Death Is Not the End

Things might suck now, but
Don't worry. They'll suck much more
After you are dead.

Death Don't Have No Mercy

Death is one cold cat.
He takes mothers and won't spare
Sisters and brothers.

Dear Mrs. Roosevelt

Woody writes a song
For Eleanor Roosevelt,
Praising her husband.

Dear Landlord

Bob's eloquent plea
To his landlord to please keep
His monthly rent down.

Dead Man, Dead Man

Your fashion and fear
Only make me mock you, man.
You're a Philistine!

Days of '49

Bawdy goldminer
Remembers his grubby pals
And gets liquored up.

The Day of the Locusts

Bob gets a degree,
It's a hot day. He wants to
Hit the road quickly.

Dark Eyes

Bob has a vision
Of millions of dark eyes. They
Are his biggest fans.

Dark as a Dungeon

After hearing this,
You'd have to be crazy to
Be a coal miner.

Dancing in the Dark

I could write a book,
But I'm hungry for a bit
Of you-know-what, hon.

Da Doo Run Run

Bob is more obsessed
with the days of the week than
The girl he's seeing.

Cupid

Cupid, shoot Bob now.
You did it for Sam Cooke, so
Shoot that girl too, please.

The Cuckoo Is a Pretty Bird

A gambler laments
His addiction; it won't let
Him go birdwatching.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Nuclear warfare
Makes Bob's problems seem petty.
Death will do that, man.

Cry a While

I spent 50 years
Crying about lost love, babe.
You try crying some.

Crossroads

He hits the crossroads.
Various bad things happen.
He goes to Rosedale.

Crazy Love

Crazy love is good
If, as Van and Bob believe,
It feels this mellow.

Crash on the Levee

You can be a grouch,
But when the flood comes, you're on
Your own, my friend.

Cover Down Breakthrough

Accepting Jesus
Is like joining the Marines.
Basic training sucks.

Covenant Woman

Dylan's kind of chick
Doesn't just put out. She prays
For Bob's salvation.

A Couple More Years

Bob dumps his amour,
Reasoning that he is too old.
Yup, *that* old excuse.

Country Pie

Bob loves all the pies,
Show him a pie, he'll eat it.
Give him some more pie!

Corrina, Corrina

Bob misses a girl.
His bird also misses one.
Two Corrinas gone!

Copper Kettle

Here's a good date night:\
Let's make illegal moonshine
And cuddle outside.

Cool Water

If you and your mule
Were stuck in the desert, you'd
Want some water too.

Cool Dry Place

Rot corrodes Bob's gear.
His landlord yells at him and
He mulls cleaning things.

Congratulations

Good job, sweet baby.
You broke Bob's heart. Was it good?
Bob isn't so thrilled.

Confidential

Don't tell anyone
About his love for you, doll.
It's confidential!

Coming From the Heart

Make up your mind, girl.
We were meant to be a pair.
I know this is true.

Come See

Come see mom's baby,
Dad's penny, brother's donkey,
Sister's kitty cat.

Come on in This House

This girl must be cute
Because this guy keeps asking
Her into his house.

Come Back Baby (One More Time)

You've heard this before:
Please come back, baby-baby,
Let's do it again!

Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies

Bob warns the ladies
That men will love them and
Leave them right after.

Come a Little Bit Closer

Avoid that chick, man.
She wants you come closer,
But she's bad for you.

Columbus Stockade Blues

This guy loves a girl,
But she's gone and he's in jail.
He thinks about her.

Colorado Blues

Denver's not so hot.
And Colorado is lame.
Dylan plans to leave.

Cold Irons Bound

Bob won't stick around.
He's 20 miles out of town
En route to some place.

Cold, Cold Heart

Guy loves a girl who
Still thinks about her old flame.
He's getting fed up.

Cocaine Blues

Bob describes rock stars.
They got the cocaine running
All around their brains.

Clothes Line Saga (revised)

Chore time, chez Dylan.
Bob hangs wash, talks to some guy,
Goes back in the house.

Clean-Cut Kid

Vietnam ruined him,
America finished him.
One poor, sad bastard.

City of Gold

Bob paints a picture
Of the New Jerusalem.
You should move right in!

The Christmas Song

Bob's alter ego,
Jack Frost, nips at your nose,
So roast his chestnuts.

Christmas Island

People love Christmas
Songs that are set on tropic
Islands. Dunno why.

The Christmas Blues

When Bob sings this song,
It could be a PSA
For wintertime blahs.

Choo Choo Ch'Boogie

Soldier returns home.
He needs work. He ends up poor.
He lives near the trains.

Chimes of Freedom

God can set you free,
Naked, restless refugees.
Bob sees it happen!

Changing of the Guards

This confusing song
Blends a man's obscure quest with
Tarot card symbols.

A Change Is Gonna Come

Bob takes Sam Cooke's song
Of civil rights and plays it
At the Apollo.

Champaign, Illinois

A Carl Perkins song
By Bob. It extols Champaign
Like it was New York.

Chain Gang

Only Sam Cooke could
Make chain gangs sound so lovely.
Dylan tried to once.

Catskill Serenade

My wife annoys me.
But drinking with these strangers
Annoys me much more.

Cat's in the Well

The end of the world
Sweeps in on a haunting tune,
Rockin' and Rollin'

Catfish

Catfish played baseball
And whooped Reggie Jackson bad.
Good southern Yankee.

Casey Jones

Brakeman Casey Jones
Died while driving a freight train.
He complained a lot.

Carrying a Torch

Some folks, they break up
And stay broke up. They carry
Torches; they're on fire!

Caribbean Wind

Song about a girl
Sounds like Bob cribbed the plot from
A Graham Greene story.

Careless Love

Love her and leave her.
See how quickly a lover
Becomes a stalker.

Car Car

Riding in his car
Means you have to handle a
Pretty stiff gearshift.

Can You Please Crawl out Your Window? (2)

You date a loser.
He's pretentious. Why don't you
Come date me instead?

Happy birthday to Bob Dylan

Happy birthday, Mr. Z!

Can't Wait

You left long ago.
It took me years to find you.
What if I die now?

Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had

Muddy Waters says
You can't lose stuff you don't have.
Hell -- losing's losing.

Cantina Theme (Workin' for the Law) - From Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid

Ex-outlaw, now cop.
A theme for a broken man,
Broken by the law!

Can't Help Falling in Love

Dylan as Elvis.
Don't be surprised, dear reader.
He's done this before.

Can't Escape From You

You hurt me, haunt me.
You threw out our Christmas pie.
What's a Christmas pie?

Candy Man

To be candy man
Means you must be sweet to her.
Give her some sugar.

Canadee-i-o

Boy takes girl to sea.
The captain takes her over.
Girl wins, boy loses.

Call Letter Blues

She left him, all right,
Even the kids know she's gone.
But this dude abides.

California Brown-Eyed Baby

Bob's girl's way out west,
But he's in New Jersey now.
He's lonely, of course.

California

Four songs in one, while
Bob jokes about the weather
In San Francisco.

By the Banks of the Royal Canal

Irish Prisoners
Live monotonously and
In filthy quarters.

Bye and Bye

Dylan might be old,
But he's gonna waltz you now,
And love you some more.

Buzz Buzz Buzz

She's the sweetest gal,
She hangs out in her beehive.
I eat her honey.

But I Forgive You

If you forgive her,
You'll find yourself saying that
Time after time, son.

Bunkhouse Theme (Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid)

A little music
Sets the pace for the old West
And hard-living ways.

Buckets of Rain

Life just isn't fair.
Bob says take things as they come
And let them play out.

Brownsville Girl

Sam Shepard and Bob
Write about lost love regained
And Gregory Peck.

Brown Sugar

Bob and Mick Jagger
Share a taste for "Brown Sugar."
You know what they mean.

Broke Down Engine

He's like a dead car.
She's probably the reason.
Bodywork might help.

Bring Me Water

Bring him some water.
If you don't, he'll keep asking.
He must be thirsty.

Bring It on Home

This dude caught his train.
You should get ready for him.
He's on his way home.

Branded Man

When you're an ex-con,
Nobody will let you forget.
That sure sucks, don't it?

The Boxer

Bob sings a big hit.
Bridge over troubled vocals.
You won't like his take.

Bourbon Street

Bob gets liquored up
In New Orleans. He says he
Doesn't “beat his meat.”

Born in Time

This sounds like a song
About a dream lover who
Isn't so dreamy.

Boppin' the Blues

Blues epidemic!
I got it bad, doc says. The
Jukebox is the cure.

Boots of Spanish Leather

Bob stays home alone.
Girl sends gifts in guilt. She’s sailed
far from him -- for good.

Boom Boom Mancini

Boom Boom Mancini
Killed his lightweight opponent.
Welcome to boxing.

Boogie Woogie Country Girl

She dances all night
And gets funky at daybreak.
How can you top that?

Bonnie Ship the Diamond

Whaling ship sets sail
On a long, crappy voyage.
Still, cheer up, says Bob.

Bob Dylan's Dream

I miss all my friends.
They gave me the world I craved.
Then we sought paychecks.

Bob Dylan's 115th Dream

Mad Captain Arab
Chases Bob through the Bowery
Like he's Moby Dick.

Bob Dylan's Blues

Bob has some troubles.
The Lone Ranger and Tonto
Won't help him fix them.

The Blues Yodel Series

Blues Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas)

T is for Texas.
It’s also for Thelma who
Wrecked me like a ship.

Blues Yodel No. 5

I'm troubled, lonely,
I'm poor. I like train smokestacks.
I need hats and shoes.

Blues Yodel No. 8 (Muleskinner Blues)

Muleskinner blues
Is a country-life portrait
With much yodeling.

Suze Rotolo

Suze Rotolo died.
You remember her in the
Village. In the snow.

(Suze Rotolo, 1943-2011)

Blue Suede Shoes

Who knew Bob Dylan
Had a pair of blue suede shoes?
Don't step on them, pal.

Blues Stay Away From Me

You can ask the blues
To stay away from you, but
Usually they don't.

Blue Moon of Kentucky

He must not mind that
She left. He still wants the moon
To shine blue on her.

Blue Moon

Channeling Elvis,
But failing. Who said Dylan
Had to sing this song?

Blue Monday

Mondays are a drag.
Fridays are payday. Weekends
Are for having fun.

Blue Bonnet Girl

Girls in blue bonnets
Are the ones you want to kiss.
They're warm as the spring!

Blowin' in the Wind

Bob knows so little.
He asks where the answers are.
He has a strong hunch.

Blood in My Eyes

He's so into her.
He gave her money, but she
Doesn't care a bit.

Blind Willie McTell

Deep south, magnolias,
Slaves, plantations, blues singers --
Chicken-fried music.

Blessed Is the Name

God is quite decent.
Dylan cites Noah and Lot
Who vouch for THE LORD.

Black Muddy River

When things get too tough,
Bob will walk by the river
And sing a Dead song.

Blackjack Davey

Davey charms girl, and
Steals her from her family,
And she won't go home!

Renaldo and Clara to get DVD release?

This person quotes an anonymous source near or in Dylan's management team.


As epic bombs go,
Renaldo and Clara is
Said to be The One.

Black Diamond Bay

An Altmanesque cast
In Irwin Allen's "Earthquake."
They die in the end.

Black Crow Blues

Bob wants his babe back.
He wanders, disconsolate.
He suffers mood swings.

Black Cross

Vicious white preacher
Steamrolls and hangs a black man
Who is much smarter.

The 'Billy' songs from 'Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid'

The Goldberg Variations of the Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett saga, all from the 1973 soundtrack album to Sam Peckinpah's "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid."

Billy

Bob sets grim tone for
Billy the Kid’s elegy
And for Pat Garrett’s.


Billy 1

Bob tells the story
Of Pat Garrett and Billy,
Once friends, now fighting


Billy 4

He's Billy the Kid,
A saint and a sinner, now
Dying with the West


Billy 7

Bob tells his sad tale
Of Billy and Pat, his friend.
They killed each other.

Big Yellow Taxi

Joni Mitchell's song
Bemoans development, and
Bob feels the same way.

Big River

When your girl departs
Down the big Mississippi.
You have to follow!

The Big Flood (Tupelo, or Backwater Blues)

Floods obsess Dylan.
This might be the blues song that
Started the whole thing.

Guest Haiku!

My colleague Jeff Goldfarb has a 16-year-old cousin named Ben Zod. This is Ben's haiku. It has nothing to do with Bob Dylan or pop music, and that's just fine.

I saw you ridin'

Round town with the girl I love

And I'm like, haiku.

Big Boss Man

Big boss man's a jerk.
It's time that we called his bluff,
And got a new boss.

Beyond the Horizon

You can love someone
And see all your dreams come true,
So why stop loving?

Beyond Here Lies Nothin'

Our love won't be over,
Even after all this time.
Let's keep going, girl.

Belshazzar

Belshazzar was king
of Babylon, but he failed.
God found him wanting.

Bells of Rhymney

Welshmen get pissed off
After mine disaster, then
They go back to work.

Belle Isle

Man in a disguise
Tempts his girlfriend to cheat, but
She proves quite faithful!

Barefootin'

This New Orleans dance
Is done without your shoes on,
Hence the name, you see.

Barbara Allen

Young boy is dying.
Barb ignores him, then repents.
They lie side by side.

Band of the Hand (It's Hell Time, Man!)

Vigilante rock!
Take back the streets from the punks
And vested interests.

Ball and Biscuit

Bob and the White Stripes
Ask a girl to fool around,
And then grab a bite.

Ballad of Ira Hayes

Indian Marine
Raises Iwo Jima flag,
Goes home, drinks and dies.

Ballad of Hollis Brown

Hollis kills his kids
And himself. They were starving.
Better dead than poor.

Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest

Frankie Lee scrounges.
Judas lets him -- to a point.
Then he's had enough.

Ballad of Donald White

White is a criminal,
Bound to be bad. Bob says it's
Society's fault.

Ballad of a Thin Man

Squares, hipsters, freaks, cows
And dwarfs freak out Mr. Jones,
An ignorant man.

Ballad in Plain D

Bob loves one sister.
The other is a wild bitch.
They fight. Bob leaves. End.

Ballad for a Friend

My friend went out West.
He left home on a truck, but
Came home in a box.

Back Door Blues

You would be blue too
If your girl split, and then a
Big coffin arrived.

Baby Won't You Be My Baby

Bob sees troubling signs
Of unrest, but keeps hitting
On a girl he likes.

Baby What Do You Want Me to Do?

I do everything
That you ask me to do, girl.
Why you want to leave?

Baby Stop Cryin'

Some asshole hurt you,
But I'll love you. Come to me,
But please be quiet.

Baby Please Don't Go

New Orleans: You know
It's a place where Bob would
Prefer you don't go.

Baby Let Me Follow You Down

I'll do what you want.
I'll follow you to your house.
Be my girlfriend.

Baby I'm in the Mood for You

I want you so bad
Sometimes. Other times I want to
Try some other things.

Baby Ain't That Fine

This song compares love
To good fried food, Georgia pines,
Birds, bells and sunshine.

As I Went out One Morning

Dylan is seduced
By the American dream.
Tom Paine rescues him.

Arthur McBride

Arthur and cousin
Won't fight in France. They clobber
The draft recruiter.

Around and Around

That joint was rockin'.
It always happens when you
Play Chuck Berry songs.

Are You Ready?

Bob's warning you, hoss.
You'd better get ready now.
The Messiah's near.

Apple Suckling Tree

A scary child's song.
Apple trees and men on hooks,
And bats straight from hell.