By the time Dylan released his second album, “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,” in 1963, he could see how fast his life was changing. This song embodies the sadness and longing that tinges our aging. The clarity of our youth grows hazy as the world and our lives seem more complex and the simple bonds of childhood are broken by all the things we call necessities.
How many a year has passed and gone
And many a gamble has been lost and won
And many a road taken by many a friend
And each one I’ve never seen again
I wish, I wish, I wish in vain
That we could sit simply in that room again
Ten thousand dollars at the drop of a hat
I’d give it all gladly if our lives could be like that
As with many of his early songs Dylan took the melody from an English folk song, “Lady Franklin’s Lament” that he learned from Martin Carthy. Not plagiarism, but a tradition of artists to take form the past and make it their own.
We all wish we could go back, sit with friends lost and passed.
Another note, there was a television show celebrating Frank Sinatra’s birthday. Long line of performers sang Sinatra hits with Frank sitting upfront in the audience. Dylan proved to be the exception, playing this song at Sinatra’s request.
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