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Subject: jokerman
From: Mark Soderman <rsoderma@JULIAN.UWO.CA>
Date: Thu, 4 Jul 1996 18:54:15 -0400
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 Thought about your post and the jokerman lyrics which like alot of Bobs
material is no doubt purposefully enigmatic. I think the key to the song
lies in the understanding of the title. Jokerman IMHO refers to the playing
card the joker. It has two faces a black and a white face. The character can
be happy and sad. The dictionary also refers to joker as " (sl.) fellow,
man". I think we then have to turn to the opening line "Standing on the
water casting your bread". Who ,but a christ figure could this possibly be
refering to? I dont know of anyone else who stands on the water or who casts
bread to feed the masses.
 But then "you're going to sodom and gomorrah"... so you're also evil.
 "You were born with a snake in both of your fists while a hurricane was
blowing." Once again powerful imagery describing evil incarnate.
 The fifth verse  again first refers to a duality with both the preacherman
and the rifleman seeking the same helpless people. It goes on to describe a
modern anarchic end game scene with doom and gloom as the final outcome
"only a matter of time till night comes stepin in".
 In the sixth and final verse Dylan refers to the birth of a  prince dressed
in scarlet. I feel this refers to the modern antichrist, someone who will
have priests in his pocket and make weapons, hardening steel blades in heat,
give orphans to be cared for by whores. He then appeals to the jokerman to
respond to this situation and the jokerman does not. Youre right it could be
Jesus or christianity who fails to respond to the appalling situation which
is developing or could it be it is just the evil side of the twentieth
century man which triumphs.  That part of us represented by the man on the
milk white steed,( the white smiling half of the joker)  doesnt respond to
the evil within(the persecutor if you like), the iron idol with the glowing
eyes, the black frowning joker.
  Just a few thoughts but certainly the song must refer to the dual nature
of man and his reprentation of the universe. ego-id,  black-white, christ-satan,
Yin-Yang.
   Food for thought I hope.