Dylan did get caught up with the protest scene for a while, but came to his senses soon enough. Oh, the reactionaries were pissed when they heard these lyrics:
Crimson flames tied through my ears
Rollin’ high and mighty traps
Pounced with fire on flaming roads
Using ideas as my maps
“We’ll meet on edges, soon,” said I
Proud ‘neath heated brow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.
Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth
“Rip down all hate,” I screamed
Lies that life is black and white
Spoke from my skull. I dreamed
Romantic facts of musketeers
Foundationed deep, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.
Girls’ faces formed the forward path
From phony jealousy
To memorizing politics
Of ancient history
Flung down by corpse evangelists
Unthought of, though, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.
A self-ordained professor’s tongue
Too serious to fool
Spouted out that liberty
Is just equality in school
“Equality,” I spoke the word
As if a wedding vow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.
In a soldier’s stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I’d become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
My pathway led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.
Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect
Good and bad, I define these terms
Quite clear, no doubt, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.
Excellent. Often times those who think they now Dylan usually know him the least.
Oh wow, wonderful. "My Back Pages" is one of my, well probably is, My Favorite Song. Favorite. I love the Byrds' version the best.
Just cool that someone would mention it. Brings a tear to my eye.
Another one on my top favorites on my list of favorites, is "Watchtower." as performed by Jimi Hendrix. I can't put into words why I love these songs so much because typically I listen to, love and prefer classical music. But wow.
Thanks for evoking some wonderful auditory memories.
This isn't the first time there is a question about Dylan's lyrics and it probably won't be the last, and only a fan like me would probably notice. :-)
The lyrics you posted look to be identical to those on Dylan's website but at least one line differs from print to recording when Dylan sings "My Back Pages" and also in the Byrd's version.
In Dylan's recording, Dylan sings "My existence led by confusion boats" rather than "My pathway led by confusion boats." Perhaps he rewrote the line recently.
For any doubters or naysayers, "My Back Pages" in the recorded version performed by Bob Dylan himself and linked below, is the most clearly pronounced version I have ever heard.
In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I'd become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
(Bob Dylan's and Byrd's recorded version:)
Mypathwayexistence led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now"
Here's Dylan singing My Back Pages and here are the Byrds singing it.