What do you think Isis means?

Bob Dylan: Isis Meaning

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Album cover for Isis album cover

Isis Lyrics

I married Isis on the fifth day of May
But I could not hold on to her very long
So I cut off my hair and I rode straight away
For the wild unknown country where I could not go wrong.

I came to a high place of darkness and light
The dividing line...

  1. anonymous
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    Jul 24th 2023 !⃝

    This song simply means that bob dylan supports the islamic state of iraq and syria or so called isis..

  2. anonymous
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    Jul 23rd 2023 !⃝

    It's about many marriages. As soon as the hoopla is over, the husband feels the need to escape the marriage for something: adventure, infidelity, or ambition; he feels trapped by marriage and unready to settle down. In this case, while doing laundry the husband is taken in by someone delusional, led on a wild goose chase. Recovering from his wanderlust and delusion, he returns to Isis, his wife, who is sleeping peacefully. She awakens, and asks him about his adventure, which he treats casually as if he'd gone out for a pack of cigarettes, returning only when he'd smoked the entire pack. Just as casually, she asks whether he plans to stay, and he sheepishly answers yes, if she'll have him.

    The husband's peroration - what drives me to you drives me insane - is about the duality of marriage: a compulsion that at times is maddening for that reason alone.

  3. anonymous
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    Jan 31st 2017 !⃝

    Another way of saying that The Man married the ''Madonna Complex'' of a Woman that's like the ''ISIS'' man made goddess part of the Government that He had to leave Her behind in order to find himself and clear His head. Then when coming back home to Her. He realized that They both had put a mystical spell on eachother, that strangely bonded them together to still get to know eachother by love, even if it's false and even if it would make Him mad and insane to still go back to Her devilish and mysterious smile that He desired to see and love again.

  4. astorian
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    Mar 9th 2012 !⃝

    The song tells the story of a man who left his bride behind to go off on an adventure. The adventure turns out badly, and the man realizes what a fool he was to leave the woman he loves behind. He returns to her, pledging to stay forever.

    Dylan wrote this song shortly after splitting up with his wife Sara (a much more straightforward song about her, "Sara," appears at the end of the "Desire" album, the same one "Isis" appears on). It seems probable to me that this song is Bob Dylan's way of apologizing to Sara, of saying "I neglected you and abandoned you while pursuing my music, by following my own dreams and interests. I ignored ou while I was out trying to find myself. I see now that I was a fool to do that, and I want to come back to you... if you still want me."


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