Bob Dylan - Jokerman

Standing on the waters casting your bread
While the eyes of the idol
with the iron head are glowing.
Distant ships sailing into the mist,
You were born with a snake in both of
your fists while a hurricane was blowing.
Freedom just around the corner for you
But with the truth so far off,
what good will it do?
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
So swiftly the sun sets in the sky,
You rise up and say goodbye to no one.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread,
Both of their futures, so full of dread,
you don't show one.
Shedding off one more layer of skin,
Keeping one step
ahead of the persecutor within.
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
You're a man of the mountains,
you can walk on the clouds,
Manipulator of crowds,
you're a dream twister.
You're going to Sodom and Gomorrah
But what do you care?
Ain't nobody there would
want to marry your sister.
Friend to the martyr,
a friend to the woman of shame,
You look into the fiery furnace,
see the rich man without any name.
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.


Well, the Book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy,
The law of the jungle
and the sea are your only teachers.
In the smoke of the twilight
on a milk-white steed,
Michelangelo indeed could've
carved out your features.
Resting in the fields,
far from the turbulent space,
Half asleep near the stars
with a small dog licking your face.
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
Well, the rifleman's
stalking the sick and the lame,
Preacherman seeks the same,
who'll get there first is uncertain.
Nightsticks and water cannons,
tear gas, padlocks,
Molotov cocktails
and rocks behind every curtain,
False-hearted judges
dying in the webs that they spin,
Only a matter of time 'til
night comes steppin' in.
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.


It's a shadowy world, skies are slippery gray
A woman just gave birth to a prince today
and dressed him in scarlet.
He'll put the priest in his pocket,
put the blade to the heat,
Take the motherless children off the street
And place them at the feet of a harlot.
Oh, Jokerman, you know what he wants,
Oh, Jokerman, you don't show any response
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.


Standing on the waters casting your bread
While the eyes of the idol
with the iron head are glowing.
Distant ships sailing into the mist,
You were born with a snake in both of
your fists while a hurricane was blowing.
Freedom just around the corner for you
But with the truth so far off,
what good will it do?
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
So swiftly the sun sets in the sky,
You rise up and say goodbye to no one.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread,
Both of their futures, so full of dread,
you don't show one.
Shedding off one more layer of skin,
Keeping one step
ahead of the persecutor within.
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
You're a man of the mountains,
you can walk on the clouds,
Manipulator of crowds,
you're a dream twister.
You're going to Sodom and Gomorrah
But what do you care?
Ain't nobody there would
want to marry your sister.
Friend to the martyr,
a friend to the woman of shame,
You look into the fiery furnace,
see the rich man without any name.
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.


Well, the Book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy,
The law of the jungle
and the sea are your only teachers.
In the smoke of the twilight
on a milk-white steed,
Michelangelo indeed could've
carved out your features.
Resting in the fields,
far from the turbulent space,
Half asleep near the stars
with a small dog licking your face.
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.
Well, the rifleman's
stalking the sick and the lame,
Preacherman seeks the same,
who'll get there first is uncertain.
Nightsticks and water cannons,
tear gas, padlocks,
Molotov cocktails
and rocks behind every curtain,
False-hearted judges
dying in the webs that they spin,
Only a matter of time 'til
night comes steppin' in.
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.


It's a shadowy world, skies are slippery gray
A woman just gave birth to a prince today
and dressed him in scarlet.
He'll put the priest in his pocket,
put the blade to the heat,
Take the motherless children off the street
And place them at the feet of a harlot.
Oh, Jokerman, you know what he wants,
Oh, Jokerman, you don't show any response
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.


Bob Dylan - Jokerman

Music video by Bob Dylan performing Jokerman. (C) 1983 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

Bob Dylan-Jokerman

Felicidades Bob, merecido premio, Saludos Bruceros desde Rosario Argentina.!!!

Bob Dylan - Jokerman (Live - letterman'84).mpg

Bob Dylan performs Jokerman on the Letterman show in 1984. I have re-synced the audio with the video so this version is in sync unlike all the others I have seen.

Bob Dylan - Jokerman (1994)

Bob Dylan performing Jokerman at the Roseland Ballroom to open the show on October 20th 1994.

Jokerman London 25 November 2003

Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune Bird fly high by the light of the moon Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman Well, the rifleman's stalking the sick and the lame Preacherman seeks the same, who'll...

Bob Dylan