Oh Sister, like many Dylan songs, can be interpreted on various levels: a relationship of siblings, a love affair, possibly with biographical references? From a spiritual perspective, it may be the spirit aspect addressing the soul aspect in man.
We have written about the song here, and later recorded a video focusing on a spiritual perspective:
The video covers the following sections:
- When the song was written and first performed, and who co-authored it
- A story of estranged siblings?
- Oh Sister as a love song?
- Aspects of the relationship between Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, including Baez’s song Oh Brother
- Reading the lyrics in terms of the spirit aspect addressing the soul aspect
- Some thoughts on time vs. eternity: “Time is an Ocean but it Ends at the Shore“
- Some thoughts on whether there are one or two souls within humans
Enjoy the video, and let me know what you think of the song and what you associate with it!
Listen to the master himself – a recording from 1976:
For contrast, Joan Baez‘ bitter song Oh Brother: