No More Tangles

I started responding to the post below, but it got so long, I figured I'd put up my own separate post.

First, these lyric sites are very helpful but not 100% reliable since they're versions from fans (who may be obsessed but, like New England Guy, don't necessarily have access to anything beyond what they can hear).

This particular transcription has clear errors. For instance, in the fourth verse, they have "later on as the crowd thinned out" while Dylan definitely sings "later one when the crowd thinned out." They also have "under my breat (sic)" while Dylan sings "underneath my breath." To be fair, the transcriber could be listening to a live version.

I'm very aware of the pitfalls of transcribing on your own. I sang "Black Diamond Bay" with a friend in a high school talent show and had to listen to the song about a hundred times to get down the words, and even then I wasn't sure. For that matter, I've written out the lyrics to many of my favorites to be sung at jams with friends, only to find the real lyrics later and realize how laughable my versions were. (One example of many I could quote: I thought Gene Pitney in "Mecca" was singing "I will love nobody/ till the day her ruby lips are mine" when the actual line is "Oh she's my dream goddess/ and her ruby lips are so divine." At least in that case I sorta knew I was having trouble before I looked it up.)

Even professional sources can't always be trusted since they can be created without any input from the artists. For instance, in the original sheet music for the Beatles' "Good Day Sunshine," no less, the line that Paul sings--"I've got something I can laugh about"--was rendered "I've got something I can blab about." Years later, I actually heard a cover of the song where they sang the "blab" version.

One of the funniest mishearings I can recall comes from the notes to a collection of Fred Astaire's Brunswick recordings from the 30s. (In other words, someone got paid for this.) In discussing "Slap That Bass," the note writer says Fred refers to the bass player only as "Kenny." Kenny? I didn't recall that. I listened to the song again. Just before the tap solo starts, the bass does a run and Fred comments "well slap my face, can he slap that bass!" "Can he" was heard as "Kenny."

Anyway, I listened to the Dylan song again and I've got to go with the transcriber. "Banquet" might be more poetic, but it sure sounds like "bankbook." It sounds like a "to me," if not your normal "to me." (Very much like the "can he" "Kenny" confusion.) As for the century, could be 13th or 15th century, though since 13th century is when a new movement that included Dante started, I got no trouble with the earlier date.

Dylan can be a little obtuse, though his meanings are usually clear enough. If you want cryptic lyrics that are fun to interpret (though not necessarily decipher), you might try Steely Dan. In fact, I know Vermont Guy is a big fan. Perhaps once a week he can pick out a Dan tune and tell us what it really means. Start with "Doctor Wu."

PS I second AAGuy's comment.