☝️ Key Points
- The song is about two cousins, Arthur McBride and the narrator, who resist recruitment into the army.
- Arthur and the narrator reject the soldiers' offers and show their opposition to military service.
- They defend themselves against the soldiers and throw their weapons into the sea.
- The song expresses the strength of the individual to defy societal expectations.
- It is an anthem to freedom and the rejection of oppression.
Interpretation
The song lyrics "Arthur McBride" by
Bob Dylan tell the story of two cousins, Arthur McBride and the narrator, who are walking along the beach on a Christmas morning. Along their way, they encounter Sergeant Napper, Corporal Vamp, and a little drummer boy, who are trying to recruit them. The soldiers offer them money and benefits to join the army, but Arthur and the narrator decline. They explain that they have no interest in being soldiers and facing the disadvantages and dangers of military service. They are content with their own lives and do not want to be sent to foreign countries to be killed.
When the soldiers become aggressive, Arthur and the narrator defend themselves and strike them with their sticks. They throw the soldiers' weapons into the sea and leave them injured.
At the end of the song, Arthur and the narrator declare that they are ready to defend themselves and have no fear of conflicts. They even offer the soldiers to join them if they dare to measure their strengths again.
The song lyrics of "Arthur McBride" are about the strength of the individual who stands against the expectations and constraints of society. It shows that one does not have to be willing to submit to the norms and rules of others, but can follow their own path. It is an anthem to freedom and the rejection of oppression.