They're an Illusion to me Now: Essential Dylan #9

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1975
Abandoned Love
Desire Sessions
In much of the same way as Simple Twist of Fate, this song lays the singer’s soul bare. The song starts with Bob quickly telling us that he loves her still, almost as if he is singing the cover of the book to the audience. His ugly voice clears and we hear an acoustic guitar, sharp snare drums, and a sensible bass line kicks in. It sounds like the song is finally ready to begin its journey, but the singer hesitates for another measure. This pause feels like you're looking at your friends cringing face before they tell you painful story.  Finally, Bob lays it all out nice and plain as the violin kicks in: it's all about the city streets, the  theaters, the intimacy lost, gained, and never returned. . . desires still existing and desires extinguished. The band of gypsies is at it again, delving the truth line by line and note by note like a hard rain.

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