I like this photo of Bob. You know that standard Elizabethan image of Shakespeare we all see (with the large lace collar which encircles his neck – called a ‘ruff’), well I could imagine something like the above being the standard Bob image in 500 years time. He looks like he is on a mission, a crusade of sorts; A nutty young professor where the ghost of electricity howls in the bones of his face.
Today’s featured song It Ain’t Me Babe which became a hit for Johnny Cash and June Carter is a natural companion piece to another Dylan song presented here last year – Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right. Both are viewed as ‘breakup’ songs where Dylan undercuts the sadness with clever, almost flippant lines that reveal a wry sense of humor. On a side note, you can compare the It Ain’t Me Babe Scene from A Complete Unknown (the recent Dylan biopic) to the Real Bob Dylan & Joan Baez Performance at the Newport Folk Festival here.
In those characters’ key scene together they take the stage at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival and sing “It Ain’t Me Babe,” a Dylan song that Baez also recorded. Their rendition conveys the depth of their romantic and artistic connection not just to the audience, but also to Dylan’s girlfriend, played by Elle Fanning, watching just offstage.
It Ain’t Me Babe is the final track from Dylan’s 1964 album Another Side of Bob Dylan. It embodies the changes to his style that he had made since his previous album, the same year’s The Times They Are a-Changin’. Rather than the sociopolitical lyrics found in his work up to this point, the album contained more traditional love songs, with only a few concessions to the protest song style popular among folk musicians and audiences at the time.
The following was extracted from the reference below:
Dylan’s biographers generally agree that the song owes its inspiration to his former girlfriend Suze Rotolo. He reportedly began writing the song during his visit to Italy in 1963 while searching for Rotolo, who was studying there.
Clinton Heylin reports that a Times reporter at a May 1964 Royal Festival Hall concert where Dylan first played “It Ain’t Me” took the chorus “no, no, no” as a parody of the Beatles’ “yeah, yeah, yeah” in “She Loves You“.
[Verse 1]
Go away from my window
Leave at your own chosen speed
I’m not the one you want, babe
I’m not the one you need
You say you’re looking for someone
Who’s never weak but always strong
To protect you and defend you
Whether you are right or wrong
Someone to open each and every door
[Refrain]
But it ain’t me, babe
No, no, no, it ain’t me, babe
It ain’t me you’re looking for, babe
[Verse 2]
Go lightly from the ledge, babe
Go lightly on the ground
I’m not the one you want, babe
I will only let you down
You say you’re looking for someone
Who will promise never to part
Someone to close his eyes for you
Someone to close his heart
Someone who will die for you and more
[Refrain]
[Verse 3]
Go melt back in the night
Everything inside is made of stone
There’s nothing in here moving
And anyway I’m not alone
You say you’re looking for someone
Who’ll pick you up each time you fall
To gather flowers constantly
And to come each time you call
A lover for your life and nothing more
[Refrain]
References:
1. It Ain’t Me Babe – 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 
You probably won’t be surprised I love “It Ain’t Me Babe.” I also like the rendition by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. And then there’s of course Timothée Chalamet who literally was a complete unknown to me until the Dylan biopic.
BTW, the film is nominated for eight Oscars. Usually, I don’t care much about the Oscars, but when I saw it earlier today, it made me happy. Among others, nominations for “A Complete Unknown” include Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor (Timothée Chalamet) – all pretty high-profile categories!
You are right. I am not surprised you rate this song so highly given your adoration of Dylan’s output in this decade.
I just finished writing an article of another movie in which Timothy appears – Dune. Unfortunately, ‘A Complete Unknown’ doesn’t come out here until Feb 20. It’s been such a long wait. I have been chewing at the bit to watch this since June last year when I presented the trailer from it here. Given your and Max’s high praise for it, the wait even feels more drawn out HAHA. I did read yesterday about the movie’s nominations for the Oscars. I will be supporting this and Dune 2 for best movie. Mind you I have other movies from the list I’m yet to see such as ‘the Brutalist’, which comes out here next week.
Sorry for contributing to your suspense regarding “A Complete Unknown.” I think it’ll be worth the wait. BTW, have you heard of the forthcoming new Led Zeppelin documentary “Becoming Led Zeppelin”? It’s supposed to premiere in the US and Canada on Feb 7 in IMAX, followed by broad distribution.
I have heard about the upcoming documentary ‘Becoming Le Zeppelin’, but I’m afraid I’ve never been a fan, but it’s no fault of my not trying. I hope you enjoy the doco.
Now that you mentioned it, I believe you have expressed your sentiments about Zep before. I can see they are not for everybody. In fact, initially, I didn’t like the group much either, but once I began exploring them, got hooked. They remain one of my favorite rock bands.
I’m glad you found so much to like about them, and have become one of your favourites. It’s interesting, hey.. the music tangents we go down. They are uniquely an individual’s journey and remain precious, almost of devine stature.
I like this version but the one I remember the most is The Turtles version…it’s a great song regardless of who does it.
I hadn’t heard the Turtles version until just now. The song isn’t anywhere near what I’d class as ‘top-shelf’ by Dylan in this decade, but it’s pretty darn good and I wondered why I hadn’t presented it earlier.
Many times it’s the case of who did I hear this from first? No not his very best but it lended itself to a pop version.
I see what you mean. I heard Bob’s version first and then Johnny and June’s (from the biopic) and now the Turtles. I think I like Johnny and June’s the best.