Biblical
Dylan's images have the same timeless quality as many Old Testament stories. This song mocks the rich, falsely secure "princes" of the world and warns of a Day of Reckoning. The title of the song a...
Western
Dylan often draws on the mythology of the American West, like gamblers, prostitutes, and outlaws. In this song, he draws on the loneliness and cultural isolation of the West, and the watchtowers ar...
War
The song contains no scenes of violence, but you get the sense that a battle is taking place – or has already taken place – somewhere else. The watchtower provides an illusion of perman...