Fourth Time Around

Album: Blonde On Blonde (1966)
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  • 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
    And saying "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
    I asked her how come
    And she buttoned her boot, and straightened her suit
    And she said, "Don't be 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 everyone walked
    And after finding out 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 are not 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 went and looked 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 Writer/s: BOB DYLAN
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 5

  • Dc from San Francisco Christine, I would bet with more confidence that it’s Edie Sedgwick.
  • Christine from Underhill, VtThis is a rambling narrative where Dylan interacts with a woman - where you get the idea that she is a prostitute is beyond me, unless it is the statement "everyone must give something back, something to get," which is just a philosophical statement about life on her part. This is what prompts Dylan to give her his last piece of gum. When she chokes on the gum, it's in reaction to his pointing out her hypocrisy in not giving him any rum. The impression is that she is a rather pontificating, hypocritical, and rather hysterical person; the "Norwegian Wood" tune is going on pleasantly in the background the whole time, representing the typically Dylanesque sardonically bemused and emotionally removed attitude to the whole bizarre episode. There, that's what it's "about." Oh - and, since it's on BLONDE ON BLONDE, it's a safe bet the woman is Joan Baez.
  • Nikolai from Los Angeles, CaI was under the impression this was a parody of "Norwegian Wood". It was supposed to be the fourth song in a set of songs that sounded like each other. "Norwegian Wood" sounds Dylan influenced, and before that "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" is Dylan-esque, while in between, Dylan had a song closer resembling the Beatles sound. So this would be the Fourth Time Around that one of them sounds like the other.
  • Mat from Portland, OrI don't agree with the prostitute "fact" above.
  • Jason from State Of Fitz, NjIt's a great song. Dylan claimed to have played it for the Beatles and then Lennon wrote "Norweigan wood". who know? Dylan won't tell us...
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