23. Lily, Rosemary & The Jack Of Hearts with Amy Maude Helfer (Mezzo Soprano)

Henry welcomes professional opera singer and cantor, Mezzo Soprano, Amy Maude Helfer, to talk about 1975's Blood On The Tracks song, Lily Rosemary & The Jack Of Hearts.Listen to the song and follow along with the lyrics:https://www.bobdylan.com/songs/lily-rosemary-and-jack-hearts/Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of HeartsWritten by: Bob DylanThe festival was over, the boys were all plannin’ for a fallThe cabaret was quiet except for the drillin’ in the wallThe curfew had been lifted and the gamblin’ wheel shut downAnyone with any sense had already left townHe was standin’ in the doorway lookin’ like the Jack of HeartsHe moved across the mirrored room, “Set it up for everyone,” he saidThen everyone commenced to do what they were doin’ before he turned their headsThen he walked up to a stranger and he asked him with a grin“Could you kindly tell me, friend, what time the show begins?”Then he moved into the corner, face down like the Jack of HeartsBackstage the girls were playin’ five-card stud by the stairsLily had two queens, she was hopin’ for a third to match her pairOutside the streets were fillin’ up, the window was open wideA gentle breeze was blowin’, you could feel it from insideLily called another bet and drew up the Jack of HeartsBig Jim was no one’s fool, he owned the town’s only diamond mineHe made his usual entrance lookin’ so dandy and so fineWith his bodyguards and silver cane and every hair in placeHe took whatever he wanted to and he laid it all to wasteBut his bodyguards and silver cane were no match for the Jack of HeartsRosemary combed her hair and took a carriage into townShe slipped in through the side door lookin’ like a queen without a crownShe fluttered her false eyelashes and whispered in his ear“Sorry, darlin’, that I’m late,” but he didn’t seem to hearHe was starin’ into space over at the Jack of Hearts“I know I’ve seen that face before,” Big Jim was thinkin’ to himself“Maybe down in Mexico or a picture up on somebody’s shelf”But then the crowd began to stamp their feet and the houselights did dimAnd in the darkness of the room there was only Jim and himStarin’ at the butterfly who just drew the Jack of HeartsLily was a princess, she was fair-skinned and precious as a childShe did whatever she had to do, she had that certain flash every time she smiledShe’d come away from a broken home, had lots of strange affairsWith men in every walk of life which took her everywhereBut she’d never met anyone quite like the Jack of HeartsThe hangin’ judge came in unnoticed and was being wined and dinedThe drillin’ in the wall kept up but no one seemed to pay it any mindIt was known all around that Lily had Jim’s ringAnd nothing would ever come between Lily and the kingNo, nothin’ ever would except maybe the Jack of HeartsRosemary started drinkin’ hard and seein’ her reflection in the knifeShe was tired of the attention, tired of playin’ the role of Big Jim’s wifeShe had done a lot of bad things, even once tried suicideWas lookin’ to do just one good deed before she diedShe was gazin’ to the future, riding on the Jack of HeartsLily washed her face, took her dress off and buried it away“Has your luck run out?” she laughed at him, “Well, I guess you must    have known it would somedayBe careful not to touch the wall, there’s a brand-new coat of paintI’m glad to see you’re still alive, you’re lookin’ like a saint”Down the hallway footsteps were comin’ for the Jack of HeartsThe backstage manager was pacing all around by his chair“There’s something funny going on,” he said, “I can just feel it in the air”He went to get the hangin’ judge, but the hangin’ judge was drunkAs the leading actor hurried by in the costume of a monkThere was no actor anywhere better than the Jack of HeartsLily’s arms were locked around the man that she dearly loved to touchShe forgot all about the man she couldn’t stand who hounded her so much“I’ve missed you so,” she said to him, and he felt she was sincereBut just beyond the door he felt jealousy and fearJust another night in the life of the Jack of HeartsNo one knew the circumstance but they say that it happened pretty quickThe door to the dressing room burst open and a cold revolver clickedAnd Big Jim was standin’ there, ya couldn’t say surprisedRosemary right beside him, steady in her eyesShe was with Big Jim but she was leanin’ to the Jack of HeartsTwo doors down the boys finally made it through the wallAnd cleaned out the bank safe, it’s said that they got off with quite a haulIn the darkness by the riverbed they waited on the groundFor one more member who had business back in townBut they couldn’t go no further without the Jack of HeartsThe next day was hangin’ day, the sky was overcast and blackBig Jim lay covered up, killed by a penknife in the backAnd Rosemary on the gallows, she didn’t even blinkThe hangin’ judge was sober, he hadn’t had a drinkThe only person on the scene missin’ was the Jack of HeartsThe cabaret was empty now, a sign said, “Closed for repair”Lily had already taken all of the dye out of her hairShe was thinkin’ ’bout her father, who she very rarely sawThinkin’ ’bout Rosemary and thinkin’ about the lawBut most of all she was thinkin’ ’bout the Jack of HeartsCopyright © 1974 by Ram's Horn Music; renewed 2002 by Ram’s Horn Music Follow us on Instagram @songsofbob,If you would like to support hosting my podcasts, please check out my Patreon where for $5 I will give you a shout out on the podcast of your choice. 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