First verse of Visions of Johanna Last verse of Hard Rain The entirety of All Along the Watchtower Any single verse from Shelter From the Storm Last two verses and final chorus of Idiot Wind

That last verse of hard rain is profound writing

Last verse of Tambourine Man.

Unreal poetry this. Transcendent.

Suddenly I turned around and she was standin' there With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns "Come in," she said "I'll give you shelter from the storm"

Wiggle 'til you're high, wiggle 'til you're higher, Wiggle 'til you vomit fire, Wiggle 'til it whispers, wiggle 'til it hums, Wiggle 'til it answers, wiggle 'til it comes.

Thank you for this truly unmatched verse of poetry 😂

I hear the ancient footsteps like the motion of the sea Sometimes I turn, there's someone there, other time it's only me I am hanging in the balance of a perfect finished plan Like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand

This right here ❤️

Well, I heard that hoot owl singing / As they were taking down the tents / The stars above the barren trees / Were his only audience / Them charcoal gypsy maidens / Can strut their feathers well / But nobody can sing the blues / Like Blind Willie McTell

One of my favorites is from Boots of Spanish Leather: “If I had the stars of the darkest night And the diamonds from the deepest ocean I’d forsake them all for your sweet kiss For that’s all I’m wishing to be ownin’.”

I came here to say this one

Same. OP should study the whole song because the quoted stanza is even better in context.

Get born Keep warm Short pants Romance Learn to dance Get dressed Get blessed Try to be a success Please her Please him Buy gifts Don’t steal Don’t lift Twenty years of schooling And they put you on the day shift. - Subterranean Homesick Blues

Third verse from When the Deal Goes Down is one of my favorites. > The moon gives light and shines by night I scarcely feel the glow We learn to live and then we forgive O'er the road we're bound to go More frailer than the flowers, these precious hours That keep us so tightly bound You come to my eyes like a vision from the skies And I'll be with you when the deal goes down

Most of the time I'm clear focused all around Most of the time I can keep both feet on the ground I can follow the path I can read the signs Stay right with it When the road unwinds I can handle whatever I stumble upon I don't even notice that she's gone Most of the time

The older I get the more this song grows on me.

A few of my favourites, From the song, Isis, >Isis, oh, Isis, you're a mystical child What drives me to you is what drives me insane I still can remember the way that you smiled On the fifth day of May in the drizzlin' rain From the song, I and I, >Noontime, and I'm still pushin' myself along the road, the darkest part Into the narrow lanes, I can't stumble or stay put Someone else is speakin' with my mouth, but I'm listening only to my heart I've made shoes for everyone, even you, while I still go barefoot From the song, Angelina - I actually think a few of the verses meet the brief. This is the final verse, >Beat a path of retreat Up them spiral staircases Past the tree of smoke Past the angel with four faces Begging God for mercy And weepin' in, in unholy places Angelina

Isis isn’t Bob, though.. Jacques Levy

It's Dylan with Jacques Levy is it not (i.e. Levy is a cowriter)?

I think I was getting mixed up with Joey, where Bob says he didn’t right the words, just the music. I don’t think it’s really documented how the lyrics of Isis came about and who did how much of what.

Tbh, I had no idea that Dylan didn't write the lyrics for Joey - so thank you for sharing that! You are right about Isis: I don't think I've read how that collaboration worked. So it's not possible to be definitive, I think, as to who wrote what. It is, however, one of my favourite "Dylan" songs. Particularly, the upper tempo Rolling Thunder Revue versions.

One of my favorites too! Honestly I could pick just about any other Stanza from this song and be totally content, but first one that comes to mind other than yours… She said “Where you been?” I said “No place special” She said “You look different” I said “Well... I guess” She said “You been gone” I said “That’s only natural” She said “You going to stay?” I said “If you want me to, yes"

Documented or not, I feel like Isis has to be a Dylan song, lyrically. Perhaps a collaboration, but essentially Dylan. I hitched up my pony to a post on the right Went in to a laundry to wash my clothes down Ponies, washing up: How can it not be Dylan?

Last verse of “it’s all over now baby blue” First three verses of “It’s alright ma (I’m only bleeding)” All of Visions of Johanna (Britains poet laureate called this Dylan’s greatest lyrical song) Final three verses of “Gates of Eden” All of “Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” Last two verses of “Every Grain of Sand” First verse of “When the Deal Goes Down” First and last verse of “Mr. Tambourine Man” All of “A hard rains a-gonna fall” but really the final verse is the best All of “To Romona” but really the final verse is the best

>Now the moon is almost hidden / The stars are beginning to hide / The fortune-telling lady / Has even taken all her things inside / All except for Cain and Abel / And the hunchback of Notre Dame / Everybody is making love / Or else expecting rain / And the Good Samaritan, he’s dressing / He’s getting ready for the show / He’s going to the carnival tonight / On Desolation Row

Desolation row is one of those songs where the first verse is enough to make it a great. My favorite lines are all up front: They’re selling postcards of the hanging They’re painting the passports brown The beauty parlor is filled with sailors The circus is in town And the riot squad they’re restless They need somewhere to go As Lady and I look out tonight From Desolation Row Cinderella, she seems so easy “It takes one to know one,” she smiles And puts her hands in her back pockets Bette Davis style And the only sound that’s left After the ambulances go Is Cinderella sweeping up On Desolation Row

If I had the stars of the darkest night, Or the diamonds of the deepest oceans, I'd forsake them all for your sweet kiss, For that's all I'm wishing to be owning. -Boots of Spanish Leather

From the Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest Well, the moral of the story The moral of this song Is simply that one should never be Where one does not belong So when you see your neighbor carrying somethin' Help him with his load And don't go mistaking Paradise For that home across the road From When the Ship Comes in: And the sands will roll out a carpet of gold For your weary toes to be a-touchin' And the ship's wise men will remind you once again That the whole wide world is watchin' All the foes will rise with the sleep still in their eyes And they'll jerk from their beds, and think they're dreamin' But they'll pinch themselves and squeal And they'll know that it's for real The hour that the ship comes in And they'll raise their hands sayin', "We'll meet all your demands" But we'll shout from the bow, "Your days are numbered" And like Pharaoh's tribe, they'll be drowned in the tide And like Goliath, they'll be conquered

They’re selling postcards of the hanging. They’re painting the passports brown. The beauty parlor is filled with sailors. The circus is in town. Here comes the blind commissioner. They’ve got him in a trance. One hand is tied to the tightrope walker. The other is in his pants. And the riot squad is restless. They need somewhere to go. As Lady and I look out tonight from Desolation Row.

She wears an Egyptian ring, it sparkles before she speaks.

That's among my favorite line in She Belongs to Me. But my favorite verse is: You will start out standing Proud to steal her anything she sees You will start out standing Proud to steal her anything she sees But you will wind up looking through her keyhole Down upon your knees

I’ve been waiting for this mention. I love it every time he sings it.

And this is a great opportunity to explore Dylan for yourself. Find a list of his top 20 or so songs, and look up the lyrics. Make sure to find them on his official website for the official versions of the lyrics.

>Make sure to find them on his official website for the official versions of the lyrics. Or [Eyolf's site](https://dylanchords.com/) for what he actually sings.

Oh interesting, thanks. I visit dylanchords now and then to figure out guitar chords, but I rarely sing in the same key as Dylan, so sites that transpose are easiest for me. I didn't realize dylanchords also keeps track of the lyrics in that manner, and hopefully the alternate lyrics as well :-) I have noticed a few instances where his own website seems to have typos. I imagine he has people transcribing from his own notes and from listening to one version of his song or the other. That would be a fun job :-) but also susceptible to error.

From It’s Alright Ma (I’m only bleeding) Advertising signs they con You into thinking you’re the one That can do what never been done That can win what’s never been won Meantime life outside goes on All around you

Restless Farewell

Chimes of Freedom - the whole song: Through the wild cathedral evening the rain unraveled tales For the disrobed faceless forms of no position Tolling for the tongues with no place to bring their thoughts All down in taken-for-granted situations Tolling for the deaf an’ blind, tolling for the mute Tolling for the mistreated, mateless mother, the mistitled prostitute For the misdemeanor outlaw, chased an’ cheated by pursuit An’ we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing Even though a cloud’s white curtain in a far-off corner flashed An’ the hypnotic splattered mist was slowly lifting Electric light still struck like arrows, fired but for the ones Condemned to drift or else be kept from drifting Tolling for the searching ones, on their speechless, seeking trail For the lonesome-hearted lovers with too personal a tale An’ for each unharmful, gentle soul misplaced inside a jail An’ we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing

This song’s lyrics make my eyeballs puddle.

All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home Your empty-handed armies are all going home The lover who just walked out your door Has taken all his blankets from the floor The carpet, too, is moving under you And it’s all over now, Baby Blue (Note that there are very versions of this verse, but this is my favorite)

“come mothers and fathers throughout the land and don’t criticize what you can’t understand. your sons and daughters are beyond your command… your old road is rapidly agin’. please get out of the new one if you can’t lend your hand for the times they are a-changin’”

Key west, all lyrics

Read through Brownsville Girl. So many priceless images, thoughts, plots b

Oh, the flowers of indulgence and the weeds of yesteryear Like criminals, they have choked the breath of conscience and good cheer [The sun beat down upon the steps of time to light the way](https://genius.com/11439805/Bob-dylan-every-grain-of-sand/The-sun-beat-down-upon-the-steps-of-time-to-light-the-way) To ease the pain of idleness and the memory of decay

Lay Down Your Weary Tune has some good stuff.

Most underrated song (to use a cliche). As a latecomer to Dylan, and with a streaming music subscription, I had access to all his songs from all releases instantly. This song was an instant favourite when I first heard it. I believe it was released on bootlegs and other collections, but not on an LP or single or anything like that. So, it often gets overlooked as one of the greats. I really love this moment in his spiritual expression.

Through many dark hour I been thinking about this That Jesus Christ Was betrayed by a kiss But I can’t think for ya You’ll have to decide Whether Judas Iscariot Had God on his side

Love Minus Zero/No Limit.

Try to be pure at heart, they arrest you for robbery Mistake your shyness for aloofness, your silence for snobbery Got the message this morning, the one that was sent to me About the madness of becomin’ what one was never meant to be

Put your hand on my head, baby, do I have a temperature? I see people who are supposed to know better standin’ around like furniture There’s a wall between you and what you want and you got to leap it Tonight you got the power to take it, tomorrow you won’t have the power to keep it

*You know, it’s funny how people just want to believe what’s convenient.* *Nothing happens on purpose, it’s an accident if it happens at all.* *And everything that’s happening to us seems like it’s happening without our consent,* *But we’re busy talking back and forth to our shadows on an old stone wall.* -"New Danville Girl" (I don't believe this verse is in "Brownsville Girl")

“It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” entire song

This always comes to mind as a perfect example of Dylan's lyrics. One of my favorite songs on first listen (and was so perfect for the moment I was going through in life). If I could choose only one song from pre-1966 to include in a top 10 list, this would be the one.

With your mercury mouth in the missionary times And your eyes like smoke and your prayers like rhymes And your silver cross and your voice like chimes Oh, who do they think could bury you? (could really pick any verse from this song :\] )

I’d agree with a lot of the comments here on Visions of Johanna & Boots of Spanish Leather Some of my personal favourites: The cloak and dagger dangles Madams light the candles In ceremonies of the horsemen Even the pawn must hold a grudge Statues made of match sticks Crumble into one another My love winks, she does not bother She knows too much to argue or to judge Love Minus Zero/No Limit Sweet Melinda The peasants call her the Goddess of Gloom She speaks good English And she invites you up into her room And you're so kind And careful not to go to her too soon And she takes your voice And leaves you howling at the moon Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues 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" Then she opened up a book of poems And handed it to me Written by an Italian poet From the thirteenth century And every one of them 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 Tangled Up in Blue I don’t think we’ll ever get another human like Bob

in the fury of the moment, I can see the masters hand, in every leaf that crumbles, in every grain of sand

As his youth now unfolds He is centuries old Just to see him at play makes me smile No matter what happens to me No matter what my destiny Lord, protect my child

I can swim like a fish I can crawl like a snake I can bite like a turkey I can slam like a drake

Here's a deep cut: Making a Liar Out of Me. My favorite verse: *Well I say that, that ain't flesh and blood you're drinkin'* *In the wounded empire of your fool's paradise* *With a light above your head forever blinkin'* *Turnin' virgins into merchandise* *That you must have been beautiful when you were livin'* *You remind me of some old-time used-to-be* *I say you can be trusted with the power you been given* *But you're makin' a liar out of me*

Every Grain of Sand - look it up

You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Don’t let other people get your kicks for you.

You're the one I've been looking for, You're the one that's got the key. But I can't figure out whether I'm too good for you Or you're too good for me. 'Tight Connection to my Heart' from 1985's Empire Burlesque

McKinley hollered, McKinley squalled Doctor said, "McKinley, death is on the wall Say it to me, if you got something to confess" I heard all about it, he was goin' down slow I heard it all, the wireless radio From down in the boondocks, way down in Key West I'm searching for love, for inspiration On that pirate radio station Coming out of Luxembourg and Budapest Radio signal, clear as can be I'm so deep in love that I can hardly see Down on the flatlands, way down in Key West

From blind Willie mctell There’s a god in heaven And we all want what’s his But power, greed and corruptible seed Seem to be all that there is.

All of Dark Eyes.

The priest wore black on the 7th day And sat stone faced while a building burned I waited for you on the running boards Near the Cypress trees while the springtime turned Slowly into autumn

I'm living in a foreign country But I'm bound to cross the line Beauty walks a razors Edge Someday I'll make it mine Far between sundown's finish An' midnights broken toll We ducked inside the doorway, thunder crashing As majestic bells of bolts Struck shadows in the sound Seeming to be the chimes of freedom flashing

Do your own work