Excellent stuff, as ever, Graley. I'm very much looking forward to the next two installments. My favourite use of Shadow comes from that other bard, in a speech that uses the eye/I and Sun/Son/son puns I am forever talking about. I'm excusing myself for indulging in Shakespeare here as it has many connections to Dylan and is from King John (II.i) which you quoted in your marvellous recent post about Murder Most Foul.
(DAUPHIN)
I do, my lord, and in her eye I find
A wonder or a wondrous miracle,
The shadow of myself formed in her eye,
Which being but the shadow of your son,
Becomes a sun and makes your son a shadow.
I do protest, I never loved myself
Till now enfixèd I beheld myself
Drawn in the flattering table of her eye!
A son becomes a shadow then a sun and a sun becomes a shadow. Mind-bending stuff even without all the other things going on with 'sun' and 'eye'. Shakespeare's got the added weight of meaning in that shadow carried so many connotations in his time: imitation, illusion, a liminal boundary between "what is real and what is not", a metaphorical reflection, a ghost - even an actor.
What a great passage from King John--thanks for sharing it, Andy! There are even more shadows in Shakespeare than in Dylan, and both bards put the imagery to likeminded uses. I'll touch on that topic some more in the next installment because I couldn't fit it all into this first one. You're a weatherman, Andy, and you've forecast which way the wind blows!
Glad you like it, I'm so into this that I even see the word "shadow" shadowing itself across the page (screen). Second mention shadows first, and third shadows second.
And yes, I know I always stress the importance of stage over page, but I just can't help liking the look of it.
Good stuff. I've always thought some of these shadows were from Pato's allegory, where we're chained inside a cave, only ever perceiving shadows flitting across a wall – our illusions, delusions, second-hand reality.
This seems explicit in songs like the version of “New Danville Girl” you mention: “But we’re busy talking back and forth to our shadows on an old stone wall”. Avoiding reality because we’re afraid or unable to experience it directly.
AI’s ‘hallucinations’, disinformation, deep fakes, branding, Trump’s duplicitous politics...
Great connections, Jason! I thought about using Plato's allegory of the cave, and you're right about it applying well to "New Danville Girl." Once you start looking for them, those shadows are everywhere--and not just in Dylan, as you point out so well.
I read this piece as soon as you posted… and I’ve been thinking about the relevance of shadows in Bob’s work and its meaning for creating human dignity ever since.
Thanks, Klops! Shadows have a way of looming and lingering, don't they? Timo Zwarg's paper on dignity in Oh Mercy had a similar effect on me, so I was glad to share it with readers of Shadow Chasing.
Graley this is just a wonderful and original read. I can’t wait for the next installment. I was so taken by it I totally forgot about our current dystopian world while I was reading it.
Thanks, Roberta! I found myself thinking of ICE agents and deportations while writing that opening section on "Chimes of Freedom" and "Gates of Eden." But then as we wander deeper into the woods, it's like leaving our world behind and entering Dylan Land--a much better place to be.
Much as water is an important recurring motif in the songs of Van Morrison, Dylan has been chasing shadows from the git go. Even his very first band (fall of 1956 – early summer of 1957) was called "Shadow Blasters."
I've been thinking about this use of 'shadow' for some time, and was intrigued to see that every meaning of shadow in the dictionary (both figurative and obsolete) are suggested in Dylan's work. Will be interested to see what you get out of "poor players" in his 'Shadow Kingdom' as well as other Shakespearian references.. Also am curious about the Jungian connotations, particulary after his dislike of Freud!
Thanks, Paul! Sounds like we've got similar interests in this shadowy side of Dylan. You've not heard the last of Shakespeare in this series, and Jung will definitely make an appearance in the next installment, too. Stay tuned!
Loved this dive into the shadows Graley! It’s like a shadow-thread through his work… I can’t help but think of an 80s Dolly Parton duet called ‘Wait Til I Get You Home’ where she sings ‘Tonight I got the feeling, we’ll make some shadows on the ceiling’ and of course I am reminded of Link Wray’s fabulous ‘The Shadow Knows’, based on the radio show, which was quite possibly an early influence on Dylan’s shadow love too?
Ooh, that's a good one from Dolly Parton, Lo! I haven't thought of that song in a long time. Reminds me of Lucinda Williams moaning at the ceiling in "Right in Time," but no duets there, very much a solo effort. Dylan loved Link Wray, so I bet you're right about the "The Shadow Knows." Nice shadow chasing there, Lo!
I know the Dolly song well because my buddy Noah Taylor and I used to cover it in our first band and could barely keep a straight face singing those particular lines! Looking forward to shadow chasing parts 2 and 3!
Personally I can’t imagine starting a Dylan newsletter with an under-thought and esoteric title that no one understands.
(Wait, who are we talking about again!)
I always assumed yours was about cruising for Erik Estrada, Ray. No? Emilio Estevez? :-)
Love it. And this. https://open.substack.com/pub/johnnogowski/p/on-time-the-basement-tapes-and-us?r=7pf7u&utm_medium=ios
Excellent stuff, as ever, Graley. I'm very much looking forward to the next two installments. My favourite use of Shadow comes from that other bard, in a speech that uses the eye/I and Sun/Son/son puns I am forever talking about. I'm excusing myself for indulging in Shakespeare here as it has many connections to Dylan and is from King John (II.i) which you quoted in your marvellous recent post about Murder Most Foul.
(DAUPHIN)
I do, my lord, and in her eye I find
A wonder or a wondrous miracle,
The shadow of myself formed in her eye,
Which being but the shadow of your son,
Becomes a sun and makes your son a shadow.
I do protest, I never loved myself
Till now enfixèd I beheld myself
Drawn in the flattering table of her eye!
A son becomes a shadow then a sun and a sun becomes a shadow. Mind-bending stuff even without all the other things going on with 'sun' and 'eye'. Shakespeare's got the added weight of meaning in that shadow carried so many connotations in his time: imitation, illusion, a liminal boundary between "what is real and what is not", a metaphorical reflection, a ghost - even an actor.
What a great passage from King John--thanks for sharing it, Andy! There are even more shadows in Shakespeare than in Dylan, and both bards put the imagery to likeminded uses. I'll touch on that topic some more in the next installment because I couldn't fit it all into this first one. You're a weatherman, Andy, and you've forecast which way the wind blows!
Glad you like it, I'm so into this that I even see the word "shadow" shadowing itself across the page (screen). Second mention shadows first, and third shadows second.
And yes, I know I always stress the importance of stage over page, but I just can't help liking the look of it.
And it's commercial free: a "shadow" is a "show" minus the "ad"!
Just thanks from me, a very interested reader.
And thank you, Anne Sofie, for upgrading to a paid membership!! I really appreciate your generosity and support.
Good stuff. I've always thought some of these shadows were from Pato's allegory, where we're chained inside a cave, only ever perceiving shadows flitting across a wall – our illusions, delusions, second-hand reality.
This seems explicit in songs like the version of “New Danville Girl” you mention: “But we’re busy talking back and forth to our shadows on an old stone wall”. Avoiding reality because we’re afraid or unable to experience it directly.
AI’s ‘hallucinations’, disinformation, deep fakes, branding, Trump’s duplicitous politics...
Now we're just seeing shadows of shadows?
Great connections, Jason! I thought about using Plato's allegory of the cave, and you're right about it applying well to "New Danville Girl." Once you start looking for them, those shadows are everywhere--and not just in Dylan, as you point out so well.
I read this piece as soon as you posted… and I’ve been thinking about the relevance of shadows in Bob’s work and its meaning for creating human dignity ever since.
Thanks, Klops! Shadows have a way of looming and lingering, don't they? Timo Zwarg's paper on dignity in Oh Mercy had a similar effect on me, so I was glad to share it with readers of Shadow Chasing.
Graley this is just a wonderful and original read. I can’t wait for the next installment. I was so taken by it I totally forgot about our current dystopian world while I was reading it.
Thanks, Roberta! I found myself thinking of ICE agents and deportations while writing that opening section on "Chimes of Freedom" and "Gates of Eden." But then as we wander deeper into the woods, it's like leaving our world behind and entering Dylan Land--a much better place to be.
Both of those songs are so resonant now. I’m sure you read Andy’s piece on Chimes of Freedom.
Yes indeed--Andy's piece dedicated to YOU!
Much as water is an important recurring motif in the songs of Van Morrison, Dylan has been chasing shadows from the git go. Even his very first band (fall of 1956 – early summer of 1957) was called "Shadow Blasters."
Of course! I should have mentioned the Shadow Blasters, Todd. Thanks for chasing down Bobby's first shadow before he even morphed into Dylan.
Wonderful Graley!
I've been thinking about this use of 'shadow' for some time, and was intrigued to see that every meaning of shadow in the dictionary (both figurative and obsolete) are suggested in Dylan's work. Will be interested to see what you get out of "poor players" in his 'Shadow Kingdom' as well as other Shakespearian references.. Also am curious about the Jungian connotations, particulary after his dislike of Freud!
Thanks, Paul! Sounds like we've got similar interests in this shadowy side of Dylan. You've not heard the last of Shakespeare in this series, and Jung will definitely make an appearance in the next installment, too. Stay tuned!
Loved this dive into the shadows Graley! It’s like a shadow-thread through his work… I can’t help but think of an 80s Dolly Parton duet called ‘Wait Til I Get You Home’ where she sings ‘Tonight I got the feeling, we’ll make some shadows on the ceiling’ and of course I am reminded of Link Wray’s fabulous ‘The Shadow Knows’, based on the radio show, which was quite possibly an early influence on Dylan’s shadow love too?
Ooh, that's a good one from Dolly Parton, Lo! I haven't thought of that song in a long time. Reminds me of Lucinda Williams moaning at the ceiling in "Right in Time," but no duets there, very much a solo effort. Dylan loved Link Wray, so I bet you're right about the "The Shadow Knows." Nice shadow chasing there, Lo!
I know the Dolly song well because my buddy Noah Taylor and I used to cover it in our first band and could barely keep a straight face singing those particular lines! Looking forward to shadow chasing parts 2 and 3!