The members of The Band first worked together as The Hawks, the backing band of rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins from 1959 until 1963. Shortly afterwards, Bob Dylan came to Toronto and recruited the quintet for his history-making 1965/1966 world tour. The Band also worked with Dylan on the initial Blonde on Blonde sessions which, bar two tracks, were ultimately abandoned in favour of versions recorded with Nashville session musicians.
After a motorcycle accident in mid-1966, Dylan retreated from the public eye to his country house near Woodstock, New York. He was joined by the Band for some informal jam sessions starting in the autumn of 1967, nearly all of which were recorded. After being heavily bootleged, Columbia Records finally released The Basement Tapes in 1975, a selection of the better tracks recorded during the sessions along with new recordings by The Band.
Bob Dylan and The Band were reunited in 1974, recording Planet Waves for Asylum Records, Dylan's first album recorded for a record label other than Columbia. Although the album was released under Dylan's name alone, The Band joined Dylan for his first tour in eight years in support of Planet Waves, with some of the material recorded and released on the 1975 concert record Before the Flood.
Columbia Records finally released The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete in November 2014, featuring every surving recording from the original sessions in Woodstock.
I'm a Fool for You
Bob Dylan and The Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a fool to want you
To want a love that can't be true
A love that's there for others too
I'm a fool to hold you
Such a fool to hold you
To seek a kiss not mine alone
Time and time again I said I'd leave you
Time and time again I went away
But then would come the time when I would need you
And once again these words I had to say
I'm a fool to want you
Pity me, I need you
I know it's wrong, it must be wrong
But right or wrong, I can't get along without you
Time and time again I said I'd leave you
Time and time again I went away
But then would come the time when I would need you
And once again these words I'll have to say
Take me back, I love you
Pity me, I need you
I know it's wrong, it must be wrong
But right or wrong, I can't get along without you
In "I'm a Fool to Want You," Bob Dylan/Musicfire.in laments over the fact that he cannot resist a love that he knows is doomed from the start. He describes himself as a "fool" for wanting a love that cannot be true or faithful, a love that is shared with others. Despite numerous promises to leave, he finds himself returning to this love every time he feels a need for it. In the end, he pleads with the subject of his affection to take him back, knowing that he cannot go on without their love.
The song has a melancholic tone, with Dylan/Musicfire.in's vocals conveying a sense of sadness and regret. The repeated use of the phrase "I'm a fool" emphasizes the self-deprecating nature of the lyrics, and the admission of wrongdoing in seeking a love that is not his alone adds to the somber mood.
Overall, "I'm a Fool to Want You" is a poignant expression of the human condition. Dylan/Musicfire.in captures the struggle of being drawn to something that you know is not good for you, yet finding it impossible to let go. It's a song about the pain of wanting what you can't have, and the loneliness that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a fool to want you
admitting that wanting you is foolish, as it will only lead to pain
To want a love that can't be true
referring to the love that cannot work, as it belongs to others too
Such a fool to hold you
holding onto you is foolish, as you only see me as a second choice
To share a kiss that Devil has known
to kiss you, knowing that you have kissed another, is like making a deal with the devil
Time and time again I said I'd leave you
attempting to leave multiple times, but always ending up coming back
But then would come the time when I would need you
unable to resist the pull and need for you
Pity me, I need you
begging for your pity, confessing the dependent need for you
I know it's wrong, it must be wrong
acknowledging that what we have is not right or healthy
But right or wrong, I can't get along without you
despite knowing better, unable to live without you
Take me back, I love you
begging for forgiveness and another chance, professing love
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: FRANK SINATRA, JACK WOLF, JOEL S. HERRON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind