Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
Encyclopedia
"Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" is the closing song on the Bob Dylan
album Blonde on Blonde
, which was released in 1966.
s of surreal
poetic imagery all pertaining, and coming back to, the woman figure. The song is in 6/8 time yet the form of the lyrics is far from traditional; Dylan's intonation at times straying 'beyond' the melody but never out of it.
It is written as a list song that comes back to a chorus
line at the end of each stanza. The song is filled almost entirely with poetic symbols, such as in the first line "with your mercury mouth / in the missionary times".
Many critics have noted the similarity of 'Lowlands' to 'Lownds', the name of Dylan's wife Sara
when he married her. Her maiden name was Shirley Noznisky, and her father, Isaac Noznisky, was a scrap metal dealer in Wilmington, Delaware
. Critics have noted the link between "sheet metal memories of Cannery Row" and the business of Sara's father, as well as the quote "with your sheets like metal and your belts like lace". Similarly the line "your magazine husband who one day just had to go" could be a reference to Sara's first husband, magazine photographer Hans Lownds. Dylan acknowledged how indebted he felt to Sara for this song; in "Sara" on the album Desire (1976) Dylan sang:
drummer, Kenny Buttrey
. Buttrey gave this account of the recording of the song: "He ran down a verse and a chorus and he just quit and said, 'We'll do a verse and then a chorus and then I'll play my harmonica thing. Then we'll do another verse and chorus and we'll play some more harmonica and see how it goes from there.'...Not knowing how long this thing was going to be, we were preparing ourselves dramatically for a basic two to three minute record, because records just didn't go over three minutes... If you notice that record, that thing after like the second chorus starts building and building like crazy, and everybody's just peaking it up 'cause we thought, man this is it. This is going to be the last chorus and we've got to put everything into it we can... After about ten minutes of this thing we're cracking up at each other, at what we were doing. I mean, we peaked five minutes ago. Where do we go from here?" The entire session for this song took place between 4 and 5:30 AM on February 16, 1966, at Columbia's Music Row Studios in Nashville. Four takes of the song were completed, but were mainly rehearsals; take 2 is also interrupted.
, the leading folk singer and former lover of Dylan (whom Dylan left for Lownds), covered this song on her 1968 album of Dylan songs Any Day Now. Steve Howe
also covered this song on his 1999 album "Portraits of Bob Dylan
" with fellow Yes
member Jon Anderson
on lead vocals. Richie Havens
has covered this song on his 1974 album "Mixed Bag II".
Alternative french band Phoenix (band)
recorded a live five minute acoustic cover for the German magazine Musikexpress via The Tripwire in January of 2010.
In the book I Me Mine
, George Harrison
notes that the chord movements of this song influenced the music of the song Long, Long, Long
, which he wrote and recorded between 7-9 October, 1968 for the The Beatles
White Album.
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
album Blonde on Blonde
Blonde on Blonde
Blonde on Blonde is American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's seventh studio album, released in May or June 1966 on Columbia Records and produced by Bob Johnston. Recording sessions commenced in New York in October 1965, with a plethora of backing musicians, including members of Dylan's live backing...
, which was released in 1966.
History of the song
At 11:19 minutes long, the song contains five stanzaStanza
In poetry, a stanza is a unit within a larger poem. In modern poetry, the term is often equivalent with strophe; in popular vocal music, a stanza is typically referred to as a "verse"...
s of surreal
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
poetic imagery all pertaining, and coming back to, the woman figure. The song is in 6/8 time yet the form of the lyrics is far from traditional; Dylan's intonation at times straying 'beyond' the melody but never out of it.
It is written as a list song that comes back to a chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
line at the end of each stanza. The song is filled almost entirely with poetic symbols, such as in the first line "with your mercury mouth / in the missionary times".
Many critics have noted the similarity of 'Lowlands' to 'Lownds', the name of Dylan's wife Sara
Sara Dylan
Sara Dylan , born Shirley Marlin Noznisky and later known as Sara Lownds, was the first wife of singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and mother of singer Jakob Dylan. She was married to Bob Dylan from November 1965 until June 1977.-Early life:Little is known about Sara Dylan's early life or family...
when he married her. Her maiden name was Shirley Noznisky, and her father, Isaac Noznisky, was a scrap metal dealer in Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
. Critics have noted the link between "sheet metal memories of Cannery Row" and the business of Sara's father, as well as the quote "with your sheets like metal and your belts like lace". Similarly the line "your magazine husband who one day just had to go" could be a reference to Sara's first husband, magazine photographer Hans Lownds. Dylan acknowledged how indebted he felt to Sara for this song; in "Sara" on the album Desire (1976) Dylan sang:
-
- Stayin' up for days in the Chelsea HotelChelsea HotelChelsea Hotel can refer to:*Hotel Chelsea in New York City*"Chelsea Hotel #2", a song from the 1974 Leonard Cohen album New Skin for the Old Ceremony*Chelsea Hotel, a book of photographs by Claudio Edinger, published in 1983See also...
, - Writin' "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" for you.
- Stayin' up for days in the Chelsea Hotel
Recording
For his Dylan biography, Bob Dylan: Behind The Shades, Take Two (2000), Clinton Heylin interviewed Blonde on BlondeBlonde on Blonde
Blonde on Blonde is American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's seventh studio album, released in May or June 1966 on Columbia Records and produced by Bob Johnston. Recording sessions commenced in New York in October 1965, with a plethora of backing musicians, including members of Dylan's live backing...
drummer, Kenny Buttrey
Kenny Buttrey
Aaron Kenneth Buttrey was an American drummer and arranger. According to CMT, he was "one of the most influential session musicians in Nashville history"....
. Buttrey gave this account of the recording of the song: "He ran down a verse and a chorus and he just quit and said, 'We'll do a verse and then a chorus and then I'll play my harmonica thing. Then we'll do another verse and chorus and we'll play some more harmonica and see how it goes from there.'...Not knowing how long this thing was going to be, we were preparing ourselves dramatically for a basic two to three minute record, because records just didn't go over three minutes... If you notice that record, that thing after like the second chorus starts building and building like crazy, and everybody's just peaking it up 'cause we thought, man this is it. This is going to be the last chorus and we've got to put everything into it we can... After about ten minutes of this thing we're cracking up at each other, at what we were doing. I mean, we peaked five minutes ago. Where do we go from here?" The entire session for this song took place between 4 and 5:30 AM on February 16, 1966, at Columbia's Music Row Studios in Nashville. Four takes of the song were completed, but were mainly rehearsals; take 2 is also interrupted.
Absent from Live Performances
Dylan has never performed this song in concert. However, during a sequence of Dylan's film Renaldo And Clara, a live performance of the song can be heard in the background. Accompanied by violin, it has been assumed it was performed with The Rolling Thunder Revue during the tour of 1975, possibly during a rehearsal session.Cultural significance
Joan BaezJoan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
, the leading folk singer and former lover of Dylan (whom Dylan left for Lownds), covered this song on her 1968 album of Dylan songs Any Day Now. Steve Howe
Steve Howe (guitarist)
Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...
also covered this song on his 1999 album "Portraits of Bob Dylan
Portraits of Bob Dylan
- Musicians :* Steve Howe – guitar, bass, banjo, piano, mandolin, organ, keyboards, lead and backing vocals* Dylan Howe – drums* Geoff Downes – keyboards* Anna Palm – violin* Nathalie Manser – cello* Jon Anderson – lead vocals* Annie Haslam – lead vocals...
" with fellow Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
member Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
on lead vocals. Richie Havens
Richie Havens
Richard P. "Richie" Havens is an African American folk singer and guitarist. He is best known for his intense, rhythmic guitar style , soulful covers of pop and folk songs, and his opening performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.-Career:Born in Brooklyn, Havens was the eldest of nine children...
has covered this song on his 1974 album "Mixed Bag II".
Alternative french band Phoenix (band)
Phoenix (band)
Phoenix is a Grammy Award winning French indie rock band from Versailles, founded by Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz.-Formation and early years:...
recorded a live five minute acoustic cover for the German magazine Musikexpress via The Tripwire in January of 2010.
In the book I Me Mine
I Me Mine
"I Me Mine" is a song by The Beatles, written and sung by George Harrison. I Me Mine is also the title of Harrison's autobiography. The song traces its origins to the January 1969 Get Back/Let It Be sessions, when it was rehearsed by the band at Twickenham Film Studios.-Origin:The set of pronouns...
, George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
notes that the chord movements of this song influenced the music of the song Long, Long, Long
Long, Long, Long
"Long, Long, Long" is a song written by George Harrison, and first released by The Beatles on their 1968 album, The Beatles, also known as The White Album....
, which he wrote and recorded between 7-9 October, 1968 for the The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
White Album.