Elevated Observation Point

 Song 747: This week the playlist applauds All Along the Watchtower by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, written by Bob Dylan, and you can find a YouTube video of it by clicking on the title. When this wild story came along during the cold months of my HS junior year, back in early 1968, I listened to the TOP 40 as often as I could, and I especially liked hearing Mr. Hendrix's newest hit. Already being a songwriter myself, I paid attention to who wrote the songs I enjoyed, and this quickly became the third Dylan tune I really appreciated. Peter, Paul and Mary had introduced me to Blowin' in the Wind and I met Mr. Tambourine Man by riding along with the Byrds, so Jimi gave me an even bigger reason to find out more about the Bob guy. Of course, at the time I didn't know anyone who thought life is but a joke, and I wondered if when I became an adult a couple of years later, I might actually get to do a visit all along the watchtower and to hang out while all the women came and went. I did not know then that I would spend most of the next decade living in the Chicago area, where, around this time of year, I would often hear when the wind began to howl.