Don't Think Twice It's All Right
Bob Dylan [OST Mad Men] Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ifin' you don't know by now
An' it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It'll never do some how
When your rooster crows at the break a dawn
Look out your window and I'll be gone
You're the reason I'm trav'lin' on
Don't think twice, it's all right
And it ain't no use in a-turnin' on your light, babe
The light I never knowed
An' it ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
I'm on the dark side of the road
But I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
To try and make me change my mind and stay
We never did too much talkin' anyway
But don't think twice, it's all right
No it ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
Like you never done before
And it ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
I can't hear ya any more
I'm a-thinkin' and a-wond'rin' wallkin' way down the road
I once loved a woman, a child I am told
I give her my heart but she wanted my soul
But don't think twice, it's all right
So long honey babe
Where I'm bound, I can't tell
Goodbye is too good a word, babe
So I just say fare thee well
I ain't sayin' you treated me unkind
You could have done better but I don't mind
You just kinda wasted my precious time
But don't think twice, it's all right
Bob Dylan’s “Don't Think Twice, It's All Right” is a song that centers on the theme of moving on from a relationship that has gone sour. Dylan sends a message to his lover that he's been forced to pack his bags and leave. The lyrics communicate that the relationship was not entirely fulfilling and that the singer feels it's time to move on. Dylan delivers the theme of the song through the first two verses, in which he communicates that his former lover missed her chance, and he's not hanging around to wait for her to undo her mistakes. Dylan’s narrator chooses to leave instead of being caught up in a perpetual cycle of disappointment and heartache. There's a feeling of detachment in the lyrics as he keeps his emotions in check and doesn’t overindulge his feelings.
This song is about the end of a relationship and the recognition that it’s time to depart. The singer is letting go, accepting that there's nothing left to be salvaged from the relationship. He resists calling out to him, knowing that it's time to say goodbye. In a sense, the lyrics are a farewell to the romance and to the singer himself. He has made a decision and knows that he cannot stay. The song takes the form of a letter, written by someone who realizes they have to leave a partner who has been less than ideal for them, but who still cares for them. The song's title is ultimately a message: there is no point in dwelling on the past, and sometimes it's best to just move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
There's no point in wasting time trying to figure out why things didn't work out
Ifin' you don't know by now
If you haven't figured it out yet
An' it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
Reiterating that there's no point in overthinking things
It'll never do some how
It won't change anything
When your rooster crows at the break a dawn
When you wake up in the morning
Look out your window and I'll be gone
I'll have already left
You're the reason I'm trav'lin' on
The reason I'm leaving is because of you
And it ain't no use in a-turnin' on your light, babe
No point in trying to make things brighter or better
The light I never knowed
The light I never saw
An' it ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
Reiterating that there's no point in trying to change things
I'm on the dark side of the road
I'm in a bad place emotionally
But I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
I wish you could make things better somehow
To try and make me change my mind and stay
To convince me not to leave
We never did too much talkin' anyway
We didn't communicate well
But don't think twice, it's all right
Despite everything that's happened, it's okay
No it ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
Calling my name won't change anything
Like you never done before
Like you haven't already tried
And it ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
Just to reiterate that it's pointless
I can't hear ya any more
I've moved on and am not listening anymore
I'm a-thinkin' and a-wond'rin' wallkin' way down the road
I'm lost in thought and walking aimlessly down the road
I once loved a woman, a child I am told
I used to be in love with a woman, even though I was young and inexperienced
I give her my heart but she wanted my soul
She didn't just want my love, she wanted everything I had
So long honey babe
Goodbye
Where I'm bound, I can't tell
I'm not sure where I'm headed next
Goodbye is too good a word, babe
Goodbye feels too final or optimistic
So I just say fare thee well
I'll just say goodbye for now
I ain't sayin' you treated me unkind
I'm not trying to say you are a bad person
You could have done better but I don't mind
You had the opportunity to treat me better, but I'm not upset about it
You just kinda wasted my precious time
You may have unintentionally caused me to waste my time and energy
But don't think twice, it's all right
Everything's okay, even though things didn't work out between us
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@drothberg3
Going through a breakup at 64 years old, and this song, written by a 21-year-old, 60 years ago, is at the top of my list.
@jumbles1957
Same here… but I’m 66. The song pretty much sums it all up for me. I’m traveling down that road, where I’m going I don’t know… but I certainly can’t go back
@didierdousset2666
Messieurs, si la mélodie de ce morceau est effectivement de très bonne facture, le texte en revanche ne brille certainement pas par sa poésie, et est plutôt d'un faible niveau littéraire.
Gentlemen, if the melody of this piece is indeed very good, the text on the other hand certainly does not shine with its poetry, and is rather of a low literary level.
@beanboi3178
It be like That
@sybell100
Please take care of yourself. I send you my love from Kerala, India. There are people in this world who want to be with you right now.
I wish I could send you some warm hugs and gifts @drothberg3
I wish I could make you a hot beverage.
I am a 26 year old man, I just had my break up with a wonderful woman. I feel you my old pal.
@ivanangeli
it should be easy at 64, to break with someone - just know that all important things you already have done, carier, kids, maybe grandkids, house, education - now it is all just fun and support. Don;t think about it, focus on your family
@jel011
As a kid, I used to think the "you just kinda wasted my precious time" line was kind of a throwaway line. As and adult, I understand it might be the soul of the whole song.
@5trezip23
Nice point
@wills9709
Very interesting point. I never thought about it that way until yuh ou
@wills9709
you pointed that out. But I sort of felt that way too.