Bob Dylan

expert judge; a person who is professionally engaged in the analysis of works of art

♪

Come writers and critics who prophesize with your pen

And keep your eyes wide, the chance won't come again

purposeless; producing no result or effect

But nothing really matters much, it's doom alone that counts

And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a futile horn

"Come in," she said

rebel; break with established customs

'Neath a heart-shaped tattoo

Renegade priests (renegade priests)

And treacherous young witches

wear away; cause to deteriorate due to the action of water, air, or an acid

My Madonna, she still has not showed

We see this empty cage now corrode

Where her cape of the stage once had flowed

mysterious; relating to or characteristic of mysticism

Sara, oh Sara

Radiant jewel, a mystical wife

Sleepin' in the woods by a fire in the night

brief; expressing much in few words

She's delicate and seems like the mirror

But she just makes it all to concise and too clear

That Johanna's not here

wanderer; anything that resembles a vagabond in having no fixed place

Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you

The vagabond who's rapping at your door

Is standing in the clothes that you once wore

swearing; blasphemous language (expressing disrespect for God or for something sacred)

Of evening have rung

There's blasphemy on every tongue

Let them say that I walked

easily hurt; responsive to physical stimuli

I've just learned to turn it off

Either I'm too sensitive

Or else I'm gettin' soft

a striking or unlikely combination of events

The highway is for gamblers, better use your sense

Take what you have gathered from coincidence

The empty-handed painter from your streets

pay attention; pay close attention to; give heed to

♪

So, take heed, take heed of the Western winds

Take heed of the stormy weather

mild; humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness

♪

I've been meek, and hard like an oak

I've seen pretty people disappear like smoke

wander; continue talking or writing in a desultory manner

The bridge at midnight trembles

The country doctor rambles

Banker's nieces seek perfection

support; be behind; approve of

The sweet, pretty things are in bed now, of course

The city fathers, they're trying to endorse

The reincarnation of Paul Revere's horse

think over; reflect deeply on a subject

Mother of Muses, sing for me

Sing of the mountains and the deep dark sea

honest; free from ambiguity

Go tell it on the mountain, go tell the real story

Tell it in that straightforward, puritanical tone

In the mystic hours when a person's alone

see through; transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity

I can't play the record 'cause my needle got stuck

Transparent woman in a transparent dress

Suits you well, I must confess

saved item; a small part or portion that remains after the main part no longer exists

She looks nothin' like that.

And all the remnants of her recent past

Are scattered in the wild wind.

bond; a restraint that confines or restricts freedom

His closest friends were black men 'cause they seemed to understand

What it's like to be in society with a shackle on your hand

When they let him out in '71 he'd lost a little weight

walk pompously; to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others

Them charcoal gypsy maidens

Can strut their feathers well

But nobody can sing the blues

jumble; a confused multitude of things

If the fates allow

Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow

So have yourself a merry little Christmas now

peace lover; someone opposed to violence as a means of settling disputes

He's the neighborhood bully

Well, he's surrounded by pacifists who all want peace

They pray for it nightly that the bloodshed must cease

ooze; pass gradually or leak through or as if through small openings

Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho

Let every state in this union seep deep down in your souls

And you'll die in your footsteps before you go down under the ground

humanitarian; someone who makes charitable donations intended to increase human well-being

♪

He's a great humanitarian, he's a great philanthropist

He knows just where to touch you, honey, and how you like to be kissed

deep; showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth

♪

The truth was obscure, too profound and too pure

To live it you had to explode

organize; a law officer having duties similar to those of a sheriff

The deputy sheriffs, the soldiers, the governors get paid

And the marshals and cops get the same

But the poor white man's used in the hands of them all like a tool

unnecessary; serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being

I'm not playin', I'm not pretendin'

I'm not nursin' any superfluous fears

Ain't talkin', just walkin'

chase; carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in

Keep me set apart

From all the plans they do pursue

And I, I don't mind the pain

keep up; lengthen or extend in duration or space

Don't mind the driving rain

I know I will sustain

'Cause I believe in you

get off; go ashore

Not one of them would ever live to

Tell the tale on the disembark

Brother rose up 'gainst brother

huge; of great force or power

As the ballroom dancers twirled

He dreamed the Titanic was sinking

Into the underworld

victim; a person who is the aim of an attack

And her silver-studded phantom cause the gray flannel dwarf to scream

As he weeps to wicked birds of prey, who pick upon his bread crumb sins

And there are no sins inside the Gates of Eden

infamy; the state of being known for some unfavorable act or quality

He who cannot be trusted must fall

Loneliness, tenderness, high society, notoriety

You fight for the throne and you travel alone

move; cause to move, usually with force or pressure

Race or chase you, track or trace you

Or disgrace you or displace you or define you or confine you

All I really want to do is, baby, be friends with you

limitation; the act of controlling by restraining someone or something

"Arise, arise", he cried so loud

With a voice without restraint

"Come out, ye gifted kings and queens

flatter; a color or pigment varying around a light grey-brown color

With the innocence of a lamb, she was gentle like a fawn

I courted her proudly, but now she is gone

strictness; the physical property of being stiff and resisting bending

You're stranded with nothing to share

Loyalty, unity, epitome, rigidity

You turn around for one real last glimpse of camille

modesty; a disposition to be humble; a lack of false pride

To survive it you play deaf and dumb

Equality, liberty, humility, simplicity

You glance through the mirror and there's eyes staring clear

interrupt; get involved, so as to alter an action, or through force or threat of force

In silence there he waited for

Time and space to intervene

The passageway was narrow

hiding place; a shelter from danger or hardship

And strengthen the things that remain?

You got innocent men in jail, insane asylums are filled

You got unrighteous doctors

give up; leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily

The foreign sun, it squints upon a bed that is never mine

As friends and other strangers from their fates try to resign

Leaving men wholly, totally free to do anything they wish to do, but die

motionless; not circulating or flowing

'Til your error you clearly learn

Now he worships at an altar, of a stagnant pool

And when he sees his reflection, he's fulfilled

praise; praise, glorify, or honor

Judgment on them is something that you'll never see

They can exalt you up or bring you down main route

Turn you into anything that they want you to be

tighten; a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time

Well, my nerves are exploding and my body's tense

I feel like the whole world got me pinned up against the fence

show; break the trust of; reveal unintentionally

Say, like you'd have them do unto you

Don't wanna betray nobody, don't wanna be betrayed

Don't wanna play with nobody, don't wanna be waylaid

irritating; causing disapproval or protest

Tweedle-dee Dum said to Tweedle-dee Dee

"Your presence is obnoxious to me."

They're like babies sittin' on a woman's knee

trickery; shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception

♪

Heart of mine, so malicious and so full of guile

Give you an inch and you'll take a mile

legal summons; serve or summon with a subpoena

When the judge sent me down the road

With your subpoena

♪

forewarning; a feeling of evil to come

One single unit, inseparably linked

"Got a strange premonition there's a man close by"

"Don't worry about him, he wouldn't harm a fly"

sing; sing or play with trills, alternating with the half note above or below

High water everywhere

The cuckoo is a pretty bird, she warbles as she flies

I'm preachin' the word of god

complex; having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate

Wasn't making any great connections

Wasn't falling for any intricate schemes

Nothing that would pass inspection

honor; something given or done as an expression of esteem

Say he's out of step with reality as you try to test his nerve

Because he doesn't pay tribute to the king that you serve

He's the property of Jesus

agreement; permission to do something

Said, "miss mousey, will you marry me? " uh-huh.

"without my uncle rat's consent, uh-huh

"without my uncle rat's consent, uh-huh

boring; so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness

Threw it in the tide for to rock and to roll,

And bade it a tedious returning,

And we havin' no money, paid them off in cracks.

understanding; clear or deep perception of a situation

Lenny Bruce is dead, but he didn't commit any crime

He just had the insight to rip off the lid before its time

I rode with him in a taxi once, only for a mile and a half

popular leader, troublemaker; a political leader who appeals to passions and prejudices

I've gone where the Southern crosses The Yellow Dog

Get away from these demagogues

And these bad luck women stick like glue

hateful; having the nature of or resulting from malice

♪

Heart of mine, so malicious and so full of guile

Give you an inch and you'll take a mile

landing place; a formal reception of visitors or guests (as at a royal court)

If it keep on rainin'

The levee gonna break

If it keep on rainin'

activity; move or cause to move energetically or busily

This is Santa's big scene

And above all this bustle

You'll hear

related to the universe; pertaining to or characteristic of the cosmos or universe

Stand up straight and tall

In harmony with the cosmic sea

True love needs no company

violation; the act of transgressing; the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle

Intercedes for you instead of casting you blame

Will not deceive you or lead you into transgression

Won't write it up and make you sign a false confession

weak; physically weak

♪

There are frail forms fainting at the door

♪

splendor; the quality of being magnificent or splendid or grand

From the disease of conceit

Give ya delusions of grandeur

And an evil eye

illusion; (psychology) an incorrect belief that is held in spite of evidence to the contrary

From the disease of conceit

Give ya delusions of grandeur

And an evil eye

disgraceful person; reject (documents) as invalid

Uttering idle words from a reprobate mind

Clinging to strange promises, dying on the vine

forward-thinking; a person who favors reform and the protection of civil liberties

♪

Now, I'm liberal, but to a degree, I want everybody to be free

But if you think I'll let Barry Goldwater

make fun; treat with contempt

That set everybody free

Fools they made a mock of sin

Our loyalty they tried to win

give; transmit (knowledge or skills)

The wondrous gift is given

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of all His heaven

peaceful; (of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves

♪

I walk by tranquil lakes and streams

As each new season's dawn awaits

difference of opinion; a contentious speech act

Handy dandy, controversy surrounds him

He been around the world and back again

storm; a strong wind moving 45-90 knots; force 7 to 10 on Beaufort scale

With the storms ragin' round us

And the winds a-blowin' gale

I'd rather have drowned in misery

infection; any disease easily transmitted by contact

No kindred or relative nigh

I met the contagion and sank to the tomb

My soul flew to mansions on high

belief; a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school

♪

What are you tryin' to overpower me with, the doctrine or the gun

My back's to the wall, where can I run

situation; a condition that accompanies or influences some event or activity

God knows there's a chance

God knows you can rise above the darkest hour of any circumstance

God knows there's a Heaven

tuneful; having a musical sound; especially a pleasing tune

The seasons they are turning and my sad heart is yearning

To hear again the songbird's sweet melodious tone

Won't you meet me out in the moonlight alone

difficult; intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality

To weep not for me now I'm gone

The same hand that led me through seas most severe

Has kindly assisted me home

call forth; summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic

There was someone on a platform talking to the folks

About the T.V. god and all the pain that it invokes

"It's too bright a light", he said, "For anybody's eyes

limit; place limits on (extent or access)

Oh, her true love e'er to be.

"oh daughter, oh daughter, your body I will confine.

If none but Jack the Sailor would ever suit your mind,

temporary; one who stays for only a short time

I followed that winding stream

I heard the deafening noise, I felt transient joys

I know they're not what they seem

complaint; express grief verbally

I heard the song of the spheres

Like a minor lament in my ears

I hadn't the heart left to pray

globe; a particular environment or walk of life

The night we called it a day

I heard the song of the spheres

Like a minor lament in my ears