They sat together in the park
As the evening sky grew dark
She looked at him and he felt a spark
Tingle to his bones
'Twas then he felt alone
And wished that he'd gone straight
And watched out for a simple twist of fate

They walked along by the old canal
A little confused, I remember well
And stopped into a strange hotel
With a neon burnin' bright
He felt the heat of the night
Hit him like a freight train
Moving with a simple twist of fate

A saxophone someplace far-off played
As she was walkin' on by the arcade
As the light bust through a beat-up shade
Where he was waking up
She dropped a coin into the cup
Of a blind man at the gate
And forgot about a simple twist of fate

He woke up, the room was bare
He didn't see her anywhere
He told himself he didn't care
Pushed the window open wide
Felt an emptiness inside
To which he just could not relate
Brought on by a simple twist of fate

He hears the ticking of the clocks
And walks along with a parrot that talks
Hunts her down by the waterfront docks
Where the sailors all come in
Maybe she'll pick him out again
How long must he wait?
One more time, for a simple twist of fate

People tell me it's a sin
To know and feel too much within
I still believe she was my twin
But I lost the ring
She was born in spring
But I was born too late
Blame it on a simple twist of fate


Lyrics submitted by typo

Simple Twist of Fate Lyrics as written by Bob Dylan

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Simple Twist of Fate song meanings
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  • -1
    General Comment

    It just occurred to me to comment on specific parts of the song. Two in particular.

    He told himself he didn't care, pushed the window open wide, Felt an emptiness inside to which he just could not relate Brought on by a simple twist of fate.

    Pushed the window open wide, to jump I suppose, quite the imagination I've got. But felt an emptiness inside to which he just could not relate. Do not understand. Opening the window causes an emptiness to which he could not relate. How would opening a window cause an emptiness? I see no metaphor or analogy by the window that makes sense, on top of it, wouldn't he most certainly relate to that emptiness. ISN'T THAT WHAT THE SONG IS ABOUT? Had he planned on killing himself before he met her and wanted to go out after a simple fuck? And then everything changed and he no longer felt that emptiness and desire for suicide, like he now has a purpose? Is that too far fetched? I can't make much sense of it otherwise.

    Also, She was born in spring, but I was born too late Question mark. What does? I don't... It's a petty difference that keeps them from being together? Born too late. Born too late. Born too late. How can you be born too late? What does that mean? Does this girl have an expiration date? Honestly, these lines trouble me more than than the entirety of John Wesley Harding. It's not a house said Judas Priest, it's not a house it's a home.

    FootOfPrideon June 15, 2011   Link

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