Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Positively 4th Street

Here's one for all of those boring, self-absorbed, self-indulgent, self-centered graduate student types, who think the world revolves around them. Indeed, what a drag it is to see you.

Positively 4th Street
Bob Dylan

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

4 Comments:

Blogger Willowtree said...

That song is completely relatable. It's funny because you can be on either side just depending on who you speak to. Totally being yourself.
It's like that example they use of 5 different people seeing the same accident. You get a different story each time.

8:40 PM  
Blogger Frank said...

I suppose so. For me, I prefer to stand in Dylan's viewpoint, looking out. It's easier to see that ol' drag coming down the street that way.

9:36 PM  
Blogger Willowtree said...

Yeah, I think that's where we'd all prefer to stand, but even if we feel we're always looking out the see the old drag, there is bound to be a poine were to someone else you are the old drag coming down the street. Mind you, Not one thing has changed from a minute ago when you were just looking out, besides the fact that youre now being seen through someone else's eyes.
It's probably possible to be on one side in our minds always, but I dont know if it's possible to be on one side all the time if you live around any people.

9:43 AM  
Blogger Frank said...

Sure, no one is always in the right, or always on the right side, or with the "right" perspective; I see what you mean. Dylan was a huge drag at times to many friends and acquaintances, so of course has been every one else in the world to others at one point in time. You've got your Dylans though, who are at least creative about the situation,and then you've got those who are always wondering around asking, "what?". I really liked how he handled those interviewers in the documentary with their silly questions. For some people, the music (and the lyrics) resonated; for others, well, they were only left with the "what?". And, as Dylan would probably have said, "Exactly".

11:29 AM  

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