The very first line of the song, How many roads call him a man, establishes the social
and political tone
the song has. The first line is allegorical in regards to when exactly the coming-of-age of youths is recognised; the roads are a metaphor for life experiences, suggesting that perhaps if people were to walk on an endless road, they would still be thought of as less. The second line, How many seas mustin the sand, is another metaphor for how many struggles and obstacles one must face before they can be considered adequate enough in a society that continually looks at them as less qualified or fit to be respected. Dylan incorporates an acute criticism of war in the third line when he says, Yes, and how many times forever banned; the structure of this line is similar to that of lines 1 and 2, where Dylan questions as to what extent of something qualifies it for acceptance, or in this case, eradication. Dylans repeated use of the line, The answer, my friend is blowing in the wind, is continually meant to reinforce the notion that the answers are still out there, but we have yet to to seek them out. Dylan repeats his metaphorical representations of life when he says, Yes, how many years can a mountain washed to the sea. This line is different because instead of inquiring as to what makes people, people, Dylan asks how long can something beautiful exist, until it too dissolves away into nothingness. The most glaring criticism of the injustices people face is expressed by Dylan when he demands to know, Yes, and how many years can some people exist to be free. This is an inquiry of the subjugation of people who have populated the US for years, and how to this day, the values the US espouses and their status as people is incongruent. Dylans following line is now a criticism of all the sycophants and those obsequious to authority when he asks, Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head he just doesnt see? Here Dylan is demanding to know, at what point can people accept the harsh reality, instead of living in some farce, where injustice, trials and tribulations are nought but some fairy tale. Dylan ends this verse of the song with the line, the answer, my friend isblowing in the wind. Once again, emphasising the idea that the answers are indeed out there, and just that we are the ones who need to find them out. Dyland is once again fantasising about when racial equality will become a reality when he says How many times a man can look up, before he can see the sky? As to allude to some fantasy where anyone and everyone can look up, and see the sky, free from any prejudice regarding their differences. Dylan criticises the US government again when he says, And how many ears must one man have, before he can hear people cry? This is a question, posed possibly to inquire after how many repeated crises will the government listen. It is important to note that this song was released a year after the Cuban missile crisis, where the threat of global nuclear annihilation was on everyones minds. In Dylans line, he is asking after how many threats to international peace, will the government actually heed the peoples will? This verse of the song is largely marked by criticism of the US governments actions when Dylan says, And how many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died? Dylan is now demanding to know at what point will the US government consider the cost of human lives, and its own agenda. This line once also has some historical significance as US escalation in the Vietnam Civil war was imminent; discussions regarding ground troop deployment and intensive bombing campaigns were being considered by the US government. Dylan concludes the song with the same line he uses to conclude the previous verses; The answer, my friend is blowing in the windblowing in the wind.
Live-Aid Dylan 25 Years Ago: Hoody Guthrie-Clinging Patriotic Outlaw-Scoundrel Made in The US-Made USA Union For Africa, or Burlesquely Irrelevant '80s Greenwood Myth?