It Ain't Me Babe

Bob Dylan

About It Ain't Me Babe

"It Ain't Me Babe" is a song by Bob Dylan that originally appeared on his fourth album Another Side of Bob Dylan, which was released in 1964 by Columbia Records. According to music critic Oliver Trager, this song, along with others on the album, marked a departure for Dylan as he began to explore the possibilities of language and deeper levels of the human experience. Within a year of its release, the song was picked up as a single by folk rock act the Turtles and country artist Johnny Cash (who sang it as a duet with his future wife June Carter).  


Year:
2005
3:34
19 

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Go 'way from my window
Leave at your own chosen speed
I'm not the one you want, babe
I'm not the one you need
You say you're lookin' for someone
Who's never weak but always strong
To protect you an' defend you
Whether you are right or wrong
Someone to open each and every door
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe

Go lightly from the ledge, babe
Go lightly on the ground
I'm not the one you want, babe
I will only let you down
You say you're lookin' for someone
Who will promise never to part
Someone to close his eyes for you
Someone to close his heart
Someone who will die for you an' more
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe

Go melt back in the night
Everything inside is made of stone
There's nothing in here moving
An' anyway I'm not alone
You say you're looking for someone
Who'll pick you up each time you fall
To gather flowers constantly
An' to come each time you call
A lover for your life an' nothing more
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe

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Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan ( /ˈdɪlən/; born Robert Allen Zimmerman; May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, poet and artist. He has been an influential figure in popular music and culture for more than five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly reluctant figurehead of social unrest. A number of Dylan's early songs, such as "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changin'", became anthems for the US civil rights and anti-war movements. Leaving his initial base in the culture of folk music behind, Dylan's six-minute single "Like a Rolling Stone" has been described as radically altering the parameters of popular music in … more »

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Written by: Bob Dylan

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


5 facts about this song

Song Information and Composition
1. "It Ain't Me Babe" is a song written by Bob Dylan that was initially released on his fourth album, "Another Side of Bob Dylan," in 1964. 2. This song was Bob Dylan's first song to be covered by The Turtles, generating a hit earlier than Dylan himself. 3. The composition of the song reflects some stylistic changes in Dylan's music, moving away from political commentary towards more personal and romantic music.
The Bob Dylan Version
4. The Bob Dylan version of "It Ain't Me, Babe" showcases his characteristic vocal style — a sort of drawl — and his skilled guitar playing. 5. The song effectively illustrates a peak in the folk sound that Dylan was known for before transitioning into more rock-oriented music.
The Johnny Cash Version
6. Johnny Cash and June Carter recorded a cover version of "It Ain't Me, Babe" for Cash's "Orange Blossom Special" album in 1965 and it became a top 5 Hit in the Billboard Country Charts. 7. The harmonious interplay between Cash and Carter in their duet cover of "It Ain't Me Babe" is often considered a high point of their musical partnership. 8. Johnny Cash performed this song with Dylan himself in the 1969 documentary "Johnny Cash Show".
The Turtles Version
9. The Turtles also covered "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965, and it became their first major hit, reaching No. 8 in the Billboard Hot 100. 10. Unlike Dylan's folk rendering or Cash's country vibe, The Turtles gave the song a folk-rock arrangement that featured a 12-string guitar.
Cultural Impact
11. The phrase “It Ain’t Me, Babe” became somewhat of a cultural reference, seen as a powerful and direct declaration of independence. 12. The song also influenced other musicians, including Joan Baez, who released her own version of the song in 1964. 13. "It Ain't Me Babe" is still performed in concerts by various artists today, attesting to its enduring relevance and popularity.

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