Dylan, Bob - My Back Pages Lyrics






Crimson flames tied through my ears
Rollin' high and mighty traps
Pounced with fire on flaming roads
Using ideas as my maps
"We'll meet on edges, soon," said I
Proud 'neath heated brow
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 their 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 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.





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Dylan, Bob My Back Pages Comments
  1. F.... f....

    To me, this is his greatest song. I know it is hard to choose from so many great song. This song always slays me.

  2. S.... W....

    A total masterpiece written in his youth with his old soul

  3. W.... ....

    I first heard this a long time ago. Ah but I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now.

  4. �.... V....

    Muito linda e emocionante, nos faz refletir em relação as nossas atitudes diante das oportunidades de sermos felizes, até porque, temos pressa em viver, posto que nossa passagem neste planeta não passa de um instante. Muito grato ao meu amigo de Macaé, A.R, o qual me mostrou o quão Bob Dylan é especial. ADSUMUS.

  5. R.... K....

    One of the best ever written.

  6. S.... 7....

    😍😍😍😍😍

  7. s.... h....

    Immense.

  8. j.... ....

    Who's here because of Garrison Keillor?

  9. C.... P....

    sjw !!! How could he do accurately describe it?? Can he see future???

  10. M.... P....

    ... Dylan was only about 23 yo old when he recorded this song!!!

  11. M.... S....

    It's a great !

  12. K.... G....

    just couldn't get better could it? COULD IT??

  13. p.... j....

    Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now

  14. J.... E....

    I like this song!

  15. E.... J....

    this is old but............i still love it !! !! who still listening in 2019 ? hit that thumbs up if you lobve bob dylan

  16. T.... P....

    You bet , Bob .💫

  17. K.... K....

    Dylans Best version is right here like most of his great songs thanks,from Keith Ill take his originals everytime

  18. M.... ....

    How did the Byrds f*** up the lyrics so much? "Countless" fire on flaming roads? Romantic flanks of Musketeers? Sisters fled by confusion boats?
    What were they? High?

  19. B.... H....

    A song straight from Merlin's Heart lol

  20. �.... ....

    By The great " Bob "

  21. H.... L....

    gad damn.

  22. c.... d....

    👏👏👏👏👏

  23. J.... W....

    Poetry meaning: Bob Dylan

  24. A.... ....

    Please upload the whole album. There’s a few other legendary tracks on there such as To Ramona, All I really want to do, and I don’t believe you (she acts like we never have met)

  25. D.... G....

    these words are endlessly illuminating

  26. L.... T....

    Its good, but the Byrds add melody

  27. D.... S....

    Cool 😎

  28. j.... m....

    My older cousin introduced me to Bob Dylan in 1964.
    What a treat it has been for 55 years now.

    j.... m....

    joe mcmillan cool dude 😎

  29. b.... ....

    Bob Dylan saw the writing on the wall over a half century ago when he wrote My Back Pages: How 'self-righteous' excess was beginning to creep into the minds of the Leftists of HIS day in their blind pursuit of Social Justice™ during the Civil Rights era: "Equality™ I spoke the word as if a wedding vow. Ah, but I was so much older than, I'm younger than that now"

    But people never REALLY listen to their "prophets" do they?
    Today we see the fruition of Dylan's insights into movement politics: 112 Genderz - The brainwashing of children into gender self-mutilation (in so-called 'Trans Movement') - the Refusal of african-amerikan communities to look WITHIN themselves for the cultural source of the savage violence of the inner-cities - The sheer Misandry and Sexism of modern-day "Feminists™" - and the new Racism aimed at people of European descent among other perversions of Leftist Identity Politics.

    "We'll meet on edges, soon, said I, proud 'neath heated brow".....That divisive time is Our time. That time is NOW.

    Look at these lyrics and actually SEE what Dylan was trying to tell us so long ago!

    -----------------------------
    Crimson flames tied through my ears, rollin' high and mighty traps
    Pounced with fire on flaming roads using ideas as my maps
    "We'll meet on edges, soon, " said I, proud 'neath heated brow
    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

  30. D.... J....

    This brilliant song encapsules the way Dylan reverses the words to create a different meaning,or an amusing skit to wonder at,.as here,'I was so much older then,I'm younger
    than that now'.Similarly,'He just smoked my eyelids,and punched my cigarette'(Stuck inside of Memphis),and many more,as you go through his catalogue.It's a trait often missed.

    D.... J....

    That's such a great insight

  31. M.... ....

    The older you get the less you know

    M.... ....

    What a blessing . 😎

  32. B.... M....

    i had a list of commands
    i could not understand
    it came from heaven
    i must protect
    with most respect
    the things i have created

    B.... M....

    Put to music so also song

    B.... M....

    @Maggie Bryan Your Right Maggie
    been a strange kinda day forgive me

    B.... M....

    @Maggie Bryan Hello Maggie
    Please don’t be offended
    But i used to own a pet magpie
    when i was younger
    Her name was maggie too


    As Titanic lays
    In her watery grave
    Many voices can be heard
    From the people onboard
    Why didn't you save us?

    B.... M....

    @Maggie Bryannot offended thats great
    Looking up to the sky tonight Maggie
    It's clear and beautiful


    If I was an astronaut
    You know what I’d do
    I’d take off my helmet
    To get a better view

  33. B.... M....

    as i dance through the stars
    playing my guitar
    i was applauded by many
    the only reason that stars shine
    is i left my guitar behind
    i shall return for it shortly

  34. E.... B....

    Bob dylan=greatest ever!

  35. D.... V....

    love and respect from Belarus!

  36. t.... ....

    he rode a Triumph 500.he obviously crashed it..in Liverpool a year or four ago....he did the national trust tour of The Beatles home's..on their mini bus ...its a nice whine

  37. t.... ....

    such beautiful words of song and verse and harmony...they all ripped him off tho...I define them terms

  38. O.... M....

    when people school themselves to appear both very self-confident and intelligent, I tend to see words like "corpse evangelist" written in the bones of their frozen-smiles face, like I am seeing an expensive suit with no-one in it. All appearance. No substance. But then I am addicted to undisciplined improvisations. Especially in speech patterns. Momentary eclipses of reason are fleeting but fluctuating rapidly, he said, with a clarity in the air, like when the heaviness-in-the-weather breaks after a storm, then you are breathing in the highlands; echoes of the future; time out of mind...oh whatever. the climate exists in my brainwaves and externally simultaneously but yet I have been known to breathe incorrectly at almost every moment.

  39. O.... M....

    "the moon is a blabber mouth" said the safecracker

  40. Z.... C....

    Crimson flames tied through my ears
    Rollin' high and mighty traps
    Countless with fire on flaming roads
    Using ideas as my maps
    We'll meet on edges, soon, said I
    Proud 'neath heated brow
    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
    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
    Sisters fled by confusion boats
    Mutiny from stern to bow
    Ah, but I was so much older then
    I'm younger than that now
    Ah, but I was so much older then
    I'm younger than that now
    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

    Z.... C....

    WHY DID YOU PRINT OUT THE LYRICS?

    Z.... C....

    Jeff W so I could read them while the video plays cause I have hearing aids and don’t know them

    Z.... C....

    Good and Bad I define these terms...

    Z.... C....

    George Zecevich I’ve never heard the song

  41. C.... G....

    Heartbreaking. One of his best.

  42. A.... M....

    One of the most profound songs ever written.

  43. I.... P....

    Now hear this Robert Zimmerman. I've wrote a song for you,.about a strange young man called Dylan with a voice like sand and glue.

  44. G.... ....

    Bob obviously has a better command of grammar ..Then Guitar

    G.... ....

    It's, uh, sincere.

  45. A.... S....

    Magnificent

  46. T.... K....

    I wish these 'official' videos would include the year if not the month and day of original release or recording. The album this song was from, 'Another Side of Bob Dylan'. was released in 1964.

  47. N.... P....

    In my opinion the only other version as good as the original is the 30th Anniversary concert edition

    N.... P....

    Absolutely no doubt

  48. C.... L....

    Respect. In multiples!

  49. M.... I....

    Ramones version is much better. Better than The Birds too.

    M.... I....

    Not betterl, but very good

  50. e.... ....

    Just fucking wow.

  51. d.... m....

    And he can't sing...

    d.... m....

    Maybe you don't listen

  52. A.... L....

    This song in it's original recording as posted makes me cry every time I listen to it. One of the most poetic song of Dylan's . I love everything about Bob.

    A.... L....

    Marry me.

  53. s.... ....

    I've been listening to t his song for 55 years and I still get something new out of it.

    s.... ....

    I know what you mean. Hearing the line, "equality" I spoke the word, as if a wedding vow" took thousands of times of hearing until understanding what it meant. If you say the word "equality" as if you're asking someone to marry you, (as if you're asking in earnest) it comes off as, "are you kidding me? If students have rights, that means everyone in the world has rights"?

    s.... ....

    I don't get it?

  54. c.... ....

    "abstract threats, too noble to neglect" . Uhh!!

  55. r.... ....

    Pablo Neruda with a guitar,,,,

    r.... ....

    bravo ! j'ai posté avant hier une song de Dylan (fourth time around)en l'associant à un poème de Neruda (lacentaine d'amour) bonne journée, d.

  56. R.... G....

    I wanna be a woman so I can marry Bob Dylan 😂👌

  57. i.... a....

    Underated and overlooked , a great dylan album

  58. O.... D....

    Lovely song

  59. L.... P....

    My favourite Dylan song... I love all 1st lines of all the 6 parts:
    1. Crimson flames tied through my ears, rollin' high and mighty traps
    2. Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth, "rip down all hate, " I screamed
    3. Girls' faces formed the forward path from phony jealousy
    4. A self-ordained professor's tongue too serious to fool
    5. In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand at the mongrel dogs who teach
    6. Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats too noble to neglect

  60. F.... F....

    destroyed anybody else trying to sing with an acoustic guitar

  61. j.... k....

    This has absolutely nothing to do with the great music and lyrics...but I think that was one of the worst album covers of all time!

  62. A.... G....

    Why have we become like this?? Periods of class, quality and life are gone. Such a captivating creation of Bob. Live forever among us.

  63. T.... B....

    So you are going to transcend whatever you thought was true and important and become younger? Good God damn thing. Make the magic happen Bob! Today!

  64. o.... d....

    Bob's most beautiful song !

    o.... d....

    Now that's a hard one! I stand for Sad eyed lady as his most beatiful song. Possibly Simple twist of fate, Girl from the north country... Too many to choose from really.

  65. C.... ....

    Crimson flames tied through my ears

    Rollin’ high and mighty traps

    Pounced with fire on flaming roads

    Using ideas as my maps

    “We’ll meet on edges, soon,” said I

    Proud ’neath heated brow

    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 pathway 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

  66. m.... b....

    the beautiful text and voice of dylan

  67. E.... D....

    I'm so glad this version is available. It's my favorite October song. I think his voice is great in it, positively great. Wow!

  68. g.... s....

    My kids have no idea that this is where I came from. It doesn't seem to matter anymore.

  69. V.... H....

    Hey Bob I am sick of love songs, Why don't you kick the Real Fucking cunts into Kingdom come ?

  70. d.... ....

    my favourite bob song

  71. S.... B....

    22/04/19...who are the 8 fools who saw fit to thumb down such a MAJESTIC song? ...my mind boggles at such ignorance!
    🎩

  72. i.... a....

    I am waiting for To Ramona to be sent to me, its so nice to have dylan here finally

  73. A.... C....

    Not a big Dylan fan but love this lyric and the way he decides what he is saying after he reads what he has written making words fit and rhyme. What is personal to him becomes universal and open to us.

    A.... C....

    Same here. Even though I'm not a Dylan fan at all, this is a brilliant song nonetheless, one of my top favorites from all times and all artists, and it's from the one record of his I like a whole lot.

    A.... C....

    Umm lol but you are then

    A.... C....

    Im just sayn plz dont take offense.. i understand

    A.... C....

    @Google Sucks
    If you're not a Dylan fan why listen to him you are silly
    And if you listen to this and you're still not a Dylan fan. then you are even sillier : )

  74. A.... H....

    Wow. His command of the English language is unsurpassed. His talent, ageless.

  75. s.... ....

    Thank you VEVO for putting this back on YT.
    It was gone for SO long -- and it's one of Dylan's very finest.

    s.... ....

    Ya thanks

  76. S.... P....

    #1.18 the tone .......tone of master

  77. O.... M....

    a hymn to a world without ideologies will ring true. this song will allow one to see through the vanity of a young college student even if you are a young college student. old students too, come to think of it. Dylan's best early solo song, imho

  78. T.... F....

    The greatest lyricist of his generation.

    T.... F....

    Of all time

    T.... F....

    of all fuckin time

    T.... F....

    No-one else comes even close.

  79. h.... ....

    The older I get, the more I understand this song. I'm 69 now, wonder how I'll think it about it in ten years?

    h.... ....

    From one old person to another, good luck with that.

    h.... ....

    @Jim Peluso ;)

    h.... ....

    You'll be younger then.

  80. A.... R....

    Dylan goes straight for the heart - more than anyone other songwriter I can think of

    A.... R....

    Not even Leonard Cohen?
    You must've heard the anecdote where they each shared how long it took them to write a song? Dylan asked LC how long it took to write "Hallelujah;" he answered, "two years," which was not entirely true -- it'd actually taken five years. Cohen then asked His Bobness how long it took him to write "I and I." Answer: "15 minutes."
    Source: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/flashback-bob-dylan-covers-leonard-cohens-hallelujah-121224/

  81. P.... D....

    And then he found Jesus and started preaching. Hey, Bob, remember this song? You wrote it.

    P.... D....

    I don't believe he found Jesus. At least it didn't lead him into the truth. I think he realized it was phony. There is a real Jesus and He is not phony like organized religion.

    P.... D....

    Joan biaz quote lol

    P.... D....

    @Gaul1748 Jesus is the way and Dylan knows it.

    P.... D....

    This song isn't about religion, it's about the rejection of the leftist movement that was raging at the time and trying to suck dylan into being a part of it. He wrote many songs that became anthems for the leftists (Blowing in the wind, times they are a changing...etc). Joan Baez was part of it. He didn't want to be part of it, and wanted to move on from that kind of "folk" music that the leftists were using him for. That's why this song appears on his last "folk" album before he abandoned it and then release his rock album trilogy, which made him a "sell out" and an enemy to the leftist cause who all hated him afterwards.

  82. S.... A....

    In this song Dylan hinted a shift from topical songs. In Maggie's Farm he doubled down his stand only with more bluesier touch. These lines beautifully captured an introspective Dylan.

    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

    Among the best of Dylan.

  83. A.... M....

    The Byrds did a great cover of this.

    A.... M....

    Those were the days!

    A.... M....

    A great job f****** up the lyrics. 'Countless' fire on flaming Road, romantic 'flanks' of musketeers, sisters fled by confusion boats??
    Key word here is confusion.

    A.... M....

    ummm... no

    A.... M....

    yeah sure. Whatever the Byrds did (are those the same that ruined Mr Tambourine Man?), this level of texting and phrasing of a single raspy voice with a single axe, clear like the sun and the wind, ...cant e.v.e.r be beaten. just my opinion.

    A.... M....

    The Byrds took a giant shit on this song and killed all the mood and sucked the soul from it. They made it a faster, peppy, empty shell...

  84. R.... ....

    I don't want to hear this song on the last day of my life. I want to hear it on the first day of my afterlife.

    R.... ....

    It wakes you up every time the wheel turns around again.

    R.... ....

    Beautiful thought

    R.... ....

    maybe you wrote it in the previous one

    R.... ....

    Piotr Brzozowski or perhaps in the last thousand

  85. S.... ....

    “I was so much older then. I’m younger than that now.” ❤️🙏🏾

  86. S.... R....

    My favorite song from Dylan, and likely my favorite work of Art period.

  87. D.... B....

    😍💚✡🎵👑😘 "SO HAPPY"

  88. C.... M....

    Questa rimane per me la migliore interpretazione di Bob.

  89. B.... M....

    repetirla dos mil veces

  90. A.... T....

    Bob Dylan forever young

  91. M.... D....

    Rip down all hate I screamed.....

  92. w.... ....

    Brilliant , fantastic and never tire of hearing this gem

  93. m.... ....

    This is most likely my favorite Dylan album.

  94. E.... R....

    Profound and prolific

    E.... R....

    Esther Ruby “profound” most definitely. But I think you might have the word “prolific” confused with another word.

  95. I.... ....

    "Good and bad,
    I define these terms,
    quite clear, no doubt, somehow,
    I was so much older then,
    I'm younger than that now"

    I.... ....

    ...with all the certainty of youth.

  96. J.... s....

    Through my ears...

  97. J.... L....

    His most introspective and impressive work.

    My pathway led by confusion boats
    Mutiny from stern to bow

    J.... L....

    Jack Lintern “My existence Led by...”

    J.... L....

    ...absolutely amazing song. Thought provoking lyrics that make you think and what a great melody.

    J.... L....

    Poetry in motion lol amazing man 👌

    J.... L....

    Siempre bien