Bob Dylan - Positively 4th Street
PJ_Lukin
Posts: 2,055
Brilliant!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54qhjlTNVn0
http://www.bobdylan.com/#/songs/positively-4th-street
Positively 4th Street
You got a lotta nerve
To say you are my friend
When I was down
You just stood there grinning
You got a lotta nerve
To say you got a helping hand to lend
You just want to be on
The side that's winning
You say I let you down
You know it's not like that
If you're so hurt
Why then don't you show it
You say you lost your faith
But that's not where it's at
You had no faith to lose
And you know it
I know the reason
That you talk behind my back
I used to be among the crowd
You're in with
Do you take me for such a fool
To think I'd make contact
With the one who tries to hide
What he don't know to begin with
You see me on the street
You always act surprised
You say, "How are you?" "Good luck"
But you don't mean it
When you know as well as me
You'd rather see me paralyzed
Why don't you just come out once
And scream it
No, I do not feel that good
When I see the heartbreaks you embrace
If I was a master thief
Perhaps I'd rob them
And now I know you're dissatisfied
With your position and your place
Don't you understand
It's not my problem
I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
And just for that one moment
I could be you
Yes, I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
You'd know what a drag it is
To see you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54qhjlTNVn0
http://www.bobdylan.com/#/songs/positively-4th-street
Positively 4th Street
You got a lotta nerve
To say you are my friend
When I was down
You just stood there grinning
You got a lotta nerve
To say you got a helping hand to lend
You just want to be on
The side that's winning
You say I let you down
You know it's not like that
If you're so hurt
Why then don't you show it
You say you lost your faith
But that's not where it's at
You had no faith to lose
And you know it
I know the reason
That you talk behind my back
I used to be among the crowd
You're in with
Do you take me for such a fool
To think I'd make contact
With the one who tries to hide
What he don't know to begin with
You see me on the street
You always act surprised
You say, "How are you?" "Good luck"
But you don't mean it
When you know as well as me
You'd rather see me paralyzed
Why don't you just come out once
And scream it
No, I do not feel that good
When I see the heartbreaks you embrace
If I was a master thief
Perhaps I'd rob them
And now I know you're dissatisfied
With your position and your place
Don't you understand
It's not my problem
I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
And just for that one moment
I could be you
Yes, I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
You'd know what a drag it is
To see you
~!~ Peace ~!~ Love ~!~ Pearl Jam ~!~
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Comments
Who is he talking to?
I always understood it as a middle finger to all those in the 60's who wanted him to join the antiwar/activist movement.
http://www.edlis.org/twice/threads/positively_4th_street.html
My take on it is him being pissed at the 'folk' community, the traditional hardcore purist folkies. They were kind of a counter culture, and prided themselves in not being like their parents, but then followed in their footsteps by criticizing Dylan for everything he did, and I think Dylan saw this hypocrisy himself and it's a good part of what the song is about.
Also, folk music is telling a story, not just protest songs as it seems like a lot of people at the time claimed it was.