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From the 1983 album "Infidels," produced by Mark Knopfler and Bob Dylan. Initially critically panned, the well-produced, reggae-inflected sound of the album grew on the critics and the public (though Dylan chose not to tour behind it) and ended up being on most Top 10 critics' lists for the year. Sly and Robbie formed the drum and bass section of Dylan's backing band on the album. Knopfler and Mick Taylor (ex-Stones) played guitar, and Benmont Tench (Tom Petty) played keys. Recently, Dylan released on his website an in-studio video of "Don't Fall Apart On Me Tonight," some 40 years after the fact. (I requested it months ago) Thanks Stephen and Harri.
Cheers mate for the info. Did not know about the great Robbie and Sly were involved. Probably my favourite Dylan album. And there's a helluva lot to choose from. Most of them better, but this was the one. It was just my time and place. The 80s. " what's a sweet heart like you doing in dump like this".
In fact, Infidels gained Bob his strongest critical reception in years. It also went gold in the US and reached number 9 in the UK album chart. The Daily Telegraph named Jokerman as his fourth best song. Also, he did tour the album - he played 27 dates in Europe the following Summer and the keyboards on Infidels are played by Alan Clark (from Dire Straits), not Benmont Tench. Benmont played on sessions the following year and toured with Bob (and the rest of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers) in 1986-87.
Yes, his first few albums were definitely folk music. The first album was almost all folk standards, including gospel, blues, and ballads. He only had two originals on that album and both were in traditional folk styles, "Talkin' New York and "Song to Woody".
Only an actual musical and lyrical genius could have possibly created this kind of music so far in advance of anything anyone else could even imagine. This one is indeed timeless.
Dylan is the "jokerman". Its about himself, reacting to all the nonsense going on in the world. As he sings"jokerman dance to the nightingales tune, bird fly high by the light of the moon".. its him dancing, you can hear it in the exuberance of his singing. "manipulator of crowds, dream twister..." who does that better than dylan, he captures us in his music. My favorite line: "false hearted judges dying in the webs that they spin, only a matter of time till night comes stepping in..." prophetic?? thanks for covering another great song.
It is about himself, but it's also about the fact that he's placed his trust in other people and their ideologies. He's even surrendered himself to God, and come away feeling betrayed.
Stephen, this was a great choice! It’s so different from anything I have ever heard from Bob Dylan! I love the Reggae undertones. Thanks for this and thanks to Harri for the great commentary. 🌺✌️
I’d definitely recommend watching Dylan’s version of this when he appeared on David Letterman at the time; he put together a small band of new wave punk musicians from LA and they do a completely different interpretation of the song. Even for Dylan it was ballsy since he was there promoting Infidels and his Jokerman that night was nothing like the track on the album. It’s one of my favorite live performances from him; pure chaotic brilliance.
That incredible bass player is Robbie Shakespeare. The drummer is Sly Dunbar. Bob played a cheeky harmonica part on the song No Name On The Bullet from their album Language Barrier from 1985. It's a really cool sounding record, I recommend giving it a listen.
I really liked that you listened to and reacted to the song without the video. I first heard this song with the accompanying video, and I can’t hear it now without remembering the visual imagery that Dylan chose to include. It is one of my favorites of his. The picture of Ali with the arrows hits me hard. Thanks.
The "Jokerman" is Dylan himself. This is one of his most autobiographical songs - or rather, self-reflective, of his role in the world. The Jokerman's function is to discover and poke fun at the world's faults, and make a song and dance about it. (It is also a sly call to the "jester" in Don McLean's "American Pie" - which was McLean's own reference to Bob Dylan).
‘Freedom just around the corner for you but with truth so far off what good will it do’ - in those days some said the song is about ‘I’m not a crook’ NIXON.
Thanks for your positive and insightful reactions to Bob Dylan's work. Maybe Dylan himself felt conflicted about those who preach , he had a line in a previous song "Not realising I become my enemy in the instant that I preach" Certainly food for thought. Thanks again
The bass Player was Robbie Shakespeare and the drummer was Sly Dunbar, BOTH Reggae Session Legends! The amazing guitar and organ work was Mark Knopler and Alan Clark of Dire Straits! If EVER there was a Super Group THIS was it. THANK YOU for featuring my very favourite Dylan song that is FOR SURE his best ever recording.
@@markmarsh27 What a breath of fresh air music lovers are. " You got it wrong, sorry". Followed by, " No worries mate, appreciate the correction". Oh how we all long for those days. Keep in going!!
Wow, I never realised those were the 'back-up' artists! It makes sense. Not so much that I have a low opinion of Dylan, but this song was always something that bit more outstanding. Shades of Babylon.
Yes Harry you got it reggae full on sly and Robbie on bass and drums The Joker man is the man in authority who thinks he’s gonna get away with it all what a joker the Babylon System the shistim The joker put the priest in his pocket put the blade to the heat takes the motherless children of the street and place them at the feet of a harlot oh joker man you know what He wants oh joker man you don’t show any response Beautiful rhythm Harry well done
Jamaican musicians Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakepeare were the rhythm section on this song producing that reggae sound you referred to. Jokerman is from his 22nd record "Infidels" and was co-produced by Dire Straits front man Mark Knopfler. This record was not well liked by Bob Dylan..... I don't know why, I love it. As always, great reaction Harri, TY.
I always think that-like Changing of the Guards on the album Street Legal -that this is Dylan signaling a new direction he is going in. Thanksfor great reaction . I managed to catch a few concerts of Dylan around this time in the late 70s London and he was mighty . Thanks Harri
Love Bob Dylan and love your reaction video of his songs. Another thing I love about your videos, is that you always react to the original version and not some lousy live version. In 99 of 100 cases, the original studio version is the best version. That being said I would love it if you reacted to two other songs from Bob. "Man of peace" and "When you gonna wake up", two other funky songs with great lyrics.
From the minute... perhaps the first 30 seconds of hearing this enigmatic madtetpiece , I knew that I would be a Dylan fan forever.He is one of the most important musicians and poets ever to grace the Earth. I had it on a very good reliable source that the Jokerman was the Devil. Satan. Lucifer whatever... I don't know if that is correct, however. it is just the best of everything wrapped up in a song, and his voice as always is mesmerising. There will never be anyone else like him ❤️
Beautiful song. 'You were born with a snake above your fist while a hurricane was blowing'. Lyrics, lyrics. I immersed my son in his music from birth. So much learning in it. So much spirit to bring your own spirit to life. Its awakening, tugs so deep into your psyche. God bless him. God cherish him. Our house celebrated so much when he won the Nobel Prize. So just. Greetings from Australia Harri...
I brushed over this song when it came out. Now hearing it again through ears who knows what's going on makes me appreciate what a great song I passed by. Time to get that cd out and relisten. Thanks for this...
Reggae, Rock, Rap, Folk, Pop, Country, Blues it doesn’t matter. Bob Dylan a long time ago earned the right to do anything he wants with music!! 60 plus years and still amazing us! Incredible!
Harri, you might enjoy 'I and I' off this album, captures some Rasta lyrical elements to go with the music. (not a reaction request, just a recommendation. though a reaction to it might be fun.) thanks for exploring Bob's music, as you've found, there is an incredible treasure trove to wander through. there is an old saying that the answer to 'which is your favorite Dylan album?' is 'the one i'm listening to now.'
The joker man is the devil. If you can’t understand that, there is no hope for you to interpret Dylan’s lyrics. But I love you man :). Love your channel.
You're doing an excellent job Harri, thank you. I very much enjoy your show. One of my top favourite post-folk Dylan songs. Jokerman has something to do with evil. Maybe even the devil?
Jokerman is God.. if He was like you.. like any of us. Doing this, the song makes TOTAL SENSE.. all the way through. But Dylan, the artist he must be.. isn't spelling it out.. not a chance. Say whatever you will, this is Respect.
Many people here think Dylan is speaking about himself but I always thought it was about Christ being laughed at while preaching love and being a friend to to the woman of shame. I am not religious but I have done some very tertiary study of Christ and I saw parallels. Dylan was reborn around this time so I thought it was in line with his One More Grain of Sand or Serve Somebody. That said it could certainly be both as we all see ourselves as the Christ of our story.
I always thought this was about the current president at the time, Reagan and the Christian Coalition that put him into office. Reagan was known for his "wit."
To me this song rivals his “Hurricane”. I wonder how Mark Knopfler found the experience working with Dylan. I heard he’s a bit of an odd duck, eccentric you might say.
The driven character of the song is the Jokerman (funny there is a famous song, don't remember now the name and author, who names Dylan as "the jokerman"; that probably played a part on the choice of the name), which is a kind of compound of different character in different parts of the song. it's Dylan, who sings and doesn't think of the future; it's an analogous of Jesus in the first two verses; is the one who was born "with a snake in both of your fists while a hurricane was blowing", which basically means he was born in difficult situations; who peregrinates to Sodom and Gomorra (they don't merry his sister because we know what they did there..) or goes of to mountains; Jesus again, who "rise up and say goodbye to no one", "friend of the martyr" etc.; but also "manipulator of crowds, a dream twister" (and in the official video it appears an image of Hitler). So it touches on many aspect of this character or what he could be, even within those contrasts.
"It is a shadowy world, skies are slippery gray A woman just gave birth to a prince today and dressed him in scarlet He'll put the priest in his pocket, put the blade to the heat Take the motherless children off the street And place them at the feet of a harlot Oh, Jokerman, you know what he wants Oh, oh, Jokerman, you don't show any response". Also this could be about himself.
Recommend also giving the cover of this by John Cruz a listen. ... On your own. Not for something like this. ... It's on that Playing For Change channel
Both well kniwn regae mucians Robbie Shakespear and drummer Sly dunbar . they both play on the whole Album along with few other well knowns. already mentioned in the coments. is last very good album in my opinion. not really an average song on the album controvercial one in "Neighbourhood Bully" sarcastically taking the side of the Isrealis over the neighbouring lesser power of the Palastinians
the divine trickster Loki (n europe) here's a video of License to Kill with Sly Dunbar on drums Robert "Robbie" Shakespeare on bass same sessions ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HRrlFYg2QkI.html Sly and Robbie are the backbone of many reggae sessions including Black Uhuru, their band
Out of his entire repertoire, this is the only one that I can listen to. And it personifies the reason that Hendrix gave for getting in front of the mic-If Dylan can do it, I can do it
