25_infidels/jokerman.htm

   1 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   2 <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
   3 "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
   4 <html lang="en" xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
   5
   6 <head>
   7 <title>Jokerman</title>
   8 <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../css/general.css" />
   9 </head>
  10
  11 <body>
  12
  13 <h1 class="songtitle">Jokerman</h1>
  14
  15
  16 <p>Words and music Bob Dylan<br />
  17 Released on <a class="recordlink" href="index.htm">Infidels</a> (1983)<br />
  18 Tabbed by Eyolf &Oslash;strem</p>
  19
  20 <hr />
  21
  22 <p>In the key of Bb major on the album, but played in A live, which is
  23 much more comfortable. the following version is with a capo on the
  24 first fret. The following chords for the first lines work quite well:</p>
  25 <pre class="chords">
  26 A     x07650
  27 Amaj7 x06650
  28 Bm/a  x04430 (or x04432)
  29 E/a   x06450
  30 A/g#  4x222(0)
  31 A/c#  x4222(0)
  32 </pre>
  33
  34 <hr />
  35
  36 <pre class="verse">
  37 A                      Amaj7
  38 Standing on the waters casting your bread
  39           Bm/a                      E/a           A
  40 While the eyes of the idol with the iron head are glowing.
  41 A                     Amaj7
  42 Distant ships sailing into the mist,
  43          Bm/a                 E/a                                      A
  44 You were born with a snake in both of your fists while a hurricane was blowing.
  45 Bm      E                          A
  46 Freedom just around the corner for you
  47          Bm               E                     A   D
  48 But with truth so far off, what good will it do?
  49 </pre>
  50
  51 <pre class="refrain">
  52 E                     D
  53 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
  54 A        /g#         F#m          D
  55 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
  56 A(/c#) D   E   A
  57 Oh,    oh, oh, Jokerman.
  58 </pre>
  59
  60 <pre class="verse">
  61 So swiftly the sun sets in the sky,
  62 You rise up and say goodbye to no one.
  63 Fools rush in where angels fear to tread,
  64 Both of their futures, so full of dread, you don't show one.
  65 Shedding off one more layer of skin,
  66 Keeping one step ahead of the persecutor within.
  67 </pre>
  68
  69 <pre class="refrain">
  70 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
  71 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
  72 Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
  73 </pre>
  74
  75 <pre class="verse">
  76 You're a man of the mountains, you can walk on the clouds,
  77 Manipulator of crowds, you're a dream twister.
  78 You're going to Sodom and Gomorrah,
  79 But what do you care? Ain't nobody there would want to marry your sister.
  80 Friend to the martyr, a friend to the woman of shame,
  81 You look into the fiery furnace, see the rich man without any name. </pre>
  82
  83 <pre class="refrain">
  84 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
  85 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
  86 Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
  87 </pre>
  88
  89 <pre class="verse">
  90 Well, the Book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy,
  91 The law of the jungle and the sea are your only teachers.
  92 In the smoke of the twilight on a milk-white steed,
  93 Michelangelo indeed could've carved out your features.
  94 Resting in the fields, far from the turbulent space,
  95 Half asleep near the stars with a small dog licking your face. </pre>
  96
  97 <pre class="refrain">
  98 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
  99 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
 100 Oh. oh. oh. Jokerman.
 101 </pre>
 102
 103 <pre class="verse">
 104 Well, the rifleman's stalking the sick and the lame,
 105 Preacherman seeks the same, who'll get there first is uncertain.
 106 Nightsticks and water cannons, tear gas, padlocks,
 107 Molotov cocktails and rocks behind every curtain,
 108 False-hearted judges dying in the webs that they spin,
 109 Only a matter of time 'til night comes steppin' in.
 110 </pre>
 111
 112 <pre class="refrain">
 113 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
 114 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
 115 Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
 116 </pre>
 117
 118 <pre class="verse">
 119 It's a shadowy world, skies are slippery gray,
 120 A woman just gave birth to a prince today and dressed him in scarlet.
 121 He'll put the priest in his pocket, put the blade to the heat,
 122 Take the motherless children off the street
 123 And place them at the feet of a harlot.
 124 Oh, Jokerman, you know what he wants,
 125 Oh, Jokerman, you don't show any response.
 126
 127 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
 128 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
 129 Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
 130 </pre>
 131
 132 <hr />
 133
 134 <h2 class="songversion">The lyrics of the outtake version:</h2>
 135 <pre class="verse">
 136 Standing on the waters casting your bread
 137 While the eyes of the idol with the iron head are glowing.
 138 Distant ships sailing into the mist,
 139 You were born with a snake in both of your fists while a hurricane was blowing.
 140 Freedom just around the corner for you
 141 But with truth so far off, what good will it do?
 142 </pre>
 143
 144 <pre class="refrain">
 145 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
 146 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
 147 Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
 148 </pre>
 149
 150 <pre class="verse">
 151 So swiftly the sun sets in the sky,
 152 You rise up and say goodbye to no one.
 153 No store-bought shirt for you on your back
 154 One of the women must sit in the shack and sew one.
 155 Shedding off one more layer of skin,
 156 Keeping one step ahead of the persecutor within.
 157 </pre>
 158
 159 <pre class="refrain">
 160 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
 161 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
 162 Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
 163 </pre>
 164
 165 <pre class="verse">
 166 You're a man of the mountains, you can walk on the clouds,
 167 Manipulator of crowds, you're a dream twister.
 168 You're going to Sodom and Gomorrah,
 169 But what do you care? Ain't nobody there would want to marry your sister.
 170 Scratching the world with a fine-tooth comb
 171 You're a king among nations, you're a stranger at home
 172 </pre>
 173
 174 <pre class="refrain">
 175 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
 176 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
 177 Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
 178 </pre>
 179
 180 <pre class="verse">
 181 Well, the Book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy,
 182 The law of the jungle and the sea are your only teachers.
 183 No crystal ball do you need on your shelf
 184 Michelangelo himself could have carved out your features.
 185 So drunk, standing in the middle of the street
 186 Directing traffic with a small dog at your feet.
 187 </pre>
 188
 189 <pre class="refrain">
 190 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
 191 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
 192 Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
 193 </pre>
 194
 195 <pre class="verse">
 196 Well, the Preacherman talkin' 'bout the deaf and the dumb
 197 and a world to come that's already been predetermined.
 198 Nightsticks and water cannons, tear gas, padlocks,
 199 Molotov cocktails and rocks can't drown out your sermon.
 200 You let the wicked walk right into a trap.
 201 You give away all the good things that fall in your lap.
 202 </pre>
 203
 204 <pre class="refrain">
 205 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
 206 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
 207 Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
 208 </pre>
 209
 210 <pre class="verse">
 211 It's a shadowy world, skies are slippery gray,
 212 A woman just gave birth to a prince today and she's dressed in scarlet.
 213 He'll turn priests into pimps that make old men bark
 214 Take a woman who could have been Joan of Arc
 215 And turn her into a harlot.
 216 Oh, Jokerman, you know what he wants,
 217 Oh, Jokerman, you don't show any response.
 218 </pre>
 219
 220 <pre class="refrain">
 221 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
 222 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
 223 Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
 224 </pre>
 225 <hr />
 226 <h2 class="songversion">Another version</h2>
 227 <p>I was never too happy with the single guitar version when I played it myself. Then, one day, on my way from work, I was humming Jokerman and Moonlight at the same time, and something clicked (to be played with two beats to a chord):</p>
 228 <pre class="chords">Chords:
 229
 230 Bbo      x12020
 231 Co       x34242
 232 A/c#     x42220  or x4222x with half-barre
 233 D/a      x04232
 234 E+       022110
 235 A7/g     34222x
 236 E7-9     076760
 237 Bb       688700
 238 G#+      476500</pre>
 239
 240 <pre class="verse">
 241 |: A . Bbo . Bm7 . E7 . :|
 242
 243 A               Bbo    Bm7          Co
 244 Standing on the waters casting your bread
 245           A/c# /e     F#           Bm7   E7       A       D/a  A  E+
 246 While the eyes of the idol with the iron head are glowing.
 247 A       Bbo           Bm7      Co
 248 Distant ships sailing into the mist,
 249           A/c# /e     F#      Bm7                        E7            A         D/a  A  Bbo
 250 You were born with a snake in both of your fists while a hurricane was blowing.
 251 Bm   /a-g#-f#   E     /f#       /g     /g#    A    D/a  A  Bbo
 252 Freedom         just around the corner for you
 253          Bm     /a   -g#-f#   E     /f#  /g       /g#    A  /g#   A7/g   F#7
 254 But with truth so far off,      what     good will it do?</pre>
 255
 256 <pre class="refrain">
 257 Bm7                   E7-9
 258 Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
 259 A        G           F#           F#7
 260 Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
 261 Bm7    Bb  G#+  A
 262 Oh,    oh, oh, Jokerman.</pre>
 263 </body></html>