Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon?

I start each post these days with ''life is hard'' or something along those lines. And god it fucking is. The last three years, my god they were hell. Just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong. And to be honest that stone just keeps on rolling downhill with no intent of stopping. At this point, I honestly have yet to figure out what could possibly happen to make this year, the last couple of years worse than they are. Literally fucking nothing. And don't start with that whole ''you could be dead'' crap on me because honest to god that would be a vacation.

I've been keeping a good distance from these sexual harrasment accusations that just about every band I ever listened to was accused of. I guess I snapped this morning when it happened to a band I loved most since early teens. Don't get me wrong. I do not support any kind of harrasment, or abuse, or victim blaming or anything of the sort. But what I also don't support is literally shredding a person till their guilt is proven. Have we learned nothing from Johnny Depps case? Isn't everyone innocent until proven guilty? I've been on the other end, I've watched it happen to a friend of mine, life ruined over lies. And even though his innocence was proven on court, it cleared nothing, once his name was dragged through mudd it was never clear again.

On the other end I'm having a hard time coping with this over the posibility of it being true. I can't say ''it's been a good life'' I can only say, I managed somehow and while trying to manage, my bands were there for me, the light, the happiness, the comfort, the only thing keeping me sane. And I can't for the life of me process that that safety net, that soothing feeling, that one safe place, could be anything but that safety and comfort. I just can't. Don't get it wrong, please, if these people did anything, they should be punished, obviously, all I'm saying is, it's hard for me the process the posibilities of it being true, nevermind the actual truth. Breaks my heart in pieces. If there's a heart left in the first place. As I've said. It's been a tough life.

So while I sit here and wallow in self pitty and depression and possibly sickness over everything that's been happening, here's a short review of a song for a change, not an album. I've been having this and maybe about 5 other songs on reply for hours. Soothing songs. Songs that make you feel better. Like Bon Jovi's ''These days''. Always soothing to know you're not the only one having ''those days''.

This is a song, written by Bob Dylan and it appears on 1978 album titled ''Street legal''. It's originally called ''Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)'' on stage, Dylan introduced this song as ''this song is inspired by a man named Harry Dean Stanton. Some of you may know him.''. Or said ''this is a new song written about six months ago on a trip through the southern part of the…northern part of the States. Anyway it's entitled Tales of Yankee power''. Y'all know who Harry Dean is right? Him and Dylan got close on set of Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid, and did in fact take a road trip which was almost 1600 miles so…y'all know being in a car for that long with someone. Hell. Kill me.

There's a very poetic way in which Dylan paints his lyrics. The way he expressed feeling displaced. Lord knows I feel the same. Wrong place, wrong time, all the time. There is no denying that this song already starts up powerful, raw, suggestive, strong with lyrics such as ''Señor, señor, do you know where we’re headin’? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon?''. Amazing opening right there. While it actually refers to Billy The Kid who established his name in the ''Lincoln County war''. But I guess it's a metaphor of a sort, see Lincoln County road is a good thing, Armageddon is a bad thing. At the end of it all we realise that both of it is bad and we just live in an illusion of doing the right thing, going the right way, but all we're doing is chosing which electric socket to stick our fingers in to make it hurt less. It's like Armageddon is the worst situation and the Lincoln County is the bad one, so either way you go about it, you're still fucked. Cute fun fact the famous Area 51 is actually located in Lincoln County.

I don't actually own ''Street legal'', sadly I don't really own more than two of Dylans records I think, but I've listened to this album online. And this song is quite different than the rest of the album. You can also hear a really wide arrangement of different instruments in this song, percussion, keys, mandolin, bongos, some bells even. Dylan as a musician is a whole different league than anything else. Musically and lyrically he differs from most artists on the scene. To me closest to his story telling lyrics is Springsteen and even they are nothing alike. Reviews for this song talked about Dylan converting into a burning Christian, because well, ''Senor'' you know is the man upstairs. Also I suppose there are other references in here, Armageddon, ''cross around her neck'', pretty sure Jesus is also mentioned, though, I mean this song is no exception to the rule, there's been Biblical, Christianity related references in so many of his songs, and so what?

There's a lot of Kafka references as well. God I can't stand him. I don't think I suffered through any book as much as I did through ''The Metamorphosis''. Oh my god. Someone explain to me what's the point. The guy just turns into a fucking roach. No point. No superhero. No nothing. He's just full on bug over night. I mean, clearly I'm missing some higher meaning and purpose which in songs it's so easy for me to spot but this…this is a bit much. I mean okay, he's fucked up mentally so he's fucked up physically too? Idk. Just strange. The roach is a metaphore I get it but come on. This crap is fully unreadable. Anyways back to the point, there's a reference in this song ''The last thing I remember before I stripped and kneeled'', which as you will know is from Kafka's ''The trial'' where Josef the protagonist of the story had to undress and get on his knees. Lord help me the entire time writing this all I'm thinking about are bad things. Strip and kneel in my book means something completely different not execution. But also if you look at the line ''Son this is not a dream no more, it's the real thing''. Literally describing Kafka aint it? All his writings are something that could be percieved as dreams but are really real things. Roaches included. No doubt here Dylans mind is just brilliant.

Now as every other brilliant song this one has many covers as well. And ironically it's one of the covers that made me fall in love with the song not the original at all. Dylan is complex and for a more demanding audience if you ask me. Just like U2 are. I love them, but I don't love them pass Joshua tree if you know what I mean. I heard the song in the TV show ''Mayans MC'' first. Clearly I have an obsession with that, all you gotta do is look at my art profile and see what's up. I get it. People keep asking me if there's a reason I draw bikers all the time, or a reason to love biker tv shows and such. Yeah. There sure is a reason. They remind me of home and family. But that's not the point, point is that Mayans MC is a brilliant show, with amazing cast and well worth your time.

This cover is recorded by Steve Earle & Los Refugios Tiernos and the voice in which it's delievered is just bone chilling, not just icicles and raspy and perfect but the whole fucking glacier. It's amazing. It's sung with emotion, with some sort of precission. Simply perfection. Which is another thing that makes this show that good. The soundtrack. There's nothing random, there's no filler song. All songs serve a purpose, set a certain mood and fit into the story perfectly.

So, give it a listen, I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I do. Lyrics and song below…

Señor, señor
Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon?
Seems like I been down this way before
Is there any truth in that, señor?

Señor, señor
Do you know where she is hidin'?
How long are we gonna be ridin'?
How long must I keep my eyes glued to the door?
Will there be any comfort there, señor?

There's a wicked wind still blowin' on that upper deck
There's an iron cross still hanging down from around her neck
There's a marchin' band still playin' in that vacant lot
Where she held me in her arms one time and said, "Forget me not"

Señor, señor
I can see that painted wagon
Smell the tail of the dragon
Can't stand the suspense anymore
Can you tell me who to contact here, señor?

Well, the last thing I remember before I stripped and kneeled
Was that trainload of fools bogged down in a magnetic field
A gypsy with a broken flag and a flashing ring
He said, "Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing"

Señor, señor
You know their hearts is as hard as leather
Well, give me a minute, let me get it together
Just gotta pick myself up off the floor
I'm ready when you are, señor

Señor, señor...