Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again

Infobox Song
Name = Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again


Caption = Album cover
Artist = Bob Dylan
Album = Blonde on Blonde
B-side =
Released = May 16, 1966
Format =
Recorded = February 17, 1966
Genre = Rock
Length = 7:07
Label = Columbia
Writer = Bob Dylan
Producer = Bob Johnston
Chart position =
Last single =
This single =
Next single =
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Blonde on Blonde
Type = studio
prev_track = "I Want You"
prev_no = 5
this_track = "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again"
track_no = 6
next_track = "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat"
next_no = 7

"Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" is a song by Bob Dylan that appears on his 1966 album "Blonde on Blonde". The album version also appears on 1971's "Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II". Another version of the song appears on the 1976 live album "Hard Rain". An early studio take, done in a faster cut-time, was released on ""; as the recording indicates, Dylan had difficulty fitting the words to the tempo, and evidently this led to its rearrangement, as heard on the official album, in a more "rock" oriented 4/4 time. The song has very surrealistic lyrics. [ [http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/memphis.html the lyrics] ]

The song is about the circus that Dylan's life turned into once he started to play electric. The lyrics are a reflection of his life at the time, which was very surreal. There are several references in the song, which give clues to its meaning.

For example; the song title. Mobile is a town in Alabama. Alabama is considered to be a place of folk music. Many Rock & Roll,Blues artists are associated with Memphis. So he is stuck inside of both genres (folk and Rock/blues), memphis blues may be a reference to rock & roll blues.

Also, in parts of the song, words are mixed around. For example part of a verse is;"He just smoked my eyelids, and punched my cigarette", note how eyelids and cigarette are switched around. This gives the listener a confused feeling, which is what his fans felt about his musical styles. Also, it could be interpreted that even though the words are switched around, it can still sound right. This reflects his music. The message is that although he has changed his musical style, it is still as good.

The song also inspired the name of the Memphis Group, a 1980s design movement, with its title. [ [http://www.design-technology.org/memphis1.htm The Memphis Group ] ] [ [http://www.designmuseum.org/design/memphis Memphis / Design Museum Collection : Product + Furniture Designers (1981–1985) - Design/Designer Information ] ]

Trivia

* The Grateful Dead covered the song in their live show during the 1980s and 1990s.
* When Dylan & the Dead toured in 1987, they performed this song several times.
* It is also used in the movie "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", and is mentioned in the book by Hunter S. Thompson.
* According to the book "Revolution in the Head", John Lennon wrote a spoof entitled "Stuck Inside of Lexicon with the Roget's Thesaurus Blues Again," pointing out that Dylan was using obscure lyrics too extensively.
* The Dylan version as featured on Blonde On Blonde also features in the opening credits of "I'm Not There" as opposed to the Cat Power version which features on the soundtrack.
* The Sisters of Mercy song "Dominion (Mother Russia)" features the line "stuck inside of Memphis in a mobile home", as a play on words on this song's title.

Notes