“All Along the Watchtower” is a stark, elliptical folk-rock composition written and recorded by Bob Dylan during the sessions for John Wesley Harding. Structured as a circular parable with biblical overtones, the song presents a cryptic dialogue between a joker and a thief, hinting at themes of societal collapse, spiritual ambiguity, and looming transformation. Musically, Dylan abandons the electric fullness of his mid-1960s sound in favor of a minimal arrangement driven by acoustic guitar, harmonica and restrained rhythm section. Although his version received modest attention at release, the song gained monumental cultural impact through Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 cover, which Dylan later praised as definitive. Today it is considered one of Dylan’s most enduring works — a concise, mysterious narrative whose tension and imagery continue to invite interpretation.