"A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" is based on an old folk ballad variously titled "Lord Randall" or "Lord Ronald," in which a mother repeatedly questions her son (beginning with "Where have you been?"), leading him to reveal he has been poisoned. The song ends when he falls dead to the ground.
American folk musicians adopted "Lord Randall" at some point in history. The song evolved into "Jimmy Randall." In In the Pine (Pikeville College Press, 1978), authors Leonard Roberts and Calvin Buell Agey report there being "about 100" known references to the song all over the United States.
Though no definitive line can be drawn, it seems likely that Dylan encountered an American variation of the song that he used as the basis for "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall." By this time, Dylan was deeply immersed in the study of American folk music.
Ten years after Dylan recorded his version, Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry recorded a dark, claustrophobic cover as his first solo single, which reached #10 in the UK.
In the liner notes to The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Dylan wrote: "'Hard Rain' is a desperate kind of song. Every line in it, is actually the start of a whole song. But when I wrote it, I thought I wouldn't have enough time alive to write all those songs so I put all I could into this one."
Bob Dylan once introduced this song by saying hard rain meant something big was about to happen.
According to journalist Bob Spitz, Dylan wrote this song on the typewriter of Hugh Romney, better known as Wavy Gravy.
Patti Smith performed this song on December 10, 2016 as part of the ceremonies in Stockholm where Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Dylan didn't attend the ceremony, but wrote a speech that was read by the US ambassador to Sweden. Smith got tripped up a few minutes into her performance and had to stop the music (the song is not an easy one to get through), but the audience gave her warm applause when she apologized, and she continued on.
Richie Havens was a regular performer in the Greenwich Village folk scene at the same time as Dylan and often sang this, assuming their mutual acquaintance Gene Michaels wrote the tune. "I used to have
arguments about that with different people. It was terrible [that I didn't know]," Havens recalled in a 1994 DISCoveries interview. "I remember singing it at Folk City and a guy walking up to me with tears in his eyes, and telling me it was his favorite version of that song – and then walking away. I headed down to the dressing room down in the basement, and [singer] Dave Van Ronk was coming up. He said to me, 'Do you know who that was? He wrote that song.' I said, 'No, he didn't! Gene Michaels wrote that song.' [Van Ronk] said, 'No, he didn't! Bob Dylan wrote that song, and that was just him!' And it blew my mind that he had complimented me for singing one of his songs. At the time, I didn't even realize it."
A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And where have you been, my darling young one
I've stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I've walked and I've crawled on six crooked highways
I've stepped in the middle of seven sad forests
I've been out in front of a dozen dead oceans
I've been ten thousand miles in the mouth of a graveyard
And it's a hard, and it's a hard, it's a hard, and it's a hard
Oh, what did you see, my blue-eyed son
And what did you see, my darling young one
I saw a newborn baby with wild wolves all around it
I saw a highway of diamonds with nobody on it
I saw a black branch with blood that kept drippin'
I saw a room full of men with their hammers a-bleedin'
I saw a white ladder all covered with water
I saw ten thousand talkers whose tongues were all broken
I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children
And it's a hard, and it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
And what did you hear, my blue-eyed son?
And what did you hear, my darling young one?
I heard the sound of a thunder that roared out a warnin'
Heard the roar of a wave that could drown the whole world
Heard one hundred drummers whose hands were a-blazin'
Heard ten thousand whisperin' and nobody listenin'
Heard one person starve, I heard many people laughin'
Heard the song of a poet who died in the gutter
Heard the sound of a clown who cried in the alley
And it's a hard, and it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
Oh, what did you meet, my blue-eyed son?
Who did you meet, my darling young one?
I met a young child beside a dead pony
I met a white man who walked a black dog
I met a young woman whose body was burning
I met a young girl, she gave me a rainbow
I met one man who was wounded in love
I met another man who was wounded with hatred
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
And what'll you do now, my blue-eyed son?
And what'll you do now, my darling young one?
I'm a-goin' back out 'fore the rain starts a-fallin'
I'll walk to the depths of the deepest black forest
Where the people are many and their hands are all empty
Where the pellets of poison are flooding their waters
Where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prison
And the executioner's face is always well hidden
Where hunger is ugly, where souls are forgotten
Where black is the color, where none is the number
And I'll tell it and think it and speak it and breathe it
And reflect it from the mountain so all souls can see it
Then I'll stand on the ocean until I start sinkin'
But I'll know my song well before I start singin'
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
"A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" is a powerful protest song by Bob Dylan, released in 1963. The song is structured as a series of questions from a concerned father to his son, and the son’s responses. The song touches on a wide range of topics, from environmental destruction to war, poverty, and social injustice. Dylan stated that he wrote this song after reading works by the Beat poets, such as Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac. It is a highly evocative piece of writing that uses vivid and surreal images to paint a bleak vision of the future.
The first verse is a description of the son's journey, through mountains, forests, and oceans. It creates a sense of foreboding, and the refrain that it is a "hard rain's a-gonna fall" suggests that there are dark and difficult times ahead. The second verse describes a series of disturbing images that suggest a world out of balance - a newborn baby surrounded by wolves, people with broken tongues, and weapons in the hands of children. The third verse is an aural description of the son's journey. He hears the sound of a thunderstorm, the roar of a wave, drums, and whispers. The final verse is a call to action. The son declares that he will go back out into the world, into what sounds like an apocalyptic wasteland. He will use his voice to tell the truth and stand up for what is right.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, where have you been, my blue-eyed son
Where have you been all this time, my son with blue eyes?
And where have you been, my darling young one
And where have you been, my dear young one?
I've stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I have been struggling and meandering near a dozen mountains that are surrounded by mist.
I've walked and I've crawled on six crooked highways
I have journeyed on six twisted roads on foot, and at times slowly due to hardships.
I've stepped in the middle of seven sad forests
I have been standing amidst seven somber forests
I've been out in front of a dozen dead oceans
I have been looking out towards the sight of a dozen lifeless oceans.
I've been ten thousand miles in the mouth of a graveyard
I have been in the area surrounding a graveyard that extends for miles.
And it's a hard, and it's a hard, it's a hard, and it's a hard
And it is a difficult, an exceedingly difficult, an arduous, and an apparently insurmountable task.
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
A miserable downpour is imminent.
Oh, what did you see, my blue-eyed son
What did you witness, my son with blue eyes?
And what did you see, my darling young one
And what did you experience, my beloved young one?
I saw a newborn baby with wild wolves all around it
I saw an infant child surrounded by wolves in the wilderness.
I saw a highway of diamonds with nobody on it
I observed a glittering road filled with diamonds that was completely empty of people.
I saw a black branch with blood that kept drippin'
I saw a dark and bloody branch with drops falling down.
I saw a room full of men with their hammers a-bleedin'
I witnessed a chamber filled with men whose hammers were dripping with blood.
I saw a white ladder all covered with water
I beheld a white-colored ladder that was soon engulfed in water
I saw ten thousand talkers whose tongues were all broken
I witnessed an enormous multitude of orators whose tongues were unable to speak.
I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children
I observed that young children were wielding firearms and sharp swords.
And it's a hard, and it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
And it is a difficult, an exceedingly difficult, an arduous, and an apparently insurmountable task.
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
A miserable downpour is imminent.
And what did you hear, my blue-eyed son?
What did you listen to, my son with blue eyes?
And what did you hear, my darling young one?
And what did you hear, my beloved young one?
I heard the sound of a thunder that roared out a warnin'
I heard a warning from a thunderous sound that was calling out.
Heard the roar of a wave that could drown the whole world
I heard a mighty wave that could submerge the whole planet.
Heard one hundred drummers whose hands were a-blazin'
I heard an intense rhythm from a hundred drummers whose hands were burning.
Heard ten thousand whisperin' and nobody listenin'
I heard a multitude of individuals whispering, but not one person gave them any attention.
Heard one person starve, I heard many people laughin'
I overheard someone die of hunger, while there were others laughing in delight.
Heard the song of a poet who died in the gutter
I listened to the work of a poet who perished on the side of a street.
Heard the sound of a clown who cried in the alley
I heard the cry of a clown who was upset in a narrow passageway.
And it's a hard, and it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
And it is a difficult, an exceedingly difficult, an arduous, and an apparently insurmountable task.
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
A miserable downpour is imminent.
Oh, what did you meet, my blue-eyed son?
Who did you encounter, my son with blue eyes?
Who did you meet, my darling young one?
Whom did you come across, my beloved young one?
I met a young child beside a dead pony
I came across a young child who was near a deceased pony.
I met a white man who walked a black dog
I encountered a pale-skinned man who was walking a black dog.
I met a young woman whose body was burning
I met a young girl whose body was on fire.
I met a young girl, she gave me a rainbow
I came across a young girl who gave me a multicolored bow of light.
I met one man who was wounded in love
I came across a man who had been emotionally hurt.
I met another man who was wounded with hatred
I encountered another man who had been injured by feelings of hatred.
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
And it is a difficult, an exceedingly difficult, an arduous, and an apparently insurmountable task.
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
A miserable downpour is imminent.
And what'll you do now, my blue-eyed son?
What will you do next, my son with blue eyes?
And what'll you do now, my darling young one?
What will you do henceforth, my beloved young one?
I'm a-goin' back out 'fore the rain starts a-fallin'
I'm about to move out before the deluge begins to occur.
I'll walk to the depths of the deepest black forest
I will traverse down into the depths of the darkest forest.
Where the people are many and their hands are all empty
Where there are numerous people with empty hands.
Where the pellets of poison are flooding their waters
Where toxic pellets are polluting their waters.
Where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prison
Where a home situated in the valley collides with a wet and filthy prison.
And the executioner's face is always well hidden
And the face of the executioner is always concealed.
Where hunger is ugly, where souls are forgotten
Where a despicable and abominable hunger reigns, and where souls are irrelevant.
Where black is the color, where none is the number
Where the color of darkness dominates everything, and no one counts for anything.
And I'll tell it and think it and speak it and breathe it
And I will narrate, ponder, articulate, and inhale this reality.
And reflect it from the mountain so all souls can see it
And I will cast this image from the mountaintop so that all of humanity can see it.
Then I'll stand on the ocean until I start sinkin'
Then I will be standing on the surface of the ocean until the point that I start drowning.
But I'll know my song well before I start singin'
But I will understand my tune quite well before I start singing it aloud.
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard
And it is a difficult, an exceedingly difficult, an arduous, and an apparently insurmountable task.
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
A miserable downpour is imminent.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Lowgun5
Bob Dylan was 21 when he wrote this. It sounds like he was a thousand.
@andrewlewis9467
Hahaa man it’s so true though
@mitzidumaresque2144
sounds like .... it was a thousand years ago
@williamfarley3794
This song is relevant for thousands of years
@Aththadha
An old soul in awkward blue jeans
@Tom-nw3rt
Is it good or bad?
@100Neopunk
He turns 80 tomorrow. Blessed be he for he is still among us
@zackzallie8735
A legend among us as always.
@mschiller1661
Neil Young asked him how he wrote the songs from his youth. Bob said he didn't know who that man was.....
@ryanpruner1853
Sus