TRACK TALK #439 Marchin' To The City

MARCHIN' TO THE CITY
ALBUM : The Bootleg Series Vol.8 (2008)
Recorded : Janvier 1997
Released : 6 Octobre 2008

Enregistré lors des sessions de "Time Out of Mind" en janvier 97.
Les deux versions seront publiées en 2008 sur le "Bootleg Series Vol.8".
Aucune performance live.



Lyrics
Well I'm sittin' in church in an old wooden chair
I knew nobody would look for me there
Sorrow and pity rule the earth and the skies
Looking for nothin' in anyone's eyes

Once I had a pretty gal, did me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city and the road ain't long

Snow flakes are fallin' around my head
Lord have mercy, it feel heavy like lead
I been hit too hard, seen too much
Nothing can heal me now but your touch

Once I had a pretty gal, she did me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city and the road ain't long

Loneliness got a mind of its own
The more people around, the more you feel alone
I'm chained to the earth like a silent slave
Trying to break free out of death's dark cave

Once I had a pretty gal, done me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city and the road ain't long

Boys in the street beginnin' to play
Girls like birds flyin' away
I'm carryin' the roses that were given to me
And I'm thinkin' about paradise wonderin' where it might be

Once I had a pretty gal, she done me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city and the road ain't long

Go over to London, maybe gay Paris
Follow the river you get to the sea
I was hopin' we could drink from life's clear streams
I was hopin' we could dream life's pleasant dreams

Once I had a pretty gal, but she done me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city and the road ain't long

Well the weak get weaker and the strong stay strong
The train keeps rollin' all night long
She looked at me with an irresistable glance
With a smile that could make all the planets dance

Once I had a pretty gal, she did me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city and the road ain't long

My house is on fire, burnin' to the skies
I thought the rain clouds, but the clouds passed by
When I'm gone you'll remember my name
I'm gonna win my way to wealth and fame

Once I had a pretty gal, but she did me wrong
Now I'm marching to the city and the road ain't long

Une grande chanson ! Elle avait sa place sur Time out of Mind ! L'orgue fait évoluer la marche de cette ballade mystérieuse. Et je trouve la voix de Dylan très en place, avec ce côté gospel qu'on avait oublié et qui nous rappel le début des années 80.

On retrouvera dans Million Miles certaines paroles de la chanson:

Girls like birds flyin' away
My house is on fire, burnin' to the skies

A chaque fois que j'écoute ce morceaux j'imagine Dylan debout, mal traitant son orgue et à secouer ses guibolles. On a vite envie d'arriver dans cette ville lointaine, imprenable. Encore une chanson d'amour malheureuse, pleine d'ironie, mêlant les éléments entre eux, laissant place à une sorte de vision apocalyptique.