Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part XXIX)

By Larry Fyffe

Said by some art historians that Leonardo da Vinci replaces the bad-boy Apostle John with Mary Magdalene in the painting “The Last Supper”.

Christ’s bond with her is much stronger than the relationships He has with His male companions.

Close examination of the Dylavinci Code demonstrates that indeed Christ has a long-term relationship with Mary, but, hold on to your seatbelts, it’s a bumpy ride.

Turns out Maggie has multiple personalities, and Jesus manages to kick out only seven of them.

For example, she easily changes from ‘Spanish Mary” to “French Marie”, and then back again.

As the song lyrics beneath reveal, Jesus is in France to meet up with pregnant Mary; He runs into a bit of trouble, and, lo and behold, something strange happens:

They threw me in the alley
When up comes this girl from France
Who invited me to her house
I went, but she had a friend
Who knocked me out
And robbed my boots
And I was on the street again
(Bob Dylan: 115th Dream)

Mary’s ‘half-siblings’ Martha and Lazarus are living with her in France, and are a bit surprised that Jesus is caught off guard because of a similar incident that happened in America.

Indicated in the following song lyrics:
Shakespeare's in the alley 
With his pointed shoes and his bells
Speaking to some French girl
Who says she knows me well
(Bob Dylan: Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again)

Magdalene’s schizophrenia explains in part why Jesus bounds her up “undead” in the Sphinx –  to protect their child, and to save Himself from any of her unsavory personalities.

Vivien, first wife of TS Eliot, suffers a similar fate, dies in a mental hospital.

The singer/songwriter as “Jesus, the Thief” could be playing that role again, cohabiting with his grown-up daughter for a time in some Gothic Usher Castle in order to strengthen the right of family members to the hold the keys to the pearly gates through their blood line.

Or Dylan as “Jesus, the Joker”, could just be pulling a fast one on everybody.

In the verse beneath, Jesus and Mary gaily ride up to the Magdala Castle on the Sea of Galilee while the wind laughs it’s clouds off:

Outside in the distance
A wildcat did growl
Two riders were approaching
The wind began to howl
(Bob Dylan: All Along The Watchtower)

As Jesus is always telling Mary, “He who laughs last, laughs loudest”.

Cover versions in this series

• Abandoned Love – Sean Keane
• Ahab The Arab -Ray Stevens
• Angelina -Bob Dylan
• Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream -John Bull And The Bandits
• Billy Los Lobos
• Changing Of The Guards -Whitley & Lang
• Changing Of The Guards -Gaslight Anthem
• Crossing The Rubicon -Bob Dylan
• Drifter’s Escape -George Thorogood/Destroyers
• Duquesne Whistle -Benmont Tench
• False Prophet -Bob Dylan
• Going to Acapulco – Calexico
• Goodbye Jimmy Reed -Bob Dylan
• Groom’s Still Waiting At The Altar -Elkie Brooks 
• Handy Dandy -Bob Dylan
• High Water – Joan Osborne
• Highway 61 Revisited -Ross Scrivener
• Highway 61 Revisited – Ben Sidran
• I Contain Multitudes -Emma Swift
• I Dreamed I Saw St Augustine – John Doe
• Idiot Wind -Gerard Quintana
• Idiot Wind -The Coal Porters
• I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight -Robert Palmer
• Isis – Julie Corbalis
• Isis -White Stripes
• Just Like A Woman -Old Crow Medicine Show
• Little Maggie – Bob Dylan
• Lord Protect My Child -Susan Tedeshi
• Maggie’s Farm -Chicken Diamond
• Maggie’s Farm -The Specials
• Maggie’s Farm – Zero Prophet
• Maggie’s Farm – Jimmy Vivino And The Black Italians
• Mary And The Soldier – Bob Dylan
• Memphis Blues – HC Handy
• My Own Version Of You -Bob Dylan
• Not Dark Yet: Lucinda Williams
• Oh Sister – Stanilsaw Sojka
• Precious Angel – The Weather Station
• Pretty Mary -Bob Dylan/Band
• Ring Them Bells -Muscle And Bone
• Ring Them Bells – McCrary Sisters
• Rocky Racoon -Charlie Parr
• Romance In Durango – Julie Felix
• Romance In Durango -Gerard Quintana
• Romance In Durango – Starry Eyed and Laughing
• Scarlet Town -Bob Dylan
• Seeing The Real You At Last -Bettye Lavette
• Simple Twist of Fate – Emma Swift
• Sign On The Window -Al Turk
• Sign On the Window – Sarah Jarosz
• Slow Train – Clas Yngstrom
• Stuck inside Of Mobile – North Mississippi Alstars
• Summer Days -Brothers Lazaroff
• Talking World War III Blues -Toni Vescoli
• Tears of Rage – Odissed
• Things have changed – String Swing
• Time Passes Slowly: Judy Collins
• Times they are a changing – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
• Tin Angel – Bob Dylan
• Visions Of Johanna – Stephen Inglis
• Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show
• Wedding Song – Maria Muldaur

Earlier articles

• Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code Part 1
• Bob Dylan And The DylavincI Code (Part II)
• Bob Dylan And The DylavincI Code (Part III)
• Bob Dylan And The DylavincI Code (Part IV)
• Bob Dylan And The DylavincI Code (Part V)
• Bob  Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part VI)
• Bob Dylan And The DylavincI Code (Part VII)
• Bob Dylan And the Dylanvinci Code Part VIII
• Bob Dylan And The DylavincI Code (Part IX)
• Bob Dylan And The DylavincI Code (Part X)
• Bob Dylan And The DylanvincI Code (Part XI)
• Bob Dylan and The DylanvincI Code (Part XII)
• Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part XIII)
• Bob Dylan And The Dylanvinci Code (Part XIV) 
• Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part XV)
• Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part XVI) 
• Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part XVII)
• Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part XVIII)
• Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part XIX)
• Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part XX)
• Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part XXI)
• Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part XXII)
• Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part XXIII)
• Bob Dylan And the Dylavinci Code (Part XXIV)
• Bob Dylan and the Dylavinci Code (Part XXV)
• Bob Dylan and the Dylavinci Code Part XXVI
• Bob Dylan and the Dylavinci Code Part XXVII
• Bob Dylan And The Dylavinci Code (Part XXVIII)