When she said, "Don't waste your words, they're just lies"
I cried she was deaf
And she worked on my face until breaking my eyes
And saying "What else you got left?"

It was then that I got up to leave
But she said, "Don't forget
Everybody must give something back
For something they get"

I stood there and hummed, I tapped on her drum
I asked her how come
And she buttoned her boot, and straightened her suit
And she said, "Don't be cute"

So I forced my hands in my pockets
And felt with my thumbs
And gallantly handed her my very last piece of gum

She threw me outside, I stood in the dirt
Where everyone walked
And, when finding out I'd forgotten my shirt
I went back and knocked

I waited in the hallway, she went to get it
And I tried to make sense
Out of that picture of you in your wheelchair
That leaned up against

Her Jamaican rum, and when she did come
I asked her for some
She said, "No, dear", I said, "Your words are not clear
You'd better spit out your gum"

She screamed till her face got so red
Then she fell on the floor
And, I covered her up and then went and looked through her drawer

And when I was through, I filled up my shoe
And brought it to you
And you, you took me in, you loved me then
You never wasted time
And I, I never took much, I never asked for your crutch
Now don't ask for mine


Lyrics submitted by oofus

Fourth Time Around Lyrics as written by Bob Dylan

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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4th Time Around song meanings
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  • +2
    General Comment

    It's a beautiful song. Dylan claimed it was a parody but, though there are similarities, it doesn't send up the Beatles song. I guess it's more likely that Dylan loved the song's melody and made something that chimed with it.

    It contains a joke that's so well worked I smile every time I hear it: first she demands that he gives her some gum as a gift, then asks her to spit it out! I love the way this is woven into the song, leisurely spread over several verses.

    It's just about a relationship breaking up really badly and he apparently feeling no remorse. The last verse hints that he found the woman too needy, it sounds like he was quite glad to be shot of her.

    Paegaon August 24, 2005   Link

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