iMedia: All Along the Watchtower

   The song "All Along the Watchtower" was released by Bob Dylan in 1967, although most know the later cover by Jimi Hendrix. I prefer the original version because it is more subtle. Its melody is conveyed by soft guitar and harmonica, whereas Hendrix's version is loud and distorted. The original song gives the listener more mental space to think and reflect on the message the song evokes.

 
   To me, "All Along the Watchtower" conveys primarily an emotional message. The harmonica yearns and mourns for something missing. The guitar is quiet and without confidence. The world of the lyrics is one of uncertainty and a lack of answers. As the joker says to the thief, there is much confusion and no one really knows what anything is worth. Life is chaotic. There is no pattern; there is neither a means of organizing events or a grand scheme to give them meaning. This is the way I often feel in my life. I am reminded that I have no idea what I want to do with my life. My goals are all focused on getting into the right college so that I can be happy later on, but I actually have no idea what will make me happy later on. Hearing and connecting to the song in this way makes me feel feel empty and scared.

   But I would rather feel these feelings, like the joker, than be the thief. He dismisses the joker's words as false and worthless. He does not attempt to understand or even combat the ideas presented: he simply moves on with his life, noting that the hour is late. Although he admits that at one time he thought like the joker, he has decided he will no longer dwell on such ideas. The thief moves through life without reflection, and he is the song's steady drumbeat pushing forward. Perhaps if he actually considered his existence he could find a way to be more fulfilled. The fact that he is a thief implies that he lives without much spark, relying on the work of others.  Risking discomfort and sadness, he could find a way out of his hurried but valueless situation.

   This trap the thief has fallen into arguably describes the lives of many actual people, especially typical Americans. From school onward, the prevailing culture in America is one of success and achieving goals. Answers and meaning are supposedly predetermined. Happiness is defined as surplus money, professional excellence, and a stable family.  The path there is clear. One must only work hard and put trust in their own individual virtue, and they too will achieve the American dream. There is no time to consider changes in mindsets or even personal meaning, as opportunity must always be chased.

    Listening to "All Along the Watchtower" has the potential to remind the average listener of the folly of their pursuit. If they listen to their inner joker, and ignore the voice of their thief, they may learn a bit about how they really feel. The song reminds us that meaning is not always inherently discernible. We have to look beyond present pressures to determine what really gives us pleasure. Only then can we find a way out, and relief.