While most singers are remembered for their voice or music, sometimes a truly special musician lives on for decades just because of their words. Lyrics are always important of course, but these artists know that it’s each individual verse, line, and word that, when interwoven, become something far more affective.
There's no real shortage of great lyricists over the years, but none could ever pen a song quite like Bob Dylan. Often labeled the voice of his generation, Dylan has never failed to enchant lyrically. His gruff voice never gave him much to work with, but he never needed much else besides a guitar and some words to sing. His poetic voice, so aspirational and wise, has spun great ballads out of bizarre images and obscure references all while consistently moving listeners since the dawn of the 60's.
But for anyone who remains unconvinced of Dylan’s impact or talent, he has a treasure trove of musical gems with some of the finest wordplay of the century. One such song absolutely exemplifies his talent, with a winding tour of imagery that characterizes the blossoming counterculture of the 60’s. While this could apply to “Like A Rolling Stone,” I’m actually referring to Dylan’s eleven-minute song on the same album, “Desolation Row.”
Upholding the fine poetic tradition of allusions, “Desolation Row” is an amalgamation of literary characters and historical figures who’ve all found themselves stranded at the titular place. It positions these down and out figures, as well as Desolation Row itself, as a harsh reflection of the 60’s, which has become divided by the counterculture.
It's meandering in its approach, often using surreal portrayals of these figures to show how detrimentally consuming Desolation Row is. With such a roundabout way of making his point though, Dylan’s meaning often evades the listener, especially as all ten verses are stuffed with references.
As such, I aim to take a deep dive into Dylan’s epic for anyone who has never understood it completely (i.e. everyone). Now, I must confess, that I do not have a complete grasp on Dylan’s song and could never explain it fully. But what I will do, is explore every single allusion that Dylan utilizes in “Desolation Row.”
I’m not examining every crevice of this song, nor I am trying to discern a “true meaning” of the song. Instead, I’m focusing on his numerous references to try and see how they illuminate the song’s overall meaning. If you wish to read/listen along, here’s a link to the full lyrics https://www.bobdylan.com/songs/desolation-row/.
The Title
Before diving into the full song though, I’ll give a brief look at the title. It’s not really a reference as much as it is a play on words, but it’s worth noting, nonetheless. The title is a play on the colloquialism “skid row,” which refers to a poor part of a city where homeless and other disheveled people often live.
However, by adding “desolation” to the title, Dylan implies that this fictional area is far more anguished than your average skid row. Whatever these characters have done, they’ve ended up in an area of impoverishment far more severe and likely inescapable.
Verse 1
With the title explained, it’s time to dive into Dylan’s pool of references, starting with verse one. Surprisingly, Dylan begins the entire song with one of the most disturbing allusions he can think of. In the opening line, Dylan sings, “They’re selling postcards of the hanging.”
Most likely, Dylan is referencing the lynching of three black men that occurred in 1920 in Duluth, Minnesota. Since this occurred in Dylan’s hometown, it would’ve been well known history to him. Reportedly, photos of the even were eventually sold as postcards, explaining the line.
Here though, Dylan uses this event to show the distorted thinking of Desolation Row. The juxtaposition of postcards, which should signify leisure, with a brutal hanging proves that the values here are misplaced. Not only is there violence on Desolation Row, but its residents eagerly embrace it.
Next, Dylan mentions a riot squad needing somewhere to go in lines 9-10. The riot squad is likely alluding to the protests that spurred violent responses from officials, specifically during the Civil Rights movement.
On Desolation Row though, their presence suggests that they’re needed often. Their restlessness also implies that they’re actively looking for a fight, as if they prefer chaos to the peace they’re supposedly bringing.
The last reference of verse one though does not reference violence or anything else seemingly related. At the end of the verse, Dylan sings, “As Lady and I look out tonight/ From Desolation Row” (Lines 11-12).
While we don’t know for certain who Lady is, Dylan’s likely alluding to the iconic romance in Lady in the Tramp. The beauty of that romance contrasts heavily with the warped brutality of Desolation Row described so far.
However, Dylan might be labeling himself the Tramp, which would make him a ragtag character more akin to Desolation Row. Either way, verse one introduces us to the backwards nature of Desolation Row, as well as to the Tramp who’s experiencing this firsthand.
Verse 2
In verse two, Dylan describes Cinderella, who seems “easy” (13). He likely means it in a sexually promiscuous way, perhaps saying that our princesses are akin to loose women on Desolation Row.
But in the next line, Cinderella replies, “It takes one to know one,” showing that she’s wittier than the singer expects. It might also show that promiscuity is just rampant on Desolation Row, and the singer is no better than her.
Dylan then rounds out her description with another reference, stating that she “puts her hands in her back pockets/ Bette Davis style” (15-16). Bette Davis was, of course, a famous actress from the classic era of Hollywood. The pose Dylan’s referencing can be seen here https://images.app.goo.gl/FYxQt2b6VijCDzET7.
By alluding to Bette Davis, Dylan likens Cinderella to the megastars of the 20th century. It’s not clear why he does this, but perhaps he’s showing that Cinderella had aspirational dreams before ending up here or that she possesses a movie star beauty to her. Either way, it positions Cinderella as a tragic figure of Desolation Row.
Dylan then throws in Romeo, who comes in moaning for his true love (17). Romeo is one of the titular characters from Romeo and Juliet, which is often considered one of the most romantic pieces of fiction.
However, he’s turned away by the patrons of Desolation Row before he can even finish his soliloquy. Romeo’s fidelity and passion are not valued here, which is why he’s rejected immediately. As Cinderella’s earlier interaction shows, there’s a general promiscuity to Desolation Row that leaves Romeo’s true love a relic of the past.
Dylan ends verse two by looping back to Cinderella, this time showing her sweeping as ambulances pass (23). This is the most familiar image of Cinderella, who was known for being a house servant before becoming a princess.
By leaving her on this note, Dylan makes Cinderella the poster child for unrealized dreams. Whatever happened, this Cinderella did not end up a princess or even an actress. She is beautiful and smart, but that hasn’t done her any good. Instead, she’s stuck on Desolation Row, where promiscuity has seemingly engulfed her.
Verse 3
For verse three, Dylan doesn’t utilize too many references outside of two consecutively major ones. In lines 29-30, Dylan sings, “All except for Cain and Able/ And the hunchback of Notre Dame.” The former line alludes to the biblical tale of Adam’s two sons, which ended with Cain killing Able for the first murder. As for the latter, Dylan references Quasimodo, the hideously deformed character from Victor Hugo’s novel.
Lumping these two allusions together, Dylan seems to be linking the generational violence of Cain and Able to the intolerance faced by Quasimodo. That both violence and intolerance are issues that humans have been dealing with since recorded history is no coincidence.
However, Dylan’s exact use of them together depends on how you read lines 28 and 30. Either they are objects that the fortune telling lady has left outside or they’re excluded from the lovemaking that occurs later in the verse. Regardless of your interpretation, these figures are excluded in some way, showing that they are paying for all of humanity’s transgressions.
Since Desolation Row has already been established as a violent and intolerant place, it can be presumed that the townspeople blame everything on these three figures. Instead of reforming in some way, these three are pushed away as everyone else carries on with their debauchery.
Verse 4
For verse four, Dylan focuses on one central allusion, that of Hamlet’s distressed and doomed lover, Ophelia. Dylan sings, “Ophelia, she’s ‘neath the window/ For her I feel so afraid” (37-38). He then explains why, surmising that she’s missed her chance at love and can only find romance in a tragic ending. Despite her strong beliefs and religious fervor, she is consumed by the sins of loving Hamlet too much and then committing suicide.
By alluding to Ophelia and exploring her situation, Dylan shows how corrosive emotions can be. Because love is everything to her, she is nothing without Hamlet and can’t carry on without him.
Dylan concludes Ophelia’s tragic situation with another allusion, singing, “Though her eyes are fixed upon/ Noah’s great rainbow/ She spends her time peeking/ Into Desolation Row” (45-48). Here, Dylan references the rainbow that God sent in Genesis to show that he would never destroy the world again.
For Ophelia, God is promising her that things will be okay, but she neglects Him in favor of the depraved Desolation Row. After all the psychological torment that Hamlet has put her through, she can’t push herself to believe in hope and is left to the ruins of Desolation Row.
Verse 5
Verse five begins with another dual reference that comprises most of the verse. In lines 49-51, Dylan sings, “Einstein, disguised as Robin Hood/ With his memories in a trunk/ Passed this way an hour ago.” Einstein was of course a famed mathematician, whose name is now synonymous with genius.
However, he’s dressed like Robin Hood here, the legendary figure who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. By adding this caveat, Dylan suggests that Einstein’s knowledge is more of a gift to the poor than money would be. On Desolation Row, there is continuous violence and unrest, but perhaps education is the only way to fight it.
Sadly though, Einstein’s gifts are not received. Dylan adds that he’s with his friend a “jealous monk” (52). Likely Friar Tuck, this monk and supposed friend shouldn’t be jealous of Einstein’s greatness but is. No matter the good intentions, greatness always inspires evil.
Even worse though, Einstein has now gone crazy, “sniffing drainpipes” and “reciting the alphabet” (55-56). Despite being one of the smartest people who ever lived, Einstein is now a crazed bum.
Perhaps he went insane from not being able to save everyone or maybe Desolation Row’s nature proved too much for even him. Either way, he now plays the electric violin instead of trying to make the world a better place showing the failure of knowledge to gain any traction here.
Verse 6
Throughout verse six, Dylan focuses on Dr. Filth, a seemingly made-up character. Dylan sings, “Dr. Filth, he keeps his world/ Inside of a leather cup” (61-62). Although supposedly a medical doctor, Filth’s focus is sex. This contrasts with his “sexless patients,” who likely need more from him than perversion.
Meanwhile, Dr. Filth’s nurse oversees distributing cyanide to people who are seeking Euthanasia. It’s an interesting twist, one that likely references Kurt Vonnegut’s short story, “Welcome to the Monkey House” where similar activity occurs.
As such, Dr. Filth’s practice only has two drives: sex and death. These are two of the most common human motivators, often linked by intellectuals such as Sigmund Freud. There’s also le petit mort, known as “the small death,” a lifeless feeling that occurs during orgasm.
Here, sex seems to be eschewed for death, whereas it is typically the opposite way. Filth’s patients ignore his perverted nature and seek the quick release of death. Even worse, the lack of sex means that the future is quite limited, which makes this desired slaughter all the more worrisome. For Desolation Row, which seemed loose and promiscuous earlier, there’s a true distorted view of life that might threaten itself entirely.
Verse 7
In verse seven, Dylan explores the religion of Desolation Row more. Dylan sings, “They’re getting ready for a feast/ The Phantom of the Opera/ In a perfect image of our priest” (74-76). The time of this reference is important, as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical had yet to debut. Instead, Dylan is alluding to the novel of the same name that was written by Gaston Leroux in 1910.
This phantom, who became a horror icon on the silver screen, is a much more ghoulish figure than later incarnations. That this theatrical phantom leads the religious feast once again shows the warped values of Desolation Row. Religion here has the same traditions and ornate respect, but lacks the moral center needed for such a system of faith.
Dylan continues this characterization with another allusion, saying, “They are spoon feeding Casanova/ To get him to feel more assured/ Then they’ll kill him with self-confidence” (77-79). The Casanova in question is Giacomo Casanova, an Italian adventurer whose name has become synonymous with being a great lover.
Here though, Casanova is being poisoned, albeit in a way he enjoys. With an already inflated ego, the residents around him feed him compliments until his self confidence causes his downfall.
The Phantom then returns, saying that Casanova must be punished for visiting Desolation Row. Casanova’s arrogance has seemingly doomed him, but this action develops the religion around him too. His punishment is a psychological twist on the ironic punishments typically depicted in hell. Despite lacking morals, this faith still inflicts discipline in a cruel way.
It’s never specified why Casanova can’t visit Desolation Row, but it’s clear that his romantic arrogance isn’t tolerated. Just as Romeo was turned away in verse two, Casanova suffers here, showing that the romantics of the past mean nothing here.
Verse 8
For verse eight, Dylan again seems to focus on one central allusion, this time the Holocaust. Dylan sings, “The superhuman crew/ Come out and round up everyone/ That knows more than they do” (86-88). The superhuman crew refers to the idea of the “ubermensh,” which were the superior men that the Nazis convinced themselves they were.
On Desolation Row, the Nazis do many of the same things they did in reality. They round people up, many of whom are wise individuals, and send them to factories to work and die. The passing insurance men then embody those who conspired with the Nazis, as they cared more about their jobs than saving people.
This verse marks a startling contrast from previous verses though as it feels more authentic. Of course, Dylan’s fanciful language still works here, but the Holocaust imagery bleeds heavily into the song. Whereas real people were mentioned earlier, they often interacted in fantastic situations that they would never encounter.
In this verse though, the horrors of Desolation Row are shown to be the horrors of our world as well. For the first time in the song, we must question whether Desolation Row actually exists, not in a geographical sense, but a philosophical one.
Verse 9
But then, Dylan quickly returns to his flurry of references in verse nine, starting with “Praise be to Nero’s Neptune” (97). Nero was a Roman emperor who is best remembered for playing the fiddle as many in Rome burned, while Neptune was the Roman God of the sea. The praise shown to Nero is ironic given how little he regarded his subjects.
However, this allusion might also connect to Dylan’s next line, “The Titanic sails at dawn” (98). Nero’s Neptune could very well be the Titanic, as it was an Ocean liner that was ultimately doomed. Like Nero’s subjects, most of the Titanic’s victims were lower class passengers. Both references show the neglect the rich and powerful have for the poor, even leaving them to die.
Dylan continues this theme in line 100, saying, “Which side are you on?” While this line seems to refer to a side of the ship, it’s also a pro union song from the 1930’s. Again, Dylan focuses on the lower classes, such as the poor workers that built the Titanic. With this line though, the poor classes have a tool to fight back with, a small ounce of power to voice their opinions.
The last reference of verse nine takes a turn though, as Dylan says that “Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot/ Fighting in the Captain’s tower” (101-102). Pound and Eliot are best known for being the two leaders of Modernist poetry whose ideas heavily impacted literature. They were also friends at one point, until Pound rejected Eliot in favor of extremist beliefs.
Here though, both men continue their ideological fight in the captain’s tower. Although their ideas are important, their fight seems petty given the number of issues below them. While they should be steering the ship, they continue to fight, which ultimately dooms this boat.
Ultimately, Dylan suggests that the Titanic represents a generation of social fighters and poor workers who would eventually perish. Despite their great ideas and spirit, the leadership failed them, and the Neros won. This does appear to happen away from Desolation Row, but it still suggests that the poor have no chance against a world ruled by the upper class.
Verse 10
Finally, after an intense harmonica solo, Dylan gives us his most interesting verse yet by opting to omit all references completely. After nine winding verses of allusions and imaginative descriptions, verse ten focuses on the song’s speaker.
For the first time in the song, he mentions a specific you, someone that he’s been talking to. He mentions a mundane letter that was sent to him, then shrugs it off. Because it wasn’t interesting enough, he changed all the names and faces, possibly indicating that everything he mentioned earlier happened in some way. Lastly, he tells them not to send anything else unless it’s from Desolation Row.
The Overall Meaning
So, after exploring a plethora of allusions, references, and real-life reflections, what exactly is Desolation Row? Well, we have a great idea of its characterization based off many of the verses. It’s a place where our values are warped, where violence runs rampant and is often celebrated. It’s also a place that cherishes sex over romance, pushing out older ideals in favor of freer love.
Most importantly though, Dylan seems to suggest that Desolation Row is in fact real. Of course, there’s the overt holocaust allusion in verse eight and admission that he changed the names in the final verse, but he hints at this even earlier.
In the very first line, Dylan sings about a real life hanging that took place in his hometown. Unlike other references, he doesn’t disguise any of the facts or add any fanciful descriptions. He just mentions something horrific that actually transpired before reeling off into the rest of the song.
By starting with such a realistic note, Dylan’s not only setting up a grave tone, but he’s also setting Desolation Row up as a place in our reality. It’s just not a geographic one.
Instead, Desolation Row is the culmination of the history, culture, and people that preceded it. From the biblical stories that still motivate people today to the Nazi genocide in Europe, everything that Dylan mentions has led to this unfurling, chaotic counter culture of the sixties.
That Desolation Row continues to shirk old traditions is no coincidence. People like Casanova and Romeo are outcasts in a generation that sees love as uncontainable. Similarly, religion does not have the same grip here as it did on previous generations, as the new leaders look nothing like the older ones. Most of all, Desolation Row is not afraid to fight back, to protest Nero in favor of a better future.
Sadly though, Dylan ultimately knows that Desolation Row is doomed. It has inherited the violence of the generations before it, including riots, hangings, and mass killings. Desolation Row is downtrodden for a reason, as it still can’t overcome the violence that came before. Despite all these great ideas, the flaws of Desolation Row will always doom it.
Ultimately, the only reference that really matters in Desolation Row is that ill-fated Titanic. Leaving with the power of the working class united, this ship is doomed. Even though Desolation Row was released in 1965, Dylan knew the counterculture could never survive the weight of its flaws.
Whether Dylan was specifically referring to this movement or not isn’t known, but it’s clear that he has a tragic outlook on where humanity has landed in the sixties. With all the bright minds like Einstein and Eliot, we are just as violent as Cain and Abel and as spiritually lost as Ophelia.
Still, in the last verse, Dylan rejects anything that’s not from Desolation Row. While everything is chaotic, it’s also the most interesting time to be alive. Whether or not this ship is sinking, Dylan knows that he belongs there and has accepted his grim fate.
Of course, with hindsight, we know that humanity would thrive again, albeit with the same violence and confusion as before. I have no major qualms about the time we live in, but I recognize the serious flaws, many of which aren’t too dissimilar from those Dylan saw. However, I leave it up to you to look out your window and decide if we ever made it out of Desolation Row.
