Dylan does tell a marvellously picaresque story here that, despite the laid… Read Full Bio ↴Dylan does tell a marvellously picaresque story here that, despite the laid-back “aw shucks” drawl infusing this yarn, is full of nefarious situations, double-crosses, derringdo, reunion, and heroism. The story begins with the narrator recalling standing in line to screen the Peck film. This, in turn, prompts a memory of a pan-Texas trip of undisclosed reason with the woman to whom he sings and titles Brownsville Girl in honour of. After driving all night to San Antonio, where they sleep near the Alamo (a symbolic locale pregnant with disaster and death), she leaves for Mexico to find a doctor but never comes back. Perhaps she is seeking an abortion, but if someone is injured, the narrator does not let on. Somehow, he has continued his trip with another woman, crossing the Texas panhandle toward Amarillo, where they decide to pay a visit to a guy named Henry Porter. He is not at home but his woman, Ruby, invites the narrator in for a chat, but nothing is revealed except that she is jaded and ready to leave the area. The narrator then begins musing about The Gunfighter again, implying that he played a part in the Peck film while at the same time merging the real-time paranoia of the song’s narrative. Suddenly, he is a pompadour-topped fugitive being pursued by a gun-toting mob. The action moves swiftly – after his picture is plastered on the front pages, there appears to have been an off-screen arrest and trial, during which the Brownsville Girl miraculously reappears for a dramatic courtroom appearance (perhaps filled with phony testimony) that seems to have guaranteed our man’s acquittal. When all is said and done, he is still standing in line waiting to screen the film and musing about the meaning of it all as the curtain drops on the story-song.

Brownsville Girl
Bob Dylan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, there was this movie I seen one time
About a man riding 'cross the desert and it starred Gregory Peck
He was shot down by a hungry kid trying to make a name for himself
The townspeople wanted to crush that kid down and string him up by the neck

Well, the marshal, now he beat that kid to a bloody pulp
As the dying gunfighter lay in the sun and gasped for his last breath
Turn him loose, let him go, let him say he outdrew me fair and square

I want him to feel what it's like to every moment face his death

Well, I keep seeing this stuff and it just comes a-rolling in
And you know it blows right through me like a ball and chain
You know I can't believe we've lived so long and are still so far apart
The memory of you keeps callin' after me like a rollin' train

I can still see the day that you came to me on the painted desert
In your busted down Ford and your platform heels
I could never figure out why you chose that particular place to meet
Ah, but you were right, it was perfect as I got in behind the wheel

Well, we drove that car all night into San Anton'
And we slept near the Alamo, your skin was so tender and soft
Way down in Mexico you went out to find a doctor and you never came back
I would have gone on after you but I didn't feel like letting my head get blown off

Well, we're drivin' this car and the sun is comin' up over the Rockies
Now I know she ain't you but she's here and she's got that dark rhythm in her soul
But I'm too over the edge and I ain't in the mood anymore
To remember the times when I was your only man
And she don't want to remind me, she knows this car would go out of control

Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world
Brownsville girl, you're my honey love

Well, we crossed the panhandle and then we headed towards Amarillo
We pulled up where Henry Porter used to live
He owned a wreckin' lot outside of town about a mile
Ruby was in the backyard hanging clothes, she had her red hair tied back
She saw us come rolling up in a trail of dust
She said, Henry ain't here but you can come on in, he'll be back in a little while

Then she told us how times were tough and about how she was thinkin' of
Bummin' a ride back to where she started
But she changed the subject every time money came up
She said, welcome to the land of the living dead
You could tell she was so broken-hearted
She said, even the swap meets around here are getting pretty corrupt

How far are y'all going, Ruby asked us with a sigh
We're going all the way 'til the wheels fall off and burn
'Til the sun peels the paint and the seat covers fade and the water moccasin dies
Ruby just smiled and said, ah, you know some babies never learn

Something about that movie though, well I just can't get it out of my head
But I can't remember why I was in it or what part I was supposed to play
All I remember about it was Gregory Peck and the way people moved
And a lot of them seemed to be lookin' my way

Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world
Brownsville girl, you're my honey love

Well, they were looking for somebody with a pompadour
I was crossin' the street when shots rang out
I didn't know whether to duck or to run, so I ran
We got him cornered in the churchyard, I heard somebody shout

Well, you saw my picture in the Corpus Christi Tribune
Underneath it, it said, a man with no alibi
You went out on a limb to testify for me, you said I was with you
Then when I saw you break down in front of the judge and cry real tears
It was the best acting I saw anybody do

Now I've always been the kind of person that doesn't like to trespass
But sometimes you just find yourself over the line
Oh if there's an original thought out there, I could use it right now
You know, I feel pretty good, but that ain't sayin' much
I could feel a whole lot better
If you were just here by my side to show me how

Well, I'm standin' in line in the rain to see a movie starring Gregory Peck
Yeah, but you know it's not the one that I had in mind
He's got a new one out now, I don't even know what it's about
But I'll see him in anything so I'll stand in line

Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world
Brownsville girl, you're my honey love

You know, it's funny how things never turn out the way you had 'em planned
The only thing we knew for sure about Henry Porter
Is that his name wasn't Henry Porter
And you know there was somethin' about you baby
That I liked that was always too good for this world
Just like you always said there was something about me you liked
That I left behind in the French Quarter

Strange how people who suffer together have stronger connections
Than people who are most content
I don't have any regrets, they can talk about me plenty when I'm gone
You always said people don't do what they believe in
They just do what's most convenient, then they repent
And I always said, hang on to me, baby, and let's hope that the roof stays on

There was a movie I seen one time, I think I sat through it twice
I don't remember who I was or where I was bound
All I remember about it was it starred Gregory Peck
He wore a gun and he was shot in the back
Seems like a long time ago, long before the stars were torn down

Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world
Brownsville girl, you're my honey love

Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world
Brownsville girl, you're my honey love

Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above

Overall Meaning

Brownsville Girl is a song by Bob Dylan, which lasts for eleven minutes and forty-five seconds, making it one of the longest songs in his catalog. The song was co-written with playwright Sam Shepard and is considered one of Dylan's most complex and enigmatic recordings. In the opening verse, Dylan talks about a movie he watched that starred Gregory Peck about a man who was shot by a young boy trying to make a name for himself.

Dylan then goes on to talk about his own memories, including a vague recollection of being in the movie he saw, as well as meeting a girl in Brownsville with whom he drove all night to San Anton. However, she never returned from Mexico, and he later found out that she went out to find a doctor, but he never found out what happened to her. In the final verse, he talks about how he doesn't remember much about the movie, but he remembers Peck being shot from behind.

The song is considered a tribute to the golden age of Hollywood and a homage to the cowboy movies of the 1950s. The lyrics are ambiguous and open to interpretation, with many interpretations focusing on the relationship between the singer and the girl from Brownsville. Some see the song as an allegory for the American Dream, while others interpret it as a commentary on the state of the nation during the Reagan years.

Overall, Brownsville Girl is a complex and enigmatic song that defies easy categorization. It features some of Dylan's most memorable lyrics and showcases his unique ability to tell a story through music.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, there was this movie I seen one time
I once watched a movie that left a lasting impression on me

About a man riding 'cross the desert and it starred Gregory Peck
The movie depicted a man traveling through the desert, with Gregory Peck as the lead actor

He was shot down by a hungry kid trying to make a name for himself
The man was fatally shot by a young, ambitious individual seeking recognition

The townspeople wanted to crush that kid down and string him up by the neck
The townspeople desired to violently punish the young shooter

Well, the marshal, now he beat that kid to a bloody pulp
The marshal brutally assaulted the young shooter, causing severe injuries

As the dying gunfighter lay in the sun and gasped for his last breath
The gunfighter, mortally wounded, struggled to breathe in the scorching sun

Turn him loose, let him go, let him say he outdrew me fair and square
Release the young shooter and allow him to claim that he overpowered me fairly

I want him to feel what it's like to every moment face his death
I want him to experience the constant fear and awareness of impending death

Well, I keep seeing this stuff and it just comes a-rolling in
These thoughts and memories keep flooding my mind

And you know it blows right through me like a ball and chain
The impact of these thoughts weighs heavily on me, causing significant emotional burden

You know I can't believe we've lived so long and are still so far apart
It's astonishing that despite living for a long time, we remain emotionally distant

The memory of you keeps callin' after me like a rollin' train
I'm constantly haunted by memories of you, like a persistent and unstoppable force

I can still see the day that you came to me on the painted desert
I vividly remember the day when you arrived in a desolate and vibrant landscape

In your busted down Ford and your platform heels
You arrived in a worn-out Ford vehicle, wearing fashionable platform heels

I could never figure out why you chose that particular place to meet
I was unable to comprehend why you selected that specific location for our rendezvous

Ah, but you were right, it was perfect as I got in behind the wheel
However, you had a keen intuition as the location turned out to be ideal once I started driving

Well, we drove that car all night into San Anton'
We embarked on a nocturnal journey, driving our car to San Antonio

And we slept near the Alamo, your skin was so tender and soft
We found a place to rest close to the Alamo, and I couldn't help but notice the delicate and smooth texture of your skin

Way down in Mexico you went out to find a doctor and you never came back
You ventured to Mexico in search of a doctor, but unfortunately, you never returned

I would have gone on after you but I didn't feel like letting my head get blown off
Although I contemplated pursuing you in Mexico, I decided against it to avoid risking my life

Well, we're drivin' this car and the sun is comin' up over the Rockies
As we continue driving, the sun rises over the Rocky Mountains

Now I know she ain't you but she's here and she's got that dark rhythm in her soul
I acknowledge that the woman with me is not you, yet her presence exudes a similar mysterious depth

But I'm too over the edge and I ain't in the mood anymore
However, I'm overwhelmed by my emotions, and I have lost interest in engaging with anyone

To remember the times when I was your only man
I no longer wish to reminisce about the moments when I was your sole companion

And she don't want to remind me, she knows this car would go out of control
The woman with me avoids triggering my memories, understanding that they would destabilize me emotionally

Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Addressing a woman from Brownsville with lovely curly hair

Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
Her teeth are as radiant as pearls, glistening like the moon in the sky

Brownsville girl, show me all around the world
The woman from Brownsville, I appeal to you to guide me through various parts of the world

Brownsville girl, you're my honey love
Expressing affection for the woman from Brownsville, describing her as my sweet and beloved

Well, we crossed the panhandle and then we headed towards Amarillo
After passing through the panhandle, we continued our journey in the direction of Amarillo

We pulled up where Henry Porter used to live
We stopped at the residence of Henry Porter, who was a previous resident in the area

He owned a wreckin' lot outside of town about a mile
Henry Porter owned a junkyard situated approximately a mile away from town

Ruby was in the backyard hanging clothes, she had her red hair tied back
In the backyard, we noticed a woman named Ruby, who had her red hair pulled back while hanging clothes

She saw us come rolling up in a trail of dust
Ruby noticed our arrival as we drove towards her, raising a cloud of dust

She said, Henry ain't here but you can come on in, he'll be back in a little while
Ruby informed us that Henry was absent, but she welcomed us to enter, mentioning his impending return

Then she told us how times were tough and about how she was thinkin' of
Ruby proceeded to discuss the challenging circumstances she faced and her contemplation of a different path

Bummin' a ride back to where she started
Considering hitchhiking back to her place of origin

But she changed the subject every time money came up
However, she avoided discussing money altogether by diverting the conversation's focus

She said, welcome to the land of the living dead
Ruby sarcastically referred to her current environment as a place where people merely exist, devoid of life

You could tell she was so broken-hearted
It was evident that Ruby experienced profound emotional distress

She said, even the swap meets around here are getting pretty corrupt
Ruby expressed her disheartenment, remarking that even local marketplaces had become tainted by dishonesty

How far are y'all going, Ruby asked us with a sigh
Ruby inquired about the extent of our journey, emitting a weary sigh

We're going all the way 'til the wheels fall off and burn
We intend to continue our journey until the car breaks down completely

'Til the sun peels the paint and the seat covers fade and the water moccasin dies
Persisting until environmental conditions deteriorate significantly, such as the sun causing paint to peel and seat covers to fade, or until the car's demise

Ruby just smiled and said, ah, you know some babies never learn
Ruby responded with a wry smile, suggesting that some individuals never acquire wisdom from their experiences

Something about that movie though, well I just can't get it out of my head
The movie I mentioned earlier continues to linger persistently in my thoughts

But I can't remember why I was in it or what part I was supposed to play
Regrettably, I cannot recall my purpose or the character I was meant to portray in the movie

All I remember about it was Gregory Peck and the way people moved
The only lasting memories I have of the movie involve Gregory Peck's presence and the unique manner in which individuals conducted themselves

And a lot of them seemed to be lookin' my way
Curiously, many characters in the movie appeared to be observing or directing their attention towards me

Well, they were looking for somebody with a pompadour
There was a quest to find an individual characterized by a pompadour hairstyle

I was crossin' the street when shots rang out
While I was in the process of crossing the street, gunfire suddenly erupted

I didn't know whether to duck or to run, so I ran
Without a clear decision on how to respond, I instinctively chose to run

We got him cornered in the churchyard, I heard somebody shout
A group of people managed to trap the person responsible for the gunfire in a churchyard, with someone audibly shouting the news

Well, you saw my picture in the Corpus Christi Tribune
You observed my photograph published in the Corpus Christi Tribune

Underneath it, it said, a man with no alibi
Accompanying the image, the caption indicated that I lacked an alibi

You went out on a limb to testify for me, you said I was with you
You took a significant risk by giving a testimony on my behalf, asserting that I accompanied you during the relevant period

Then when I saw you break down in front of the judge and cry real tears
However, when I witnessed you experiencing an emotional breakdown in the presence of the judge, shedding genuine tears

It was the best acting I saw anybody do
Your portrayal was incredibly convincing, transcending the performances of others

Now I've always been the kind of person that doesn't like to trespass
Traditionally, I have avoided intruding on others' boundaries

But sometimes you just find yourself over the line
Occasionally, circumstances push you to cross certain boundaries

Oh if there's an original thought out there, I could use it right now
I strongly yearn for a fresh and innovative idea to assist me in my current situation

You know, I feel pretty good, but that ain't sayin' much
Although I may appear relatively content, it is not a significant statement

I could feel a whole lot better
I have the potential to experience significantly enhanced well-being

If you were just here by my side to show me how
Having you here with me would provide the guidance and support necessary for me to achieve a higher state of being

Well, I'm standin' in line in the rain to see a movie starring Gregory Peck
Presently, I find myself waiting patiently in the rain to watch a film featuring Gregory Peck

Yeah, but you know it's not the one that I had in mind
However, it is not the specific movie I originally intended to see

He's got a new one out now, I don't even know what it's about
Gregory Peck has recently released a new movie, but I remain unaware of its plot

But I'll see him in anything so I'll stand in line
Regardless, I possess a strong affinity for Gregory Peck's work and thus will endure the queue

The only thing we knew for sure about Henry Porter
The sole certainty regarding Henry Porter

Is that his name wasn't Henry Porter
Contrary to expectations, his true identity did not align with the name Henry Porter

And you know there was somethin' about you baby
Moreover, there was something captivating about you, my dear

That I liked that was always too good for this world
I adored qualities in you that seemed out of place in this imperfect world

Just like you always said there was something about me you liked
Similar to how you expressed a fondness for certain aspects of my personality

That I left behind in the French Quarter
Which I unfortunately abandoned in the French Quarter of the city

Strange how people who suffer together have stronger connections
It is peculiar that individuals who endure hardships jointly tend to form deeper and more resilient bonds

Than people who are most content
This is often more profound than the connections between those who lead comfortable lives

I don't have any regrets, they can talk about me plenty when I'm gone
I do not harbor any remorse, as there will be an abundance of discussions about me in my absence

You always said people don't do what they believe in
You frequently asserted that individuals do not act upon their convictions

They just do what's most convenient, then they repent
Instead, people tend to choose the path of convenience, only to regret it later

And I always said, hang on to me, baby, and let's hope that the roof stays on
Conversely, I consistently urged you to remain with me, my love, and aspire for stability and security

There was a movie I seen one time, I think I sat through it twice
Once again, I recall a particular movie that captivated me to the extent that I watched it twice

I don't remember who I was or where I was bound
Regrettably, I cannot recollect the identity I possessed during that time or the destination I aimed for

All I remember about it was it starred Gregory Peck
The primary recollection I have is that Gregory Peck played a prominent role in the movie

He wore a gun and he was shot in the back
Gregory Peck's character carried a firearm and was ambushed from behind, sustaining a gunshot wound

Seems like a long time ago, long before the stars were torn down
It feels as though those events occurred in the distant past, before the collapse of fame and fortune

Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Addressing a woman from Brownsville with beautiful curly hair

Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
Describing her teeth as luminous pearls, gleaming akin to the moon in the sky

Brownsville girl, show me all around the world
Appealing to the woman from Brownsville to guide me through various parts of the world

Brownsville girl, you're my honey love
Expressing affection for the woman from Brownsville, proclaiming her as my cherished love