Isis
Bob Dylan & The Rolling Thunder Revue Lyrics

I married Isis on the fifth day of May
The singer got married to someone named Isis on the fifth day of May.

But I could not hold on to her very long
Their marriage did not last.

So I cut off my hair and I rode straight away
The singer cut off their hair and left town.

For the wild unknown country where I could not go wrong
They went to an unfamiliar place where they hoped they would not make mistakes.

I came to a high place of darkness and light
The artist came to a place that had both dark and bright areas.

Dividing line ran through the center of town
There was a dividing line that ran through the middle of the town.

I hitched up my pony to a post on the right
The singer tied their horse to a post on the right.

Went in to a laundry to wash my clothes down
They went into a laundry to wash their clothes.

A man in the corner approached me for a match
A man in the corner asked the artist for a match.

I knew right away he was not ordinary
The artist realized that the man was unusual.

He said, are you lookin' for somethin' easy to catch
The man asked if they were looking for something easy to get.

Said, I got no money, he said, that ain't necessary
The artist mentioned that they had no money, but the man said it was not necessary.

We set out that night for the cold in the North
They started a journey that would take them to a cold place towards the north.

I gave him my blanket, he gave me his word
The singer gave the man their blanket, and the man promised something in return.

I said, where are we goin', he said we'd be back by the fourth
The singer asked where they were going, and the man said they would be back by the fourth.

I said, that's the best news that I've ever heard
The artist was pleased to hear the man's response.

I was thinkin' about turquoise, I was thinkin' about gold
The artist was thinking about valuable things like turquoise and gold.

I was thinkin' about diamonds and the world's biggest necklace
They were also thinking about diamonds and a big necklace.

As we rode through the canyons, through the devilish cold
They rode through canyons and faced extremely cold weather.

I was thinkin' about Isis, how she thought I was so reckless
The artist thought about Isis and how she considered them reckless.

How she told me that one day we would meet up again
Isis had told the artist they would reunite someday.

And things would be different the next time we wed
She also said that things would be different when they got married again.

If I only could hang on and just be her friend
The singer wished they could remain friends and not ruin their relationship.

I still can't remember all the best things she said
They couldn't recall all the good things Isis had said to them.

We came to the pyramids all embedded in ice
The two arrived at the pyramids covered in ice.

He said, there's a body I'm tryin' to find
The man told the singer they were searching for a body.

If I carry it out it'll bring a good price
The man mentioned they could sell the body for a good price if they could get it out.

'Twas then that I knew what he had on his mind
The artist realized what the man's true intentions were.

The wind it was howlin' and the snow was outrageous
The wind was strong, and the snow was severe.

We chopped through the night and we chopped through the dawn
They worked hard throughout the night and into the morning.

When he died I was hopin' that it wasn't contagious
The man died, and the singer worried they had caught a disease.

But I made up my mind that I had to go on
Despite the man's death, the artist decided to continue.

I broke into the tomb, but the casket was empty
The artist broke into a tomb but found an empty casket.

There was no jewels, no nothin', I felt I'd been had
They found nothing in the casket, and they felt deceived.

When I saw that my partner was just bein' friendly
The singer learned that the man was only pretending to be friendly.

When I took up his offer I must-a been mad
The artist realized they were foolish to accept the man's offer.

I picked up his body and I dragged him inside
The singer picked up the man's body and took it with them.

Threw him down in the hole and I put back the cover
They threw the body into a hole and covered it.

I said a quick prayer and I felt satisfied
They said a short prayer and found comfort in it.

Then I rode back to find Isis just to tell her I love her
The artist went back to find Isis and tell her they loved her.

She was there in the meadow where the creek used to rise
Isis was in a meadow near a creek.

Blinded by sleep and in need of a bed
She seemed very tired and in need of rest.

I came in from the East with the sun in my eyes
The singer arrived from the east with the sun in their eyes.

I cursed her one time then I rode on ahead
The artist cursed Isis before riding away.

She said, where ya been? I said, no place special
Isis asked the artist where they had been, and they replied nowhere significant.

She said, you look different, I said, well, I guess
Isis noticed that the artist looked different, and they acknowledged it.

She said, you been gone, I said, that's only natural
Isis mentioned that they had been away, and the singer agreed it was natural.

She said, you gonna stay? I said, yeah, I might do
Isis asked if the artist intended to stay, and they replied that they might.

Isis, oh, Isis, you mystical child
The singer addresses Isis as a mystical child.

What drives me to you is what drives me insane
They admit that their attraction to Isis is driving them crazy.

I still can remember the way that you smiled
They still remember how Isis smiled.

On the fifth day of May in the drizzlin' rain
This memory is from when they got married on May 5th in rainy weather.