Like A Rolling Stone

As a musician there are some songs that you just sit back in wonder at the construction and marriage of the lyrics and melody. Bob Dylan is one of those songwriters that can weave a story in a song with unprecedented skill. One of my favorite songs of his is, "Like A Rolling Stone." But before we take a look at those lyrics I want to share one of my favorite stories about the recording of that song.

A 21 year old studio musician showed up on the second day of production of the song, "Like A Rolling Stone." His name was Al Kooper and he was a guest of the producer of that session, Tom Wilson. His hope was to play guitar but he quickly realized that the current guitar player, Mike Bloomfield, was way better than he was. So when the organ player on the session moved off of the organ to record some piano tracks Al begged Tom to let him play the organ. Wilson responded, "Man you're a guitar player, you can't play the organ", but at that moment someone called Tom out of the room and Al saw his chance. He went into the studio, sat down at the Hammond B3 organ, and when Tom returned he yelled at Al, "What are you doing?" (Which you can hear on the raw tracks of the recording). However, Tom Wilson was a gracious man, didn't call him out and let him stay.


Tom Wilson said, "Rolling" and the band started the song with Al playing along. If you listen carefully you'll notice the organ always comes in a eighth of a beat behind the rest of the band. The reason is Al didn't know the song (or even the chords) so he waited to make sure his hands were on the right keys before he played. When they rolled the tape of that session back Bob Dylan asked for more organ. Tom responded, "You don't want that, the guy playing isn't even an organ player." Bob Dylan said, "I don't care, turn up the organ." Cue history.

Like A Rolling Stone

Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime,
Didn't you?

People'd call, say "Beware doll, you're
Bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you

You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't walk so proud
Now you don't talk so loud
About having to be scrounging for your
Next meal

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
A complete unknown
Just like a rolling stone?

You've went to the finest school all right,
Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced
In it
Nobody has ever taught you how to
Live on the street
But now you find out you're gonna have
To get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you
Realize
That he's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And say do you want to make a deal?

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Just like a rolling stone?

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
A complete unknown
Just like a rolling stone?

Princess on the steeple and all the pretty
People
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it
Made
Exchanging all kinds of precious gifts and
Things
You'd better take your diamond ring,
You'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags with the language that
He used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't
Refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to
Lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to
Conceal

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Just like a rolling stone?

Songwriters: Bob Dylan