Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar

Bob Dylan

About Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar

"The Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar" is a song written by Bob Dylan, recorded in Los Angeles in the spring of 1981 and released in August of that year on Dylan's album Shot of Love. It was subsequently included on the compilation Biograph.


Year:
1985
4:04
200 
#2

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Prayed in the ghetto with my face in the cement
Heard the last moan of a boxer, seen the massacre of the innocent
Felt around for the light switch, felt around for her face
Been treated like a farm animal on a wild goose chase

West of Jordan, east of the Rock of Gibraltar
I see the turning of the page
Curtain rising on a new age
See the groom still waiting at the altar

Try to be pure at heart, they arrest you for robbery
Mistake your shyness for aloofness, your shyness for snobbery
Got the message this morning, the one that was sent to me
About the madness of becoming what one was never meant to be

West of Jordan, east of the Rock of Gibraltar
I see the turning of the ptage
Curtain rising on a new age
See the groom still waiting at the altar

Don't know what I can say about Claudette wouldn't come back to haunt me
Finally had to give her up about the time she began to want me
But I know God has mercy on them who are slandered and humiliated
I'd a-done anything for that woman if she'd only make me feel obligated

West of Jordan, east of the Rock of Gibraltar
I see the turning of the page
Curtain rising on a new age
See the groom still waiting at the altar

Put your hand on my head, baby, do I have a temperature?
I see people who are supposed to know better standing around like furniture
There's a wall between you and what you want and you got to leap through it
Tonight you got the power to take it, tomorrow you won't have the power to keep it

West of Jordan, east of the Rock of Gibraltar
I see the turning of the page
Curtain rising on a new age
See the groom still waiting at the altar

Cities on fire, phones out of order
They're killing nuns and soldiers, there's fighting on the border
What can I say about Claudette?
Ain't seen her since January
She could be respectfully married or running a whorehouse in Buenos Aires

West of Jordan, east of the Rock of Gibraltar
I see the turning of the page
Curtain rising on a new age
See the groom still waiting at the altar

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Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan ( /ˈdɪlən/; born Robert Allen Zimmerman; May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, poet and artist. He has been an influential figure in popular music and culture for more than five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly reluctant figurehead of social unrest. A number of Dylan's early songs, such as "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changin'", became anthems for the US civil rights and anti-war movements. Leaving his initial base in the culture of folk music behind, Dylan's six-minute single "Like a Rolling Stone" has been described as radically altering the parameters of popular music in … more »

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Written by: Bob Dylan

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


13 facts about this song

Background
"Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan.
Album Details
The song belongs to his 21st studio album "Shot of Love", released in August 1981.
Album Ranking
"Shot of Love" peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and number two on the UK albums chart.
Tracklisting Variation
The track was not originally included in the vinyl version of the album. Later editions, including the CD version, added it as the second song on the album.
Composition
It is notable for its heavy rock and blues influence, atypical of Dylan's earlier folk-based work.
Lyrics
The song features a doom-laden narrative filled with apocalyptic imagery and religious undertones, consistent with Dylan's "born again" Christian period.
Live Performances
Dylan performed "Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar" live multiple times during 1980 and 1981, before the song was officially released.
Critical Reception
The critics have rated "Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar" as one of the highlights of "Shot of Love".
Cover Versions
The Black Crowes, an American rock band, covered "Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar" during their 1995 acoustic tour.
Impact of the Song
Despite its late addition to "Shot of Love", "Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar" is often highlighted as reflecting Dylan's heated commitment to his faith during that time period.
Duration
The song has a running time of 5 minutes and 27 seconds.
Songwriting
As with many of his works, Bob Dylan has both written and composed the song himself.
Recording
Despite Dylan's transition into Gospel music during this period, the song was primarily recorded in Los Angeles, California in 1981.

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