Oh Sister
#BobDylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You should not treat me like a stranger
Our Father would not like the way that you act
And you must realize the danger
Oh, sister, am I not a brother to you
And one deserving of affection
And is our purpose not the same on this earth
We grew up together
From the cradle to the grave
We died and were reborn
And then mysteriously saved
Oh, sister, when I come to knock on your door
Don't turn away, you'll create sorrow
Time is an ocean but it ends at the shore
You may not see me tomorrow
Bob Dylan's "Oh Sister" is a complex, metaphorical reflection on the bond between siblings and the human need for connection. Throughout the song, Dylan implores his sister not to treat him like a stranger, reminding her that they are both children of God and are called to love and follow His direction. The repeated refrain, "Oh, sister," emphasizes the depth of the relationship between the two, as if he's calling out to her from a place of longing and spiritual yearning.
Throughout the song, Dylan's poetic language conveys deep human emotion, touching on themes of mortality, rebirth, and redemption. The lines "We grew up together / From the cradle to the grave / We died and were reborn / And then mysteriously saved" suggest a spiritual rebirth or transformation, an experience that has brought the siblings closer together. The imagery of death and rebirth underscores the song's message of renewal and reconciliation, as if Dylan is calling on his sister to recognize the deeper, eternal bond they share.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, sister, when I come to lie in your arms
When I seek comfort from you, my dear sister
You should not treat me like a stranger
Please don't act like we don't know each other, as we are family
Our Father would not like the way that you act
Our common religion teaches us to be kind and accepting, and we should not go against its principles
And you must realize the danger
Turning away from my plea could lead to negative consequences
Oh, sister, am I not a brother to you
Aren't we siblings, sharing a familial bond?
And one deserving of affection
I hope you see me as someone deserving of love and kindness
And is our purpose not the same on this earth
As believers, aren't we meant to follow our faith and its teachings?
To love and follow his direction
To abide by the commands of the almighty One and love thy neighbor
We grew up together
As siblings, we had shared memories of childhood and growing up
From the cradle to the grave
We have been together since birth and will be until the end of our lives
We died and were reborn
We were spiritually reborn when we pledged ourselves to our faith
And then mysteriously saved
We were saved by grace and our belief in the divine
Oh, sister, when I come to knock on your door
When I come to seek your help and companionship
Don't turn away, you'll create sorrow
Please don't reject me and cause me pain
Time is an ocean but it ends at the shore
Although time is endless like an ocean, our opportunities to connect with one another are limited
You may not see me tomorrow
We should not take our time together for granted, as things can change quickly in life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN, JACQUES LEVY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ip9yu7lp1q
Oh, sister, when I come to lie in your arms
You should not treat me like a stranger
Our Father would not like the way that you act
And you must realize the danger
Oh, sister, am I not a brother to you
And one deserving of affection
And is our purpose not the same on this earth
To love and follow his direction
We grew up together
From the cradle to the grave
We died and were reborn
And then mysteriously saved
Oh, sister, when I come to knock on your door
Don't turn away, you'll create sorrow
Time is an ocean but it ends at the shore
You may not see me tomorrow
@ramazkhatiashvili5440
Mid-1970s was the second breath of Dylan. Blood on the Tracks and Desire. Two masterpieces.
@user-mf5by6bu7f
For me, the "comeback album" was Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.
@oompaloompadoompa-de-doo3614
More like the 7th or 8th breath
@hermanmunster714
Dylan captured gypsy spirit on this lp more than any other. Emmy lou singing with him is killa. Brings tear 😢 to the eyes.
@patriciamorris3853
“Time is an ocean but it ends at the shore.” Profound lyric, encrypted meaning. Dylan is America’s poet!
@verastiopul1150
Uk modern poetry and Bob Dylan poetry the best ever
@abhishek-euphony-and-euphoria
@@verastiopul1150you must read Rabindranath Tagore - then grasp you what poetry is.
@divalivingston1664
I’ve heard this song and that line before but today it really hit me and I felt like a hard shell around my heart was breaking open and releasing me. Very emotional.
@wearypirates
One of the most beautiful songs ever written
@jamesdorasamy5751
So sorry for your loss..
If there’s one thing i’ve learnt from Life is that that life is too short.. we need to let go forgive and love more..❤