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, when 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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