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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  • +1
    General Comment

    It seems that the main character is leaving a relationship with an emotionally high maintenance girl. Needy and controlling, she demands more of him, but he's finally had enough indicating that he doesn't really owe her any more than a stick of gum. She gets pissed, kicks him out. When he promptly returns to reclaim his shirt, he sees a picture of someone in a wheelchair and refers to them in the first person indicating that the song is being sung to that person. After he slings the gum-spitting jab at her, he steals stuff and heads over to the wheelchair girl's house.

    I think the clincher is that he declares he never asked for the crutch of the wheelchair girl and that she isn't to ask for his. I like how he seems to make his ex out to be more of a cripple than a girl in a wheelchair for her sheer emotional neediness.

    And yeah, the feel reminds me of Norwegian Wood, but it's far from a parody. This song has much more intellectual merit than (no offense to the Beatles) and a considerably distinct melody from the Beatles tune. Plus, don't forget the sitar!

    chuckroaston October 10, 2005   Link

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