One time in London I'd gone out for a walk,
Past a place called Hyde park where people talk
'Bout all kinds of different gods, they have their point of view
To anyone passing by, that's who they're talking to.
There was someone on a platform talking to the folks
About the T.V. god and all the pain that it invokes.
"It's too bright a light", he said, "For anybody's eyes,
If you've never seen one it's a blessing in disguise."
I moved in closer, got up on my toes,
Two men in front of me were coming to blows
The man was saying something 'bout children when they're young
Being sacrificed to it while lullabies are being sung.
"The news of the day is on all the time,
All the latest gossip, all the latest rhyme,
Your mind is your temple, keep it beautiful and free,
Don't let an egg get laid in it by something you can't see."
"Pray for peace!". he said, you could feel it in the crowd.
My thoughts began to wander. His voice was ringing loud,
"It will destroy your family, your happy home is gone
No one can protect you from it once you turn it on."
"It will lead you into some strange pursuits,
Lead you to the land of forbidden fruits.
It will scramble up your head and drag your brain about,
Sometimes you gotta do like Elvis did and shoot the damn thing out."
"It's all been designed", he said, "To make you lose your mind,
And when you go back to find it, there's nothing there to find."
"Everytime you look at it, your situation's worse,
If you feel it grabbing out for you, send for the nurse."
The crowd began to riot and they grabbed hold of the man,
There was pushing, there was shoving and everybody ran.
The T.V. crew was there to film it, they jumped right over me,
Later on that evening, I watched it on T.V.
Past a place called Hyde park where people talk
'Bout all kinds of different gods, they have their point of view
To anyone passing by, that's who they're talking to.
There was someone on a platform talking to the folks
About the T.V. god and all the pain that it invokes.
"It's too bright a light", he said, "For anybody's eyes,
If you've never seen one it's a blessing in disguise."
I moved in closer, got up on my toes,
Two men in front of me were coming to blows
The man was saying something 'bout children when they're young
Being sacrificed to it while lullabies are being sung.
"The news of the day is on all the time,
All the latest gossip, all the latest rhyme,
Your mind is your temple, keep it beautiful and free,
Don't let an egg get laid in it by something you can't see."
"Pray for peace!". he said, you could feel it in the crowd.
My thoughts began to wander. His voice was ringing loud,
"It will destroy your family, your happy home is gone
No one can protect you from it once you turn it on."
"It will lead you into some strange pursuits,
Lead you to the land of forbidden fruits.
It will scramble up your head and drag your brain about,
Sometimes you gotta do like Elvis did and shoot the damn thing out."
"It's all been designed", he said, "To make you lose your mind,
And when you go back to find it, there's nothing there to find."
"Everytime you look at it, your situation's worse,
If you feel it grabbing out for you, send for the nurse."
The crowd began to riot and they grabbed hold of the man,
There was pushing, there was shoving and everybody ran.
The T.V. crew was there to film it, they jumped right over me,
Later on that evening, I watched it on T.V.
Contributed by Bartleby - 2012/3/29 - 14:49
Language: Italian
Traduzione italiana di Michele Murino da Maggie’s Farm
TALKING SONG SULLA TV
Tempo fa a Londra stavo passeggiando
in un posto chiamato Hyde Park dove la gente parla
di tutti i tipi di divinità, dicono il loro punto di vista
a tutti quelli che passano ed a cui parlano
C'era qualcuno su di una pedana che parlava alla gente
riguardo il dio TV e tutto il dolore che evoca
"E' una luce troppo forte" diceva "Per gli occhi di chiunque,
se non ne avete mai vista una è una vera benedizione"
Mi avvicinai, mi misi in punta di piedi per vedere,
due uomini di fronte a me stavano venendo alle mani
Il tizio diceva qualcosa circa i bambini piccoli
che vengono sacrificati al dio TV al suono della ninna-nanna
"I notiziari vanno in onda in continuazione
Tutti i pettegolezzi e i tormentoni più recenti,
la vostra mente è il vostro tempio, tenetelo libero e bello
Non lasciate che venga manipolata da qualcuno che non potete vedere"
"Pregate per la pace!", diceva, si poteva sentire nella folla.
I miei pensieri cominciarono a smarrirsi. La sua voce risuonava forte,
"Distruggerà la vostra famiglia, la vostra casa felice
Nessuno potrà proteggervi una volta che l'avrete accesa"
"Vi condurrà a strane occupazioni,
vi condurrà nella terra del frutto proibito
Vi strapazzerà la testa e vi farà impazzire
A volte dovreste fare come Elvis e gettarla via"
"E' tutto programmato", diceva "Per farvi perdere la testa,
e quando proverete a ritrovarla non ci sarà più niente da trovare"
"Ogni volta che la guardate la vostra situazione peggiorerà
Se sentite che cerca di afferrarvi chiamate l'infermiera"
La folla cominciò a schiamazzare ed afferrarono il tizio,
ci furono urti e spintoni e tutti scapparono
Una troupe della TV era lì a filmare
Più tardi quella sera vidi tutto in TV
Tempo fa a Londra stavo passeggiando
in un posto chiamato Hyde Park dove la gente parla
di tutti i tipi di divinità, dicono il loro punto di vista
a tutti quelli che passano ed a cui parlano
C'era qualcuno su di una pedana che parlava alla gente
riguardo il dio TV e tutto il dolore che evoca
"E' una luce troppo forte" diceva "Per gli occhi di chiunque,
se non ne avete mai vista una è una vera benedizione"
Mi avvicinai, mi misi in punta di piedi per vedere,
due uomini di fronte a me stavano venendo alle mani
Il tizio diceva qualcosa circa i bambini piccoli
che vengono sacrificati al dio TV al suono della ninna-nanna
"I notiziari vanno in onda in continuazione
Tutti i pettegolezzi e i tormentoni più recenti,
la vostra mente è il vostro tempio, tenetelo libero e bello
Non lasciate che venga manipolata da qualcuno che non potete vedere"
"Pregate per la pace!", diceva, si poteva sentire nella folla.
I miei pensieri cominciarono a smarrirsi. La sua voce risuonava forte,
"Distruggerà la vostra famiglia, la vostra casa felice
Nessuno potrà proteggervi una volta che l'avrete accesa"
"Vi condurrà a strane occupazioni,
vi condurrà nella terra del frutto proibito
Vi strapazzerà la testa e vi farà impazzire
A volte dovreste fare come Elvis e gettarla via"
"E' tutto programmato", diceva "Per farvi perdere la testa,
e quando proverete a ritrovarla non ci sarà più niente da trovare"
"Ogni volta che la guardate la vostra situazione peggiorerà
Se sentite che cerca di afferrarvi chiamate l'infermiera"
La folla cominciò a schiamazzare ed afferrarono il tizio,
ci furono urti e spintoni e tutti scapparono
Una troupe della TV era lì a filmare
Più tardi quella sera vidi tutto in TV
Contributed by Bartleby - 2012/3/29 - 14:50
Language: English
Versione alternativa con strofe aggiuntive da “Genuine Bootleg Series 3 - The Third One Now”.
Significativa mi pare soprattutto la terzultima, dove Dylan fà dire al predicatore:
“Giudici televisivi e predicatori televisivi
Tecnici televisivi che fanno in modo che funzioni
Papà televisivi e mamme televisive
E in TV, città sotto le bombe”
Significativa mi pare soprattutto la terzultima, dove Dylan fà dire al predicatore:
“Giudici televisivi e predicatori televisivi
Tecnici televisivi che fanno in modo che funzioni
Papà televisivi e mamme televisive
E in TV, città sotto le bombe”
T.V. TALKIN' SONG
One time down in London I'd gone out for a walk
Past a place called the Hyde Park where people talk
Get up on a platform and they tell their point of view
To anyone who's there, that's who they're talking to.
There was a man on a platform talkin' to some folks
About tv bein' evil and he wasn't tellin' jokes.
"It's too bright a light", he said, "for anybody's eyes,
Bein' not to have one is a blessin' in disguise."
I moved in closer an' got up on my toes
Two men in front of me were comin' to blows
The man was sayin' somethin' 'bout children when they're young
Whoever puts their face in it, he said, they should be hung.
"News of the day is on all the time,
All the greatest gossip, all the latest rhyme,
Puts your brain inside your eye and penetrates your skull,
Lays an egg inside your head and makes you dull."
I got up restless, drifted through the crowd.
He was still shoutin' somethin', his voice was ringin' loud
"It will destroy your family, your happy home is gone
No one can protect you from it once you turn it on."
"Tell us," screamed somebody, said, and climbed up on the [knobs ???]
You can live another life with all the time you've lost.
Baits you with a puppet, spins your brains about
Sometimes you do like elvis did and blow the damn thing out.
Tv judges and tv clerks
Tv repairman to fix it so it works
Tv daddies and tv moms
And in tv, cities under bombs
"It's all been designed", he said, "to make you lose your mind,
Give it to somebody who will worship you behind.
Every time you look at it, the situation's worse,
If it's grabbin' out for you, call for the nurse."
The crowd began to riot, they grabbed hold of the man
Hung him from a lamppost, then they ran.
The tv crew was there to film it, jumped right over me
I walked back to my hotel and watched it on tv
One time down in London I'd gone out for a walk
Past a place called the Hyde Park where people talk
Get up on a platform and they tell their point of view
To anyone who's there, that's who they're talking to.
There was a man on a platform talkin' to some folks
About tv bein' evil and he wasn't tellin' jokes.
"It's too bright a light", he said, "for anybody's eyes,
Bein' not to have one is a blessin' in disguise."
I moved in closer an' got up on my toes
Two men in front of me were comin' to blows
The man was sayin' somethin' 'bout children when they're young
Whoever puts their face in it, he said, they should be hung.
"News of the day is on all the time,
All the greatest gossip, all the latest rhyme,
Puts your brain inside your eye and penetrates your skull,
Lays an egg inside your head and makes you dull."
I got up restless, drifted through the crowd.
He was still shoutin' somethin', his voice was ringin' loud
"It will destroy your family, your happy home is gone
No one can protect you from it once you turn it on."
"Tell us," screamed somebody, said, and climbed up on the [knobs ???]
You can live another life with all the time you've lost.
Baits you with a puppet, spins your brains about
Sometimes you do like elvis did and blow the damn thing out.
Tv judges and tv clerks
Tv repairman to fix it so it works
Tv daddies and tv moms
And in tv, cities under bombs
"It's all been designed", he said, "to make you lose your mind,
Give it to somebody who will worship you behind.
Every time you look at it, the situation's worse,
If it's grabbin' out for you, call for the nurse."
The crowd began to riot, they grabbed hold of the man
Hung him from a lamppost, then they ran.
The tv crew was there to film it, jumped right over me
I walked back to my hotel and watched it on tv
Contributed by Bartleby - 2012/3/29 - 14:50
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Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.
Album “Under the Red Sky”
Una canzone che si pone esttamente a metà tra Television, The Drug Of The Nation dei Beatnigs (1988) e Television, The Drug Of The Nation dei Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy (1992)
Molto più sardonica però… Il “predicatore” che mette in guardia dal potere nefasto della TV viene aggredito dalla folla che lo riduce al silenzio, il tutto mentre una troupe televisiva di passaggio filma l’accaduto. Il testimone degli eventi, Dylan stesso, può così rivedersi in TV l’intero episodio …