of the gods Play Number nine, play Number six Play it for Lindsey and Stevie Nicks Play Nat King Cole, play "Nature Boy" Play "Down In The Boondocks" for Terry Malloy Play "It Happened One Night" and "One Night of Sin" There's twelve million souls that are listening in Play "Merchant of Venice", play "Merchants of Death" Play "Stella by Starlight" for Lady Macbeth Don't worry, Mr. President, help's on the wayYour brothers are comin', there'll be hell to pay Brothers? What brothers? What's this about hell? Tell them, "We're waiting, keep coming," we'll get them as wellLove Field is where his plane touched down But it never did get back up off the ground Was a hard act to follow, second to none They killed him on the altar of the rising sunPlay "Misty" for me and "That Old Devil Moon" Play "Anything Goes" and "Memphis in June" Play "Lonely At the Top" and "Lonely Are the Brave" Play it for Houdini spinning around his grave Play Jelly Roll Morton, play "Lucille" Play "Deep In a Dream", and play "Driving Wheel" Play "Moonlight Sonata" in F-sharp And "A Key to the Highway" for the king on the harp Play "Marching Through Georgia" and "Dumbarton's Drums" Play darkness and death will come when it comes Play "Love Me Or Leave Me" by the great Bud Powell Play "The Blood-stained Banner", play "Murder Most Foul" See my post, Pat--I'll bet you didn't catch his David Ferrie and Guy Banister references...and Lifton! 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Vince Palamara Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 Just now, Robert Wheeler said: It's going down, I'm yelling timber Dec 7, 2018 - Bush Secret Service detail bids farewell to 'Timberwolf'. The Ferrie and Guy Banister references are the best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny Zartman Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 There didn't seem to be a lyric video on YouTube yet, so I made one. I hope everyone finds it enjoyable and useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James DiEugenio Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 Thanks for that Denny. Again, when you go through the lyrics, it seems to me that Dylan is well read in the literature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bauer Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 (edited) I'm sure Mort Sahl will find some end of life comfort with this Dylan song. Edited March 28, 2020 by Joe Bauer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michaleen Kilroy Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 (edited) Anyone else feeling like the MSM is once again missing the point? The Nobel Prize-winning songwriter/poet and seminal figure of the 60s believes JFK was done in by a domestic conspiracy. And that fact has negatively affected American life ever since. ”Where we ask no quarter, and no quarter do we giveWe're right down the street, from the street where you live” Edited March 28, 2020 by Michaleen Kilroy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James DiEugenio Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 David Talbot was screaming about this today Mike. Most of the MSM seems to be deliberately misrepresenting what the song is about. They just will not go there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Brown Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 On 3/27/2020 at 1:49 PM, Paul Brancato said: This is Dylan’s legacy, his message to all of us A couple of interesting points -- In Dylan's acceptance speech of the Tom Paine award he claimed he was sympathetic toward Lee Oswald and seemed to have no empathy for JFK. Secondly, Dylan was married in secret to Sara Lownds on 11.22.65, but he makes no reference to this in this new song. Of course, Dylan does like to keep everyone guessing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Brown Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 46 minutes ago, James DiEugenio said: David Talbot was screaming about this today Mike. Most of the MSM seems to be deliberately misrepresenting what the song is about. They just will not go there. That's probably to be expected. It will be interesting to watch the fallout from their doing that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela Brown Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 5 hours ago, James DiEugenio said: Thanks for that Denny. Again, when you go through the lyrics, it seems to me that Dylan is well read in the literature. The title is from Hamlet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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