Narrow Way

Album: Tempest (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This seven and a half minute grinding, riff-driven blues tune finds Dylan suffering with woman trouble. He scorns his unfaithful lady with such lines as, "You're an idiot, babe. It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe," only to hear a voice at song's end telling him, "Be gentle brother, be gentle and pray."
  • The song's refrain of it being "a long road" and a "long and narrow way," is perhaps a reference to Jesus' teaching in his Sermon on the Mount concerning the narrow road that his followers travel on. Rather than going on the broad road that many go on, which leads to destruction, Jesus said the more difficult and unpopular way is the narrow one that leads to life.
  • According to Will Hermes' review in Rolling Stone, the song borrows its chorus from the Mississippi Sheiks' 1934 blues "You'll Work Down to Me Someday."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.