Great tune Chris, another of your modern day classics !
I guess you call it a "power ballad" because of the slower tempo ?
You really cut loose with some great guitar solos in this one, and the audio mix/recording is excellent as well.

Hi folks . . . first post, go gentle.
This is a song I wrote a few years back, and just recently re-recorded it . . . mostly bumped up the tempo and sang it again, re-did the guitars. It's part of a collection of songs I like to refer to as "Lost Highway"

https://soundcloud.com/epicdreamery/rear-view-mirror

Hi John!
My thought:

The lyric is about some powerful dictator who does everything his own way, and refuses to accept failure?

I think Rob’s original, might be less cluttered (as couch indicated), if the pronoun is changed from I to he. So then it becomes the singer telling a tale of the dictator’s authoring his own captivity.

In Dylan’s release lyric, the singer knows very clearly of being captive, and longs to be freed.

I thought of the Who song, Behind Blue Eyes, where the singer knows full well of his capture, and has an evil plan to free himself…..here the I pronoun works.


Your rewrite, has the singer confront the dictator directly….that works I think.
Bill

Cool John...when I was listening to it I was almost hearing your voice and playing your guitar and then I realized you have a very distinct writing style that came through perfectly...good stuff

Steve

Rob B posted a lyric "Captured" earlier that I commented on with a suggested direction, which I have now fleshed out further.
Thought I'd listen to Couch to and keep it short LOL

Been working on music and may have something but it is premarure for that

Rob + whoever have at her. Red..need more furniture? Bill?

I'm hearing a Bowie "Big Brother" in someone to save us.....

There's also the obvious Leonard Cohen line lift that I really like that anchors this

 
No Name Yet


There's no crack in the wall where the light gets in
When you plaster it over however you can
Don't dirty your hands when useful idiots will do
Whatever you want them to

In a darkened room where truth is alone
With a bitter grifter out picking bones
See how it is, Acton told us the truth
Whatever comes out of you

Called for a saviour, someone to follow
Promised so much we need no longer swallow
Now with no choice amongst stinking fish
Sad to hear you say that it’s the best that there is

Called for a saviour, someone to follow
You said it was easy, it turned out all hollow
Now there’s no choice amongst stinking fish
Except not to eat it anymore as it is

Guess you really can't help it when you’re captured inside
Plastered the cracks that let in the light

Called for a saviour, someone to follow
Promised so much we need no longer swallow
Now with no choice amongst stinking fish
Sad to hear you say that it’s the best that there is

Called for a saviour, someone to follow
You said it was easy, it turned out all hollow
Now with no choice amongst stinking fish
Except not to eat it anymore as it is