Song title: Chimes of Freedom
(Dylan) by Bob Dylan (Columbia 8993), 1964
Chimes of Freedom - Bruce version
Well, far between sundown’s finish and midnight’s broken toll
We ducked inside the doorway, thunder crashin’
As majestic bells of boats struck shadows in the sun;
Sayin’, it may be the chimes of freedom flashin’
Flashin’ for the warriors whose strength is not to fight;
Flashin’ for the refugees on their unarmed road of flight.
And for each and every underdog soldier in the night
We gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashin’
Well, in the city’s melted furnace unexpectedly we watched
With faces hidden here while the walls were tightenin’
As the echo of the wedding bells before the blowing rain;
Dissolved into the wild bales of lightnin’
Yeah, tollin’ for the rebel, yeah, tollin’ for the raked
Tollin’ for the luckless, the abandoned and forsaked.
Yeah, tollin’ for the outcasts burnin’ constantly at stakes
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashin’
Oh yeah!
And then through a cloud-like curtain in a far off corner flashed
There’s a hypnotic, splattered mist was slowly liftin’
Well, electric light still struck like arrows
Fired but for the ones condemned to drift or else be kept from driftin’
Well, tollin’ for the searching ones on this speechless, secret trail
For the lonesome haunted lovers with too personal a tale.
And for each young heart for each channeled soul misplaced inside a jail
Yeah, we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashin’
Well, starry eyed and laughin’ I recall when we were caught,
Trapped by an old track of vows for the hands suspended
As we listened one last time, and we watched with one last look
Spellbound and swallowed “Has the tollin’ ended?”
Yeah, tollin’ for the achin’ ones whose wounds cannot be nursed
For the countless, confused, accused, misused strung out ones at worst.
And for every hung out person in the whole wide universe Notes:
This is the Bruce 1988 / Amnesty version, shorter than the Dylan original (Columbia 8993) 1964. In 1978 Bruce also stripped the "melted furnace" strophe.
Chimes of Freedom - Dylan version
Far between sundown's finish an' midnight's broken toll
We ducked inside the doorway, thunder crashing
As majestic bells of bolts struck shadows in the sounds
Seeming to be the chimes of freedom flashing
Flashing for the warriors whose strength is not to fight
Flashing for the refugees on the unarmed road of flight
An' for each an' ev'ry underdog soldier in the night
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.
In the city's melted furnace, unexpectedly we watched
With faces hidden while the walls were tightening
As the echo of the wedding bells before the blowin' rain
Dissolved into the bells of the lightning
Tolling for the rebel, tolling for the rake
Tolling for the luckless, the abandoned an' forsaked
Tolling for the outcast, burnin' constantly at stake
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.
Through the mad mystic hammering of the wild ripping hail
The sky cracked its poems in naked wonder
That the clinging of the church bells blew far into the breeze
Leaving only bells of lightning and its thunder
Striking for the gentle, striking for the kind
Striking for the guardians and protectors of the mind
An' the unpawned painter behind beyond his rightful time
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.
Through the wild cathedral evening the rain unraveled tales
For the disrobed faceless forms of no position
Tolling for the tongues with no place to bring their thoughts
All down in taken-for-granted situations
Tolling for the deaf an' blind, tolling for the mute
Tolling for the mistreated, mateless mother, the mistitled prostitute
For the misdemeanor outlaw, chased an' cheated by pursuit
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.
Even though a cloud's white curtain in a far-off corner flashed
An' the hypnotic splattered mist was slowly lifting
Electric light still struck like arrows, fired but for the ones
Condemned to drift or else be kept from drifting
Tolling for the searching ones, on their speechless, seeking trail
For the lonesome-hearted lovers with too personal a tale
An' for each unharmful, gentle soul misplaced inside a jail
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.
Starry-eyed an' laughing as I recall when we were caught
Trapped by no track of hours for they hanged suspended
As we listened one last time an' we watched with one last look
Spellbound an' swallowed 'til the tolling ended
Tolling for the aching ones whose wounds cannot be nursed
For the countless confused, accused, misused, strung-out ones an' worse
An' for every hung-up person in the whole wide universe
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing. Notes:
Original Dylan's version, wih the "mad mystic" verse never used by Bruce
Published on the following official releases:
- SPARE PARTS-PINK CADILLAC/SPARE PARTS-CHIMES…. (12 in.,1988)
- CHIMES OF FREEDOM (12 in.,1988)
- UNITED ARTISTS FOR THE POET (Album VVAA,1991)
First known live performance: 01/09/1978 Masonic Temple, Detroit,MI ,USA
Last known live performance: 27/09/2004 Convention Hall, Asbury Park,NJ ,USA
Song 'history':
One only performance during the Darkness tour (01/09/1978 Masonic Temple, Detroit,MI ,USA)
Recorded during the TUNNEL OF LOVE studio sessions, but then not used for the album.
16 perfomances were given during the Tunnel of Love tour
Performed 20 times during the 1988 Amnesty International tour
In the Rising tour, the song was only practiced (16/10/2002 Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona ,Spain, during the soundcheck. and 21/11/2002 TD Waterhouse, Orlando,FL ,USA, during the soundcheck.)
but never played in the regular set.
The song was also played in informal happenings or off-tour appearances
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database