Album: Blonde On Blonde (1966)

License This Song 

Songfacts®:

• This documents what could be a quarrel between two lovers, or a prostitute and her client: "When she said/'Don't waste your words, they're just lies'/I cried she was deaf." The woman eventually kicks the man out of her house: "She threw me outside/I stood in the dirt where ev'ryone walked." He then comes back to pick up his shirt, and in her rage, the woman chokes on her gum, leaving the guy to snoop around: "She screamed till her face got so red/Then she fell on the floor/And I covered her up and then/Thought I'd go look through her drawer."
• Many believe this song was written in response to "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" by The Beatles, since it is similar, both melodically and lyrically. John Lennon was unsure whether the song was a homage or a warning. This is because the song concludes with an ambiguous final verse, where Dylan goes from the pronoun "she," to instead address someone directly with the pronoun "you." This final verse contains the line "I never asked for your crutch/Now don't ask for mine." John was concerned that Bob thought he was using Dylan's music as a crutch for his own song writing. Others argue this line is actually about the folk singer, Joan Baez, who had been close to Dylan in his early days and helped him to garner initial success. Now, however, it was Baez who tended to rely on Dylan's success.
• A live version of this song featured in the 2001 movie, Vanilla Sky, starring Tom Cruise.
• Blonde on Blonde is Bob Dylan's seventh studio album. It is widely considered one of his greatest works. In 2003, the album was ranked at #9 on Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

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...

More Songfacts:

The JokerSteve Miller Band

The "pompatus of love" from the Steve Miller song "The Joker" comes from a line in a '50s doo-wop song Miller misheard: "puppetutes of love."

Ziggy StardustDavid Bowie

David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" was likely based on various musicians in his ambit, including Iggy Pop (zIGGY), and Jimi Hendrix, who played guitar left-handed ("He played it left hand").

Cigarettes And Chocolate MilkRufus Wainwright

"Cigarettes And Chocolate Milk" describes a time in Rufus Wainwright's life when he found himself hungover and pounding chocolate milk to feel better. It didn't work, so he smoked a cigarette, which is when he realized his addictive personality could be a problem.

Closing TimeSemisonic

"Closing Time" by Semisonic was written by the lead singer when his wife was pregnant. Some of the lyrics are about being born.

AllentownBilly Joel

Billy Joel's song "Allentown" was written as "Levittown," which is the town in Long Island where he grew up. He got the idea to change it after taking a trip to Pennsylvania.

Do The BartmanThe Simpsons

"Do The Bartman," released at the peak of Simpsons-mania, has uncredited backup vocals by Michael Jackson, who later appeared on the show.

Editor's Picks

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.

Jimmy WebbSongwriter Interviews

Webb talks about his classic songs "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman" and "MacArthur Park."

Julian LennonSongwriter Interviews

Julian tells the stories behind his hits "Valotte" and "Too Late for Goodbyes," and fills us in on his many non-musical pursuits. Also: what MTV meant to his career.

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

Amy Lee of EvanescenceSongwriter Interviews

The Evanescence frontwoman on the songs that have shifted meaning and her foray into kids' music.