In this song, Angelina can be a women, country, or planet. Dylan croons about one of the three with the passion and mystique of "Visions Of Johanna," even though this was created in the Shot of Love period. In a nutshell, Dylan is asking Angelina to forgive him and come with him.
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Meridianman from Casper, Wy, WyAllow me to finish my statement (I'm new at this and ran out of room). As I was saying, I'm trying to point out that Bob turned inward, looking as deep as he could into his own soul and into the soul of man, very early in his career. The protest songs, directed outward toward the social world, grew stale and limiting almost before he put them on records. Bob Dylan is a timeless figure, not time-bound.
Meridianman from Casper, Wy, Wy"Farewell Angelina" is remarkable, perhaps even unique, as the earliest example of the metaphysical or surreal turn that Bob Dylan was making as a lyricist. Bob is really testing the limits of language (for better or worse, depending on one's taste) and bending the mind with otherworldly images. He's trying, I think, to express the inexpressible, or ineffable -- as much a yearning of youth as it is a hint of the transcendent. Since the song originates in 1965, it is not from the Shot of Love period, as Henry from Baltimore asserts. I'm not nitpicking, Henry: I'm just trying to point out how early in Bob's career he w
Fred from Laurel, MdAha! I see my comment of yesterday (June 4th -- actually, the wee hours of the 5th) has been heeded and the video on this page is now the right one. With thousands of songs on this site, this was corrected in mere hours. I'm amazed! I'd like to see Farewell Angelina on this site, too, so maybe I'll try putting it up here. 2009 Jun 05.
Fred from Laurel, MdI've never heard this song, but reading the lyrics, and from the title, it echoes eerily his early song, "Farewell Angelina" (recorded by Joan Baez). Holy cow! That's what's on the YouTube link on this page! (It cuts off early in verse 5, though. There are 6 verses total in the song.)
