The song, essentially a protest song against protest folk, represents Dylan's transition from a folk singer who sought authenticity in traditional song-forms and activist politics to an innovative stylist whose self-exploration made him a cultural muse for a generation. (See "Like a Rolling Stone" and influence on The Beatles, etc.)
Maggie's Farm
Bob Dylan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No, I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
Well, I wake in the morning
Fold my hands and pray for rain
I got a head full of ideas
That are drivin' me insane
It's a shame the way she makes me scrub the floor
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more
Well, he hands you a nickel
He hands you a dime
He asks you with a grin
If you're havin' a good time
Then he fines you every time you slam the door
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more
Well, he puts his cigar
Out in your face just for kicks
His bedroom window
It is made out of bricks
The National Guard stands around his door
Ah, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more
Well, she talks to all the servants
About man and God and law
Everybody says
She's the brains behind Pa
She's sixty eight, but she says she's fifty four
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
Well, I try my best
To be just like I am
But everybody wants you
To be just like them
They sing while you slave and I just get bored
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
The song Maggie’s Farm by Bob Dylan is a protest song against the system. The lyrics describe the singer's refusal to work on Maggie's farm or for her family members, including her brother, father, and mother. The singer expresses his frustration with the treatment he receives while working on the farm, and the values of the people who own it.
In the first verse, the singer wakes up with a head full of ideas and prays for rain, a metaphor for cleansing and renewal. The idea of rebelling against the oppressive environment represented by Maggie's farm becomes so pervasive that the singer can no longer ignore it. The lyrics also indicate that Maggie makes him scrub the floor, a job that he believes is beneath him.
In the following verses, the singer rejects working for Maggie's ma, pa, and brother, all of whom he considers to be equally oppressive. The language used in the song is intentionally forceful and confrontational, replacing the politically correct euphemisms of the time with blunt, simple words. The song is a protest against the system that restricts people's freedom and creativity, with the message that individuals should reject conformity to assert their freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
I refuse to continue working on Maggie's farm
No, I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
I am emphatic in my decision to stop working on Maggie's farm
Well, I wake in the morning
Every day starts the same
Fold my hands and pray for rain
I hope the conditions will be unfavorable for work
I got a head full of ideas
My mind is full of creative thoughts
That are drivin' me insane
But I can't act on them while I'm stuck working on the farm
It's a shame the way she makes me scrub the floor
I resent having to perform menial tasks under Maggie's authority
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more
I won't work for Maggie's brother in the future
Well, he hands you a nickel
He pays you an insulting wage
He hands you a dime
But will exploit every opportunity to fine you
He asks you with a grin
He expects you to be satisfied with your low-paying job
If you're havin' a good time
Even though the work is hard and the pay is low
Then he fines you every time you slam the door
He takes every opportunity to exert his power and control over his workers
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more
I won't be exploited by Maggie's brother anymore
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more
I have decided not to work for Maggie's father anymore
Well, he puts his cigar
He shows his arrogance and dominance
Out in your face just for kicks
By doing so, he intimidates and bullies his workers
His bedroom window
His high position in society and wealth
It is made out of bricks
Reflecting his robust and unchanging status
The National Guard stands around his door
Even his protection is grandiose and excessive
Ah, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more
I refuse to continue to be intimidated and exploited by Maggie's father
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more
I won't be working for Maggie's mother anymore
Well, she talks to all the servants
She makes regular conversation with the staff in the household
About man and God and law
But her topics of discussion are always controversial or difficult to understand
Everybody says
Other workers have talked about her behind her back
She's the brains behind Pa
And it's generally agreed upon that she's the one in charge of everything
She's sixty eight, but she says she's fifty four
It's clear that she's not always truthful or honest
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more
I am not going to be working under Maggie's mother's dubious authority anymore
Well, I try my best
I make an effort
To be just like I am
To express myself honestly and authentically
But everybody wants you
But regardless of my efforts, everyone wants me to conform to their own expectations
To be just like them
They refuse to accept or tolerate any kind of individualism
They sing while you slave and I just get bored
They patronize me with empty words of encouragement and I have grown tired of it
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
I won't continue to labor on Maggie's farm under these conditions
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@juancamacho5746
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
No, I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
Well, I wake up in the morning
Fold my hands and pray for rain
I got a head full of ideas
That are drivin' me insane
It's a shame the way she makes me scrub the floor
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more
Well, he hands you a nickel
He hands you a dime
He asks you with a grin
If you're having a good time
Then he fines you every time you slam the door
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's Pa no more
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's Pa no more
Well, he puts his cigar
Out in your face just for kicks
His bedroom window
It is made out of bricks
The National Guard stands around his door
Ah, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's Pa no more
🎸🎸🎸🎸
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's Ma no more
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's Ma no more
Well, she talks to all the servants
About man and God and law
Everybody says
She's the brains behind Pa
She's 68, but she says she's 54
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's Ma no more
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
Well, I try my best
To be just like I am
But everybody wants you
To be just like them
They say "Sing while you slave" and I just get bored
Ah, I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
@oughtssought1198
love this song
but maybe not one of its kind
given the musicologist Dylan was at a young age,
I'd be surpriised if he hadn't heard at least the first & likely the second
of the 2 versions of the same (as each other) song below
I'm thinking Maggie's Farm is an updated version tweaking that tale in
Mose's version of Parchment Farm the way Mose did Bukka's version
w/ Dylan's version saying lotta jobs taste as weirdly abusive as prison
except maybe even weirder & yr only crime was needing to work to live
-- sorta like "Born in Chicago" to taste like "I was born in a prison" --
& the boisterous spirit w/ which he's saying "F*k that sh*t" I ain't goin'
which Mose was also clearly saying but in a manner suited to the '50s
more '50s understated instead of '60s electric Dylan's brazen brash tone
mose allison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB1CYXBSHP0
Pete Townsend + others talking about the song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaF_UJJjre4
wikipedia says
buck white wrote the original
after a 2year stint on parchment farm
for shooting a man in the thigh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM23S12LXaE
Judge give me life this mornin'
Down on Parchman farm
Judge give me life this mornin'
Down on Parchman farm
I wouldn't hate it so bad
But I left my wife in mourn
Oh, goodbye wife
All you have done gone
Oh, goodbye wife
All you have done gone
But I hope some day
You will hear my lonesome song
Oh, listen you men
I don't mean no harm
Oh, listen you men
I don't mean no harm
If you wanna do good
You better stay off old Parchman farm
We got to work in the mornin'
Just at dawn of day
We got to work in the mornin'
Just at dawn of day
Just at the settin' of the sun
That's when the work is done
I'm down on Parchman farm
I sho' wanna go back home
I'm down on Parchman farm
But I sho' wanna go back home
But I hope some day
I will overcome
Mose Allison wrote an interesting variety of songs, & the spirit+range of their gist
is definitely kindred to Dylan's, tho' the musical settings suit diff eras+genres, &
like every songwriter, they got their ideas from everywhere, including other songs
Your mind is on vacation and your mouth is working overtime
and
Hello There Universe
are 2 good examples to start with
@jamesdean9183
My grandpa always listens to this song on his way to work, then on the way home listens to the Beatles "A Hard Day's Night"😂
@jasonskorik895
He sounds like a right boring old bastard ! 😍
@eargasm1072
Perfect job routine/routine job soundtrack!
@midwestdepressed
Same
@kristlepickles
Both classics!
@emildimitrov7031
Cool guy
@hatsuseno
Well, I try my best
To be just like I am
But everybody wants you
To be just like them
@williamdonnelly224
My favorite song verse of all time.
@RoyFive
That's got to be one of the most profound things Bob said. And there are tons of them.
@Frankmt215
You need to listen to Rage Against the Machine's cover of this...they definitely enhanced the meaning behind the song with their style of music and that line is at the pinnacle with how they set it up in their version.