07 · 08 · 2025
When Bob Dylan arrived in New York, he portrayed himself as an innocent talent, oblivious to literary ambitions. However, as fellow folk musician Dave Van Ronk recalled in his memoir, this depiction wasn't entirely accurate—he even had notes from Bob in some old books he had lent him.
Many of Bob Dylan's songs feature literary references that can be quite subtle. Take ‘Black Diamond Day’ from the album ‘Desire’—a cult favorite that was seemingly performed live only once—it includes a reference to Joseph Conrad’s novel, Victory.
The song was crafted with Jacques Levy, a relatively unknown songwriter at that time who also had a budding career as a sought-after film director. As a film enthusiast himself, and fresh from his role in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Bob Dylan connected well with Levy.
The song boasts an intricate rhyming scheme and portrays various characters on a tropical island as a volcano erupts nearby.
The term ‘yellow fog’ in the lyrics is borrowed from T.S. Eliot’s poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, yet the imagery throughout is depicted in monochrome—could this be a nod to the adventure films of the 1930s and 1940s?
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The title is derived from Joseph Conrad’s Victory, with the original phrase stating, “…the slight indentation which for a time was known officially as Black Diamond Bay…”
The lyrics pose a series of enigmas—who, for instance, is the Soviet Ambassador?
A part of Bob Dylan’s renowned ‘Desire’ album, ‘Black Diamond Bay’ often goes unnoticed—take a moment to revisit the song below.
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Related: Bob Dylan’s 10 Greatest Love Songs
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When Bob Dylan arrived in New York, he introduced himself as an innocent talent, lacking knowledge of literary endeavors. As fellow folk musician Dave Van Ronk pointed out in his