Printer Friendly page - click here
Finding
Shelter
Song Reflection: Bob Dylan "Shelter
From the Storm" |
|
By Tom Gilbert
Bob Dylan - Shelter From the
Storm
© 1974 Rams Horn Music
'Twas in another lifetime, one of
toil and blood
When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud
I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."
And if I pass this way again, you can rest assured
I'll always do my best for her, on that I give my word
In a world of steel-eyed death, and men who are fighting to be warm.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."
Not a word was spoke between us, there was little risk involved
Everything up to that point had been left unresolved.
Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."
I was burned out from exhaustion, buried in the hail,
Poisoned in the bushes an' blown out on the trail,
Hunted like a crocodile, ravaged in the corn.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."
Suddenly I turned around and she was standin' there
With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair.
She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."
Now there's a wall between us, somethin' there's been lost
I took too much for granted, got my signals crossed.
Just to think that it all began on a long-forgotten morn.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."
Well, the deputy walks on hard nails and the preacher rides a mount
But nothing really matters much, it's doom alone that counts
And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a futile horn.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."
I've heard newborn babies wailin' like a mournin' dove
And old men with broken teeth stranded without love.
Do I understand your question, man, is it hopeless and forlorn?
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."
In a little hilltop village, they gambled for my clothes
I bargained for salvation an' they gave me a lethal dose.
I offered up my innocence and got repaid with scorn.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."
Well, I'm livin' in a foreign country but I'm bound to cross the line
Beauty walks a razor's edge, someday I'll make it mine.
If I could only turn back the clock to when God and her were born.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."
Every song on Bob Dylan’s classic “Blood
on the Tracks” album is a gem and I could (maybe I will)
do a reflection on each of them. I love “Tangled Up in
Blue” and “Simple Twist of Fate” and I always
thought you could make a great movie out of “Lily, Rosemary
and the Jack of Hearts”.
Yet, it’s "Shelter From the Storm" that has spurred the
most soul-searching and insight.
|
| Go here for
more reviews on Christian books, movies, music and
other products! |
|
The sheer beauty of the poetry paints
vivid word pictures over the course of this five minute Dylan
masterpiece. Bob takes us on a journey of desolation and
loneliness; destination - unconditional love. Themes of loyalty
and gratitude; questioning
and hard knocks; awe over innocence in a harsh world and the
price of holding the tension between all the opposites that
collide over the dusty, rocky trail of life’s journey
are enough grist for many late night philosophical discourses.
So, to give you my take on this in a few short paragraphs is intimidating. But, I’ll give
it a whirl.
First of all, the basic three chord strumming and 1-2-3-4 beat is plenty sufficient as a backdrop to
each rich verse. I think if Dylan had made the tune more dirge-like to match
the heavy tone (like “Ballad of a Thin Man”) the contrast between light and dark in the song would be
overwhelmed. So, I’m glad the steady, simple melody is there.
The opening verse instantly transports us to a place of remembrance…another lifetime and not
a pretty picture. “When blackness was a virtue and the road was filled with mud”.
No wonder our protagonist longs for shelter and is vested with gratitude for such charitable hospitality related in
verse two.
Back and forth over the course of the song we are pulled between the hardship bordering on despair
and the rescue provided by the angel of mercy who repeatedly holds her hand
out and door open – “come in, I’ll give you shelter from the storm”. It’s like
a balm to ease the fire burning us alive from the inside out.
Some of the pictures Dylan paints of suffering and difficulty are so vivid. Wailing newborn
babies, old men with broken teeth, death dogging at our feet and creatures void of form…it
truly is dark in the pit.
Helping those so oppressed and depressed is the highest form of service and love. How can that ever
be repaid? It can’t. It can only be accepted and reciprocated. Realizing
it after the fact and failing to honor it inevitably makes one wish to “turn back the clock
to when God and her were born”. Wistfulness resulting from taking too much
for granted and getting signals crossed.
You have to find beauty where you can in this world and do your part to contribute to it. It
doesn’t work to be just a taker. Resignation and cynicism is your reward
if you fail to accept the difficulty of life combined with an earnest desire to love and help others
no matter the cost. Maybe that’s why we’re treated to the reference
of the man who hung on a cross, paying the price while knowing
so many would scornfully refuse the offered salvation. That’s
the fee for baring your soul and offering up your innocence. Some won’t refuse. Some will
walk the razor edge of life’s beauty and invite other suffering fellow travelers
refuge from the storms along the way.
|
Review of "Restless Pilgrim:
The Spiritual Journey of Bob Dylan
here
More song reflections:
Los Lonely Boys — "Heaven"
read
Lifehouse— "Hanging
by a Moment"
read
|
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
You'll
also receive Practical Biblical Solutions for life's challenges
with our free e-zine |
| |
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We
have more than 120,000 Christian books, bibles, music,
gifts, video, software and more!
It's easy to find what you're looking for by using
our BROWSE feature to search for your favorite
type of
|
|
SHOP NOW
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
