About the song
“Tangled Up in Blue,” a profound and introspective song by Bob Dylan, serves as the opening track to his influential 1975 album, *Blood on the Tracks*. This masterpiece of storytelling and musical craftsmanship delves into the complexities of human relationships, capturing different narrative perspectives with a poetic depth that has resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike.
Written in the summer of 1974 during a period of personal transition for Dylan, the song reflects his experiences following a tumultuous period in his life, including his separation from his wife, Sara Dylan. Dylan’s immersion in art classes and his exposure to Norman Raeben’s unconventional teachings on time influenced his songwriting style for *Blood on the Tracks*, where he deftly manipulates temporal elements to weave a narrative that blurs past, present, and future. As Dylan himself explained in a 1978 interview, “There’s no respect for [time]. You’ve got yesterday, today, and tomorrow all in the same room.”
The song’s recording process adds another layer to its evolution. Initially recorded in New York City in September 1974, Dylan re-recorded it in Minneapolis later that year at the suggestion of his brother, David Zimmerman, to achieve a more commercially viable sound. This re-recording, done at Sound 80, featured a full band and marked a departure from the more stripped-down New York sessions. Each recording session saw subtle changes to the lyrics and arrangements, reflecting Dylan’s meticulous attention to detail and his quest for artistic perfection.
Upon its release, “Tangled Up in Blue” received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for its profound lyrics and Dylan’s emotive delivery. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number 68 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, cementing its status as a timeless classic. The song’s enduring appeal has been further underscored by multiple alternate versions released over the years, including studio out-takes and live performances, which offer glimpses into Dylan’s creative process and the evolution of the song itself.
Dylan’s ability to blend personal experience with universal themes of love, loss, and the passage of time has ensured that “Tangled Up in Blue” remains not just a song, but a poignant reflection on the human condition. Its narrative richness and musical sophistication continue to captivate audiences, making it an essential piece in the tapestry of Bob Dylan’s remarkable career and a landmark in the annals of popular music.
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Lyrics
Early one morning the sun was shining.
I was laying in bed
Wondering if she’d changed it all.
If her hair was still red.
Her folks, they said, our lives together
Sure was gonna be rough.
They never did like Mama’s homemade dress.
Papa’s bankbook wasn’t big enough
And I was standing on the side of the road,
Rain falling on my shoes,
Heading out for the east coast.
Lord knows I’ve paid some dues getting through,
Tangled up in blue.She was married when we first met.
Soon to be divorced.
I helped her out of a jam, I guess,
But I used a little too much force.
We drove that car as far as we could;
Abandoned it out west.
Split it up on a dark sad night;
Both agreeing it was best.
She turned around to look at me
As I was walking away.
I heard her say over my shoulder
We’ll meet again someday on the avenue.
Tangled up in blue.I had a job in the great north woods
Working as a cook for a spell,
But I never did like it all that much
And one day the axe just fell.
So I drifted down to New Orleans
Where I happened to be employed
Working for a while on a fishing boat
Right outside of Delacroix,
But all the while I was alone.
The past was close behind.
I seen a lot of women,
But she never escaped my mind and I just grew
Tangled up in blue.She was working in a topless place
And I stopped in for a beer.
I just kept looking at the side of her face
In the spotlight so clear
And later on as the crowd thinned out
I’s just about to do the same,
She was standing there in back of my chair.
Said to me Don’t I know your name?
I muttered something underneath my breath.
She studied the lines on my face.
I must admit I felt a little uneasy
When she bent down to tie the laces of my shoe.
Tangled up in blue.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.I lived with them on Montague Street
In a basement down the stairs.
There was music in the cafe’s at night
And revolution in the air.
Then he started into dealing with slaves
And something inside of him died.
She had to sell everything she owned
And froze up inside
And when finally the bottom fell out,
I became withdrawn.
The only thing I knew how to do
Was to keep on keeping on like a bird that flew
Tangled up in blue.So now I’m going back again.
I got to get her somehow.
All the people we used to know;
They’re an illusion to me now.
Some are mathematicians.
Some are carpenter’s wives.
Don’t know how it all got started.
I don’t what they’re doing with their lives,
But me, I’m still on the road
Heading for another joint.
We always did feel the same.
We just saw it from a different point of view.
Tangled up in blue.