Dylan's new

Angels and Bitches contd...

“Sara”
Sara, Sara
Whatever made you
want to change you mind
Sara, Sara
So easy to look at,
so hard to define.
Definitely one of Dylan’s “Angel songs” after ‘Sad eyed lady from the lowlands’, Sara was his wife.

“Dirge”
I hate myself for loving you and the weakness that it showed

You were just a painted face on a trip down to suicide road

The stage was set, the lights went out all around the old hotel

I hate myself for loving you and I'm glad the curtain fell.
……The naked truth is still taboo whenever it can be seen
Lady Luck who shines on me, will tell you where I'm at
I hate myself for loving you but I should get over that.

Obliviously a “Bitches song”. Could it be for his wife after the divorce, or just his discomfort with the ‘voice of the generation’ mantle, he so wanted to shake off? Whichever way, a great song for spewing rancour and indignation to the bitches of the world….way to go Bob!!!

About Angels and Bitches

Dylan has recognized only two kinds of women: "angels," whose function was to save man (from the women themselves as often as not), and "bitches," whose function was to let him down, if not by overt attempts to ruin and confuse, at least by their failure to save. The bitches enjoyed their heyday during the "Just like a Woman" period, of course, and their prominent return on Blood on the Tracks was one of the principle reasons why that album was believed to be a return to the golden age. The angels dominated from Nashville Skyline to Planet Waves, and there is reason to believe that Dylan still holds onto something of that vision: "Sara," one of two songs on Desire which he wrote alone, again speaks of his wife as a "sweet virgin angel." – Rolling Stone review of Desire (1976)

Whoa! Pretty strong statement, that one. Considering Dylan’s intricacy as an intriguing songwriter, I feel the critic over-simplified his appraisal about the women in Dylan’s songs.

There is this song that comes to mind, “North country blues” , a bleak folksy song about the trial and tribulation of a young mother in copper country no ‘bitchiness’ here no beatific charm.

Well, there is "I don’t believe you" which is an opinion about double standards; I don’t think there is a direct assault on “bitchiness”.

“ I’ll be your baby tonite” and “All I really wanna do” are yearnings to get into her pants, almost a cunning plea, bereft of any macho thing going.

“Boots of Spanish leather” Dylan accepts the going away of his beau, without reprove. In other words he does not call her a bitch for abandoning him!!!

Even seemingly caustic songs like “ It ain’t me babe” speaks of the individual’s shortcomings in the relationship, but then again this could be Dylan’s outburst to his 60’s fans who almost deified him.

With a Dylan song you never know.

+vely 4th Street

You got a lotta nerve /To say you are my friend /When I was down /You just stood there grinning
You got a lotta nerve /To say you gota helping hand to lend /You just want to be on/ The side that's winning
You say I let you down / You know it's not like that / If you're so hurt / Why then don't you show it
You say you lost your faith / But that's not where it's at / You had no faith to lose / And you know it
I know the reason / That you talk behind my back / I used to be among the crowd / You're in with
Do you take me for such a fool / To think I'd make contact / With the one who tries to hide / What he don't know to begin with
You see me on the street / You always act surprised / You say, "How are you?" "Good luck" / But you don't mean it
When you know as well as me / You'd rather see me paralyzed / Why don't you just come out once / And scream it
No, I do not feel that good / When I see the heartbreaks you embrace / If I was a master thief / Perhaps I'd rob them
And now I know you're dissatisfied / With your position and your place / Don't you understand / It's not my problem
I wish that for just one time / You could stand inside my shoes / And just for that one moment / I could be you
Yes, I wish that for just one time / You could stand inside my shoes / You'd know what a drag it is / To see you

Man…. This song really cheers me when I am in a sour disposition. Even though the ruefulness and bitterness of the betrayal/ wrongdoing is unadulterated…..you have to hand it to Dylan for keeping the humour strong. I read somewhere it was directed towards the editor of “Sing out” who tore Dylan for going electric.
This witty insult can be cathartic for anybody betrayed/cheated.
Could work well as an astringent dedication to low down and rotten bitches of the world.