I Shall Be Free No. 10

Bob Dylan

I'm just average, common too
I'm just like him, the same as you
I'm everybody's brother and son
I ain't different from anyone
It ain't no use a-talking to me
It's just the same as talking to you.

I was shadow-boxing earlier in the day
I figured I was ready for Cassius Clay
I said 'Fee, fie, fo, fum, Cassius Clay, here I come
26, 27, 28, 29, I'm gonna make your face look just like mine
Five, four, three, two, one, Cassius Clay you'd better run
99, 100, 101, 102, your ma won't even recognize you
14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, gonna knock him clean right out of his spleen.'

Well, I don't know, but I've been told
The streets in heaven are lined with gold
I ask you how things could get much worse
If the Russians happen to get up there first.
Wowee! pretty scary!

Now, I'm liberal, but to a degree
I want ev'rybody to be free
But if you think that I'll let Barry Goldwater
Move in next door and marry my daughter
You must think I'm crazy!
I wouldn't let him do it for all the farms in Cuba.

Well, I set my monkey on the log
And ordered him to do the Dog
He wagged his tail and shook his head
And he went and did the Cat instead
He's a weird monkey, very funky.

I sat with my high-heeled sneakers on
Waiting to play tennis in the noonday sun
I had my white shorts rolled up past my waist
And my wig-hat was falling in my face
But they wouldn't let me on the tennis court.

I gotta woman, she's so mean
She sticks my boots in the washing machine
Sticks me with buckshot when I'm nude
Puts bubblegum in my food
She's funny, wants my money, calls me 'honey.'

Now I gotta friend who spends his life
Stabbing my picture with a bowie-knife
Dreams of strangling me with a scarf
When my name comes up he pretends to barf.
I've got a million friends!

Now they asked me to read a poem
At the sorority sister's home
I got knocked down and my head was swimmin'
I wound up with the Dean of Women
Yippee! I'm a poet, and I know it.
Hope I don't blow it.

I'm gonna grow my hair down to my feet so strange
So I look like a walking mountain range
And I'm gonna ride into Omaha on a horse
Out to the country club and the golf course.
Carry the New York Times, shoot a few holes, blow their minds.

Now you're probably wondering by now
Just what this song is all about
What's probably got you baffled more
Is what this thing here is for.
It's nothing
It's something I learned over in England.


Lyrics submitted by Jack

I Shall Be Free No. 10 song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +2
    General Commentbob dylan was stoned off his ass when he wrote this song...that much is clear
    stonewolfon February 17, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Commentheart on fire, is definitely right in the aspect that this song is full meaning. Bob has an incredible sense of humor and he loved to write folky songs where he could make fun of himself and others. He makes fun of Cassius Clay by rhyming after mentioning his name. He then proceeds to write a topical stanzas talking about the Russians and Barry Goldwater, pokes fun at the hostile environment of the cold war and political parties. Also mentions Fidel Castro and Cuba, which he loves to do. He mentions him again in Motorpsycho Nightmare just two tracks after this. The rest of the song i dont even know what to make of it. Maybe just a n average day in the life of Bobby! And yes hes just an average guy, says that in the first line and last. That's important to remember.
    hightide16and87on November 01, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Commenti love how bob dylan could be so witty.
    i swear, this song and talkin bear mountain picnic massacre and talkin war world three blues have some lines that really make me laugh,
    yowadup7on March 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General CommentTo me this song means that Bob Dylan had smoked and taken too much before he got up to perform, and performed it improptu...
    nails_in_my_feeton December 01, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General CommentActually, I'm pretty sure this song is full of meaning.
    Everyone was shocked at his lyrics and how they weren't like anyone else's and he's making fun of himself and them and saying it's just something he learned over in England and that he's just average.
    Cassius Clay was a famous fighter that rhymed.
    ... And that's pretty much all I can remember from when the greatest English teacher possible analyzed this song.

    The point is, there is meaning. Maybe he was stoned out of his mind, but he's still a genius when he's stoned then.
    thisheartisonfireon December 04, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentvery underrated.
    chapter24on January 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Commentit seems like throughout the song he gathers more of an ideology of a corrupt politician. most likely, this was done improv which makes it even more interesting. i love bob dylan. one of his funniest songs.
    anatomyofacrakaon October 05, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General CommentYou've got to love the weird monkey....very funky :o)
    buffoniaon March 06, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti wish bob would make everyone's face look like his :) hehehe well his in his prime, that is :)
    i am loving this song, so funny. "i wouldn't let him do it for all the farms in cuba!" hahaha
    jasssson December 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI think carrying the New York Times into a country club is sort of taboo.
    dinkertonon October 09, 2010   Link

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