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"Street Legal", Track #6

NICK: Love this song - the sense of menace it conveys to me is very strong. (02/03/09)

BLUESMAN MIKE: My take on Senor: it's about Chile. I will NOT criticize General Pinochet, who saved his country from the horrors of Commiedom. Renaldo is describing scenes from the view of an Allende man. "There's a wicked wind..upper deck.." A sailship called the ESMERELDA was used as a floating torture chamber. "Iron Cross"...well, leftists call anyone who stands against collectivism a Nazi, don't they? (I am NOT categorizing Bob as one of that sad crew.) "Let's overturn these tables...disconnect these cables...this place don't make sense to me no more...can you tell me what we're waiting for, Senor?" The narrator has had enough of brutalizing for a cause he doesn't understand. In the early part of the Second World War, SS men were ordered to kill Jews wherever and whenever they were found. Human feelings came into play. Souls revolted. (Remember, Germany was the land of Goethe and Bach.) To Himmler's shock, storm troopers were shooting =themselves= rather than murder the innocent. What to do? Let's do it big time. Let's do it in death camps. No one is =really= guilty because everyone's involved. (03/19/07)

PETE: Sometimes I do love this song, but mostly it seems a little self-conscious to me, as though he was trying too hard. Maybe it's the difference between describing and revealing. WHY does he have to pick himself up off the floor? What's this "have to" all about? Dylan once wrote "i accept chaos. I am not sure whether it accepts me." There may be honesty in Senor's lack of acceptance of chaos, but on some deep level I feel there is less truth. (01/20/07)

BENEDICT: This used to be one of my dads favourites. And i absolutley love it. Street Legal is so often overlooked for poor production, but it really contains some of the most wonderful songs. I love the ghostly atmosphere to this song. And the lyrics are so difficult to grasp and understand, Street legal contains the most profound lyrics in Senor and Changing of the Guards. One possibilty i have come up with, is that Senor could be god, which would be similar to other songs on this album which have references to God, remember this is his last studio album before his religous period, and i think it is beginning to show through in a much more beautiful and subtle way in Senor. I am glad to see it this high, it's a great song! (09/04/06)

CROMEHORSE: Jeez Jenny! Can you find your knees? Jerry Garcia's version beating Mr. D´s???? WOW!!! You sure can find everything in the Lord's praries... Bob´s unique and magical and overwordly version of his song Señor, can make a nonbeliever shiver to the bone. Itr makes me think and cry and feel like no other existing artistic piece (at least from what I've seen) But believe me honey...I have seen a lot. (05/09/06)

JENNY KELLY: best version,Masked&anonymous (04/11/06)

MINGO: "Do you know where she's hiding?" "She held me in her arms one time and said 'forget me not' ".....By "she", he means death. Not talking about the loss of a woman. Throughout the song lyrics, he is pleading to God (Señor), to be taken to paradise. He even asks: "Is there any comfort there, Señor?" and continues "I can't stand the suspense any more". He referes to death as the 'path' or the means to get to that kingdom, which is surely a better place than this world, in which he feels he's paid his dues. Near the end of the song, he sings one of his most meaningful lines ever: "I'm ready when you are, Señor". Finally, he intensly -furthermore, desperately- sings: "Can you tell me what we're waiting for, Señor?". He feels he's been down the road of life so many times, it's now fair to change stages, and find out what's beyond that door he's kept his eyes glued to, for so long now. Undoubtedly, Señor is the most profound song there is.....can you think of another?? (03/29/06)

TONI: Totally love it. (06/05/05)