Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger that that now Refrain – My Back Pages Lyrics by Bob Dylan (1964)
The genesis of the name of this blog – My Back Pages was a ‘stumble on’ a song made popular by the Byrds in the mid 60’s. This song was written by Bob Dylan in 1963 and it was the start of the change in Bob Dylan’s writing and musical career Following is a copy of his original lyrics written out
The following are the lyrics of the My Back Pages and I hope to use them as a road map when creating these blogs.
Up to 1964 Bob Dylan was primarily known as a folk singer or a peacenik (protest singer) His popular songs to that point were -Blowin’ in the Wind & A hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall. At the same time Bob was a 2 year relationship with Joan Baez which increased both of their popularity as folk singers
In 1965 he had decided to become more of a rock musician and started touring in July with a 9 piece electric band consisting primarily with member of what would become known as The Band. During the tour period Bob Dylan and the Band were constantly booed and had all sorts of items thrown at them (beer bottles, eggs, etc.) by paying fans because he was no longer the acoustic folk singer that they had believed in.
Many commentators believe that this song reflects the change in attitude in Bob Dylan’s writing and the realisation that there’s so much more to living and life that can be explained in ‘a peace at all costs’. He’s asking for an innocence that will open the door to learning.
One comment from Bob Dylan and the Band – the Basement Tapes – “If the past is not alive in you, the future will be empty“
Let the Journey begin!
Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger that that now Refrain – My Back Pages Lyrics by Bob Dylan (1964)