Neighborhood Bully
By Bob Dylan
Well, the neighborhood bully, he’s just one man
His enemies say he’s on their land
They got him outnumbered about a million to one
He got no place to escape to, no place to run
He’s the neighborhood bully.
The neighborhood bully he just lives to survive
He’s criticized and condemned for being alive
He’s not supposed to fight back, he’s supposed to have thick skin
He’s supposed to lay down and die when his door is kicked in
He’s the neighborhood bully.
The neighborhood bully been driven out of every land
He’s wandered the earth an exiled man
Seen his family scattered, his people hounded and torn
He’s always on trial for just being born
He’s the neighborhood bully.
Well, he knocked out a lynch mob, he was criticized
Old women condemned him, said he should apologize
Then he destroyed a bomb factory, nobody was glad
The bombs were meant for him. He was supposed to feel bad
He’s the neighborhood bully.
Dylan has this 100% right. Thanks for bringing this song to the conversation.
I’m 62....how come I never heard of this song?
You do know that Bob Dylan is Jewish?
Don’t think he’d be convinced by his own lyrics to hate his countrymen.
Well, the chances are against it, and the odds are slim That he'll live by the rules that the world makes for him 'Cause there's a noose at his neck and a gun at his back And a license to kill him is given out to every maniac He's the neighborhood bully.
Well, he got no allies to really speak of What he gets he must pay for, he don't get it out of love He buys obsolete weapons and he won't be denied But no one sends flesh and blood to fight by his side 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 Now, they wouldn't hurt a fly. To hurt one they would weep They lay and they wait for this bully to fall asleep He's the neighborhood bully. Every empire that's enslaved him is gone Egypt and Rome, even the great Babylon He's made a garden of paradise in the desert sand In bed with nobody, under no one's command He's the neighborhood bully.
Now his holiest books have been trampled upon No contract that he signed was worth that what it was written on He took the crumbs of the world and he turned it into wealth Took sickness and disease and he turned it into health He's the neighborhood bully.
What's anybody indebted to him for? Nothing, they say. He just likes to cause war Pride and prejudice and superstition indeed They wait for this bully like a dog waits for feed He's the neighborhood bully.
What has he done to wear so many scars? Does he change the course of rivers? Does he pollute the moon and stars? Neighborhood bully, standing on the hill Running out the clock, time standing still Neighborhood bully.