Tangled Up in Blue

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Bob Dylan
CD: Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 3

Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits
Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits

Early one morning the sun was shining; I was laying in bed
Wondering if she’d changed at all, if her hair was still red
Her folks, they said our lives together sure was gonna be rough
They never did like Mama’s homemade dress, Papa’s bankbook wasn’t big enough
Me, I’m standing on the side of the road, rain falling on my shoes
I’m heading out to the old east coast, lord knows I’ve paid some dues

Getting through; tangled up in blue

She was married when we first met, soon to be divorced
I helped her out of a jam, I guess, but I used a little too much force
We drove that car as far as we could, abandoned it out west
Split up on a sad dark night, both agreeing it was best

She turned around to look at me as I was walking away
And I heard her say over my shoulder, we’ll meet again some day
On the avenue, tangled up in blue

I was living in the great North Woods, working as a cook for a spell
But I never did like it all that much, and one day the axe just fell
So I drifted down to New Orleans, where I happened to be employed
Yeah I was working for a while on a fishing boat, right outside of Delacroix

And all the while I was alone, the past was close behind
I’ve seen a lot of women, but she never escaped my mind
And I just grew tangled up in blue

She was working at a topless bar, and I stopped in for a beer
I just kept looking at the side of her face in the spotlight so clear
Now, later on the crowd thinned out, and I was just about to do the same
She’s standing there in that back of my chair, she said, don’t I know your name?

Well I muttered something underneath my breath, she studied the lines on my face
I must admit I felt a little uneasy when she bent down to tie the laces
Of my shoes; we were tangled up in blue. I know, I know, I know….

She lit a burner on the stove and offered me a pipe
I thought you’d never say hello, she said, you look like the silent type
And then she opened up a book of poems and handed it to me
Written by an Italian poet from the thirteenth century

Every one of those words rang true and glowed like burning coal
Pouring off of every page like it was written in my soul
From me to you; tangled up in blue

I lived with them on Montague Street
In a basement down the stairs, yeah
There was music in the cafes at night
And revolution in the air

That’s when he started into dealing with slaves
And something inside of her died, just died
She had to sell everything she owned
And she froze up inside

And finally, when the bottom feel out, I became withdrawn
The only thing I knew how to do was to keep on keeping on
Like a bird that flew
Tangled up in blue

Now I’m heading back again, I got to get to her somehow
And all the people that I used to know, they’re an illusion to me now
Some are mathematicians, some are carpenters’ wives
I don’t know how it all got started, I dunno what they’re doing with their lives

But me, I’m still on the road, headed for another joint
We always did feel the same, we just saw it from a different point
Of view, tangled up in blue. I know, I know, I know….

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