Let's face it, gratification can even come out of trying times ending. We are relieved that we no longer have to be concerned over the said subject. But there are times when the stressful times continue and gratification never comes to pass. In frustration, one might even be heard singing..."There must be some way out of here...There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief...
Performed more than any other song by Bob Dylan at his concerts is the 1967 hit, "All Along the Watchtower". It was released as a single, from its original album John Wesley Harding, and once as a live track in 1974 from the album Before the Flood. Since it was released its interpretation has been one of immense speculation. You may even find gratification in knowing your interpretation is included on this list! Here are a few thoughts you might find interesting, or at least entertaining: "Bob Dylan: All Along the Watchtower Meaning" - lyric interpretations.com
Dylan has included the song on most of his "Greatest Hits" packages and on several of his live albums including Dylan and the Dead, the 1987 recording with the Grateful Dead (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Touch of Grey" (Grateful Dead)) While "All Along The Watchtower" continues to be wildly popular among fans, neither the singles nor the album cuts of the song have charted at Billboard to date.
The cover, released in September of 1968 rose up the charts and peaked at #20, the highest chart performance of any song by The Jimi Hedrix Experience at Billboard. Hendrix encouraged pals Dave Mason (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "We Just Disagree" (Dave Mason)) as well as Brian Jones, who just happened to be a multi-instrumentalist and cofounder of a little band you of which you may have heard...The Rolling Stones ( Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Sympathy For The Devil" (The Rolling Stones), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (The Rolling Stones)) to play on the single with Mason supplying guitar/bass and Jones handling the percussion licks. Jones actually came up with the "thwack" in the introduction on an instrument called a vibraslap.
The reception to the Hendrix version of the single was very strong in an obviously favorable way by critics, the public, and the song's original writer. Dylan was so impressed by Hendrix's interpretation of the song that since the death of Hendrix in 1970 at age 27, Bob Dylan has performed the song the way it was recorded and interpreted by Hendrix, instead of the way he originally imagined it on John Wesley Harding.
Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower" appears at #40 on the most recent incarnation of Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" (September 15, 2021) list. Hendrix's version also made Billboard.com's "The 22 Most Overplayed Songs in Movies" (February 10, 2015), lineup, by having been used in films like Forrest Gump, Rush, Watchman, and A Bronx Tale.
It would seem that the time spent "All Along the Watchtower" proved very lucrative for Dylan and Hendrix. It was also a resounding theme in the Old Testament for one prophet in particular.
"There must be some way out of here, said the joker to the thief..."
"How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destructi
Habbakuk was an Old Testament prophet to the nation-state of Judah or the Southern Kingdom of the split-up nation of Israel. He would have served Judah as a prophet about 630 BC which would have made him a contemporary of Joel, Jeremiah, and Zephaniah. (Yup, you guessed it! Next week's Note is on Zephaniah...wonder what song we'll use?). One would think with all of these prophets actively condemning the actions of the citizens of Judah that some repentance would have been going down. Take heart pastors of today!!! But no. As we have seen with our other "prophetical" Notes, the nation of Judah would not soften its heart to the words of the Prophets and eventually suffered the same fate as Israel, being conquered and carried away to captivity in Babylon.
But the opening to Habakkuk is different than the other prophets we have studied in that his book is not sermons and condemnation of Judah but a plea to God! We really don't hear very much about Habakkuk's message to Judah but we do get some incredible insight into God's character as He replies conversationally with Habakkuk. The entirety of the book is the engagement that Habakkuk has with God regarding the impending destruction and captivity and his own frustration with no one seeming to listen to his or any of the other prophet's messages. Take a minute and read the entire book...it's only 3 chapters and it provides an example of God's grace and mercy which you might be surprised to find out are two very distinct things that get convoluted at times.
As a quick aside:
Grace can be defined as GETTING something you DO NOT deserve. Mercy, on the other hand, is NOT GETTING what you DO deserve. Grammar lesson complete, now back to our show, already in progress.
Did you read Habakkuk? If not, please consider doing it sometime soon, in fact, stop reading The Notes and do it NOW. No kidding, click the link it won't take you long and you will really dig it!!!
Did you notice the beginning of chapter 2? "I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what He will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved." Habakkuk is waiting for God to answer one of his pleas and Habakkuk does so at one of the highest and most important places in the land. The tower of the watch...that's right. Habakkuk awaits God's answer...all along the watchtower! AND he stayed there until God did answer him. Now go read God's answer...
Sometimes when we pour our hearts out to God, we aren't patient enough nor do we place ourselves in the right posture to hear what He has to say. Habakkuk was determined to get every word of God's answer so he could better prepare the messages to the nation about the Babylonians who were on their way.
We wrap up our time with Habakkuk with his prayer in chapter 3 that serves as a testimony to Habakkuk's patience and God's providence. Habakkuk's waiting is rewarded and he praises God through his prayer. Go read chapter 3! Notice that the majority of the prayer is one of praise, not one of penitence or elaborating on a list of desires for God to move. Each one of these kinds of prayer has its place, yet at times, I don't think we take the time to pray the "praise" prayer as we should. So in this instance, I guess that "all along the watchtower, prophets kept the view..." and patiently waited and praise prayed..." while all the women came and went, barefoot servants too..."
Read Habakkuk. Have a conversation with God. "Praise Pray". Keep your watch all along the tower...
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by serving You,
randy
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