Bob Dylan: Don't Think Twice, It's All Right Meaning

Don't Think Twice, It's All Right Lyrics

Don't Think Twice, It's All Right

It ain’t no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It don’t matter, anyhow
An’ it ain’t no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If you don’t know by now
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Apr 4th 2012 !⃝

   I always thought this one to be very straight forward. I will say The Freewheelin' recording of Twice is one of the singular finest performances in recorded history. A Rare perfect song, delivered perfectly.
   
   It's a break up song, and the guy is hurt, wounded, but he aint letting on. Don't think Twice, It's Alright. He felt like she never turned her light on for him, never called out his name, And with that being the case there aint no reason for her to sit and wonder why he left this morning.He doubts she will fret too much over it anyway. He wishes there was something she would do or say, to make him change his mind and stay, but she won't, so why should he shed a tear? She could have done better, but he don't mind ,OH YES HE DOES, But, he won't give her the satisfaction of knowing that she had gotten under his skin, because he doesn't think he ever got under her skin. That was what hurts the most. And it is what has led him down that long old lonesome road, trying to express a cool indifference, but the pain, tinged by anger, is visible, just beneath the surface.He is basically tenderly giving her the middle finger and turning to walk away and nurse his wounds in private.

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   XAnonymousX

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   Sep 23rd 2020 !⃝

   I feel like this song suits my last breakup to a tee. I disagree with other commenters who seem to think he is trying to hide his true feelings. I say this because of my own feelings that echo the lyrics. Ive gotten old enough, have seen enough, and been in enough relationships, for enough years of my life to really, genuinely relate to the slightly detatched outlook of thos song. As I said, for example, my last breakup. Yeah, they could have done better, but oh well. They just wasted my time, really. Ive gotten to the point where I am not going to fall off an emotional cliff over each new man who comes through my life, like I would have in my youth. When he's talking about the other person not sharing that inner light, never calling out your name..well that's when you know it's time to be traveling on. They could have done better, but my heart escaped pretty much unscathed, BECAUSE they never bothered to let down those walls, and after a while, when you realize they aren't the right one, and you aren't interested in playing games, then it's just time to move on. Part of you is sad that they weren't the right one, but ultimately the worst part is the fact that they wasted your precious time. You reach an age where you are all too aware that you aren't getting any younger and your time really does become very precious. But overall, they could have done better, they wasted your time, which hurts the worst of all of it, but ultimately they are just another small bump in the road, so really ? Don't think twice about it. Its not that big of a deal. It's alright.

3. 3TOP RATED

   #3 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Sep 19th 2011 !⃝

   I feel that the references to light "ain't no use in turning on your light babe", "the light I never knowed", "Im on the dark side of the road" "rooster crows at the break of dawn", are references to a depth of experience that his partner could never share with him. He saw something more from life than she ever could or ever was willing to. He gave her his heart, but she wanted his soul, meaning that if he stayed with her, it would be at the expense of his own light, or soul, or existence on a greater, supernatural level.
4. anonymous

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   Nov 3rd 2020 !⃝

   The Ah “ain’t saying U treated me unkind”... means Dylan’s being discreet & Ah “don’t mind” expresses insight ...forgiveness & understanding of the mutual complexities inherent in
   an intimate connection.
   
   There is an eternal truth in all the
   interpretations which only enriches
   levels & perspectives of enjoyment.
   A characteristic of any Real ART!
   
   Buni
5. anonymous

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   Jul 25th 2020 !⃝

   In 1737, Eddie Henderson decided to embrace one Peruvian Torch, outside Peru, 221 peyote buttons from Thailand, and Tobacco from Arizona.
6. grayson

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   Nov 16th 2017 !⃝

   i believe he was deeply in love with someone who didn't feel the same. she may have liked him, but he was just someone to bide the time until she found somebody better
7. m320753

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   May 1st 2012 !⃝

   actually no one but dylan knows what or who his songs are about, except dylan himself. he changes lyrics to some songs each time he sings them a few songs we do know the what and who are sad eyed lady and sarah about his wife. hurricane and joey. and probably girl from the north country (echo Holstem?) naturally hattie carroll medgar evans hollis brown and a few more . we're not doing bad only about a thousand more before we are done. dylan's popularity is in a small way because he keeps us off balance, and guessing
8. anonymous

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   Apr 26th 2012 !⃝

   The songs about a one night stand... Think about it. or atleast he meant that to be an interpretation
9. m320753

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   Feb 16th 2012 !⃝

   it's not about America. it's about when his girlfriend suze rotello considered a child by her sister Carla; who hated Dylan took Suze on a trip to Spain. See Boots of Spanish Leather. Suze can be seen walking with Dylan on Jones Street in the winter in the Village. Suze recently passed away from cancer , i believe.My Back Pages and Ballad in plain D also refer to the romance." I'm a thinkin and a wonderin while i walked down the road/ i once loved a woman/ a child i'm told. Igived her my heart but she wanted my soul/ but don't think twice---it's alright." " I'm walkin down that long lonesome road babe/ where i'm bound? i don't know/ But goodbye is too good a word babe/ so i'll just say fare-thee-well( a nautical term if ever there was one). "I ain't sayin you treated me unkind/ couldadone a whole lot better/ bu i don't mind. You just kindawasted my/ precious time/ but don't think twice/ it's allright. dylan's career is just about breaking through the chains of radio music around then, his words and length of songs brought FM radio back to it's feet as they could play more than a 3minute 20 second song. a lot of these time a place songs you can lay your head back onto the grass , close your eyes and see the song he's singing. Mr Tamburine and visions of Johanna are another two.
10. lewisd

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    Feb 9th 2012 !⃝

    The woman he is referring to is the USA, the place where he grew up and once loved. It is a young country, "a child i'm told." He is speaking to the government, expressing his lost of hope in his country. He is expressing in dashing metaphoric skill that he will not be there when they need him to vote or be used as a pawn in their game.
    
    He gave his country his heart, patriotism but they wanted the corruption of his soul that went with it. There isn't any use for the USA to shed any light of the truth, the truth he never received from the gov't itself. Still, he wishes there was something that could be done to change things but there is such a lack of communication and change that it seems hopeless.
    
    At the end, he recognizes that the USA did not mistreat him, giving him opportunities that are not offered to all. Yet, he has become ashamed in how the country he loved has turned out to be.
11. anonymous

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    Oct 16th 2011 !⃝

    It's difficult to tell where the story's narrator is being sarcastic, where he is toying with metaphor, and where he is being straight forward.
    
    I think the second verse offers the most interpretations through this lens. The that begins with "Ain't no use turning on your light, babe, the light I never knowed," for example, could be interpreted either figuratively or literally.
    
    In the literal interpretation, the narrator is saying that the relationship was purely sexual and/or secretive, and thus there was no need for a light, or keeping the light off was a way of being discrete.
    
    In the figurative interpretation, the narrator is comparing the woman's demeanor to darkness and is saying that, if there is a light side to her personality, he'd never seen it, and further, he is leaving at daybreak for brighter days.
    
    Further, the line "Still I wish there was somethin’ you would do or say to try and make me change my mind and stay. we never did too much talkin’ anyway" cannot be pinned down either. The narrator may be saying that, in fact, the relationship was purely sexual, and conversation was not at a premium between them; however, he may also be being sarcastic. The narrator may be saying that they talked so deeply and so often that he cannot understand why the woman is silent instead of asking him to stay. This interpretation follows the bitterness of the following verses, but cannot be certainly pinned down as one way, or any other.
12. anonymous

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    Sep 27th 2011 !⃝

    Dylan is brillant.
    
    Just close your eyes and think of a young teen running away from home: "...as your rooster crows at the break of dawn look out your window and I'll be gone. You're the reason I'm travilin' on...."
    
    Think about a back door light: "...ain't no use in turnin' on your light - the light I never knowned...I'm on the dark side of the road...."
    
    The child's heart is torned: "...but I wish there was something you would do or say to try and change my mind and stay...."
    
    Picture a back screen door where the light is: "...and there ain't no use and callin' out my name like you never done before...I can't hear you anymore." "I'm thinkin' and wonderin' walking down the road I once loved (these people, children I'm told), I give them my heart but they wanted my soul...."
    
    No looking back: "So long where I'm bound I can't tell. Goodbye's too good a word so I'll just say 'Fare-the-well'."
    
    
    Just a different take. I hope you guys enjoyed it.
13. anonymous

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    Jun 13th 2011 !⃝

    I just got over a relationship and every word of the song makes sense to me. When I reflect on my other past relationships, it sheds light on what I felt then and how I see things now.
    
    The lyrics captures the very essence of exhausting everything one could do till it lasted and yet some wishy-washy whims continue to hover in the poet's mind. It seems he's walking on but with no destination in mind. However, he's decided on one thing and that is he's not coming back as he doesn't want to be the person that he was when he was in the relationship. The title is apt as it echoes the adage that, 'the opposite of love is not hate but indifference'. I think the lucidity of Dylan's words is par excellence.
14. m320753

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    Mar 27th 2010 !⃝

    this song is about a breakup with a girl, (joan baez, suzie rotello?) while he is leaving a bit hurt it seems he is putting her down where they may have lived together or in his solitude of literally walking on his way to who knows where. finally he gets his 2 cents worth by putting these thoughts to music. his brain is processing so many ideas for song that he may have forgot them for a while. dylan always finds a way of cutting the heart out of someone if he pleases. one of the best shots of getting back at her is the last line "you just kinda wasted my precious time, but don't think twice it's all right"
15. Graceless.Lady

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    Mar 3rd 2010 !⃝

    A hoot of a song, and among the best of Dylan's famous "anti-love" material. The lyrics really showcase his (often understated) sense of humor, a Dylan trait that I really admire. How can anyone not appreciate the man's depth and range? He's one of the few artists who can take you from the gutter to the mountain top in the shake of a lamb's tail!

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