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"Blood On The Tracks", Track #4

ROGER: His angriest song. "You hurt the ones that I love best and cover up the truth with lies. One day you'll be in the ditch, flies buzzing around your eyes. Blood on your saddle." Jesus Christ that is mean spirited. Go Bob! (05/19/11)

DAVID DIXON: I'm not an angry person. I try not to indulge the kind of bitterness that fuels Idiot Wind. However, it is a wonderful song. It is a powerful song with vivid images and superb writing used to express a great depth of angry emotion (I also like the melancholy Bootleg version). The song appears to have layers of meaning, rather than just one. There are references that seem to clearly point to a real relationship (bootleg version: "you could have the best there is, but it's going to cost you all your love. You can't get it for money."), but it seems quite possible that some sections refer to others-perhaps former friends, business associates, or classes of people, such as his fans. One guy (A.J. Weberman, I think) said it's an angry assault on America's ruling class, but I think it's clearly more personal than that. This is a song that springs from wounding, bitterness, sadness,disappointment, and regret. It seems to me it must flow from real broken relationship(s). (12/20/07)

OUALI: my favorite version is the bootleg series one,too.I agree isis. (04/16/06)

JENNY KELLY: you an idiot babe (04/11/06)

SILLYGAL33436: Your not alone Denise or Isis! (04/10/06)

DENISE BLACK: Am I the only listener to believe this song speaks about the public in large and not specifically to an old lover? (04/10/06)

ROLLING THUNDER: For me, the greatest version is on Hard Rain. It is pure venom. (03/29/06)

ISIS: Think it's too simplistic to say this song is just about a former lover. All his songs, have layers of meaning...spirituality, love, hate, war, peace. That said, my favorite version is the Bootleg Series one. I think I prefer him melancholy to caustic. (03/16/06)

TODD: "everything i ever wanted to say to a former love. Perfect statement - Aims for the throat but hits the heart dead on." (03/03/06)

BETH: always liked Idiot Wind, didn't realize so many others liked it too, speaks to a certain time in relationships when perhaps we were all idiots (but thought we were'working things out'). Personally, I'm glad those times are over! (03/03/06)