Bob Dylan - Talkin' World War Iii Blues

One time ago a crazy dream came to me
I dreamt I was walkin' into World War Three
Went to the doctor the very next day
To see what kinda words he could say, he said it was a bad dream

"I wouldn't worry 'bout it none, though
Them old dreams are only in your head"

I said, "Hold it, Doc, a World War passed through my brain"
He said, "Nurse, get your pad, the boy's insane"
He grabbed my arm, I said "Ouch"
As I landed on the psychiatric couch, he said, "Tell me about it"

Well, the whole thing started at 3 o'clock fast, it was all over by quarter past
I was down in the sewer with some little lover
When I peeked out from a manhole cover
Wonderin' who turned the lights on us

Well, I got up and walked around, up and down the lonesome town
I stood a-wondering which way to go
I lit a cigarette on a parking meter and walked on down the road
It was a normal day

Well, I rung me a fallout shelter bell and I leaned my head and I give a yell
"Gimme a string bean, I'm a hungry man"
A shotgun fired and away I ran
I don't blame them too much though, they didn't know me

Down the corner by the hot-dog stand, I seen a man
I said, "Howdy friend, I guess it's just us two"
He screamed a bit and away he flew
Thought I was a Communist

Well, I spied a girl and before she could leave, I said "Let's go and play Adam and Eve"
I took her by the hand and my heart it was thumpin'
She said, "Hey man, you crazy or sumpin'?
You see what happened last time they started"

Well, I seen a Cadillac window uptown, there was nobody around
I got into the driver's seat and I drove 42nd Street
In my Cadillac
Good car to drive after a war

Well, I remember seein' some ad
So I turned on my Conelrad
But I didn't pay the Con Ed bill
So the radio didn't work so well

Turned on my record-player
It was "Rock-A-Day Johnny," singing
"Tell Your Ma, Tell Your Pa
Our Love's A-Gonna Grow Ooh-wah, Ooh-wah"

I was feelin' kinda lonesome and blue
And I needed somebody to talk to
So I called up the operator of time
Just to hear a voice of some kind

"When you hear the beep
It will be three o'clock"
She said that for over an hour
And I hung up

Well, the doctor interrupted me just about then
Sayin, "Hey I've been havin' the same old dreams
But mine was a little different, you see
I dreamt that the only person left after the war was me
I didn't see you around"

Well, now time passed and now it seems everybody's having them dreams
Everybody sees theirself walkin' around with no one else
Half of the people can be part-right all of the time, some of the people can be all right part of the time
But all the people can't be all right all the time, I think Abraham Lincoln said that

"I'll let you be in my dream if I can be in yours"
I said that
One time ago a crazy dream came to me
I dreamt I was walkin' into World War Three
Went to the doctor the very next day
To see what kinda words he could say, he said it was a bad dream

"I wouldn't worry 'bout it none, though
Them old dreams are only in your head"

I said, "Hold it, Doc, a World War passed through my brain"
He said, "Nurse, get your pad, the boy's insane"
He grabbed my arm, I said "Ouch"
As I landed on the psychiatric couch, he said, "Tell me about it"

Well, the whole thing started at 3 o'clock fast, it was all over by quarter past
I was down in the sewer with some little lover
When I peeked out from a manhole cover
Wonderin' who turned the lights on us

Well, I got up and walked around, up and down the lonesome town
I stood a-wondering which way to go
I lit a cigarette on a parking meter and walked on down the road
It was a normal day

Well, I rung me a fallout shelter bell and I leaned my head and I give a yell
"Gimme a string bean, I'm a hungry man"
A shotgun fired and away I ran
I don't blame them too much though, they didn't know me

Down the corner by the hot-dog stand, I seen a man
I said, "Howdy friend, I guess it's just us two"
He screamed a bit and away he flew
Thought I was a Communist

Well, I spied a girl and before she could leave, I said "Let's go and play Adam and Eve"
I took her by the hand and my heart it was thumpin'
She said, "Hey man, you crazy or sumpin'?
You see what happened last time they started"

Well, I seen a Cadillac window uptown, there was nobody around
I got into the driver's seat and I drove 42nd Street
In my Cadillac
Good car to drive after a war

Well, I remember seein' some ad
So I turned on my Conelrad
But I didn't pay the Con Ed bill
So the radio didn't work so well

Turned on my record-player
It was "Rock-A-Day Johnny," singing
"Tell Your Ma, Tell Your Pa
Our Love's A-Gonna Grow Ooh-wah, Ooh-wah"

I was feelin' kinda lonesome and blue
And I needed somebody to talk to
So I called up the operator of time
Just to hear a voice of some kind

"When you hear the beep
It will be three o'clock"
She said that for over an hour
And I hung up

Well, the doctor interrupted me just about then
Sayin, "Hey I've been havin' the same old dreams
But mine was a little different, you see
I dreamt that the only person left after the war was me
I didn't see you around"

Well, now time passed and now it seems everybody's having them dreams
Everybody sees theirself walkin' around with no one else
Half of the people can be part-right all of the time, some of the people can be all right part of the time
But all the people can't be all right all the time, I think Abraham Lincoln said that

"I'll let you be in my dream if I can be in yours"
I said that
Talking World War III Blues - Bob Dylan (5/7/65) Bootleg

5/7/65 - Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England.

Bob Dylan - Talkin' World War III Blues. March 10th 1964

Bob Dylan - Talkin' World War III Blues Sorry, For The Wrong Title Before.

Talking World War III Blues/Matt Rivers Cover

Matt Rivers Busking in Downtown Asheville.

Bob Dylan