The narrator had this vision of how his life would go, (probably with a girl, considering the "lost love" theme mixed in with it,) and has found that what he got was something totally different- and he's still not sure whether its good or bad. Either way, he knows that whether he got what he thought he would get (the Gregory Peck movie he saw) or another life totally different, life is an adventure and you're still you, whether or not you're who you intended to be. "I'll see him in anything so I'll stand in line." Now looking back at his past, his regrets, his loves, his ideals; he's revealing everything he's learned. No, his life isn't perfect, but he's stronger, wiser and tougher. On the Road shares some similar themes (by the way- if you haven't read it, read it. If you like Bob I guarantee you'll love it!!) I always thought his life post- Sara might've played a role in the theme of this song.
For some reason, hearing this song on iTunes radio made me feel like a "complete" Dylan fan. Like FootofPride said, most folks think of Bob and think of "Highway 61," and I always thought he sorta tucked this one away for his "real fans." Definitely see the Leonard Cohen influence too, on how they did the music- emphasis on lyrics without losing the power of the music.
The narrator had this vision of how his life would go, (probably with a girl, considering the "lost love" theme mixed in with it,) and has found that what he got was something totally different- and he's still not sure whether its good or bad. Either way, he knows that whether he got what he thought he would get (the Gregory Peck movie he saw) or another life totally different, life is an adventure and you're still you, whether or not you're who you intended to be. "I'll see him in anything so I'll stand in line." Now looking back at his past, his regrets, his loves, his ideals; he's revealing everything he's learned. No, his life isn't perfect, but he's stronger, wiser and tougher. On the Road shares some similar themes (by the way- if you haven't read it, read it. If you like Bob I guarantee you'll love it!!) I always thought his life post- Sara might've played a role in the theme of this song.
For some reason, hearing this song on iTunes radio made me feel like a "complete" Dylan fan. Like FootofPride said, most folks think of Bob and think of "Highway 61," and I always thought he sorta tucked this one away for his "real fans." Definitely see the Leonard Cohen influence too, on how they did the music- emphasis on lyrics without losing the power of the music.