Thursday September 23, 2021 “Like a Rolling Stone” Bob Dylan

The number four song on the RS list is Bob Dylan’s first big ‘electric’ record “Like a Rolling Stone”, and yes we did skip a couple once again.  The song was the number one song on the previous Rolling Stone Best 500 song list seventeen years ago and was also one of the songs that Dylan played at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival and was famously booed for.

It is rumored that this was written about one-time debutante Edie Sedgwick, who was part of artist Andy Warhol's crowd and was the subject of an emotional tug-of-war between the Dylan camp and the Warhol camp.

Although Dylan has a catalog of more than 500 songs there are a handful of them that constantly resonate with his fans and “Like a Rolling Stone” is one of the most important of all of those.  Back in 1965 even Dylan said that “...”Like a Rolling Stone” was the best song I have written.”

It has been said that blues guitarist Al Kooper showed up at the studio to see if he might play guitar on this Dylan tune but when he saw that extraordinary guitarist Mike Bloomfield was in the studio he decided at that moment to play the keyboards.  Not really being proficient as a keyboard player he faked the signature organ riff that is probably one of the most recognizable pieces of the song.

Stay safe and well...and beware that mystery tramp and those diplomats with Siamese cats, whoever they may allegorically be.

Once upon a time you dressed so fine

Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?

People call say 'beware doll, you're bound to fall'

You thought they were all kidding you

You used to laugh about

Everybody that was hanging out

Now you don't talk so loud

Now you don't seem so proud

About having to be scrounging your next meal

How does it feel, how does it feel?

To be without a home

Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone

Ahh you've gone to the finest schools, alright Miss Lonely

But you know you only used to get juiced in it

Nobody's ever taught you how to live out on the street

And now you're gonna have to get used to it

You say you never compromise

With the mystery tramp, but now you realize

He's not selling any alibis

As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes

And say do you want to make a deal?

How does it feel, how does it feel?

To be on your own, with no direction home

A complete unknown, like a rolling stone

Ah you never turned around to see the frowns

On the jugglers and the clowns when they all did tricks for you

You never understood that it ain't no good

You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you

You used to ride on a chrome horse with your diplomat

Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat

Ain't it hard when you discovered that

He really wasn't where it's at

After he took from you everything he could steal

How does it feel, how does it feel?

To have on your own, with no direction home

Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone

Ahh princess on a steeple and all the pretty people

They're all drinking, thinking that they've got it made

Exchanging all precious gifts

But you better take your diamond ring, you better pawn it babe

You used to be so amused

At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used

Go to him he calls you, you can't refuse

When you ain't got nothing, you got nothing to lose

You're invisible now, you've got no secrets to conceal

How does it feel, ah how does it feel?

To be on your own, with no direction home

Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone