Like A Rolling Stone
Bob Dylan & Tom Petty Lyrics
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You threw the bums a dime in your prime
Didn't you?
People'd call, say: "Beware, doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all
Kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging
For your next meal
How does it feel?
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Oh, you've gone to the finest school, alright, miss lonely
But you know you only used to get
Juiced in it
Nobody's ever taught you how to live out on the street
And now you're gonna have to get
Used to it
You say you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And say: "Do you want to
Make a deal?"
How does it feel?
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
A complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Oh, you never turned around to see the frowns
On the jugglers and the clowns when they all did
Tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your
Kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything
He could steal?
How does it feel?
How does it feel
To hang on your home
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're all drinking thinking that they
Got it made
Exchanging all their precious gifts
But you'd better take your diamond ring
You'd better pawn it, baby
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you ain't got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets
To conceal
How does it feel?
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
The lyrics to Bob Dylan and Tom Petty's "Like a Rolling Stone" tell the story of a woman who was once well-off and famous but has since fallen on hard times. The first verse sets the tone, reminiscing about a time when the woman was glamorous and didn't have to worry about money. But now, in her new circumstances, people warn her that she's bound to fail. The chorus, "How does it feel to be without a home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone?" drives home her current struggles and her feelings of being untethered.
The second verse delves into her background, revealing that she once went to a prestigious school but only used it as an excuse to drink. She was never taught how to survive on the streets, something she's now discovering she must do. The third verse laments the fact that the woman used to surround herself with people who would perform for her, but now she's realizing that she shouldn't rely on others for entertainment or happiness. Her once-wealthy and influential boyfriend is now gone, and she has nothing left but herself.
Line by Line Meaning
Once upon a time you dressed so fine
There was a time when you were well-dressed and well-off
You threw the bums a dime in your prime
In those days, you would give money to those less fortunate than you
Didn't you?
Or did you?
People'd call, say: "Beware, doll, you're bound to fall"
Other people warned you that your high life wouldn't last
You thought they were all
You believed that they were all just joking or jealous
Kiddin' you
But they weren't.
You used to laugh about
Once upon a time, you found it amusing when
Everybody that was hanging out
Others were having a good time
Now you don't talk so loud
But now you don't speak up as much
Now you don't seem so proud
And you don't seem to be as confident
About having to be scrounging
As you search for
For your next meal
Your next meal
How does it feel?
How does it feel to fall so far?
How does it feel
How does it feel?
To be without a home
To have no place to call home
Like a complete unknown
To be anonymous and unrecognized
Like a rolling stone?
And to be constantly on the move?
Oh, you've gone to the finest school, alright, miss lonely
You had a good education, even though you were lonely
But you know you only used to get
But all you did was
Juiced in it
Party
Nobody's ever taught you how to live out on the street
You never learned how to survive on the streets
And now you're gonna have to get
And now you will need to learn to
Used to it
Adjust to it
You say you'd never compromise
You claim that you would never make concessions in your beliefs
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
But now you understand that the unknown person you met earlier
He's not selling any alibis
Isn't offering any excuses
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
As you look deep into his empty, hollow gaze
And say: "Do you want to
And you ask him
Make a deal?"
If he wants to make an agreement
How does it feel?
How does it feel to have to make such a compromise?
How does it feel
How does it feel?
To be on your own
To be alone and without support
With no direction home
And having no idea where you're going
A complete unknown
You are unknown and unrecognizable to those around you
Like a rolling stone?
Are you like a person who's always moving and without a place to stay?
Oh, you never turned around to see the frowns
You didn't even notice the disapproving looks
On the jugglers and the clowns when they all did
From the circus performers when they put on a show just for you
Tricks for you
Did you need those performances to keep yourself entertained?
You never understood that it ain't no good
You never realized that it was unhealthy
You shouldn't let other people get your
To rely so heavily
Kicks for you
On the entertainment solely provided by others
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Back when you had enough money, you rode a motorcycle with your politician boyfriend
Who carried on his shoulder a siamese cat
Who also carried around his pampered pet cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
How did you feel when you learned that
He really wasn't where it's at
He wasn't the successful and influential man he appeared to be
After he took from you everything
Once he took all that he could get from you
He could steal?
What did you have left?
How does it feel?
How does it feel to have been used and then left with nothing?
How does it feel
How does it feel?
To hang on your home
To be homeless
With no direction home
To have nowhere to go
Like a complete unknown
Unknown and unrecognized by others
Like a rolling stone?
Always moving, without a place to call home?
Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
The most admired and respected people in society
They're all drinking thinking that they
They all think that they are
Got it made
Safe and satisfied
Exchanging all their precious gifts
Trading expensive items among themselves
But you'd better take your diamond ring
But you should take your most precious possession
You'd better pawn it, baby
And sell it to get some money
You used to be so amused
Once, you were entertained
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
By a man dressed in tattered clothes who spoke with unusual vernacular
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
Now, that same man invites you over and you can't deny him
When you ain't got nothing, you got nothing to lose
When you have nothing left, you can't lose anything else
You're invisible now, you got no secrets
Now that you have nothing, you are invisible and have no secrets left to keep
To conceal
Or hide
How does it feel?
How does it feel to have lost everything and be nothing?
How does it feel
How does it feel?
To be on your own
To be alone and without support
With no direction home
To have no idea where to go
Like a complete unknown
To be unrecognized and anonymous
Like a rolling stone?
Are you constantly on the move and without a place to stay?
Contributed by Mackenzie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ellen McCullough
Two of my all-time vocalists..they were incredible...such great musicians..makes me want to go back to the days of our "youth"..
Amanda
Tom Petty would have been 70 today. RIP to one of the all time greats 🙏
Raul Esparza
La música número 1 a nível mundial, cantada por su creador, el genial y número 1 tambien, Bob Dylan, the master!!!!!
maria galvan
No conocía a Bob Dilan pero me gusta su voz y sus historias q las hace canción con un mensajes de realidad en el mundo q vivimos, q letra haría ahora q estamos en la pandemia y de todas las cosas q se dicen o se rumoran.
deeestuary
Bob and Tom also did a great version of Knockin on Heavens Door on this tour.
Diane Malloy
That is one of my favorite songs ever!
Max Komine
One of the great songs during a magical time.
wonderties
I feel blessed to be on this earth at the same time as Mr. Bob Dylan. Thank you, Lord.
Edited
You're welcome!
Diane Malloy
Definitely!