Album: Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964)

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• 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 existence 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 Writer/s: Bob Dylan
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 4

• Ritchie Rhoads from Mannheim, GermanyI'm afraid Marty and Wayne will not become friends anymore. In the 60s many hitsongs had very strange and obscure lyrics. Only for example: Procol Harum (lyricist Keith Reid) and Cream (lyricist Peter Brown). And so did Bob Dylan. It was cool to do so. The more strange the better. And never explain any lyrics, keep the meanings of the songs a secret! Let everyone make up their own meaning. I think both Marty and Wayne are right to a certain extent. But as long as Bob Dylan doesn't explain his lyrics, I refuse to make up my own explanation and just listen to the songs. ("Sad eyed lady of the lowlands" being one of my favorites).
• Laurie Muchow from Wisconsin I could be entirely wrong but I think Dylan is saying he was an idealist when he was young. He’s grown older now and life isn’t seen nearly as clear anymore. He’s no longer the know it all idealist as he’s grown older, had a family, experienced personal loss, gained wealth and recognition. He can be wrong, and yes idt what’s valuable in life can be divided into two political parties.
• Wayne from Western Australia"Fearing not that I'd become my enemy" Is exactly what he's singing, fearing NOT Id become my enemy, does not only not fit In with the context of the song, but also makes NO sense grammatically either.
  
  In the context of the song, which Is all about distancing himself from his earlier political/ protest/poverty songs, Inspired by his working class idol Woodie Guthrie, he Is publically turning his back on being pidgeon holed as a "protest singer".
  
  Your comment;
  "But even if that's true, it would be the only thing in this song that makes any sense".
  And " How anyone can pretend to know what this gibberish is about is beyond me" Is hilarious, and makes me wonder what you are even doing commenting on anything to do with Dylans songwriting !
  
  It sounds to me by the rest of your comment, that just because YOU don't have the intellectual ability to understand anything that Dylan wrote after about 1964, and just because YOU "have no clue what his massive discography of non sequtiers" means ,does not In anyway lessen Dylans songwriting genius and worthy crown as the greatest songwriter ever.
  
  The obviously unintentional irony of your comment that "Anyone who considers him to be the The Voice of a Generation is just being a pretentious pseudointellectual" had me rolling around crying with laughter, as this song was written by Dylan, specifically to distance himself from the very same people that wanted him to be " The voice of a generation" for their various causes.
  
  "And I like the guy" really ?
  
  I think from reading your shallow and uninformed comments here, that your the one who should " be fearing that you become your own enemy" Marty
• Marty from Cleveland, OhIt sure sounds like he's singing "fearing NOT I'd become my enemy," but it would make more sense if it was "fearing THAT I'd become my enemy."
  
  But even if that's true, it would be the only thing in this song that makes any sense. How anyone can pretend to know what this gibberish is about is beyond me.
  
  We earthlings could understand some of Dylan's early classic songs, and they were indeed great. But the more he sang, the less sense he made. Anyone who considers him to the "The Voice of a Generation" is just being a pretentious pseudointellectual. They have no clue what his massive discography of non sequiturs means.
  
  And I like the guy.
  

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