Gates of Eden

Bob Dylan

About Gates of Eden

"Gates of Eden" is a song by Bob Dylan that appears on his fifth studio album Bringing It All Back Home, released on March 22, 1965 by Columbia Records. It was also released as a single as the B-side of "Like a Rolling Stone". Dylan plays the song solo, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and harmonica. It is considered one of Dylan's most surreal songs. In a 2005 Mojo magazine poll of its writers and various well-known musicians, "Gates of Eden" was ranked 76th among Dylan's 100 greatest songs.  


Year:
1965
5:40
411 
#8

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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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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 »

32 fans

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.
Album Details
The 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.
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.
Experimental Verse Structure
Unlike 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.
Surrealist Influences
The 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.
Live Performances
The 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.
Cover Versions
Numerous artists have covered "Gates of Eden". These include famous musicians such as Arlo Guthrie, Marc Carroll, Bryan Ferry, and My Morning Jacket.
Critics' Acclaim
The 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.
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".
A Political Interpretation
Some 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.
Album Legacy
The 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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