To Ramona

One song off Dylan's album Another Side Of Bob Dylan, “To Ramona” is one of the last songs of his unplugged, pre-1965 stage. It is a very heartfelt song that touches on the idea of the liberal views of relationships and other beliefs versus the traditional, Christian, southern views of things. In addition to being a popular topic during the mid 60's, it also relates significantly to similar opposing views today. In the song, he speaks to a girl whom he has some kind of a relationship with, and explains to her how he finds the idea of traditional marriage pointless, and doesn't agree with conservative beliefs.

In the first verse, Dylan says “Ramona, come closer, shut softly your watery eyes. The pangs of your sadness shall pass as your senses will rise.” He is speaking to “Ramona”, one of his many lovers who represents the traditional side of the clashing of traditional and liberal views, mainly relationships, comforting her crying by telling her that once she begins to leave the old, traditional conservative relationship needing to be serious, and can open her mind to the liberal, sexual, fun aspects of relationships (which Dylan follows), the pains of her sadness will fade. The next lines, “The flowers of the city, though breathlike, get deathlike at times.” refer to the fact that while traditional values can be good, they also have their big downfalls. Then  with, “And there's no use in tryin', to deal with the dyin', though I cannot explain that in lines.”, Dylan is saying that it is not worth trying to work with something that is set in stone (such as a southern girl's traditional beliefs), but he “cannot explain that in lines” because it is a difficult idea to grip if you're heartfelt about your beliefs. 

“Your cracked country lips, I still wish to kiss, as to be under the strength of your skin.” opens the second verse by telling Ramona that she is a “thick-skinned” woman, and he greatly respects her for that, and her “magnetic movements still capture the minutes [he's] in.” meaning that he spends much of his time with her. The lines, “But it grieves my heart, love, to see you tryin' to be a part of a world that just don't exist. It's all just a dream, babe, a vacuum, a scheme, babe, that sucks you into feelin' like this.” express Dylan's feelings towards traditional beliefs and values, saying that they're just a tactic to keep people within certain restricted boundaries, disallowing them to follow their own values and have a full sense of freedom.

The lines, “I can see that your head has been twisted and fed by worthless foam from the mouth.” express to Ramona that she has been brainwashed by these senseless ideas of the stricter traditional beliefs. Then, “I can tell you are torn, between stayin' and returnin', on back to the South.” shows that Ramona is trying to decide wether to follow her old roots (which would be back in the south), or change direction and go with the liberal views (which are expanding in the north, where she is currently with Dylan). In the verse's last lines, “You've been fooled into thinking that the finishin' end is at hand. Yet there's no one to beat you, no one to defeat you, except the thoughts of yourself feeling bad.”, Dylan is saying that Ramona is too worried about the consequences of not holding true to the strict traditional beliefs so much that she cannot live freely for herself.  

In the fourth verse, Dylan quotes her by saying, “I've heard you say many times, that you're better than no one, and no one is better than you.”, then he analyzes her words, bringing out some contradiction in her actions, with, “If you really believe that, you know you got nothing to win and nothing to lose.” He shows her that “From fixtures and forces and friends, your sorrow does stem. That hype you and type you, making you feel that you must be exactly like them.” saying that her sadness comes from her surroundings of similar traditional beliefs, which force her to conform and remain exactly like them. 

The last verse finishes Dylan's thoughts to Ramona. He says that, “I'd forever talk to you, but soon my words, they would turn into a meaningless ring.”, which means Dylan would continue with the prudent relationship with her, but their lack of a substantial connection (according to Dylan and the liberal style togetherness) would develop merely into a futile marriage, because, “For deep in my heart

I know there is no help I can bring.”, Dylan wouldn't be able to forever give her the kind of love she would need. Dylan leaves Ramona with, “Everything passes, everything changes, just do what you think you should do.”, telling her that he believes nothing stays constant in life, but, “someday maybe, who knows, baby, I'll come and be cryin' to you.”, supporting his argument that everything is ever changing, and anything could happen.