Queen Jane Approximately
"Queen Jane Approximately" | |
---|---|
Song by Bob Dylan | |
from the album Highway 61 Revisited | |
A-side | "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)" |
Released | August 30, 1965 |
Recorded | August 2, 1965 |
Studio | Columbia, New York |
Genre | Folk rock, garage rock[1] |
Length | 5:19 |
Label | Columbia |
Songwriter(s) | Bob Dylan |
Producer(s) | Bob Johnston |
"Queen Jane Approximately" is a song from
Meaning
Similar to other Dylan songs of this period, "Queen Jane Approximately" has the singer criticizing the subject of the song, warning her of an imminent fall from grace.[1] Although the song covers similar ground to "Like a Rolling Stone", "Queen Jane Approximately" is gentler and shows the subject some compassion.[3] The main point of criticism is that the subject lives in an inauthentic world filled with superficial attitudes and people and meaningless, ritualized proprieties.[4][5] However, the singer also invites the subject to come and see him if and when she is willing to break away from her superficial diversions and engage in an honest, authentic experience, or when she needs someone to ultimately pick up the pieces.[1][4]
The song is structured in five verses, in which the first two deal with Queen Jane's relationship with her family, the second two deal with her relationship with her "courtiers" and the last deals with her relationship with bandits.[6] This structure essentially maps out a path from those closest to her to a way out of her current situation, preparing for the last lines of the fifth verse where the narrator offers "And you want somebody you don't have to speak to / Won't you come see me Queen Jane?"[6] The song incorporates several attitudes towards the subject, including condescension, self-righteousness, contempt, compassion as well as sneering.[1]
Identity of Queen Jane
One of the persistent questions about the song is the identity of the Queen Jane to whom the title refers. Speculation about the subject has included
Style
The song is structured as a series of ABAB quatrain verses, with each verse followed by a chorus that is just a repeat of the last line of the verse, which is always "won't you come see me Queen Jane".[10] Each B line ends with a rhyme on "ain", while the A lines each end with a double-syllable rhyme, such as "cheek to / speak to" or "lent you / resent you".[10] The music is recorded with a "warts and all" philosophy consistent with the rest of the Highway 61 Revisited album.[1] The electric guitar is out of tune and clashes with the organ and piano chords, the bass has Spanish inflections, and the mix is raw with a sound similar to garage rock.[1][3][5] Musicians on "Queen Jane Approximately" include Dylan, Mike Bloomfield on electric guitars and Al Kooper and Paul Griffin on keyboards.
Live performances
Despite being originally recorded in 1965, Dylan did not perform the song live until July 4, 1987, during a concert with
Other versions
"Queen Jane Approximately" has been covered numerous times, including by Grateful Dead[13] and The Four Seasons.[14]
The song was also covered by Emma Swift for her 2020 Dylan tribute album Blonde on the Tracks.
References
- ^ allmusic. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
- allmusic. Archived from the originalon June 27, 2009. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8264-1775-6.
- ^ ISBN 1-56025-185-9.
- ^ ISBN 0-306-80782-3.
- ^ ISBN 0-9723592-0-6.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. February 19, 1966. p. 20. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. August 13, 1966. p. 24. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- ISBN 0-7119-4868-2.
- ^ ISBN 0-88733-131-9.
- ^ "Setlists that contain Queen Jane Approximately". Bob Dylan. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
- ^ "100 Greatest Dylan Songs". Mojo. November 2005. Retrieved July 4, 2009.
- ^ "Grateful Dead Queen Jane Approximately". Grateful Dead. March 21, 2007. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
- ^ The Classic Albums Box - The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved April 14, 2021