Early Roman Kings

Dylan must have written this song after watching a Scorsese mobster movie. These Sicilian Roman Kings are cleared modeled on such characters.

In the first few verse, the Kings are described as corrupted and evil: “They destroyed your city, they’ll destroy you as well.” In the final verses, our protagonist gives them a bit of their own medicine. “Gonna shake ‘em all down like the early Roman Kings.” Dylan is definitely engaging in some old school blues “boasting”, a style he’s used repeatedly in his later years.

“Fly away little bird” is pretty similar to Hazel Dickens “fly away pretty bird.”

Somebody on Song Genius suggested that “distributing the corn” could be a reference to bootleggers; a very good observation.

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” is a line delivered by mobster Michael Corleone in the film The Godfather: Part III.

Ding Dong Daddy (DDD) is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics and appearing as an enemy of the Teen Titans.

Ding Dong Daddy – Wikipedia

An Interview with Richard Thomas on Bob Dylan and the Classics | Persephone: The Harvard Undergraduate Classics Journal

all music

 “Early Roman Kings” is a basic rewrite of Muddy Waters‘ “Mannish Boy.” David Hidalgo‘s old-world accordion plays the signature swaggering, razor-sharp guitar riff underscoring the notion that the blues are universal, timeless. Dylan‘s nasty rasp fueled by lust, vengeance, and power is balanced by his wicked humor: “I can strip you of life, strip you of breath/I can ship you down, to the house of death…I ain’t dead yet, my bell still rings/I keep my fingers crossed like the early Roman kings.” 

I like the close-ups in this one. Good version too.

Lyrics

All the early Roman Kings in their sharkskin suits
Bowties and buttons, high top boots
Driving the spikes in, blazing the rails
Nailed in their coffins in top hats and tails
Fly away little bird, fly away, flap your wings
Fly by night like the early Roman Kings

All the early Roman Kings in the early, early morn’
Coming down the mountain, distributing the corn
Speeding through the forest, racing down the track
You try to get away, they drag you back
Tomorrow is Friday, we’ll see what it brings
Everybody’s talking ‘bout the early Roman Kings

They’re peddlers and they’re meddlers, they buy and they sell
They destroyed your city, they’ll destroy you as well
They’re lecherous and treacherous, hell bent for leather
Each of them bigger than all men put together
Sluggers and muggers wearing fancy gold rings
All the women going crazy for the early Roman Kings

I’ll dress up your wounds with a blood clotted rag
I ain’t afraid to make love to a bitch or a hag
If you see me coming and you’re standing there
Wave your handkerchief in the air
I ain’t dead yet, my bell still rings
I keep my fingers crossed like the early Roman Kings

I’ll strip you of life, strip you of breath
Ship you down to the house of death
One day you will ask for me
There’ll be no one else that you’ll want to see
Bring down my fiddle, tune up my strings
Gonna break it wide open like the early Roman Kings

I was up on black mountain the day Detroit fell
They killed them all off and they sent them to hell
Ding Dong Daddy, you’re coming up short
Gonna put you on trial in a Sicilian court
I’ve had my fun, I’ve had my flings
Gonna shake ‘em all down like the early Roman Kings

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