In Ode to a Nightingale the vehicle is the nightingale’s song, whereas in Mr. Both lyrics clearly state the need for escape from the humdrum life.

An interesting theory, but far from obvious. John Hinchey thinks that the song is “obviously” based on Keats’ Ode to a Nightingale. Tambourine Man seems like it was written by that type of poet. All forms of love, of suffering, of madness he searches himself, he exhausts within himself all poisons and preserves their quintessence’s. A Poet makes himself a visionary through a long, boundless, and systematized disorganization of all the senses. I say you have to be a visionary, make yourself a visionary. The only similar song I can think of is Lay Down Your Weary Tune, a wonderful song that never made it on an official album (it can be found on the Biograph collection and Live at Carnegie Hall). In contrast, the lyrics of this one are dreamy and mystical, exuding a feeling of release and escape. In many Dylan songs of this nature, there is an overtone of foreboding. Tambourine Man, however, is decidedly different. There’s a reason it’s included in many college literature textbooks.ĭylan had used similarly surrealistic language before, Chimes of Freedom and Hard Rain being prime examples. Anyone that has this ingredient in his soul doesn’t need the beauty of this song explained. Someone once said that in order to understand poetry, you have to have a little bit of a poet inside yourself. It’s not really necessary to try and explain what makes them special, it’s just obvious. The lyrics are spectacular, way beyond even the best pop songs. Shelton also thinks that the Mardi Gras inspired the song. He said Dylan was fascinated with the whole scene and it inspired him to write the song. I don’t do that anymore.Įven Bob Dylan couldn’t write another Tambourine Man.Īllen Ginsberg said Dylan wrote the song after hanging out at the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans in 1964. It’s the only song I tried to write “another one.” But after enough going at it, it just began bothering me, so I dropped it. There was one thing I tried to do which wasn’t a good idea for me: I tried to write another Mr. From an interview with Sing-Out magazine: Dylan knew he had done something special and unrepeatable when he wrote it. Tambourine Man, arguably, eclipses them all. By 1965 Dylan had written many great songs: Blowing in the Wind, Hard Rain, Times They Are A’Chang’, and many others.

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