This surreal cut from Bob Dylan’s 1978 album Street-Legal can be interpreted in many ways. Dylan himself has offered many different explanations of the song’s intricate lyrics, often contradicting his earlier descriptions. Whatever the story, or stories, this is a fine piece of performance art and one of Dylan’s best from the 1970s. The front cover of the album Street-Legal has Dylan standing at the bottom of a flight of steps, coat in hand. Is he waiting for someone to tell him which way to go, checking that the coast is clear, or looking out for Señor?
Played as a minor-key ballad, we see Sir Bob emerging from something, heading somewhere: “Lincoln County Road or Armageddon?” he asks in line two. The title of the song leaves you wondering what this could possibly be all about. Why the Tales of Yankee Power? Does it suggest America is losing its grip, or tightening it? Throughout the words, Dylan asks Señor questions and never gets an answer. Is he looking for religious direction or affirmation, trying to make sense of chaos and possible Armageddon? Rolling Stone described the track as a “baffling-yet-haunting country rock epic“. Wise words indeed.
Dylan then throws a woman into the mix, asking the silent Señor where she may be hiding and “How long are we gonna be riding?” This gives it all a western feel and yet another dimension. The beauty of songs is that they can mean different things to different people, and these can alter with time and place. Swirling imagery suggests Dylan is being visited with visions he is trying to make sense of: painted wagons, smells, and the weird, out-of-nowhere “trainload of fools bogged down in a magnetic field,” which he says isn’t a dream; it is real.
Musically, Dylan uses a simple, slow-building backdrop for his magnificent delivery. Ethereal voices add background vocals with an almost gospel feel, rising and falling with the music. The mandolin, rather than just acoustic guitar, fits perfectly as Dylan’s vocals begin to show rising frustration. Señor doesn’t offer answers or direction, leaving a sense of loss and bewilderment at the end. Each run-through offers something different, and it is no surprise that many cover versions have been released and many acts continue to play the song live.
Willie Nelson & Calexico recorded a version for the 2007 film I’m Not There. Nelson’s delivery fits it perfectly. His slightly delayed vocals, which confounded many producers over his career but delighted fans, give the lyrics time to sink in and breathe. The addition of Mexican horns is a delight.
Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings released an album of folk covers, All The Good Times Are Past & Gone, in 2020, and chose the song. Rawlings takes lead vocals, and if you thought the original was slow, Welch and Rawlings slow it down to a crawl. Their splendid timing and approach, along with Rawlings’ signature guitar playing, make this special.
Tim O’Brien’s version from his 1996 album of Dylan covers, Red On Blonde, is worth checking out; O’Brien increases the pace, giving the track a bluegrass feel. The violin and mandolin take the lead before some wonderful guitar comes in at the break between verses.
In 2009, country artist Dierks Bentley moved away from his usual formula and recorded a bluegrass album featuring The Punch Brothers, Del McCoury, Miranda Lambert, and others. His version, with the help of Chris Thile and The Punch Brothers, is a joy from start to finish. He takes O’Brien’s bluegrass idea and raises the intensity. Before you dismiss Bentley as the country artist, drowning his sorrows and getting Drunk On A Plane, give this one a listen; the whole bluegrass album Up On The Ridge is well worth a spin.
Billy Strings also includes his bluegrass rendition of the track in his live shows. Strings’ version runs along similar lines to O’Brien and Bentley, and having played with Bentley on stage in his formative years, maybe his love for the song came from those days.
As for Dylan, Señor remained in his repertoire for many tours as the only selection from the Street-Legal album. Baffling, mythical, maybe, but still magical, the song that stood out on the record has stood the test of time and will continue to delight listeners and performing artists who discover it.
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