livemusic Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 In a lengthy Rollingstone article, Joan Baez says this... Q. "Were you able to separate loving his music and loving the man? A. Oh, I don’t know, that’s a hard question to answer. I mean, how could you imagine Bobby not ever having written that stuff? He wouldn’t be Bobby if he didn’t write that, and if he weren’t a genius I . . . It was everything, you know. It was the whole combination that makes up Bobby that made him irresistible. His humor, his warehouse eyes." What does 'warehouse eyes' mean? A google search doesn't give me an answer. FWIW, in this article, she states she thought he had a powerful sexual magnetism. I have no idea what warehouse eyes means, if it's sexual or what. I've heard of 'bedroom eyes,' lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 Dylan uses the phrase “my warehouse eyes” in the refrain of his lengthy song Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands that takes up the entire last side of his Blonde on Blonde album. The song is allegedly written about his wife at the time. Sarah. In a subsequent album in a track called Sarah, he references, “stayed up for days in the Chelsea Hotel, writing Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands for you. What does “my warehouse eyes” mean? Well there you’ve got Dylan’s music and any interpretation will do. As he often said it’s the music not the lyrics that matter. But, I take it to mean that his eyes take in a whole lot that he stores. Just my two cents. QM aka Jazzman Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 Good question. Phil Ochs once said that Dylan lost control over his metaphors on Blonde on Blonde. I won't interfere, support or argue Jazzman J comes in strong here. My from-the-hip-take would be that the look in his eyes has several floors, , , levels, , , , expressions. Known the song for ages, but never thought about it. Flatbarogue might have the Ace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livemusic Posted September 11, 2018 Author Share Posted September 11, 2018 I forgot it was part of that song. I guess SHE could have meant that the phrase refers to his uncanny ability to write unique lyrics. As for the phrase itself, it seems it could mean eyes that take it all in and store in... memory. A cool phrase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 He once said something like...”who says the lyrics have to make sense” so it’s possible that he used the word “warehouse” because it fit in the phrase and sounded off center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I always thought it meant "empty". A big empty warehouse. Vacant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I always thought it meant "empty". A big empty warehouse. Vacant. Could be... QM aka Jazzman Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabarone Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I remember in the comic strip "Doonesbury" Jimmy Thudpucker was interviewing Dylan and asked him about some lyrics (seems like he quoted from "It's Alright Ma")...Dylan replied, "Man, I was just trying to make them rhyme." and Thudpucker thought, "Now he tells us"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I now realize that warehouse means a stock-hall full of shelves where you keep stuff. Here it means a department store. Never mind - the conclusion is the same = Everything-eyes. I always thought it meant "empty". A big empty warehouse. Vacant. Hmmmm, , , but I doubt young Joan would have gone soft over that. Never heard of a woman who falls for empty eyes. Then again there are always exceptions, , , still it's hard to imagine Baez as one of them. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livemusic Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 Don't warehouses usually store stuff? Yep, that's why I said above, "As for the phrase itself, it seems it could mean eyes that take it all in and store in... memory." Dylan has piercing blue eyes, and I figure his eyes are a key part of his incredible charisma. If you read about those who knew/know Dylan, it is often-mentioned that he has a supernatural charisma and had it from an early age. He has an incredible talent to turn a phrase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I’ve always taken it to mean eyes that take in more than could be considered usual, in the sense that he needed “warehouse eyes” to take in the immense beauty of the subject of the song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 Hang on I'm calling Bob right now. He said it was so long ago he has no clue, but he thinks it was something cool to perplex people. Haha I think you’re probably in the ballpark there. I reckon Zim was playing with us all at least 50% of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 If you break it up and switch the letters, the result will be eh yes we arouse. Not sure too much shall be read into this, but I believe it is necessary to see things in a slightly bigger context. The next phrase in the song-line is "my Arabian drums" and I think the 2 represent a set of complementary counterpoints or opposites on a scale. The material side bein' the warehouse – the spiritual bein' the Mid-Eastern percussion. What the young poet considers to leave at the sad eyed lady's gate is nothing less than everything he can offer - both dimensions of his inner self, the entire 100 percent, , , , , , it all. 1966 Bob is willing'n'able - he's in burning love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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