The lyrics depict the town of Scarlet Town as a place filled with both beauty and darkness where people struggle with inner and external conflicts, love, mortality and regret. The narrator seems to be reflecting on his hometown and the complex emotions and experiences associated with it.

Meaning of "Scarlet Town" by Bob Dylan

"Scarlet Town" by Bob Dylan delves into the complexities and contradictions of human existence. The town itself is a symbol of the world, with its ivy leaves and silver thorns, representing the mixture of beauty and pain that coexist in life. The mentions of Sweet William's deathbed and Mistress Mary kissing his face allude to the fragility of life and the inevitability of death. The narrator seems to be grappling with the passage of time, the choices made, and the regrets that accompany them. Scarlet Town is a microcosm of society, where good and evil, love and sin, beauty and crime exist side by side. The juxtaposition of the seemingly mundane with the profound reflects the complexities of the human experience.