“To dance beneath the diamond sky, With one hand waving free, Silhouetted by the sea, Circled by the circus sands”

song ~ “Mr Tambourine Man”  
artist ~ Bob Dylan   

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you

Though I know that evening's empire has returned into sand
Vanished from my hand
Left me blindly here to stand
But still not sleeping
My weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet
I have no one to meet
And the ancient empty street's too dead for dreaming

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you

Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship
My senses have been stripped
My hands can't feel to grip
My toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wanderin'
I'm ready to go anywhere
I'm ready for to fade
Into my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way
I promise to go under it

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you

Though you might hear laughin', spinnin' swingin' madly across the sun
It's not aimed at anyone
It's just escapin' on the run
And but for the sky there are no fences facin'
And if you hear vague traces of skippin' reels of rhyme
To your tambourine in time
It's just a ragged clown behind
I wouldn't pay it any mind
It's just a shadow you're seein' that he's chasing

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you

And take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind
Down the foggy ruins of time
Far past the frozen leaves
The haunted, frightened trees
Out to the windy beach
Far from the twisted reach
Of crazy sorrow

Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free
Silhouetted by the sea
Circled by the circus sands
With all memory and fate
Driven deep beneath the waves
Let me forget about today
Until tomorrow

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you     _{(Image source)}

Comments 

With its upbeat tempo and dreamlike images, this classic Dylan song became a Number 1 hit when it was covered by The Byrds, shortly after Dylan’s original was released in 1965.  

Death is not the end

“Mr Tambourine Man” has been said to be about drugs, or about artistic inspiration, or even about “existential loneliness.”  But the most reasonable interpretation says that it’s about death.    

Dylan wrote this song after spending some time in New Orleans. Apparently, a tambourine player is a common feature of funerals in New Orleans. The tambourine player walks alone, separate from the funeral procession, dressed in a unique style that further sets him apart from the mourners.       _{(Image source)}

Parade to glory

Dylan clearly implies that, when he dies, he would prefer to follow this character. In fact, he even declares that he is ready to die. 

   I'm ready for to fade, Into my own parade
   Cast your dancing spell my way, I promise to go under it

Instead of marching in somber file with typical mourners in a funeral procession, the lyricist would prefer to go under the “dancing spell” of the tambourine as he parades out of this life into glory.  
Bob Dylan – "Mr Tambourine Man"  _{(Right-click to hear on YouTube)}
Lyrics by Bob Dylan, courtesy of – AZLyrics.com
References – Wikipedia
References – SongMeanings.com

This is my entry in the 60-Day Lyrics Challenge.
Click here to learn about @SteemitCentral’s – Lyrics Challenge.