Was Bob Dylan prophesising this?

[D-Dan]

I don’t do drugs.

Last week, I watched Tommy. Today I’ve watched The Wall. I have no f’ing clue what’s going on in either.

Is this what Bob was talking about when he said (sang) “Everyone must get stoned”?

Arch Linux, on a Ryzen 7 1800X, 32 GB, 5 (yes -5) HDs inc 5 SSDs, 4 RPi 3Bs + 1 RPi 4B - one as an NFS server with two more drives, PiHole (shut yours), Plex server, cloud server, and other random Pi stuff. Nice CoolerMaster case, 2 x NV GTX 1070 8GB, and a whopping 32" AOC 1440P monitor.

[Alan Wood]

The Wall is semi autobiographical on Roger Waters, who wrote it. His father was killed in the war and he went into his shell.

[D-Dan]

Yeah, I read the wiki entry, but watching it is still some kind of stoned hell.

Arch Linux, on a Ryzen 7 1800X, 32 GB, 5 (yes -5) HDs inc 5 SSDs, 4 RPi 3Bs + 1 RPi 4B - one as an NFS server with two more drives, PiHole (shut yours), Plex server, cloud server, and other random Pi stuff. Nice CoolerMaster case, 2 x NV GTX 1070 8GB, and a whopping 32" AOC 1440P monitor.

[Bob Williams]

Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
Bob Dylan

Well, they’ll stone ya when you’re trying to be so good
They’ll stone ya just a-like they said they would
They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to go home
Then they’ll stone ya when you’re there all alone
But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

Well, they’ll stone ya when you’re walkin’ ’long the street
They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to keep your seat
They’ll stone ya when you’re walkin’ on the floor
They’ll stone ya when you’re walkin’ to the door
But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

They’ll stone ya when you’re at the breakfast table
They’ll stone ya when you are young and able
They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to make a buck
They’ll stone ya and then they’ll say, “good luck”
Tell ya what, I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

Well, they’ll stone you and say that it’s the end
Then they’ll stone you and then they’ll come back again
They’ll stone you when you’re riding in your car
They’ll stone you when you’re playing your guitar
Yes, but I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

Well, they’ll stone you when you walk all alone
They’ll stone you when you are walking home
They’ll stone you and then say you are brave
They’ll stone you when you are set down in your grave
But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

Copyright © 1966 by Dwarf Music; renewed 1994 by Dwarf Music

I am a big Dylan fan, always have been. I saw a Dylan interview on German TV in around 1969, in which he said that it was not about drugs at all, but about the psychological and mental equivalent of being physically stoned as punishment, by people in the Western musical and entertainment business, who didn’t understand him or other singer/songwriters and therefore hated them.

Some of his stuff after the 70’s was garbage, he came out with some dross as well as the good stuff. But I always go back to the first track I ever heard, from the “Bringin’ It All Back Home” album: Subterranean Homesick Blues”. I walked into a new barracks and heard that coming from a bunk, got to know the bloke playing it and was hooked, never heard anything like it, blew me away. There never had been anything like it, Dylan was a one-off.

Johnny’s in the basement Mixing up the medicine

I’m on the pavement Thinking about the government

The man in the trench coat Badge out, laid off

Says he’s got a bad cough Wants to get it paid off

Look out kid It’s somethin’ you did

God knows when But you’re doin’ it again

You better duck down the alley way Lookin’ for a new friend

The man in the coon-skin cap By the big pen

Wants eleven dollar bills You only got ten

Maggie comes fleet foot Face full of black soot

Talkin’ that the heat put Plants in the bed but

The phone’s tapped anyway Maggie says that many say They must bust in early May

Orders from the D.A.

Look out kid Don’t matter what you did

Walk on your tiptoes Don’t try “No-Doz”

Better stay away from those That carry around a fire hose

Keep a clean nose Watch the plain clothes

You don’t need a weatherman To know which way the wind blows

Get sick, get well Hang around a ink well

Ring bell, hard to tell If anything is goin’ to sell

Try hard, get barred Get back, write braille

Get jailed, jump bail Join the army, if you fail

Look out kid You’re gonna get hit

But users, cheaters Six-time losers Hang around the theaters

Girl by the whirlpool Lookin’ for a new fool

Don’t follow leaders Watch the parkin’ meters

Ah get born, keep warm Short pants, romance, learn to dance

Get dressed, get blessed Try to be a success

Please her, please him, buy gifts Don’t steal, don’t lift

Twenty years of schoolin’ And they put you on the day shift

Look out kid They keep it all hid

Better jump down a manhole Light yourself a candle

Don’t wear sandals Try to avoid the scandals

Don’t wanna be a bum You better chew gum

The pump don’t work ’Cause the vandals took the handles

There is meaning in every line, but the meaning was firmly fixed and associated to the Sixties.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Author]

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