The kings of Tyrus with their convict list (Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, 1966) Firstly, from the album Blonde on Blonde: Aside from ‘Talking Devil’, there are only two. But before we dwell on Dylan’s post-1978 songs, let us first deal with pre-conversion references to the devil. This entire song is based on 2 Corinthians 11:14 and Satan’s ability to deceive with his ‘sweet gift of the gab’ and ‘harmonious tongue’, etc. You know sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace (Man of Peace, 1983)
The theme comes to fruition in ‘Man of Peace’ from the album Infidels: Well, the devil’s shining light, it can be most blinding (Saving Grace, 1980) Interestingly, this is a recurring theme in Dylan’s conversion songs, circa 1979–80:īut the enemy I see / Wears a cloak of decency (Slow Train, 1979) This sounds like a loose rephrasing of 2 Corinthians 11:14, where Paul warns of Satan’s ability to masquerade as an angel of light. When he hides his head neath a snow white hood (Talking Devil, 1963) Satan is usually portrayed as the great deceiver, the man of peace masquerading as an angel of light, while Judas and Cain are invariably metaphors for betrayal and guilt.ĭylan was thinking of the devil as far back as 1963 when he wrote the light-hearted talking blues song ‘Talking Devil’ (under the pseudonym of Blind Boy Grunt) for Broadside Magazine:
Furthermore, the unsavoury characters of Judas and Cain have also made regular appearances. While many have searched for religious themes in Dylan’s lyrics, what has often been overlooked is the astonishing amount of times Dylan has scripturally referred to Satan.