She's Your Lover Now Lyrics
Also, so did the landlord
The scene was so crazy, wasn't it?
Both were so glad
To watch me destroy what I had
Pain sure brings out the best in people, doesn't it?
Why didn't you just leave me if you didn't want to stay?
Why'd you have to treat me so bad?
Did it have to be that way?
Now you stand here expecting me
To remember something you forgot to say
Yes, and you, I see you're still with her
Well, that's fine because she's coming on so strange
Can't you tell?
Somebody had better explain
She's got her iron chain
I'd do it, but I, I just can't remember how
You talk to her
She's your lover now
That we're in the felony room
But I ain't a judge, you don't have to be nice to me
But please tell that
To your friend in the cowboy hat
You know he keeps on saying everything twice to me
You know I was straight with you
You know I've never tried to change you in any way
You know if you didn't want to be with me
That you could . . . didn't have to stay
Now you stand here saying you forgive and forget
Honey, what can I say?
Yes, you, you just sit around and ask for ashtrays
Can't you reach?
I see you kiss her on the cheek
Every time she gives a speech
With her picture-books of the pyramid
And her postcards of Billy the Kid
(Why must everybody bow?)
You better talk to her about it
You're her lover now
Is going up the castle stairs
But I'm not up in your castle, honey
It's true, I just can't recall
San Francisco at all
I can't even remember El Paso, uh, honey
You never had to be faithful
I didn't want you to grieve
Oh, why was it so hard for you
If you didn't want to be with me, just to leave?
NOw you stand here while your finger's going up my sleeve
And you, just what do you do anyway?
Ain't there nothing you can say?
She'll be standing on the bar soon
With a fish-head and a harpoon
An a fake beard plastered on her brow
You'd better do something quick
She's your lover now
Do I look like Charles Atlas?
Do you think I still got what you still got, baby?
Her voice is really warm
It's just that it ain't got no form
But it's just like a dead man's last pistol shot, baby
Oh, your mouth used to be naked
Your eyes used to be so blue
Your hurts used to be so nameless
And your tears used to be so few
Now your eyes cry wolf while your mouth cries
"I'm not scared of animals like you"
And you there's really nothing about you I can recall
I just saw you that one time and you were just there, that's all
But I've already been kissed
I'm not going to get into this
I couldn't make it anyhow
You do it for me
You're her lover now
There's a solo version of this out on bootlegs, which is just Bob alone at the piano stomping his foot for rhythm and singing with almost scary intensity.
The version above leaves out the last verse:
Oh, why must I fall into this sadness? Do I look like Charles Atlas? Do you think I still got what you still got, baby? Her voice is really warm It's just that it ain't got no form But it's just like a dead man's last pistol shot, baby Oh, your mouth used to be naked, your eyes used to be so blue Your hurts used to be so nameless and your tears used to be so few Now your eyes cry wolf while your mouth cries: "I'm not scared of animals like you." And you there's really nothing about you I can recall I just saw you that one time and you were just there, that's all But I've already been kissed, I'm not gonna get into this I couldn't make it anyhow You do it for me You're her lover now
Is there another version of this song out there other than the one released on the Bootleg Series? That version ends abruptly after the "now your eyes cry wolf while your mouth .." part and according to allmusic, that is it - there was no ending. Yet I have seen these completed lyrics elsewhere on the web!
Is there another version of this song out there other than the one released on the Bootleg Series? That version ends abruptly after the "now your eyes cry wolf while your mouth .." part and according to allmusic, that is it - there was no ending. Yet I have seen these completed lyrics elsewhere on the web!
"you just sit around and ask for ashtrays, can't you reach?" i just love that line! vicious vicious bob
I always had a feeling that this song (along with others from Blonde on Blonde, including Just like a woman) is about Dylan's weird relationship with Edie Sedgwick (and in this case, an unknown male). Just a hunch really, but 'a fake beard plastered on her brow' could plausibly be a reference to Sedgwick's penchant for coating her hair in silver to make her look like Andy Warhol.
This song hasn't been tackled simply because it is so complex, on the surface. The shifts in perspective can be hard to follow, but I don't think the song could have been done any better.
Dylan's talking here to an ex and her new lover in alternate verses. There's a lot of venom chucked at both of them in lines like: 'Yes, and you, you just sit around here and ask for ashtrays, CAN'T YOU REACH?!?'. The problem is that there's not much of a 'hook' to this tune, and you have to pay attention to it in order to enjoy it. After so many years of fans having to seek this out on bootleg, it is finally appreciated as The Masterwork That Wasn't !
That's the reason why I think it was left off the Blonde on Blonde album, and parts of the song were recycled for 'One Of Us Must Know' (Sooner Or Later). There were supposedly 17 takes of 'She's Your Lover Now'; I'm sure a good track could have been spliced together if Dylan wanted this on album at the time.
He's sitting in a room at a party with his ex and her new man... this has some of Dylan's most acidic lines.. As elephant Range noted above and it's folow up "I see you give her a kiss every time she makes a speech.." And these lines crack me up: "I already assumed That we're in the felony room But I ain't a judge, you don't have to be nice to me But please tell that To your friend in the cowboy hat You know he keeps on sayin' ev'rythin' twice to me..." Perfect.
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wow. this song is amazing, i wish it had been on blonde on blonde.
he's trying to convince himself that the girl was more of a hassle to be with and so he's happy that she is someone else's problem/lover (lol) now. but poor bob is so sensitive it really hurts him and he turns his hurt into anger. love the can't you reach line lol. okay this is my final comment (maybe)
One small but important correction to the last verse.He says "MY voice is really warm".I listened carefully several times. One pronoun makes a profound difference doesn't it?
I think this is one of Bob Dylan's finest lyrics. Maybe even THE finest. It's funny how people below have specifically picked up on the 'ashtray/reach' part as that's the line even my "don't get Dylan" friends have to admit is one of the best put-downs ever, be it from a song, or anywhere. I think this is a better 'put-down' song as it's sharper and more cutting than Positively 4th Street or Ballad of a Thin Man (which many people suggest are among Dylan's great put-down songs) as it's ultimately about lost love and 'post-relationship hurt', which are more poignant than criticising even betrayed friendship or people not being hip and holding you back, respectively.
Although |I've loved the full band version for >15 years, I hadn't heard the >8minute demo version on You Tube till this morning, which is what prompted me to write this. It suspends time and it's like being in the room next to him working it out as he goes. It feels like the nearest I've ever been to anyone really good doing anythingreally well - and it was nearly 50 years ago.
So today has been a good day!
No one has mentioned one spectacularly ingenius lyric: "It's true, I just can't recall San Francisco at all I can't even remember El Paso, uh, honey"
Look what he does with just two letters that are not even an actual word. Putting "uh" before "honey" he's saying not only can I not remember San Francisco or El Paso, I can't even remember your name.
Just two letters adds one more giant insult.
[Edit: Tyoo]