Expecting Rain

Alex, very interesting and well written post. And you reminded of one of my any favorite dylan lines. The one "as I went out one morning to breath the air around Tom Paine". I agree it is totally autobiographical. To me it says, "I was soaking up the writings of Tom Paine, because I wanted to be a revoltionary writer too, only in a different medium; musically, but I got distracted by a beautiful women".(I can relate to that!)
It adds weight to my previous arguements in this thread that Dylan has always consciously wanted to change the world, but just doesn't want to admit it.
Another perfect example of this is in the movie Masked and Anonymous.
The script of the Movie was written by Dylan and whatshisname from Seinfeld(which shows the mainstream targeting, by the way). At some point in the movie, John Goodman, who plays Dylans manager, says, talking about Dylan, "You know, he's still trying to use the forces of evil in the world to do good". That's an approximate quote.

Bob did mention that "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" can be understood as being from the point of view of a baby. That imparts a different meaning to the line "bring that bottle over here."

Bob also mentioned that his real first name was Kanisevich, what's your point?

No point--just mentioning what Bob said in case anyone is interested.

Is there anybody else who saw 'John Wesley Harding' the way I did?

I think it's about his life - The ballad of FL and JP could be about himself and Albert Grosman ?

What idiot would believe that "I'll Be Your "is from the POV of a baby??!!!

Bob said that. He could have said it as a joke; but it wasn't really a joking context.

I can imagine the hook line "I'll be your baby tonight" popping into his head just because he was with a baby at the time. Songs get started that way--even if they finally end up in a different place.

He also said that he woke up one morning with the phrase "Dear landord" running through his head, and then started thinking about what he could write that would go with it.

In other words, I'm that kind of idiot.

Heres your baby bottle, but first climb out of your crib and "shut the lights and the shades", oh and "kick your shoes off before I give you your bottle...

You're not paying attention, Louie. From the POV of the baby means it's the baby--not Bob--saying those things.

Oh I get it ..a little baby is saying all those things , smart and insightful lil bugger...must have been Jakob.

Babies say lots of stuff before they can talk. I bet Bob turned the lamp down, pulled the shades, kicked his shoes off, and brought that bottle right over there.

What an adorable, insightful, and hilarious way of looking at that song. Its got me laughing my ass off.