My Back Pages
Bob Dylan/Bob Dylan: Another Side of (1964); the Byrds: Younger Than Yesterday (1967)
G | Gsus4 | G | Gsus4 | |
G | Em | Bm | C | D | G | |
Crimson | flames tied | through my ears, Rollin’ | high and | mighty | trapped; |
G | Em | Bm | C | D | |
Countless | fires, | flaming roads Using | ideas as my | maps. |
Em | Bm | C | D | |
“ | We’ll meet on edges, | soon,” said I | Proud ’neath heated | brow. |
G | C | G | C | D | G | Gsus4 | G | Gsus4 | G | |
Ah, | but I was so much | older | then I’m | younger | than that | now! |
Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth “Rip down all hate,” I screamed. |
Lies that life is black and white Spoke from my skull, I dreamed. |
Romantic facts of musketeers Foundationed deep, somehow. |
Ah, but I was so much older then I’m younger than that now! |
Girls’ faces formed the forward path From phony jealousy |
To memorizing politics Of ancient history, |
Flung down by corpse evangelists; Unthought of, though, somehow. |
Ah, but I was so much older then I’m younger than that now! |
A self-ordained professor’s tongue, Too serious to fool, |
Spouted out that liberty Is just equality in school. |
“Equality,” I spoke the word As if a wedding vow. |
Ah, but I was so much older then I’m younger than that now! |
In a soldier’s stance, I aimed my hand At the mongrel dogs who teach, |
Fearing not that I’d become my enemy In the instant that I preach. |
My existence led by confusion boats Mutiny from stern to bow. |
Ah, but I was so much older then I’m younger than that now! |
Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats Too noble to neglect |
Deceived me into thinking I had something to protect. |
Good and bad, I define these terms Quite clear, no doubt, somehow. |
Ah, but I was so much older then I’m younger than that now! |