Gates of Eden
Bob Dylan
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Of war and peace the truth just twists Its curfew gull just glides Upon four-legged forest clouds The cowboy angel rides With his candle lit into the sun Though its glow is waxed in black All except when 'neath the trees of Eden The lamppost stands with folded arms Its iron claws attached To curbs 'neath holes where babies wail Though it shadows metal badge All and all can only fall With a crashing but meaningless blow No sound ever comes from the Gates of Eden The savage soldier sticks his head in sand And then complains Unto the shoeless hunter who's gone deaf But still remains Upon the beach where hound dogs bay At ships with tattooed sails Heading for the Gates of Eden With a time-rusted compass blade Aladdin and his lamp Sits with Utopian hermit monks Side saddle on the Golden Calf And on their promises of paradise You will not hear a laugh All except inside the Gates of Eden Relationships of ownership They whisper in the wings To those condemned to act accordingly And wait for succeeding kings And I try to harmonize with songs The lonesome sparrow sings There are no kings inside the Gates of Eden The motorcycle black Madonna Two-wheeled gypsy queen And her silver-studded phantom cause The gray flannel dwarf to scream As he weeps to wicked birds of prey Who pick up on his bread crumb sins And there are no sins inside the Gates of Eden The kingdoms of experience In the precious wind they rot While paupers change possessions Each one wishing for what the other has got And the princess and the prince Discuss what's real and what is not It doesn't matter inside the Gates of Eden The foreign sun, it squints upon A bed that is never mine As friends and other strangers From their fates try to resign Leaving men wholly, totally free To do anything they wish to do but die And there are no trials inside the Gates of Eden At dawn my lover comes to me And tells me of her dreams With no attempts to shovel the glimpse Into the ditch of what each one means At times I think there are no words But these to tell what's true And there are no truths outside the Gates of Eden
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Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
11 facts about this song
Songwriter"Gates of Eden", a spellbinding piece of poetic prophecy is authored and performed by Bob Dylan, a legend in the field of folk and rock music. This song unveils Dylan's prowess in delivering complex yet captivating lyrics.
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Album DetailsThe song is a part of the album "Bringing It All Back Home", which was released in 1965. This particular album is significant as it showcased Dylan’s transition from acoustic folk to electric rock music.
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Genre"Gates of Eden" belongs to the folk music genre which was predominant during the 1960s. The song is a current of intense imagery flowing with the mellifluous guitar sound, preserving its raw folk essence.
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Experimental Verse StructureUnlike other popular songs of the era, "Gates of Eden" doesn't have a traditional chorus. Rather it consists of eight verses, each followed by a one-line refrain.
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Surrealist InfluencesThe song is often linked to surrealism because of its vivid and bizarre imagery. Critics suggest the influence of French poets like Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine in this lyrical work.
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Live PerformancesThe first live performance of the song was on July 24, 1964, at the Newport Folk Festival. Dylan has performed it over 100 times live since its release.
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Cover VersionsNumerous artists have covered "Gates of Eden". These include famous musicians such as Arlo Guthrie, Marc Carroll, Bryan Ferry, and My Morning Jacket.
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Critics' AcclaimThe song is acclaimed by music critics for its inventive, dreamlike lyrics and is considered one of the most significant works of Dylan’s early career.
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Cultural References"Gates of Eden" has influenced several other cultural works. American author Michael Gray referenced the song in the title of his critical study book on Bob Dylan, "Song & Dance Man III: The Art of Bob Dylan".
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A Political InterpretationSome critics and listeners have interpreted the song as a social and political critique, highlighting Dylan's representation of a world in moral and spiritual decline.
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Album LegacyThe album "Bringing It All Back Home", including the song "Gates of Eden", was nominated in the top 500 Albums list by Rolling Stone magazine.
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Citation
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"Gates of Eden Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/6926071/Bob+Dylan/Gates+of+Eden>.
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