Positively Van Gogh

Bob Dylan © 1966

Hotel Room, Denver CO - 12.mar.1966, #1 & #2  

 False start :
When I'd ask why the painting was deadly
Nobody could pick up my sign
'Cept for the cook, she was always friendly
But she'd only say "What's on your mind?"

When I'd ask why the painting was deadly
Nobody could pick up my sign
'Cept for the cook, she was always friendly
But she'd only ask "What's on your mind?"
She'd say that especially when it was raining
I'd say "Oh, I don't know"
But then she'd press and I'd say, "See that painting?
Do you think it's been done by Van Gogh?"

The cook she said call her Maria
She'd always point for the same boy to come forth
Saying, "He trades cattle, it's his own idea
And he also makes trips to the north
Have you ever seen his naked calf bleed?"
I'd say, "Oh no, why does it show?"
And she'd whisper in my ear that he's half-breed
And I'd say, "Fine but can he paint like Van Gogh?"

Dylan: The tune is gonna come, man, it's not the right tune 

I can't remember his name, he never gave it
When I always figured he could go home
Til when he gave me his card and said, "Save it"
I could see by his eyes he was alone
And it was sad how his four-leaf clover
Drawn on his calling card showed
That it was given back to him a-many times over
And it most definitely was not done by Van Gogh.

You know she often came just to please me
Though I sensed she could not understand
And she made a thing out of it by saying, "Go easy,
He's a straight, but he's a very crooked straight man"
And I'd say, "Does the girl in the calendar doubt it?
And by the way is it Marilyn Monroe?"
But she'd just spit softly, say, "Why do you wanna know about it?"
And I'd say, "I was just wondering if she ever sat for Van Gogh."

Interrupts after first few lines ... then starts again ... 
Dylan: Very funky, Not very funky, very sweet. 

It was either her or the straight man who introduced me
To Jeanette, Camilla's friend 
Who later on falsely accused me 
Of stealing her locket and her pen
And I said, "I don't have the locket"
She said, "You'd steal pictures of everybody's mother, I know"
And I said, "There's no locket, no picture of any mother I would pocket
Unless it's been done by Van Gogh."

Dylan: This is a great, great part here... This is all about Camilla.

Camilla's house, it's stood on the outskirts
How strange to see the chandeliers destroyed
While patently he steals(?) the carpet
Of foxhunts and love far before (?)

Dylan: It's got to be in C. The next key chord goes with it ...