When I was growing up - say in the fifties - the thirties to me didn't even exist. I couldn't even imagine them in any kind of way, so I don't expect anyone growing up now is gonna even understand what the sixties were all about, anymore than I could the thirties or twenties.

Don't Ask Me Nothing About Nothing, I Just Might Tell You the Truth

They like to take all this money from sin, build big universities to study in, sing Amazing Grace all the way to the Swiss banks.

Let me ask you one question Is your money that good Will it buy you forgiveness Do you think that it could I think you will find When your death takes its toll All the money you made Will never buy back your soul

You don't have to be afraid of looking into my face. We've done nothing to each other that time will not erase.

There doesn't seem to be any tomorrow. Every time I wake up, no matter in what position, it's always been today.

The "joker" here ["All Along the Watchtower" ] is the older [Bob] Dylan himself, whining about exploitation, and the thief's rejoinder re-contextualizes the earlier critique into the religious frames that would become more prominent as time went on.