Bob Dylan, "4th Time Around"

For whatever reason, I just love this song by Bob Dylan, "4th Time Around." It's not one of his most popular songs or anything like that, but I just love the strumming guitar, the harmonica solo and the cadence of his story telling. It's such a stringent, imagistic, poetic display of the complexities of relationships, without getting too sappy or mushy.

I'm just fascinated with Dylan--he is just such an enigma and brilliant poet, to say the least. (The train shots in this video are an added bonus for our train lover, Josh!)






When she said,
"Don't waste your words, they're just lies,"
I cried she was deaf.
And she worked on my face until breaking my eyes,
Then said, "What else you got left?"
It was then that I got up to leave
But she said, "Don't forget,
Everybody must give something back
For something they get."

I stood there and hummed,
I tapped on her drum and asked her how come.
And she buttoned her boot,
And straightened her suit,
Then she said, "Don't get cute."
So I forced my hands in my pockets
And felt with my thumbs,
And gallantly handed her
My very last piece of gum.

She threw me outside,
I stood in the dirt where ev'ryone walked.
And after finding I'd
Forgotten my shirt,
I went back and knocked.
I waited in the hallway, she went to get it,
And I tried to make sense
Out of that picture of you in your wheelchair
That leaned up against . . .

Her Jamaican rum
And when she did come, I asked her for some.
She said, "No, dear."
I said, "Your words aren't clear,
You'd better spit out your gum."
She screamed till her face got so red,
Then she fell on the floor,
And I covered her up and then
Thought I'd go look through her drawer.

And when I was through,
I filled up my shoe, and brought it to you.
And you, you took me in,
You loved me then,
You never wasted time.
And I, I never took much,
I never asked for your crutch,
Now don't ask for mine.




I also love, love, love this cover by Yo La Tengo from the movie, I'm Not There: