“How does it feel? How does it feel?”
Jim goes touch feely with his prompts for Song Lyric Sunday this week. I know it’s only three weeks from my previous Dylan offering, but how could you ever tire of this? And besides, it was the first song that came to mind when I saw the prompt.
(I usually stay away from live versions of Dylan songs, but this one – with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – is actually pretty good).
Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn’t you?
People’d call, say, “Beware doll, you’re bound to fall”
You thought they were all kiddin’ you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin’ out
Now you don’t talk so loud
Now you don’t seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal
How does it feel?
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You’ve gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody’s ever taught you how to live out on the street
And now you’re gonna have to get used to it
You said you’d never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
He’s not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And say do you want to make a deal?
You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain’t no good
You shouldn’t let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain’t it hard when you discover that
He really wasn’t where it’s at
After he took from you everything he could steal
Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They’re all drinkin’, thinkin’ that they got it made
Exchanging all precious gifts
But you’d better take your diamond ring, you’d better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can’t refuse
When you ain’t got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You’re invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Written by Bob Dylan
the only deadhead in the hameau 
I think that I read that Mick Jagger tried to sue Bob Dylan over this song for using the name of his group. Nice video, this song really jams. I am so glad that Dylan went electric.
Great choice today and you can never go wrong when you add anything with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. 🙂
One of my top 10 Dylan songs. Some of the lyrics are off on this printout. One of my favorite lines is changed in a significant way. He asks her, “do you want to make a deal,” she doesn’t ask him. Good video.
Excellent choice!! Thanks for sharing