This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Been so long since a strange woman has slept in my bed
Look how sweet she sleeps, how free must be her dreams
In another lifetime she must have owned the world, or been faithfully wed
To some righteous king who wrote psalms beside moonlit streams
I and I
In creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives
I and I
One say to the other, no man sees my face and lives
Think I'll go out and go for a walk
Not much happening here, nothing ever does
Besides, if she wakes up now, she'll just want me to talk
I got nothing to say, 'specially about whatever it was
I and I
In creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives
I and I
One say to the other, no man see my face and lives
Took an untrodden path once, where the swift don't win the race
It goes to the worthy, who can divide the word of truth
Took a stranger to teach me, to look into justice's beautiful face
And see an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
I and I
In creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives
I and I
One say to the other, no man sees my face and lives
Outside of two men on a train platform there's nobody in sight
They're waiting for spring to come, smoking down the truck
The world could come to an end tonight, but that's all right
She could still be there sleeping when I get back
I and I
In creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives
I and I
One say to the other, no man sees my face and lives
Noontime, and I'm still pushing myself along the road, the darkest part
Into the narrow lanes, I can't stumble or stay put
Someone else is speaking with my mouth, but I'm listening with my heart
I've made shoes for everyone, even you, while I still go barefoot
I and I
In creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives
I and I
One say to the other, no man sees my face and lives
Look how sweet she sleeps, how free must be her dreams
In another lifetime she must have owned the world, or been faithfully wed
To some righteous king who wrote psalms beside moonlit streams
I and I
In creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives
I and I
One say to the other, no man sees my face and lives
Think I'll go out and go for a walk
Not much happening here, nothing ever does
Besides, if she wakes up now, she'll just want me to talk
I got nothing to say, 'specially about whatever it was
I and I
In creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives
I and I
One say to the other, no man see my face and lives
Took an untrodden path once, where the swift don't win the race
It goes to the worthy, who can divide the word of truth
Took a stranger to teach me, to look into justice's beautiful face
And see an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
I and I
In creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives
I and I
One say to the other, no man sees my face and lives
Outside of two men on a train platform there's nobody in sight
They're waiting for spring to come, smoking down the truck
The world could come to an end tonight, but that's all right
She could still be there sleeping when I get back
I and I
In creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives
I and I
One say to the other, no man sees my face and lives
Noontime, and I'm still pushing myself along the road, the darkest part
Into the narrow lanes, I can't stumble or stay put
Someone else is speaking with my mouth, but I'm listening with my heart
I've made shoes for everyone, even you, while I still go barefoot
I and I
In creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives
I and I
One say to the other, no man sees my face and lives
Lyrics submitted by DJacques75, edited by Mellow_Harsher
I and I Lyrics as written by Dylan Bob Bob Dylan
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Blue
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Very powerful. I've definately thought this song was about a guy cheating on his wife, but there is a very subtle, very beautiful undercurrent to the lyrics of where his shame lies in the act of doing so; he mentions nowhere that he feels guilty because of his own wify, but feels guilty about the other woman, it would seem, in lines like;
"In another lifetime she must have owned the world, or been faithfully "
and
"Took a stranger to teach me, to look into justice's beautiful face"