Friday's Grief Song, 12.01.23

"Everything inside is made of stone."

This song is complicated for me. On the one hand I appreciate how there’s a level of self-knowing not often expressed in break up songs. On the other hand the older I get I feel like there’s also some not so subtle gendered trope whereby Dylan is shaming the woman for her feelings for him; that this song really highlights these classic gendered ways of emoting- the stoic unavailable man, already gaining comfort in another woman’s arms, and the "damsel in distress,” overly feminized woman who wants nothing more than her lover to soothe her emotional discomfort.

Nonetheless, it’s this weeks grief song!

It Ain’t Me Babe
1964
by Bob Dylan

Go 'way 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 lookin' for someone
Never weak but always strong
To protect you an' defend you
Whether you are right or wrong
Someone to open each and every door
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
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 lookin' 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
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
Go melt back into the night, babe
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 an' nothing more
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe

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