You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go Lyrics
It's never been this close before
Never been so easy or so slow.
Been shooting in the dark too long
When somethin's not right it's wrong
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
I've only known careless love,
It's always hit me from below.
This time around it's more correct
Right on target, so direct,
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
Crimson hair across your face,
You could make me cry if you don't know.
Can't remember what I was thinkin' of
You might be spoilin' me too much, love,
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
Crickets talkin' back and forth in rhyme,
Blue river runnin' slow and lazy,
I could stay with you forever
And never realize the time.
Relationships have all been bad.
Mine've been like Verlaine's and Rimbaud.
But there's no way I can compare
All those scenes to this affair,
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
Stayin' far behind without you.
Yer gonna make me wonder what I'm sayin',
Yer gonna make me give myself a good talkin' to.
San Francisco, Ashtabula,
Yer gonna have to leave me now, I know.
But I'll see you in the sky above,
In the tall grass, in the ones I love,
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
Sigh. I adore this song. I'm not sure why - Dylan's done much 'deeper' stuff - but it's so vivid and romantic without being vomit-inducing, probably because it's not a relationship that's going to last forever. The titular refrain, and "It's never looked this close before" - i.e. it's a near miss, but not in a sad sense. It's pleasurable and meaningful but not a lifetime thing.
I was told that when Dylan was writing 'Blood on the tracks' the planned for it to be his last album, and althought the songs have their other meanings they all related to how he felt about leaving the music industry, for example 'Idiot wind' showed bitterness about some of the things that happened to him during his career, but this song is him just saying that he also appreciates some stuff that music has done for him.
This is a beautiful song. Although not my favorite overall, it does end with my favorite Bob Dylan line:
But I'll see you in the sky above, In the tall grass, in the ones I love, Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
Perfection!
The transistion from the end of the third verse to the beginning of the middle 8 is so masterful "You're gonna make me a'lonesome when you go.. flowers on the hillside blooming crazy". Great stuff.
this is one of the most beautiful, unassuming songs he ever wrote. that last verse is as close to perfect as he ever got--nothing more than it needs to be, but everything it should be. It's like, I know you gotta go, and that's alright because I'll be seeing you and thinking about you all the time. Unsurpassed beauty.
ya i really love this song, awesome imagery. i find its just a really simple, easy to enjoy song.
OMG that SO relates to me right now.
the madeleine peyroux cover of this song is amazing
Gotta love Dylan, The only person I know who could successfully rhyme Honolulu and Ashtabula. The man's a freaking genius
much of dylans post drug era stuff is so much clearer i sometimes listening to a song that you don't have to dissect is just fun and relaxing, this site ruined just tuning out to music for me.