Desire (1976)
Joey
Bob Dylan
Joey
Testo
Testo
Born in Red Hook, Brooklyn,
in the year of who knows when
Opened up his eyes
to the tune of an accordion
Always on the outside
of whatever side there was
When they asked him why it had to be that way,
"Well," he answered, "just because."
Larry was the oldest,
Joey was next to last.
They called Joe "Crazy,"
the baby they called "Kid Blast"
Some say they lived off gambling
and runnin' numbers too.
It always seemed they got caught
between the mob and the men in blue.
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
There was talk they killed their rivals,
but the truth was far from that
No one ever knew for sure
where they were really at.
When they tried to strangle Larry,
Joey almost hit the roof.
He went out that night to seek revenge,
thinkin' he was bulletproof.
The war broke out at the break of dawn,
it emptied out the streets
Joey and his brothers
suffered terrible defeats
Till they ventured out behind the lines
and took five prisoners.
They stashed them away in a basement,
called them amateurs.
The hostages were tremblin'
when they heard a man exclaim,
"Let's blow this place to kingdom come,
let Con Edison take the blame."
But Joey stepped up, he raised his hand,
said, "We're not those kind of men.
It's peace and quiet that
we need to go back to work again."
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
The police department hounded him,
they called him Mr. Smith
They got him on conspiracy,
they were never sure who with.
"What time is it?"
said the judge to Joey when they met
"Five to ten," said Joey.
The judge says,
"That's exactly what you get."
He did ten years in Attica,
reading Nietzsche and Wilhelm Reich
They threw him in the hole one time
for tryin' to stop a strike.
His closest friends were black men
'cause they seemed to understand
What it's like to be in society
with a shackle on your hand.
When they let him out in '71
he'd lost a little weight
But he dressed like Jimmy Cagney
and I swear he did look great.
He tried to find the way back
into the life he left behind
To the boss he said,
"I have returned and now I want what's mine."
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
Why did they have to come and blow you away?
It was true that in his later years
he would not carry a gun
"I'm around too many children," he'd say,
"they should never know of one."
Yet he walked right into the clubhouse
of his lifelong deadly foe,
Emptied out the register,
said, "Tell 'em it was Crazy Joe."
One day they blew him down
in a clam bar in New York
He could see it comin' through the door
as he lifted up his fork.
He pushed the table over
to protect his family
Then he staggered out into the streets
of Little Italy.
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
Sister Jacqueline and Carmela
and mother Mary all did weep.
I heard his best friend Frankie say,
"He ain't dead, he's just asleep."
Then I saw the old man's limousine
head back towards the grave
I guess he had to say one last goodbye
to the son that he could not save.
The sun turned cold over President Street
and the town of Brooklyn mourned
They said a mass in the old church
near the house where he was born.
And someday if God's in heaven overlookin'
His preserve
I know the men that shot him down
will get what they deserve.
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
in the year of who knows when
Opened up his eyes
to the tune of an accordion
Always on the outside
of whatever side there was
When they asked him why it had to be that way,
"Well," he answered, "just because."
Larry was the oldest,
Joey was next to last.
They called Joe "Crazy,"
the baby they called "Kid Blast"
Some say they lived off gambling
and runnin' numbers too.
It always seemed they got caught
between the mob and the men in blue.
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
There was talk they killed their rivals,
but the truth was far from that
No one ever knew for sure
where they were really at.
When they tried to strangle Larry,
Joey almost hit the roof.
He went out that night to seek revenge,
thinkin' he was bulletproof.
The war broke out at the break of dawn,
it emptied out the streets
Joey and his brothers
suffered terrible defeats
Till they ventured out behind the lines
and took five prisoners.
They stashed them away in a basement,
called them amateurs.
The hostages were tremblin'
when they heard a man exclaim,
"Let's blow this place to kingdom come,
let Con Edison take the blame."
But Joey stepped up, he raised his hand,
said, "We're not those kind of men.
It's peace and quiet that
we need to go back to work again."
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
The police department hounded him,
they called him Mr. Smith
They got him on conspiracy,
they were never sure who with.
"What time is it?"
said the judge to Joey when they met
"Five to ten," said Joey.
The judge says,
"That's exactly what you get."
He did ten years in Attica,
reading Nietzsche and Wilhelm Reich
They threw him in the hole one time
for tryin' to stop a strike.
His closest friends were black men
'cause they seemed to understand
What it's like to be in society
with a shackle on your hand.
When they let him out in '71
he'd lost a little weight
But he dressed like Jimmy Cagney
and I swear he did look great.
He tried to find the way back
into the life he left behind
To the boss he said,
"I have returned and now I want what's mine."
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
Why did they have to come and blow you away?
It was true that in his later years
he would not carry a gun
"I'm around too many children," he'd say,
"they should never know of one."
Yet he walked right into the clubhouse
of his lifelong deadly foe,
Emptied out the register,
said, "Tell 'em it was Crazy Joe."
One day they blew him down
in a clam bar in New York
He could see it comin' through the door
as he lifted up his fork.
He pushed the table over
to protect his family
Then he staggered out into the streets
of Little Italy.
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
Sister Jacqueline and Carmela
and mother Mary all did weep.
I heard his best friend Frankie say,
"He ain't dead, he's just asleep."
Then I saw the old man's limousine
head back towards the grave
I guess he had to say one last goodbye
to the son that he could not save.
The sun turned cold over President Street
and the town of Brooklyn mourned
They said a mass in the old church
near the house where he was born.
And someday if God's in heaven overlookin'
His preserve
I know the men that shot him down
will get what they deserve.
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
Joey
Traduzione
Traduzione
Nato a Red Hook, Brooklyn,
nell'anno di chissà quando
Aprì gli occhi
al suono di una fisarmonica
Sempre al di fuori
di qualunque schieramento
quando gli chiesero perché fosse così,
"Beh," rispose, "perché sì."
Larry era il più vecchio,
Joey era quasi l'ultimo.
Chiamarono Joe "Crazy,"
il più giovane "Kid Blast"
alcuni dicono che vivessero di scommesse
e pure illegali
Sembravano essere intrappolati
tra mafia e polizia.
Joey, Joey,
Re delle strade, bambino di argilla.
Joey, Joey,
Perché hanno voluto spazzarti via?
Si dice che avessero ucciso i loro rivali,
ma non era la verità
nessuno avrebbe mai saputo con certezza
cosa avessero fatto.
Quando provarono a strangolare Larry,
Joey si infuriò parecchio
uscì quella notte in cerca di vendetta,
pensando di essere a prova di proiettile.
La guerra scoppiò al sorgere del sole,
e svuotò le strade
Joey e i suoi fratelli
soffrirono una terribile sconfitta
finché non attraversarono le linee
e fecero cinque prigionieri.
Li nascosero in cantina,
chiamateli dilettanti.
Gli ostagi tremarono
quando udirono un uomo dire:
"Facciamo esplodere questo posto,
e che sia Con Edison a prendersi la colpa"
Ma Joey si intromise alzando la mano,
dicendo: "Non siamo quel tipo di persone.
E' pace e serenità quello che ci serve
per rimetterci al lavoro."
Joey, Joey,
Re delle strade, bambino di argilla.
Joey, Joey,
Perché hanno voluto spazzarti via?
Il dipartimento di polizia lo perseguitava,
lo chiamavano signor Smith
lo accusarono di cospirazione,
ma non seppero mai con chi.
"Che ore sono?"
chiese il giudice a Joey quando s'incontrarono
"cinque alle dieci," rispose Joey.
il giudice disse,
"Sono esattamente gli anni che ti farai"
Passò dieci anni nel carcare di Attica
leggendo Nietzsche e Wilhelm Reich
lo misero dentro
per aver cercato di fermare uno sciopero.
I suoi migliori amici erano di colore
perché sembravano capire
cosa vuol dire stare in una società
con le manette alle mani.
Quando lo lasciarono uscire nel '71
aveva perso un po' di peso
ma vestiva come Jimmy Cagney
e giuro che era bellissimo.
Provò a cercare di tornare
alla vita che si era lasciato indietro
Al capo disse,
"Sono tornato ora, e voglio ciò che mi spetta
Joey, Joey,
Re delle strade, bambino di argilla.
Joey, Joey,
Perché hanno voluto spazzarti via?
E' vero che nei suoi ultimi anni
non portava la pistola
"Sono vicino a troppi bambini," diceva,
"non dovranno mai vederne una."
Eppure entro nella discoteca
del suo nemico mortale,
svuotando la cassa e dicendo,
"Ditegli che è stato Crazy Joe."
Un giorno lo ammazzarono
in un ristorante di pesce
L'aveva capito guardando dalla porta
mentre alzava la forchetta.
Ribaltò il tavolo
per proteggere la sua famiglia
Poi barcollò nelle strade
di Little Italy.
Joey, Joey,
Re delle strade, bambino di argilla.
Joey, Joey,
Perché hanno voluto spazzarti via?
Le sorelle Jacqueline e Carmela
e mamma Mary piansero tutte.
Ho sentito il suo miglior amico Frankie dire
"Non è morto, è solo addormentato"
poi ho visto la limousine del vecchio
dirigersi verso il cimitero
Immagino volesse dare un ultimo saluto
al figlio che non riuscì a salvare.
Il sole divenne freddo in President Street
e la città di Brooklyn era in lutto
dissero una messa nella vecchia chiesa
vicino alla casa dove era nato.
E un giorno, se il Dio del cielo
passerà sopra alla sua promessa
so che gli uomini che gli spararono
avranno ciò che si meritano.
Joey, Joey,
Re delle strade, bambino di argilla.
Joey, Joey,
Perché hanno voluto spazzarti via?
nell'anno di chissà quando
Aprì gli occhi
al suono di una fisarmonica
Sempre al di fuori
di qualunque schieramento
quando gli chiesero perché fosse così,
"Beh," rispose, "perché sì."
Larry era il più vecchio,
Joey era quasi l'ultimo.
Chiamarono Joe "Crazy,"
il più giovane "Kid Blast"
alcuni dicono che vivessero di scommesse
e pure illegali
Sembravano essere intrappolati
tra mafia e polizia.
Joey, Joey,
Re delle strade, bambino di argilla.
Joey, Joey,
Perché hanno voluto spazzarti via?
Si dice che avessero ucciso i loro rivali,
ma non era la verità
nessuno avrebbe mai saputo con certezza
cosa avessero fatto.
Quando provarono a strangolare Larry,
Joey si infuriò parecchio
uscì quella notte in cerca di vendetta,
pensando di essere a prova di proiettile.
La guerra scoppiò al sorgere del sole,
e svuotò le strade
Joey e i suoi fratelli
soffrirono una terribile sconfitta
finché non attraversarono le linee
e fecero cinque prigionieri.
Li nascosero in cantina,
chiamateli dilettanti.
Gli ostagi tremarono
quando udirono un uomo dire:
"Facciamo esplodere questo posto,
e che sia Con Edison a prendersi la colpa"
Ma Joey si intromise alzando la mano,
dicendo: "Non siamo quel tipo di persone.
E' pace e serenità quello che ci serve
per rimetterci al lavoro."
Joey, Joey,
Re delle strade, bambino di argilla.
Joey, Joey,
Perché hanno voluto spazzarti via?
Il dipartimento di polizia lo perseguitava,
lo chiamavano signor Smith
lo accusarono di cospirazione,
ma non seppero mai con chi.
"Che ore sono?"
chiese il giudice a Joey quando s'incontrarono
"cinque alle dieci," rispose Joey.
il giudice disse,
"Sono esattamente gli anni che ti farai"
Passò dieci anni nel carcare di Attica
leggendo Nietzsche e Wilhelm Reich
lo misero dentro
per aver cercato di fermare uno sciopero.
I suoi migliori amici erano di colore
perché sembravano capire
cosa vuol dire stare in una società
con le manette alle mani.
Quando lo lasciarono uscire nel '71
aveva perso un po' di peso
ma vestiva come Jimmy Cagney
e giuro che era bellissimo.
Provò a cercare di tornare
alla vita che si era lasciato indietro
Al capo disse,
"Sono tornato ora, e voglio ciò che mi spetta
Joey, Joey,
Re delle strade, bambino di argilla.
Joey, Joey,
Perché hanno voluto spazzarti via?
E' vero che nei suoi ultimi anni
non portava la pistola
"Sono vicino a troppi bambini," diceva,
"non dovranno mai vederne una."
Eppure entro nella discoteca
del suo nemico mortale,
svuotando la cassa e dicendo,
"Ditegli che è stato Crazy Joe."
Un giorno lo ammazzarono
in un ristorante di pesce
L'aveva capito guardando dalla porta
mentre alzava la forchetta.
Ribaltò il tavolo
per proteggere la sua famiglia
Poi barcollò nelle strade
di Little Italy.
Joey, Joey,
Re delle strade, bambino di argilla.
Joey, Joey,
Perché hanno voluto spazzarti via?
Le sorelle Jacqueline e Carmela
e mamma Mary piansero tutte.
Ho sentito il suo miglior amico Frankie dire
"Non è morto, è solo addormentato"
poi ho visto la limousine del vecchio
dirigersi verso il cimitero
Immagino volesse dare un ultimo saluto
al figlio che non riuscì a salvare.
Il sole divenne freddo in President Street
e la città di Brooklyn era in lutto
dissero una messa nella vecchia chiesa
vicino alla casa dove era nato.
E un giorno, se il Dio del cielo
passerà sopra alla sua promessa
so che gli uomini che gli spararono
avranno ciò che si meritano.
Joey, Joey,
Re delle strade, bambino di argilla.
Joey, Joey,
Perché hanno voluto spazzarti via?
Joey
note e significato
note e significato
Joey è una canzone biografica incentrata sulla figura di Joey Gallo (1929 - 1972), un criminale americano affiliato alla famiglia Profaci/Colombo. La canzone venne accolta da parecchie critiche, soprattutto visto il modo impreciso e apologettico col quale Gallo, ben lontano dall'essere un moderno Robin Hood, viene descritto. Dylan ha spesso ribadito che il testo fosse stato scritto da Levy, mentre quest'ultimo ha dichiarato che ci lavorarono insieme. Dopo aver scontato la sua pena, Gallo riuscì a entrare nell'alta società di New York, grazie a una sua apparizione cinematografica. Si trasferì quindi nel Greenwich Village, guadagnandosi la fama di bandito intelletuale. Probabilmente per questo la sua storia raggiunse la cerchia di Levy e Dylan.
Joey
tablatura e accordi
tablatura e accordi
G F C G x2
C D C G
Born in Red Hook, Brooklyn, in the year of who knows when
C D C G
Opened up his eyes to the tune of an accordion
C D C G
Always on the outside of whatever side there was
Em G
When they asked him why it had to be that way,
C /b Am
"Well," he answered, "just because."
Larry was the oldest, Joey was next to last.
They called Joe "Crazy," the baby they called "Kid Blast."
Some say they lived off gambling and runnin' numbers too.
It always seemed they got caught between the mob and the men in blue.
G C Am
Joey, Joey,
G Em C
King of the streets, child of clay.
G C Am
Joey, Joey,
G F C Am
What made them want to come and blow you away?
G F C G
There was talk they killed their rivals, but the truth was far from that
No one ever knew for sure where they were really at.
When they tried to strangle Larry, Joey almost hit the roof.
He went out that night to seek revenge, thinkin' he was bulletproof.
The war broke out at the break of dawn, it emptied out the streets
Joey and his brothers suffered terrible defeats
Till they ventured out behind the lines and took five prisoners.
They stashed them away in a basement, called them amateurs.
The hostages were tremblin' when they heard a man exclaim,
"Let's blow this place to kingdom come, let Con Edison take the blame."
But Joey stepped up, he raised his hand, said, "We're not those kind of men.
It's peace and quiet that we need to go back to work again."
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
The police department hounded him, they called him Mr. Smith
They got him on conspiracy, they were never sure who with.
"What time is it?" said the judge to Joey when they met
"Five to ten," said Joey. The judge says, "That's exactly what you get."
He did ten years in Attica, reading Nietzsche and Wilhelm Reich
They threw him in the hole one time for tryin' to stop a strike.
His closest friends were black men 'cause they seemed to understand
What it's like to be in society with a shackle on your hand.
When they let him out in '71 he'd lost a little weight
But he dressed like Jimmy Cagney and I swear he did look great.
He tried to find the way back into the life he left behind
To the boss he said, "I have returned and now I want what's mine."
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
Why did they have to come and blow you away?
It was true that in his later years he would not carry a gun
"I'm around too many children," he'd say, "they should never know of one."
Yet he walked right into the clubhouse of his lifelong deadly foe,
Emptied out the register, said, "Tell 'em it was Crazy Joe."
One day they blew him down in a clam bar in New York
He could see it comin' through the door as he lifted up his fork.
He pushed the table over to protect his family
Then he staggered out into the streets of Little Italy.
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
Sister Jacqueline and Carmela and mother Mary all did weep.
I heard his best friend Frankie say, "He ain't dead, he's just asleep."
Then I saw the old man's limousine head back towards the grave
I guess he had to say one last goodbye to the son that he could not save.
The sun turned cold over President Street and the town of Brooklyn mourned
They said a mass in the old church near the house where he was born.
And someday if God's in heaven overlookin' His preserve
I know the men that shot him down will get what they deserve.
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
C D C G
Born in Red Hook, Brooklyn, in the year of who knows when
C D C G
Opened up his eyes to the tune of an accordion
C D C G
Always on the outside of whatever side there was
Em G
When they asked him why it had to be that way,
C /b Am
"Well," he answered, "just because."
Larry was the oldest, Joey was next to last.
They called Joe "Crazy," the baby they called "Kid Blast."
Some say they lived off gambling and runnin' numbers too.
It always seemed they got caught between the mob and the men in blue.
G C Am
Joey, Joey,
G Em C
King of the streets, child of clay.
G C Am
Joey, Joey,
G F C Am
What made them want to come and blow you away?
G F C G
There was talk they killed their rivals, but the truth was far from that
No one ever knew for sure where they were really at.
When they tried to strangle Larry, Joey almost hit the roof.
He went out that night to seek revenge, thinkin' he was bulletproof.
The war broke out at the break of dawn, it emptied out the streets
Joey and his brothers suffered terrible defeats
Till they ventured out behind the lines and took five prisoners.
They stashed them away in a basement, called them amateurs.
The hostages were tremblin' when they heard a man exclaim,
"Let's blow this place to kingdom come, let Con Edison take the blame."
But Joey stepped up, he raised his hand, said, "We're not those kind of men.
It's peace and quiet that we need to go back to work again."
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
The police department hounded him, they called him Mr. Smith
They got him on conspiracy, they were never sure who with.
"What time is it?" said the judge to Joey when they met
"Five to ten," said Joey. The judge says, "That's exactly what you get."
He did ten years in Attica, reading Nietzsche and Wilhelm Reich
They threw him in the hole one time for tryin' to stop a strike.
His closest friends were black men 'cause they seemed to understand
What it's like to be in society with a shackle on your hand.
When they let him out in '71 he'd lost a little weight
But he dressed like Jimmy Cagney and I swear he did look great.
He tried to find the way back into the life he left behind
To the boss he said, "I have returned and now I want what's mine."
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
Why did they have to come and blow you away?
It was true that in his later years he would not carry a gun
"I'm around too many children," he'd say, "they should never know of one."
Yet he walked right into the clubhouse of his lifelong deadly foe,
Emptied out the register, said, "Tell 'em it was Crazy Joe."
One day they blew him down in a clam bar in New York
He could see it comin' through the door as he lifted up his fork.
He pushed the table over to protect his family
Then he staggered out into the streets of Little Italy.
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?
Sister Jacqueline and Carmela and mother Mary all did weep.
I heard his best friend Frankie say, "He ain't dead, he's just asleep."
Then I saw the old man's limousine head back towards the grave
I guess he had to say one last goodbye to the son that he could not save.
The sun turned cold over President Street and the town of Brooklyn mourned
They said a mass in the old church near the house where he was born.
And someday if God's in heaven overlookin' His preserve
I know the men that shot him down will get what they deserve.
Joey, Joey,
King of the streets, child of clay.
Joey, Joey,
What made them want to come and blow you away?