Just Like a Woman (1966) – Bob Dylan

“There’s never a moment in the song, despite the little digs and the confessions of pain, when you can’t hear the love in his voice”

– Paul Williams, in his book Bob Dylan: Performing Artist, Book One 1960–1973

I posit that today’s featured song Just Like a Woman and its companion of sorts, Lay Lady Lay (posted here 13 months ago), are not only two of Dylan’s most popular and accessible tracks, but also among his most sumptuous and romantic. While they differ in musical style and vocal delivery – both exude an unmistakable sensuality. This stems largely from their lush arrangements and the intimate, yearning quality of their lyrics. Each song enjoyed notable commercial success too, charting at No. 33 (Just Like a Woman, 1966) and No. 7 (Lay Lady Lay, 1969) on the US Billboard.

Just Like a Woman comes from one of, if not Dylan’s most highly recognised and celebrated albums – Blonde on Blonde. He described the record as ‘That Thin, Wild Mercury Sound‘.  He recorded the song at Columbia Studio A, Nashville, Tennessee where he did seven complete takes, and multiple rehearsals and partial takes were recorded. Take 18, the last of the session, was used on the album. It is arguably the most “radio-friendly” track on the album apart from perhaps I Want You.
The single wasn’t given a release in the UK, but Manfred Man scored a hit (like they did with Dylan’s The Mighty Quinn) with their version reaching No. 10 in the UK and No 1 in Sweden.

Some critics have suggested that the song was inspired by Edie Sedgwick (“fog, amphetamine and pearls“), while others consider that it refers to Dylan’s relationship with fellow folk singer Joan Baez (Please don’t let on that you knew me when/I was hungry and it was your world). Some allege there is some sexism in the lyrics and you can read more about it in the Wikipedia reference below including the counter-arguments.

According to his official website, Dylan played the song live in concert 871 times from 1966 to 2010. In his 1966 tour performances, Dylan chose to play the song solo rather than with the band that accompanied him on the tour.

[Verse 1]
Nobody feels any pain
Tonight as I stand inside the rain
Everybody knows that baby’s got new clothes
But lately I see her ribbons and her bows
Have fallen from her curls

[Chorus]
She takes just like a woman, yeah she does
She makes love just like a woman, yeah she does
And she aches just like a woman
But she breaks just like a little girl

[Verse 2]
Queen Mary, she’s my friend
Yes, I believe I’ll go see her again
Nobody has to guess that baby can’t be blessed
‘Til she finally sees that she’s like all the rest
With her fog, her amphetamine and her pearls

[Bridge]
Yeah, it was raining from the first
And I was dying there of thirst
So I came in here
And your long-time curse hurts
But what’s worse
Is this pain in here
I can’t stay in here

[Verse 3]
Ain’t it clear that I just can’t fit
Yes, I believe it’s time for us to quit
But when we meet again, introduced as friends
Please don’t let on that you knew me when
I was hungry and it was your world

References:
1. Just Like a Woman – Wikipedia

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“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand