(Beautiful shots from my all-time favorite album cover. Mike Batt’s Tarot Suite may be a close second, but The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan is iconic. I’ve always said that if I ever had the chance, I’d do a Dylan pilgrimage across the U.S., and Jones Street in New York, where the cover photo was taken, would be a must-visit. It’s close to where Dylan and Suze Rotolo lived, and the image has become legendary, often featured in art and recreated in films. I especially love how Cameron Crowe brought it to life in Vanilla Sky).
Bob Dylan has an incredible collection of breakup songs, and an early standout is the timeless classic, Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right. This was one of the first Dylan tracks I remember hearing. Though I don’t hear it as much now as I did growing up in Kurmond, Western Sydney, in the late ‘80s, that’s likely because it’s taken me most of my life to explore and appreciate the full breadth of his work. A natural companion to this song is It Ain’t Me, Babe which was released on the 1964 record Another Side of Bob Dylan and became a hit for Johnny Cash and June Carter.
Though Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right is often viewed as a breakup song filled with regret, Dylan undercuts the sadness with clever, almost flippant lines that reveal a wry sense of humor. Phrases like “I gave her my heart, but she wanted my soul” convey a sense of exasperation, while the refrain “Don’t think twice, it’s all right” feels like a half-hearted attempt to downplay the emotional toll. This playful, almost nonchalant attitude toward heartbreak is somewhat a hallmark of Dylan’s early songwriting style.
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right was written by Bob Dylan in 1962 and released in 1963 on his album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, also appearing as the B-side to the single Blowin’ in the Wind. Over the years, the song has been covered by numerous artists, including Waylon Jennings in 1964 and Peter, Paul and Mary, whose version became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
In the original release’s liner notes, Nat Hentoff describes the song as “a statement you might use to console yourself, as though speaking inwardly.” Dylan wrote it around the time when Suze Rotolo, his girlfriend at the time, extended her stay in Italy. Following his first trip to England in ’62, Dylan left England for Italy to search for Suze, whose continuation of studies there had caused a serious rift in their relationship. The song’s opening melody draws inspiration from the traditional public domain tune “Who’s Gonna Buy Your Chickens When I’m Gone,” a song Dylan learned from fellow folk singer Paul Clayton. Clayton had adapted the same melody for his own version, titled “Who’s Gonna Buy You Ribbons When I’m Gone?”
[Verse 1]
Well, it ain’t no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If’n 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
[Verse 2]
And it ain’t no use in a-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 something 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
[Verse 3]
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 anymore
I’m a-thinking and a-wondering, walking down the road
I once loved a woman, a child, I’m told
I give her my heart but she wanted my soul
But don’t think twice, it’s all right
[Verse 4]
So long, honey babe
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’ve done better, but I don’t mind
You just kinda wasted my precious time
But don’t think twice, it’s all right
References:
1. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Well Matt…we both posted Dylan today.
I love this song…this is a song that so many people have covered but I love Bob’s version of it. One of his greatest and that is saying a lot.
Yes, I read your article yesterday which came out nearly same time as mine. Sweet, man!
Re. the versions, I was expecting more from the PPM version since it was a big hit, but sometimes that’s what is appreciated commercially which Dylan’s original certainly wasn’t.
I always go back to the original with this one….always.
Yes, of course. I can only think of three covers of a Bob Dylan song (off the top of my head) which ‘perhaps’ supersede his original to my ears. Joan Baez’s ‘Forever Young’, Lou Reed’s ‘Foot of Pride’ and Hendrix’s ‘Watchtower’.
I do like The Byrds My Back Pages more than Dylans…I like it much more than their Tambourine Man.
I think Christian said something similar the Byrds version was a ‘great rendition’. I prefer Dylan’s, but hey it’s all cool.
Great pick, Matt. The song’s title perfectly sums up how I feel about this gem by Dylan! 🙂
Umm, I’m not sure what you mean Christian. That the song is ‘Alright’? But it’s also a gem..You lost me.
It was supposed to be a play on the song’s title. In this case, “alright” definitely equals gem in my book. I’ve always loved “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright.” 🙂
‘Alright’ equals gem? To quote Ace Ventura ‘Alrighty then’ lol
Okay, so I guess my last lame excuse is after having lived in the U.S. for close to 30 years, I still don’t know English!😂