Sign on the Window

Daniel and Kelly are listening to Dylan one random song at a time. This episode features our discussion of 1993’s “Jack-A-Roe” from World Gone Wrong.

context and episode setup (2:00) | versions (10:00) | song itself (24:00) | does this song work today? (43:00) | we’re a real podcast with a playlist (50:30) | recommendations (1:02:00) | endings (1:13:00)

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Next episode: She say "You probably want hard boiled eggs"

Context (2:00)

This song was recorded by Dylan in May 1993 for World Gone Wrong. The song itself is quite old and storied – it’s indexed in Roud 268 and Laws N7. Roud notes the variety of versions this song comes in. One can focus on the man “Jack” or the war or the merchant; one can change his name while no one is looking; if you wanted to obscure the songs twist, you can; or you can just be open about the song itself by deemphasizing “Jack” for “Jackie” or “Lily.” Or you can call it "The East Wind Blowing From the Southward" and call it a day!

This song during Dylan's 80th birthday (5:00)

We share our initial thoughts on the song as we’re in the midst of celebrating Dylan’s 80th. This is a weird one to have for such a momentous birthday, but here we are.

Versions (10:00)

We listened to the World Gone Wrong version as well as his two performances at The Supper Club in 1993. Kelly enjoys the recorded version while Daniel digs the banjo and how the Supper Club renditions move.

Kelly plays “Jack-A-Roe” that morphs into “House of the Risin' Sun”

Song Itself (24:00)

We split the episode into parts. To open, we quote Laws N7 on some basic facts of this song.

DESCRIPTION: A rich girl loves a soldier/sailor; her father does not, and has the boy pressed to Germany. She disguises herself and enlists under the name (Jackie Monroe). When her lover is wounded, she nurses him. She reveals her identity; they are married

EARLIEST DATE: 1818 (Garret, Merrie Book of Garlands)

KEYWORDS: love cross-dressing disguise injury medicine marriage

Of course, Dylan notes, in his liner notes to the album, that this is “another Tom Paley ballad.” We quote A.L. Lloyd (who recorded this in 1956):

The figure of the Maiden Warrior, the girl who dresses herself in soldier's or sailor's clothes, and follows her lover to the wars, was a constant favourite with street balladeers. Scholars have traced the line of such heroines from the days of Hercules and Hippolyte to Mary Ambree and beyond. Jackie Munro, one of the completest treatments of the theme, has become a rarity in England and Scotland, though versions of the ballad are not uncommon in America. In spite of its Scottish title name and one or two north country expressions, this version is regarded as being unmistakenly English in text and tune.

We also play Paley’s version from 1953’s Folk Songs From The Southern Appalachians.

We talk about the song’s set up, then its conflict. Comparing this to other versions, with different setups and conflicts depending on when and where this song is performed, it’s clear that Dylan, as with “Stack-A-Lee,” will choose the inferior of all versions he could’ve possibly done. We riff on Mulan, of course, and relish in the song’s twist and lament lost possibilities. We joke on Dylan rhyming “town” and “wounds” and the weak ending.

Does this work today? (43:00)

Kelly felt stronger than Daniel did. Historically, sure. It’s another link in the chain and who’s gonna be mad about that. The live performance at Supper Club is unique to the Dylan catalog. However, knowing the possibilities for what this song could be make this a squandered opportunity all around.

We're a Real Podcast and Playlist (50:30)

Recommendations (1:02:00)

Kelly watched Army of the Dead (Netflix). She listened to The Beths, Fresh and There Their They're; Japandroids; K Flay "TGIF"; Tor Oasis Sky, and God is an Astronaut All is Violent, All is Bright: Live.

Daniel listened to Mannquin Pussy Perfect and the Marvin Gaye deluxe What's Going On. He’s been playing Red Dead Redemption 2 again and started reading Clinton Heylin's The Double Life of Bob Dylan: A Restless, Hungry Feeling, 1941-1966, which was just released.

Endings (1:13:00)

363 songs left. Kelly chose 5 words at random to lyrically select our next song. The words this episode were: head (93), resident (6), certain (6), call (65), cut (55). Next time we’re listening to “Highlands” (!!!).

References

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Sign on the Window isn't the Bob Dylan podcast you need, but it's definitely the one that you want! Each week we select a Dylan song at random, live with the song for a week (or two) and then get together to discuss. This week, we listen to 1993's "Jack-A-Roe."

In this episode, we explore:

As always, full show notes at our website. You can also follow along with our weekly real-time Spotify playlist – See That My Playlist is Kept Clean – or listen to our dedicated playlist for this episode – and join the conversation on the usual suspects: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

And if you're loving us, consider our Patreon. For as little as one dollar you get early access to every episode we do as soon as they're edited (and a dedicated feed just for you) and exclusive content that'll only ever be on Patreon. Thanks!

Next episode: She say "You probably want hard boiled eggs"

Sign on the Window isn't the Bob Dylan podcast you need, but it's definitely the one that you want! Each week we select a Dylan song at random, live with the song for a week (or two) and then get together to discuss. This week we dive into one of Dylan's most mysterious and enduring songs, 1967's "I'm Not There."

In this episode...

• Context (5:00)


• Versions (11:45) — including talk of Sonic Youth, Pearl Jam, and if Dylan wrote or ad-libbed the song


• Kelly plays "I'm Not There" (18:00)


• Lyrics, in brief (21:00)


• The Feel of the Song (25:00) — including the importance of "1956" in the title, the difficulty getting into the song (especially without context), and the ache of the song


• The Artistry of the Song (35:00) — including talk of our relationship with Dylan's creative process (post-Cutting Edge) and Dylan's ability to not be precious about things (Kelly: "it's frustrating and cool that he doesn't care a lot of the time")


• Does this work in 2021? (41:00)


• We're A Real Podcast and Playlist (46:00)


• Recommendations (51:30)


• Endings (1:05:00)

As always, full show notes at our website. You can also follow along with our weekly real-time Spotify playlist – See That My Playlist is Kept Clean – or listen to our dedicated playlist for this episode – and join the conversation on the usual suspects: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

And if you're loving us, consider our Patreon. For as little as one dollar you get early access to every episode we do as soon as they're edited (and a dedicated feed just for you) and exclusive content that'll only ever be on Patreon. Thanks!

Next episode: But it would not make me tremble to see ten thousand fall.

Sign on the Window isn't the Bob Dylan podcast you need, but it's definitely the one that you want! Each week we select a Dylan song at random, live with the song for a week (or two) and then get together to discuss. This week we return to Modern Times with the great "Ain't Talkin'."

In this episode we feature the usual setup:

• Context (3:00)


• Music Talk (8:00)


• Song Itself — where we craft separate narratives from both the Modern Times and Tell Tale Signs versions (15:00)


• Does this song work today? (46:30)


• We'll clarify if we're a real podcast and talk our playlist (51:00)


• Recommendations (57:30)


• Endings (1:19:00)

As always, full show notes at our website. You can also follow along with our weekly real-time Spotify playlist – See That My Playlist is Kept Clean – or listen to our dedicated playlist for this episode – and join the conversation on the usual suspects: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

And if you're loving us, consider our Patreon. For as little as one dollar you get early access to every episode we do as soon as they're edited (and a dedicated feed just for you) and exclusive content that'll only ever be on Patreon. Thanks!

Next episode: She's a long hearted mystic and she can't carry on

Sign on the Window isn't the Bob Dylan podcast you need, but it's definitely the one that you want! Each week we select a Dylan song at random, live with the song for a week (or two) and then get together to discuss. This week is our annual St. Patrick's episode with Kindra. We spend the hour talking (and playing... and drinking to) "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue."

This episode breaks down as:

• Intros (1:00)


• Drinks for Sally Grossman (7:00)


• Initial Thoughts (9:15)


• Context (11:30)


• Versions (17:00)


• Music (29:00)


• Verse 1 (34:00)


• Verse 2 (47:00)


• Verse 3 (55:00)


• Verse 4 (1:02:00)


• Does this song work in 2021? (1:06:00)

We close with our playlist (1:08:00), recommendations (1:20:00) and endings (1:28:00).

As always, full show notes at our website. You can also follow along with our weekly real-time Spotify playlist – See That My Playlist is Kept Clean – or listen to our dedicated playlist for this episode – and join the conversation on the usual suspects: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

And if you're loving us, consider our Patreon. For as little as one dollar you get early access to every episode we do as soon as they're edited (and a dedicated feed just for you) and exclusive content that'll only ever be on Patreon. Thanks!

Next episode: I'll just slaughter them where they lie

Sign on the Window isn't the Bob Dylan podcast you need, but it's definitely the one that you want! Each week we select a Dylan song at random, live with the song for a week (or two) and then get together to discuss. This week, it's 1978 in Oregon and Virginia and we talk "Changing of the Guards" in our first out-of-order podcast!

In this mega-sized episode (brought to you by Bob R. and dropped phone calls)

• Context (7:00)


• Kelly's Music Room (10:30)


• Versions & Personnel (16:00)


• Song Itself — featuring vibes, "I" and "she/her," medieval s**t, tarot cards, religion and Battlestar (21:00)


• Does this song still work? (58:00)


• We're a Real Podcast and Playlist (1:01:00)


• Recommendations — featuring Kelly's early album updates, DMX, Cats, singing of "Keasbey Nights," and introducing The Room to the family (1:08:00)


• Endings (1:31:00)

As always, full show notes at our website. You can also follow along with our weekly real-time Spotify playlist – See That My Playlist is Kept Clean – or listen to our dedicated playlist for this episode – and join the conversation on the usual suspects: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

And if you're loving us, consider our Patreon. For as little as one dollar you get early access to every episode we do as soon as they're edited (and a dedicated feed just for you) and exclusive content that'll only ever be on Patreon. Thanks!

Next episode: The carpet too is moving under you

Shifty Owns the World isn't the Crazy Town podcast you need, but it's definitely the one that you want! Each week we select a CRAZY song at random, live with the song for a week (or two) and then get together to discuss. This week, our first episode of this very real podcast, we listen to the masterpiece "Butterfly."

In this episode, hosted by the ageless K Nasty, we talk:

• Context (2:00)


• Billboard breakdown (7:00)


• Song Itself (16:00)


• Music Video (26:30)


• Does this work in 2021? (30:30)


• Real Podcast and Playlist (35:00)


• Recommendations (37:00)

As always, full show notes at our website (ignore everything else there). We also made a playlist you can listen to! Maybe this will become a regular feature?

And if you're loving us, consider our Patreon. Again, this is a real podcast so ignore all the Bob Dylan material.

Next episode: Definitely that other Crazy Town song we all know

Sign on the Window isn't the Bob Dylan podcast you need, but it's definitely the one that you want! Each week we select a Dylan song at random, live with the song for a week (or two) and then get together to discuss. This week we return to Self Portrait and Dylan's cover of the Everly Brothers' "Take a Message to Mary."

In this episode, Kelly and Daniel explore:

• Context (5:00)


• The Everly Brothers (10:00)


• Song Itself — including its relation to the Everly Brothers, the effect of the generation gap within Self Portrait's time frame, and Dylan's voice (21:00)


• Does this song work today (40:45)


• Our weekly playlist (43:00)


• Recommendations (52:30)


• Endings (1:08:00)

As always, full show notes at our website. You can also follow along with our weekly real-time Spotify playlist – See That My Playlist is Kept Clean – or listen to our dedicated playlist for this episode – and join the conversation on the usual suspects: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

And if you're loving us, consider our Patreon. For as little as one dollar you get early access to every episode we do as soon as they're edited (and a dedicated feed just for you) and exclusive content that'll only ever be on Patreon. Thanks!

Next episode: He was torn between Jupiter and Apollo

Sign on the Window isn't the Bob Dylan podcast you need, but it's definitely the one that you want! Each week we select a Dylan song at random, live with the song for a week (or two) and then get together to discuss. This week we listened to 1967's "Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)."

In this episode, Kelly and Daniel hit on:

• Context (4:00)


• Versions & Covers (8:00)


• Music Time with Kelly (19:00)


• Song Itself — Theories (22:30)


• Does it work in 2021? (47:50)


• Our Playlist (50:30)


• Recommendations (57:30)


• Endings (1:09:30)

As always, full show notes at our website. You can also follow along with our weekly real-time Spotify playlist – See That My Playlist is Kept Clean – or listen to our dedicated playlist for this episode – and join the conversation on the usual suspects: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

And if you're loving us, consider our Patreon. For as little as one dollar you get early access to every episode we do as soon as they're edited (and a dedicated feed just for you) and exclusive content that'll only ever be on Patreon. Thanks!

Next episode: I hope Mary gets this, not Marie...

Sign on the Window isn't the Bob Dylan podcast you need, but it's definitely the one that you want! Each week we select a Dylan song at random, live with the song for a week (or two) and then get together to discuss. This week is unfortunate, no other way around that. We were wishing for it but "Death is Not the End."

In this episode, which is mostly dunking on this song, we hit:

• Opening shots and Context (4:30)


• "Song" Itself (9:00)


• Does this song work? (27:00)


• Real Podcast and Playlist (30:00)


• Recommendations (40:00)


• Endings — Cow, Detective, Level, Firefighter, Sausage (52:30)

As always, full show notes at our website. You can also follow along with our weekly real-time Spotify playlist – See That My Playlist is Kept Clean – or listen to our dedicated playlist for this episode – and join the conversation on the usual suspects: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

And if you're loving us, consider our Patreon. For as little as one dollar you get early access to every episode we do as soon as they're edited (and a dedicated feed just for you) and exclusive content that'll only ever be on Patreon. Thanks!

Next episode: Tell me where it hurts, I'll tell you who to call