Tears of Rage

The Band

About Tears of Rage

"Tears of Rage" is a song written by Bob Dylan (lyrics) and Richard Manuel (melody) and recorded by Dylan and The Band on The Basement Tapes and by The Band on Music from Big Pink.


Year:
1989
5:19
17 
#1

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We carried you in our arms on Independence Day
And now you throw us all aside and put us all away
Oh, what dear daughter 'neath the sun could treat her father so
To wait upon him hand and foot, yet always tell him no

Tears of rage, tears of grief
Why must I always be the thief
Come to me now, you know we're so alone
And life is brief

It was all so very painless when you ran out to receive
All that false instruction which we never could believe
And now the heart is filled with gold as if it was a purse
But, oh, what kind of love is this which goes from bad to worse

Tears of rage, tears of grief
Why must I always be the thief
Come to me now, you know we're so alone
And life is brief

We pointed you the way to go and scratched your name in sand
Though you just thought it was nothing more than a place for you to stand
I want you to know that while we watched you discover no one would be true
That I myself was among the ones who thought it was just a childish thing to do

Tears of rage, tears of grief
Why must I always be the thief
Come to me now, you know we're so alone
And life is brief

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The Band

The Band were a Canadian-American roots rock group that originally consisted of Rick Danko (bass guitar, double bass, fiddle, trombone, vocals), Levon Helm (drums, mandolin, guitar, vocals), Garth Hudson (keyboard instruments, saxophones, trumpet), Richard Manuel (piano, drums, baritone saxophone, vocals) and Robbie Robertson (guitar, vocals). The members of the Band first came together as they joined rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins's backing group, The Hawks, one by one between 1958 and 1963. more »

9 fans

Written by: Richard Manuel, Bob Dylan

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Genesis of the Song
"Tears of Rage" was co-written by Bob Dylan and Richard Manuel of The Band during the summer of 1967 from a house in West Saugerties, New York, famously known as "Big Pink," while Dylan was recovering from a motorcycle accident.
Album Release
The song was first released on The Band's 1968 album Music from Big Pink.
Song Impact
Often considered as one of Dylan's finest songs, it represents a powerful exploration of betrayal and regret with references to Shakespeare.
Dylan’s Version
Even though Bob Dylan co-wrote the song, his version of "Tears of Rage" was not released until 1975 when it was included in The Basement Tapes album.
Co-Author’s Performance
Richard Manuel, as the co-author, took the lead vocal in The Band's version of this track.
Song Theme
The song explores themes of aging, regret, and parental love, utilizing the context of the biblical story of Esau and Joseph to express the emotional complexity behind.
Chorus Line
An interesting fact is that the chorus line "Life is brief'' was inverted in Dylan's famous live versions to "Life is brief but when it's gone, love goes on and on".
Live Performances
"Tears of Rage" was included in The Band’s set list when it officially debuted at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco in April 1969.
Song Renditions
Besides Dylan and The Band, the song has been covered by many artists, including Grateful Dead, Stephen Stills and Manassas
Musical Style
The song showcases an early fusion of rock and roll with traditional folk and country influences, which became a characteristic style of The Band.
Emotional Depth
Critics have noted that the song’s emotional depth derives from the combination of Dylan’s lyrical genius and the deeply affecting vocal delivery by Richard Manuel.

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