Bob Dylan - Senor Lyrics Meaning

This song is a great example of why Dylan was given the Nobel prize in Literature. The blending of past,present and future events and concepts of historical and spiritual significance meshed with his own personal struggles and realities of his own past, present and future.

Senor starts out With Mr. Dylan asking God (Senor) where his life is leading- to a battle that continue or is it the final Spiritual battle to end all.

Mr Dylan recalls his past and asks God is this another road he has been down or is it beyond what he can conceive. Do you know where she is hiding? seems to be a reference to his ex wife Sarah and how long will the journey last until he finds the outcome of that reality and will he find comfort or will the pain of it continue. Will Sarah walk back thru his door or is their world over? is it the real end? personally and or the World as we know it.

The wicked wind in the upper deck seems to reference the evil that high society so often represents and Sarah is a part of that now but still is carrying the heavy weight (cross) of their relationship.

The reference to the marching band playing to an empty lot seems to be Mr. Dylan telling Sarah that the band still plays on regardless if it is heard or understood but he remembers Sarah saying to never forget her and the memory of their past love. The reference to the painted wagon seems to be a representation of both of them getting it back together and the tail of the dragon seems to reference that the drugs and that evil part is on the way out. Mr Dylan asks God who should he reach out to here on the Earth.

Dylan seems to bring the next verse into an apocalyptic future of humanity waiting for Judgement day. A vision of status and material stripped away from each individual to reveal themselves to be a mass of fools living (bogged down) in the technological age and unable to see or feel the reality of truth-(the Spiritual world) The gypsy seems to represent a wise figure who has no country or bounds on this Earth to remind him that this is now the reality (son this aint a dream no more).

Dylan Tells God that he knows God knows the masses have hardened their hearts (turned from God's love) and asks for a minute to recover from the reality of the situation to face his own judgement. (picks himself up off the floor( not unlike Abraham and Issac's reactions to encountering the Holy spirit each time (2x each) when they fainted at the sight and sound.

Dylan uses the the last verse to bring in the analogy of the Western expansion of to wrap up the past,present and future he has referenced....The Western expansion of technology and modernization (Tales of Yankee power) in their quest to expand their boundaries and bring that way of life and seems to reference some of the movies that were made-like the wild Bunch turning over the table at the end of the battle scene against the Mexican Army knowing that the end was near and the old as referencing Jesus turning over the tables of the money changers in the Temple....is this Lincoln road (another battle) or Armageddon....Was the Western expansion forced on the the less sophisticated technologically oriented nations and people's a good thing after all?

Dylan states we should disconnect the cables (the modern technology) that he states have turned this world into a place that he cannot understand (no connection to God). (makes no sense no more) and he asks God, why are you waiting? What are we waiting for? Dylan had just entered his Christian period and knows that Jesus is coming but seems to say that he can't believe God is still being patient and understands the prophecies of Revelation and the signs point to Armaggedon but he is not sure when- like any man in the flesh.

The lyrical intertwining of Dylans present marital pain with the stories of western expansion and results on mankind with the final judgement of God are better stated and represented in his lyrics than any breakdown of what this song represents in analysis is a real testament to the incredible talent Dylan has been given by God!

Thank You Mr. Dylan