Song Review : 'Don't Think Twice,It's Alright' by Bob Dylan

'Don't Think Twice,It's Alright' Lyrics

(Credit : www.azlyrics.com)

Well, it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe

Even you don't know by now

And it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe

It'll never do somehow

When your rooster crows at the break of dawn

Look out your window, and I'll be gone

You're the reason I'm a-traveling on

But don't think twice, it's all right.

And It ain't no use in turning on your light, babe

The light I never knowed

And it ain't no use in turning on your light, babe

I'm on the dark side of the road

But I wish there was somethin' you would do or say

To try and make me change my mind and stay

But we never did too much talking anyway

But don't think twice, it's all right.

So It ain't no use in calling out my name, gal

Like you never done before

And It ain't no use in calling out my name, gal

I can't hear you any more

I'm a-thinking and a-wonderin' walking down the road

I once loved a woman, a child I am told

I gave her my heart but she wanted my soul

But don't think twice, it's all right.

So long honey, baby

Where I'm bound, I can't tell

Goodbye's too good a word, babe

So I'll just say fare thee well

I ain't a-saying you treated me unkind

You could have done better but I don't mind

You just kinda wasted my precious time

But don't think twice, it's all right.

'The Freewhilin' Bob Dylan' Album Cover

About The Song

(Credit : Wikipedia)

In the liner notes to the original release, Nat Hentoff calls the song "a statement that maybe you can say to make yourself feel better... as if you were talking to yourself." The song was written around the time that Suze Rotolo indefinitely prolonged her stay in Italy. The melody is based on an older song, "Who's Gonna Buy Your Chickens When I'm Gone".

The melody was taught to Dylan by folksinger Paul Clayton, who had used the melody in his song "Who's Gonna Buy You Ribbons When I'm Gone?".

As well as the melody, a couple of lines were taken from Clayton's "Who's Goin' to Buy You Ribbons When I'm Gone?", which was recorded in 1960, two years before Dylan wrote "Don't Think Twice". Lines taken word-for-word or slightly altered from the Clayton song are, "T'ain't no use to sit and wonder why, darlin'," and, "So I'm walkin' down that long, lonesome road." On the first release of the song, instead of "So I'm walkin' down that long, lonesome road babe, where I'm bound, I can't tell" Dylan sings "So long, honey babe, where I'm bound, I can't tell". The lyrics were changed when Dylan performed live versions of the song and on cover versions recorded by other artists. Both Clayton's song and Dylan's song were based on the public domain traditional song "Who's Gonna Buy Your Chickens When I'm Gone".

'Don't Think Twice,It's Alright' by Bob Dylan

Song Review

The song involves a fast,rhythmic fingerplaystyle style that has enough potential to attract the listener to ponder over the words.
I love the lyrics of the song and I have been listening to the same song on 'Repeat' for almost three days now. Not just because I can kind of personally relate the song to something in particular but because of the words and the theme they are subsequently able to create.The lyrics of the song is the basic point of attraction and explain departure,pain but in a very casual manner.However,the casualness does not compromise with the pain present in the words,it only intensifies the particular feeling.
I personally love every part of the song but especially 
the part - "Goodbye's too good a word, babe

So I'll just say fare thee well."

There is a beautiful imagery the song has the potential to create - something that reminds me of a lonely mountain trail within the forests and a man with a guitar on his back.

Now,this is not something new that there has to be magic in Bob Dylan's words.However,how a song without the littlest bits of mysticism or psychedelia can become so special on its own is but a wonder to me.There is no presence of instrumentals,except for an acoustic that is used for the fingerplay.So,this turns out to be a contemporary song sung in the style of country music.The lyrics is written in typical informal American English but they certainly have much more potential and depth than lyrics in folk songs ever comprise of.

Dylan's voice does not fare particularly sweet to the ears but they express that it comes from the legend call Bob Dylan and that does the job for me.Anyhow,he has got a bold voice which tastes perfect with the flavour of the song.

Overall,this song is a must-listen-to for Dylan fans or people who have an interest in western country music or contemporary music from the '60s.

Lyrics - 5/5

Melody - 5/5 (It compliments the lyrics and the theme perfectly.)

Instrumentals - 5/5

The voice behind - 5/5

As A Song - {(20/20) * 100%} = 100%

Disclaimer - The photographs used do not belong to me.