Bob Dylan – Desolation Row

Simple English

[Verse 1]

People are selling pictures of a hanging. They are painting passports brown. Sailors are in the beauty shop. The circus is in town. A blind leader is here. He is in a daze. One hand is tied to a rope walker. The other is in his pants. The police are bored. They want to go somewhere. A lady and I are watching from Desolation Row.

[Verse 2]

Cinderella seems happy. She says, “It takes one to know one×「It takes one to know one」は「似た者同士は分かり合える」ということわざです。,” and smiles. She puts her hands in her back pockets like Bette Davis. Romeo comes in and complains, “You belong to me, I think.” Someone tells him, “You are in the wrong place, my friend. You should leave.” After the ambulances leave, Cinderella cleans up on Desolation Row.

[Verse 3]

The moon is almost gone. The stars are hiding. The fortune teller packs up her things. Only Cain, Abel, and the hunchback are left. People are in love or waiting for rain. The Good Samaritan is getting dressed for the carnival on Desolation Row.

[Verse 4]

Ophelia is under the window. I feel afraid for her. On her 22nd birthday, she feels old. She thinks death is romantic. She wears a strong vest. Her work is like her religion. Her problem is she feels empty. She looks at Noah’s rainbow but peeks into Desolation Row.

[Verse 5]

Einstein is dressed like Robin Hood. He has his memories in a box. He passed by an hour ago with a jealous×「jealous」は「嫉妬深い」という意味です。誰かが他の人の持ち物や能力などを羨ましく思い、それを自分も持ちたいと感じる気持ちを表します。日本語の「羨ましい」と似ていますが、より強い感情を表すことが多いです。 monk. He looked neat but scary. He asked for a cigarette. Then he went sniffing×「sniffing」は「嗅ぐ」という意味で、ここでは「パイプの匂いを嗅いでいる」というニュアンスです。英語では「sniff around」で「何かを探すように嗅ぎ回る」という意味もあります。 pipes and saying the alphabet. He was famous×「famous」は「有名な」という意味です。多くの人に知られていること、評判が高いことを表します。人、場所、物など、様々なものに対して使うことができます。 long ago for playing the electric violin on Desolation Row.

[Verse 6]

Dr. Filth keeps his world in a a leather cup. His patients want to destroy×「destroy」は「破壊する」という意味です。何かを完全に壊して元の形をなくしてしまうことを表します。物理的なものだけでなく、計画や夢などを壊す場合にも使われます。 it. His nurse, a local woman, is in charge of the poison hole×「hole」は「穴」という意味です。ここでは比喩的に「何か危険な場所」や「秘密の場所」を指している可能性があります。具体的な状況や文脈によって意味が異なります。. She also keeps cards that say, “Have mercy on his soul×「Have mercy on his soul」は「彼の魂に慈悲を」という意味で、亡くなった人の魂が安らかになるように祈る表現です。宗教的な背景があり、特にキリスト教文化でよく使われます。日本語の「ご冥福をお祈りします」に近いニュアンスです。.” They all play a small flute. You can hear them if you lean out far enough from Desolation Row.

[Verse 7]

Across the street, they close the curtains×「curtains」は「カーテン」という意味です。窓に掛けられた布で、部屋を暗くしたり、外から見えないようにするために使われます。. They are ready for a feast×「feast」は「ごちそう」「宴会」という意味です。特別な機会に用意される豪華な食事や、その食事を楽しむ集まりを指します。宗教的な祝祭や、勝利を祝う際にも「feast」が行われます。. The Phantom of the Opera looks like a priest×「priest」は「聖職者」「司祭」という意味です。主にキリスト教の教会で奉仕する人を指し、結婚式や葬式などの儀式を執り行います。カトリック教会では「Father」（神父）と呼ばれることが多いです。. They are feeding Casanova to make him feel better. Then they will make him too confident×「confident」は「自信に満ちた」という意味です。自分自身の能力や判断を信じている状態を表します。日本語の「自信がある」と同じように使えますが、「confident」は少しフォーマルな印象を与えます。 and hurt him with words. The Phantom tells thin girls to leave if they do not know Casanova is punished×「punished」は「罰せられる」という意味です。「punish」は「罰する」という意味の動詞で、誰かが悪いことをしたときに、その償いをさせることを表します。罰の内容は、状況によって様々です。 for going to Desolation Row.

[Verse 8]

At midnight, agents and a strong team come out. They gather people who know more than them. They take them to the factory with a heart attack machine. Kerosene is brought from castles by insurance men. They check if no one escapes to Desolation Row.

[Verse 9]

People praise Nero’s Neptune. The Titanic leaves at dawn. Everyone asks, “Which side are you on?” Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot fight in the captain’s tower. Calypso singers laugh. Fishermen hold flowers. Between the sea windows, mermaids swim. Nobody thinks much about Desolation Row.

[Verse 10]

I got your letter yesterday when the doorknob broke. You asked how I was. Was that a joke? I know the people you mention. They are not great. I had to change their faces and names. I can’t read well now. Don’t send more letters unless you mail them right.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

Remembering×「Remembering」は、ここでは「記憶する」という意味です。つまり、歌詞の内容をどれだけ覚えているかを問う質問です。

1. What are people selling in Desolation Row?
2. Who is in the beauty shop?
3. What does Cinderella do with her hands?
4. Who is dressed like Robin Hood?
5. What does Dr. Filth keep his world in?

Understanding×「Understanding」は「理解する」という意味です。歌詞の内容を理解しているかを問う質問です。

1. Why do the police feel restless?
2. What is Cinderella doing after the ambulances leave?
3. How does Ophelia feel about death?
4. What do the agents do at midnight?
5. Why are people asking “Which side are you on?×「Which side are you on?」は「どちら側につくのか？」という意味の質問です。“

Applying×「Applying」は「適用する」という意味です。歌詞で学んだ知識を、他の状況に当てはめて考える質問です。

6. How might someone feel living on Desolation Row?
7. What might happen if you are in the wrong place, like Romeo?
8. How would you describe the atmosphere of Desolation Row?
9. What could be the reason for closing the curtains across the street?
10. How would you explain the behavior of the people who know more than the agents?

Analyzing×「Analyzing」は「分析する」という意味です。歌詞の構成要素や表現方法などを分析する質問です。

11. What is the relationship between the Good Samaritan and the carnival?
12. How does the poet describe Einstein’s appearance?
13. What is the effect of playing the pennywhistle on Desolation Row?
14. How do the actions of the Phantom affect Casanova?
15. What is the significance of the Titanic sailing at dawn?

Evaluating×「Evaluating」は「評価する」という意味です。歌詞の内容やメッセージについて、自分の意見を述べる質問です。

16. Do you think Desolation Row is a happy place? Why or why not?
17. Is Cinderella’s action of sweeping important? Why?
18. What could be the meaning behind Ophelia’s iron vest×「iron vest」は比喩表現で、心が傷つかないように身につけている「鉄のベスト」を意味します。?
19. Why might the heart attack machine be used at the factory?
20. Do you agree with the poet’s depiction×「depiction」は「描写」「表現」という意味です。 of the people on Desolation Row? Why?

Creating×「Creating」は「創造する」という意味です。ここでは、歌詞から得たイメージを元に、自分で何かを作ってみることを促す質問です。

21. Write a short story about a new character living on Desolation Row.
22. Create a drawing that represents the mood×「mood」は「雰囲気」「ムード」のことです。 of Desolation Row.
23. Imagine you are a news reporter. Write a short article about an event on Desolation Row.
24. Write a poem inspired by the feelings and images of Desolation Row.
25. Design a map of Desolation Row and its surroundings, including key locations mentioned.