Posted on 01/06/2009 11:01:13 AM PST by Nevadan
Who's the "Neighborhood Bully"??
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bobdylan/neighborhoodbully.html
Israel is the bully in the song- with just a hint of sarcasm.
BOB DYLAN
“Neighborhood Bully”
Well, the neighborhood bully, he’s just one man
His enemies say he’s on their land
They got him outnumbered about a million to one
He got no place to escape to, no place to run
He’s the neighborhood bully.
The neighborhood bully he just lives to survive
He’s criticized and condemned for being alive
He’s not supposed to fight back, he’s supposed to have thick skin
He’s supposed to lay down and die when his door is kicked in
He’s the neighborhood bully.
The neighborhood bully been driven out of every land
He’s wandered the earth an exiled man
Seen his family scattered, his people hounded and torn
He’s always on trial for just being born
He’s the neighborhood bully.
Well, he knocked out a lynch mob, he was criticized
Old women condemned him, said he could apologize
Then he destroyed a bomb factory, nobody was glad
The bombs were meant for him. He was supposed to feel bad
He’s the neighborhood bully.
Well, the chances are against it, and the odds are slim
That he’ll live by the rules that the world makes for him
‘Cause there’s a noose at his neck and a gun at his back
And a licence to kill him is given out to every maniac
He’s the neighborhood bully.
Well, he got no allies to really speak of
What he gets he must pay for, he don’t get it out of love
He buys obsolete weapons and he won’t be denied
But no one sends flesh and blood to fight by his side
He’s the neighborhood bully.
Well, he’s surrounded by pacifists who all want peace
They pray for it nightly that the bloodshed must cease
Now, they wouldn’t hurt a fly. To hurt one they would weep
They lay and they wait for this bully to fall asleep
He’s the neighborhood bully.
Every empire that’s enslaved him is gone
Egypt and Rome, even the great Babylon
He’s made a garden of paradise in the desert sand
In bed with nobody, under no one’s command
He’s the neighborhood bully.
Now his holiest books have been trampled upon
No contract that he signed was worth that what it was written on
He took the crumbs of the world and he turned it into wealth
Took sickness and disease and he turned it into health
He’s the neighborhood bully.
What’s anybody indebted to him for ?
Nothing, they say. He just likes to cause war
Pride and prejudice and superstition indeed
They wait for this bully like a dog waits to feed
He’s the neighborhood bully.
What has he done to wear so many scars ?
Does he change the course of rivers ? Does he pollute the moon and stars ?
Neighborhood bully, standing on the hill
Running out the clock, time standing still
Neighborhood bully.
"Neighborhood Bully"Well, the neighborhood bully, he's just one man
His enemies say he's on their land
They got him outnumbered about a million to one
He got no place to escape to, no place to run
He's the neighborhood bully.
The neighborhood bully he just lives to survive
He's criticized and condemned for being alive
He's not supposed to fight back, he's supposed to have thick skin
He's supposed to lay down and die when his door is kicked in
He's the neighborhood bully.
The neighborhood bully been driven out of every land
He's wandered the earth an exiled man
Seen his family scattered, his people hounded and torn
He's always on trial for just being born
He's the neighborhood bully.
Well, he knocked out a lynch mob, he was criticized
Old women condemned him, said he could apologize
Then he destroyed a bomb factory, nobody was glad
The bombs were meant for him. He was supposed to feel bad
He's the neighborhood bully.
Well, the chances are against it, and the odds are slim
That he'll live by the rules that the world makes for him
'Cause there's a noose at his neck and a gun at his back
And a licence to kill him is given out to every maniac
He's the neighborhood bully.
Well, he got no allies to really speak of
What he gets he must pay for, he don't get it out of love
He buys obsolete weapons and he won't be denied
But no one sends flesh and blood to fight by his side
He's the neighborhood bully.
Well, he's surrounded by pacifists who all want peace
They pray for it nightly that the bloodshed must cease
Now, they wouldn't hurt a fly. To hurt one they would weep
They lay and they wait for this bully to fall asleep
He's the neighborhood bully.
Every empire that's enslaved him is gone
Egypt and Rome, even the great Babylon
He's made a garden of paradise in the desert sand
In bed with nobody, under no one's command
He's the neighborhood bully.
Now his holiest books have been trampled upon
No contract that he signed was worth that what it was written on
He took the crumbs of the world and he turned it into wealth
Took sickness and disease and he turned it into health
He's the neighborhood bully.
What's anybody indebted to him for ?
Nothing, they say. He just likes to cause war
Pride and prejudice and superstition indeed
They wait for this bully like a dog waits to feed
He's the neighborhood bully.
What has he done to wear so many scars ?
Does he change the course of rivers ? Does he pollute the moon and stars ?
Neighborhood bully, standing on the hill
Running out the clock, time standing still
Neighborhood bully.
quick.
Firefox...........
Classic Dylan tune, from a great album, “Infidels,” produced by Mark Knopfler.
Stanza from "Neighborhood Bully":
Well, the chances are against it and the odds are slim
That he'll live by the rules that the world makes for him,
'Cause there's a noose at his neck and a gun at his back
And a license to kill him is given out to every maniac.
He's the neighborhood bully.
Kewel info. I had no idea MK produced that album.
Long live rock 'n' roll.
I think the song makes some excellent points but I would not expect Bob to stand by any of it today. Bob also wrote about Hurricane Carter's innocence and "Joey" which glorifys the violent gangster Joey Gallo. I love all of these songs but Bob Dylan is simply an entertainer and there is no way to have your cake and eat it too when it comes to Bob Dylan.
Not victim-pimping, but my machine has been curiously slow of late. Malware Bytes hasn’t detected anything...
Umberto’s Clam House
Dylan wrote “Joey” and “Hurricane” in the mid ‘70s. He went through a lot of (spiritual) changes between that time and ‘83.
thx. since I’m a gadfly and a muckraker, I gather I can trust each and every one of these downloads? ;)
We use Norton Anti-virus...........
I’m thinking somehow he’s related to Prince.
Rain falls on the just and the unjust. Dittos for free downloads
I mentioned this song “neighborhood Bully’ several several threads ago...i am glad it is now posted!
I mentioned this song “neighborhood Bully’ several several threads ago...i am glad it is now posted!
The libs like to claim Dylan as one of their own, but he’s no leftist freak — he has a soul.
Bob Dylan is constantly evolving. You are talking about his "born again" phase but as a lifelong follower of Dylan's music I have to say that Dylan likes to toy with his audience and he will never be hemmed in by any ideology, spiritual or otherwise.
Make sure you are wearing clean underwear before you have dinner at Umberto's Clam House.
I don't see the connection beyond the argument over who is Minnesota’s all-time best solo artist. I think Prince is a great songwriter but not in the same league as Dylan when measured by quality or quantity. I think Prince is a far more interesting performer but I think most folks would agree that Prince can't even "touch the books" Dylan has read.
That said, "Nothing Compares To You" and "Little Red Corvette" are two of my favorite songs.
As a lifelong Dylan fan, I’m well aware of all that. But the topic was his view of (and support for) Israel expressed in “Neighborhood Bully,” and I doubt that view has changed much (if at all) over the decades.
It's a free country so you are certainly entitled to your belief. My belief is that Dylan is not very invested in most of the views he espouses in songs and I would not assume Dylan supports Israel in the current conflict any more than I would expect him to defend Joey Gallo or Ruben Carter. I do know there are rumors that Dylan has scheduled a June 2009 performance in Israel but it is not yet up on his official tour page.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC_60b2NR1I
I’m torn over whether his solo on “While my guitar...” in honor of G. Harrison was a bit gauche or just quintissential Prince. It was indeed a pretty colorful solo. I’m think Mr. Harrison would have gotten quite a kick out of it.
“his solo” referring to Prince’s solo.
He “ sort of “ endorsed Obambi .
As another lifelong Dylan fan...part of his success is that he keeps his personal life to himself...his sprituality, his family and whatever political views he may have.
That way he gets to do what he wants to do...
The ‘toying “ with his fans was also to craft carefully his image...very much like the big film studios used to do with their stars.
I wish more entertainers would do that!
I agree. That was my point really; you cannot assume anything about Bob Dylan based on his song lyrics. I love listening to his words but they mean what they mean to me, not what they mean to Bob Dylan.
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