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.
Sign On The Cross
Bob Dylan and The Band Lyrics
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And I just try to be.
And now, oh it's a gold mine
But it's so fine.
Yes, but I know in my head
That we're all so misled,
And it's that ol' sign on the cross
That worries me.
Now, when I was just a bawlin' child,
I saw what I wanted to be,
And it's all for the sake
Of that picture I should see.
But I was lost on the moon
As I heard that front door slam,
And that old sign on the cross
Still worries me.
Well, it's that old sign on the cross,
Well, it's that old key to the kingdom,
Well, it's that old sign on the cross
Like you used to be.
But, when I hold my head so high
As I see my ol' friends go by,
And it's still that sign on the cross
That worries me.
Well, it seems to be the sign on the cross. Ev'ry day,
ev'ry night, see the sign on the cross just layin' up
on top of the hill. Yes, we thought it might have
disappeared long ago, but I'm here to tell you, friends,
that I'm afraid it's lyin' there still. Yes, just a
little time is all you need, you might say, but I don't
know 'bout that any more, because the bird is here and
you might want to enter it, but, of course, the door might
be closed. But I just would like to tell you one time,
if I don't see you again, that the thing is, that the sign
on the cross is the thing you might need the most.
Yes, the sign on the cross
Is just a sign on the cross.
Well, there is some on every chisel
And there is some in the championship, too.
Oh, when your, when your days are numbered
And your nights are long,
You might think you're weak
But I mean to say you're strong.
Yes you are, if that sign on the cross,
If it begins to worry you.
Well, that's all right because sing a song
And all your troubles will pass right on through.
In the Bob Dylan's "Sign on the Cross," the theme of spirituality and the search for one's purpose in life is presented through the lyrics. Dylan voices his struggle to understand the purpose and meaning of life, reflected by the line "Now, I try, oh for so awf'ly long, And I just try to be." He acknowledges the promises of wealth and success that come with modernity, but they seem inadequate to satisfy his spiritual void, portrayed in the line "And now, oh it's a gold mine, But it's so fine." The song's central theme is the old sign on the cross that worries him, symbolizing his concern that mankind may be too blinded by the trappings of this world that they may forget life's deeper purpose. In the second stanza, the lyrics depict his childhood aspirations and the struggle against an unforgiving world that would not bend to his will, symbolized by the slamming of the door. It reflects the materialistic struggle of modernity and the individual's search for religious or spiritual fulfillment. The lyrics end by reiterating that the sign on the cross is the thing one might need the most, thereby emphasizing the importance of religious or spiritual fulfillment for a meaningful life.
Line by Line Meaning
Now, I try, oh for so awf'ly long
I've been trying really hard for a very long time
And I just try to be.
I just try to exist
And now, oh it's a gold mine
And now, life is good
But it's so fine.
But it's fragile
Yes, but I know in my head
However, I know deep down
That we're all so misled,
That we are all deceived
And it's that ol' sign on the cross
And it's that traditional Christian symbol
That worries me.
That troubles me
Now, when I was just a bawlin' child,
When I was a crying child
I saw what I wanted to be,
I had a vision of my future self
And it's all for the sake
And it's all for the purpose
Of that picture I should see.
Of the image I should become
But I was lost on the moon
But I was lost in a fantasy
As I heard that front door slam,
As I heard the door close
And that old sign on the cross
And that traditional Christian symbol
Still worries me.
Still troubles me
Well, it's that old sign on the cross,
Well, it's that traditional Christian symbol,
Well, it's that old key to the kingdom,
Well, it's that traditional key for entering heaven,
Well, it's that old sign on the cross
Well, it's that traditional Christian symbol
Like you used to be.
Like you once were
But, when I hold my head so high
But, when I hold my head up high
As I see my ol' friends go by,
As I see my old friends pass by
And it's still that sign on the cross
And it's still that traditional Christian symbol
That worries me.
That troubles me
Well, it seems to be the sign on the cross. Ev'ry day,
Well, it appears to be the Christian symbol. Every day,
ev'ry night, see the sign on the cross just layin' up
Every night, I see the Christian symbol lying up there
on top of the hill. Yes, we thought it might have
On top of the hill. We thought it might have
disappeared long ago, but I'm here to tell you, friends,
Disappeared long ago, but I'm here to tell you, friends,
that I'm afraid it's lyin' there still. Yes, just a
I'm afraid it's still there. Yes, even
little time is all you need, you might say, but I don't
A short amount of time might be all you need, you might say, but I don't
know 'bout that any more, because the bird is here and
Know about that anymore because the bird is here
you might want to enter it, but, of course, the door might
You might want to go in, but the door might
be closed. But I just would like to tell you one time,
Be locked. But I just want to tell you one time,
if I don't see you again, that the thing is, that the sign
If I don't see you again, the point is that the sign
on the cross is the thing you might need the most.
On the cross is what you might need the most
Yes, the sign on the cross
Yes, the Christian symbol
Is just a sign on the cross.
Is merely a symbol
Well, there is some on every chisel
Well, there is some on every chisel
And there is some in the championship, too.
And there is some in the competition, too.
Oh, when your, when your days are numbered
Oh, when your days are coming to an end
And your nights are long,
And your nights are seemingly never-ending
You might think you're weak
You might feel like you're powerless
But I mean to say you're strong.
But I maintain that you are strong
Yes you are, if that sign on the cross,
Yes, you are, if you have faith in that Christian symbol
If it begins to worry you.
If it starts to trouble you
Well, that's all right because sing a song
Well, that's alright because singing a song
And all your troubles will pass right on through.
Will let all your troubles pass right on through.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind