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Latest post Sun, Nov 1 2009 6:22 PM by Anonymous. 38 replies.
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pieanne
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106877
Thu, 09 Jun 05 10:06 AM
Hello, do you know that song by Bob Dylan?
The lyrics are here: http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/spanish.html
I have a question: I never managed to figure out the "symbol" of these boots.
Boots are made for walking, but also for kicking... and probably for other things too.
So, what do they represent here, in your opinion? Why boots?
Thank you
Joined on
Thu, Jan 20 2005
South of France ...But I'm Belgian!
Veteran Member
7,517
I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos...
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abbie1948
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107425
Fri, 10 Jun 05 08:43 PM
Reminiscence of lost love?
You can find analysis of dylan's work in this book: Christopher Ricks, Dylan's Visions of Sin, Viking/Penguin, late 2003, 517pp, £25 hardback, ISBN 0 670 80133 X. ...(you might get it at a library)
Joined on
Thu, Mar 24 2005
England
Senior Member
2,657
Hope that helps. Abbie
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MrPedantic
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107485
Sat, 11 Jun 05 12:44 AM
I wouldn't necessarily take them as a symbol. The first few verses knock back and forth between 'his' exotic offers and 'her' rather plaintive replies – she doesn't want anything exotic; she just wants him to come home; and then at the end, as if slightly weary of the subject, she suddenly lights on an item which is practical but distinguished: some elegant footwear.
So I'm inclined to think the point of the boots is the slightly surprising effect they have.
(I don't remember whether this song was based on a folk song; but in the ballad The Gypsy Countess, which is a variant on The Wraggle Taggle Gypsies, you find:
They took off my high-heeled shoes,
That were made of Spanish leather,
And I have put on coarse Lowland brogues,
To trip it o'er the heather.
I expect he took the boots from a similar ballad, if not this one. The Spanish Lady's Love is also quite like BSL, in some respects.)
MrP
Joined on
Tue, Oct 12 2004
Veteran Member
12,592
...opella forensis / adducit febris...
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pieanne
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107613
Sat, 11 Jun 05 10:44 AM
Thanks to both of you!
| she suddenly lights on an item which is practical but distinguished: some elegant footwear. |
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Absolutely! makes perfact sense (f)
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Anonymous,
4 yr 137 days ago
Hey - I've been drawn in recently by the lyrics of this song...well rather, the cover of it by Ida. And I've been trying to figure out the meaning of the boots at the end also, and this is what I think so far:
(In the version I'm listening to, it seems like it's the girl that's sailing away to Spain, and the boy that's waiting for her to come back)
Anyways, she keeps writing to him, asking him if he'd want anything. He doesn't want anything of course, but her to come back, "unspoiled from across that lonesome ocean". But she insists...isn't there something I can buy you so you can remember me..? Even though he tells her how much sorrow it brings him that she keeps asking, she thinks she can buy him something to keep him happy.
What's really sad about this song is...at the end. He didn't want anything but her sweet kiss, for her to come home unspoiled... until he realizes that she's fallen out of love with him, her heart is roaming, away from him... She is away at sea, he can't do anything about it. He realizes this..and ends with... "Take heed of the western wind..take heed of the stormy weather..." You can take this as...be careful about the wind/storm since you're at sea..but also... you can look at the wind as something that guides you.... and I guess, I'm seeing this as the wind that's carrying her heart... away from him. Knowing that she's gone from him, he finally decides..ok, you're going to Spain. You're not coming back to me, but since you ask, bring me back Spanish boots of spanish leather...
Dont know exactly why it's boots, but... it's just sad. It's like he's torturing himself... he couldn't do anything to prevent her heart from roaming..and instead of just forgetting about her...he asks for something that would keep reminding him of what happened...
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pieanne
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117944
Wed, 13 Jul 05 11:04 AM
Thank you for your interpretation, Anon, it's most interesting ![Smile [:)]](/emoticons/emotion-1.gif)
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Anonymous,
4 yr 118 days ago
anon, this song is one of my favorites and i think you understand the
lyrics right. in my thinking, the boots are something he would want if
he just would choose something on a purely practical basis, and he is
not a guy so interested in diamonds anyway. also you could think that
as he knows now he will have to "continue the walk", a pair of new
boots wouldnt do any bad. and of course he chooses to ask for at least
something to get a memory of her to keep.
Anonymous,
4 yr 64 days ago
Omg! Your interpretation was a complete epiphany for me. Thank you, I think you hit it right on.
Anonymous,
4 yr 43 days ago
Hi there, all very interesting but its the words I am looking for. Can you help?
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