Lyr Req: Maggie's Farm (Bob Dylan)

Subject: maggie's farm
From: GUEST,tipper
Date: 02 May 05 - 09:44 AM

I just made a mix cd of music (yes it's all legal) for my boys (aged 2 and 5). I included a really cool version of Maggie's Farm that David Grisman (or somebody) plays on the banjo. My wife, who was an English Major at university, was horrified, and said that it is a really dirty song, with all sorts of sexual metaphors.

Now maybe I'm just not so bright, but I just gave it another listen and couldn't hear anything. I always thought it was a pro-union song.

Can anyone help me out? Is the love of my life correct, or does she just have a dirty mind (as most English Majors tend to have)?

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: GUEST,Dylanology major
Date: 02 May 05 - 10:21 AM

Send your wife back to school. Maggie's Farm is about refusing to be exploited. Pete Seeger has referred to it as his favorie Dylan song.

BTW, that's Mike Seeger (Pete's half-brother) playing and singing Maggie's Farm solo on a CD that he shares with David Grisman and John Hartford.

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: GUEST,Dylanology major
Date: 02 May 05 - 10:23 AM

Pardon my spelling. Please change "favorie" to "favorite."

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: just john
Date: 02 May 05 - 10:34 AM

It's Ballad of a Thin Man that's a bit dirty.

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: Santa
Date: 02 May 05 - 10:57 AM

I understood it was about the local penitentiary for drug users.

How many more interpretations can we find?

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: Blissfully Ignorant
Date: 02 May 05 - 12:05 PM

I know it's not dirty, because my brother has heard it...if a ten years old can't spot an innuendo, it probably isn't there. Or an eighteen year old, for that matter :)

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: GUEST,tipper
Date: 02 May 05 - 01:28 PM

Mike Seeger! That's the guy! I knew it was on my Retrograss CD, but didn't have it handy, and couldn't remember the other names for the life of me.

I'm starting to feel a little better. I'd prefer I wasn't the one who introduced my little guys to any innuendo of that sort.

My wife specifically mentioned the verse about Maggie's brother, and said that it involved being sodomized by him. I still can't hear it. Maybe she means, "...and he fines you every time you slam the door." But that seems like a stretch to me.

Maybe it's time we sat down and listened to the song together.

Subject: Lyr Add: MAGGIE'S FARM (Bob Dylan)
From: Blissfully Ignorant
Date: 02 May 05 - 01:36 PM

MAGGIE'S FARM
(Bob Dylan)

I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more.
No, I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more.
Well, I wake in the morning,
Fold my hands and pray for rain.
I got a head full of ideas
That are drivin' me insane.
It's a shame the way she makes me scrub the floor.
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more.

I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more.
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more.
Well, he hands you a nickel,
He hands you a dime,
He asks you with a grin
If you're havin' a good time,
Then he fines you every time you slam the door.
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more.

I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more.
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more.
Well, he puts his cigar
Out in your face just for kicks.
His bedroom window
It is made out of bricks.
The National Guard stands around his door.
Ah, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more.

I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more.
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more.
Well, she talks to all the servants
About man and God and law.
Everybody says
She's the brains behind pa.
She's sixty-eight, but she says she's twenty-four.
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more.

I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more.
No, I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more.
Well, I try my best
To be just like I am,
But everybody wants you
To be just like them.
They sing while you slave and I just get bored.
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more.



Well, there's the lyrics from bobdylan.com :)

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: GUEST,Dylanology major
Date: 02 May 05 - 01:39 PM

The verse your wife thinks is dirty is:

"I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more.
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more.
Well, he hands you a nickel,
He hands you a dime,
He asks you with a grin
If you're havin' a good time,
Then he fines you every time you slam the door.
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more."

The verse is about a boss who pays next to nothing in wages and then expects you to be grateful that he's given you a job.

Sometimes a verse means just what it says it means. Maybe your wife has a dirty mind. (hehe)

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: GUEST,tipper
Date: 02 May 05 - 01:48 PM

Like I said, all English majors have dirty minds. They spend all that time reading through old books looking for symbolism that is either dirty, christian, or something dirty about Christ (for bonus marks).

Yeah, I read it the same way as you do, DM. ... and that's a damn fine thing to be teaching my kids.

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 May 05 - 01:55 PM

See thread 41872: Penny's Farm
This is an old song, 1929 is a date in the Traditional Ballads Index; originally about share-cropping.
Mudcat doesn't seem to have the Dylan version, but several, including a Dylan parody, are in the linked thread.

A Billy Idol mentions it in a song (google) but that is a far cry from the one I know.

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 May 05 - 02:04 PM

Bob Dylan's lyrics to "Maggie's Farm" here: Maggie

Many Dylan lyrics on his website

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: fat B****rd
Date: 02 May 05 - 03:03 PM

I recall reading years ago that Dylan was heavily influenced lyrically by Nelson Algren's "Walk On The Wild Side" Could be wrong of course.

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: Cool Beans
Date: 02 May 05 - 03:09 PM

I was an English major, I have a dirty mind and I don't see anything sexual about "Maggie's Farm." I've always interpreted it as being about the good ol' USA, the government, the Man--much like "American Woman" which came later and isn't Dylan, but you know what I mean.
And Maggie's Ma is 68 but she says she's 54, not 24.

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: khandu
Date: 02 May 05 - 03:40 PM

The wife is 100% correct. Even children could see that. Look at the clues..."Maggie's Farm" has initials of M F, and we all know what MF stands for!

What do the think the "brother" is paying for? "He hands you a nickle...hands you a dime" And ,sarcastically, he "with a grin" asks if you're having a good time"! In the context of sodomy, can you not clearly see what "slam the door" means?

What do you think of Maggie's Pa? What's that "cigar" he puts out in you face "just for kicks"? Why do you think he has his windows bricked?? He wants no one to see what he's doing with that stogie!

Yes, this disgusting song should not be played within earshot of anyone under 16. Dylan should have been put away when he released this song and should still be serving time as long as this song is available to any minor!

k

PS I ask you...are you having a good time?

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: MurkeyChris
Date: 03 May 05 - 09:21 AM

>How many more interpretations can we find?<

The Special's did a brillaint cover in the eighties which I've read is referring to Maggie Thatcher.

If 'Maggie's Farm' is dirty I think it's veiled enough for your 2 and 5 year olds not to get it!

Chris

-----------

www.coolasfolk.co.uk (no Dylan though)

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: GUEST,tipper
Date: 03 May 05 - 10:55 AM

I think you're right Chris. If I didn't get it, they probably won't.

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: matai
Date: 04 May 05 - 07:54 AM

Considering many childrens rhymes have similar interpretations:

one two buckle my shoe
three four knock at the door
five six pick up sticks
seven eight lay them straight
nine ten a big fat hen

We'd have to send many more people besides Dylan to the jailer.
Having said that, the line about cigars in faces does indicate torture and what do you say when your kids ask you what it means?

Subject: RE: maggie's farm
From: GUEST,tipper
Date: 04 May 05 - 09:44 AM

That one is actually pretty easy: "He's a bad guy. I don't know why he'd want to hurt somebody like that."

My oldest boy is REALLY into super heroes. That is my standard answer whenever Lex Luthor or The Joker does something bad.