The Levee's Gonna Break Lyrics
If it keep on rainin', the levee gonna break
Everybody saying this is a day only the Lord could make
I worked on the levee, Mama, both night and day
I got to the river and I threw my clothes away
I paid my time and now I'm as good as new.
They can't take me back unless I want 'em to
If it keep on rainin', the levee gonna break
Some of these people gonna strip you of all they can take
I can't stop here I ain't ready to unload
Riches and salvation can be waiting behind the next bend in the road
I picked you up from the gutter and this is the thanks I get
You say you want me to quit ya, I told ya, 'No, not just yet.'
I look in your eyes, I see nobody other than me
I see all that I am and all I hope to be
If it keep on rainin', the levee gonna break
Some of these people don't know which road to take
When I'm with you, I forget I was ever blue
Without you there's no meaning in anything I do
Some people on the road carryin' everything they own
Some people got barely enough skin to cover their bones
Put on your cat clothes, mama, put on your evening dress
Few more years of hard work, then there'll be a 1,000 years of happiness
If it keep on rainin', the levee gonna break
I tried to get you to love me, but I won't repeat that mistake
If it keep on rainin', the levee gonna break
Plenty of cheap stuff out there and still around that you take
I woke up this morning, butter and eggs in my bed
I ain't got enough room to even raise my head.
Come back, baby, say we never more will part
Don't be a stranger with no brain or heart
If it keep on rainin', the levee gonna break
Some people still sleepin', some people are wide awake
I find it funny that the verse structure of this song is exactly the same as Woody Guthrie's "Worried Man Blues". Bob sure hasn't forgotten his youth hero.
Anyway, this is a great song which refers, correct me if I'm wrong, the Katrina hurricane and the New Orleands disaster.
Above all, of course, it refers to Memphis Minnie's "When The Levee Breaks" (also recorded by Led Zeppelin).
I don't think the stucture was taken specifically from Worried Man Blues - it's quite standard for a blues song
I read this line as a struggle to reconcile natural evils with a belief in a good God: "If it keep on rainin', the levee gonna break Everybody saying this is a day only the Lord could make"
And this is a reference to all of the crime and theft that took place in the wake of the Katrina disaster:
"If it keep on rainin', the levee gonna break
Some of these people gonna strip you of all they can take"
oooh, this is an interesting reference to the christian eschatological belief that christ's return will be followed by 1000 years of peace:
"Put on your cat clothes, mama, put on your evening dress
Few more years of hard work, then there'll be a 1,000 years of happiness"
This song is based off of the song by Kansas Joe McCoy, a black jazz muscian in the 40s and 50s, called When the Levee Breaks, which was adapted by Led Zeplin on the Mothership album. This has nothing to do with New Orleans, in a press release after it was brought up that Dylan seemingly 'copied' this song without giving credit he said it was loosely based off it in lyrics and in meaning. In the 50s Katrina was a name and not a hurricane, so I doubt it was written as a homage to Katrina.
What are the butter and eggs toward end of song?
Bob Dylan is a Dada artist. These lyrics have no meaning. Dada is about nonsense. It is meant as an indictment of western culture and its horrors - see WW1 and WW2 for examples of these horrors. Also take a look at that famous Seymour Chwast poster that references a marcel duchamp self portrait. It is making a direct link between the most famous nonsense artist ever and Dylan.
Inb4 you are all being trolled. Inb4 you accuse me of trolling. Inb4 maybe I am. Maybe Bob Dylan is.
Bob Dylan is a master troll. And I love him.
Bob Dylan is a master troll. And I love him.
Its Milton Glaser - Mac you dolt. You should have paid attention in graphic design history.
Its Milton Glaser - Mac you dolt. You should have paid attention in graphic design history.