Stage Fright
Bob Dylan and The Band Lyrics

Now deep in the heart of a lonely kid
The singer describes the internal struggles of a young and isolated person.

Who suffered so much for what he did
The young person experienced great pain or consequences for their past choices or actions.

They gave this plough boy his fortune and fame
Despite coming from a humble background, the young person became rich and famous due to circumstances beyond their control.

Since that day, he ain't been the same
The young person has changed significantly after receiving fame and fortune.

See the man with the stage fright
The singer draws attention to someone who is visibly nervous or anxious about performing on stage.

Just standing up there to give it all his might
Despite feeling afraid, the performer is giving their all to the performance.

And he got caught in the spotlight
The performer feels overwhelmed and exposed by the attention they are receiving.

But when we get to the end
As the performance reaches its conclusion,

You want to start all over again
The performer feels unsatisfied with their performance and wants to try again.

I've got fire water right on my breath
The singer admits to drinking alcohol before performing onstage.

And the doctor warned me I might catch a death
The singer is aware of the risks of drinking before performing, but chooses to do so anyway.

Said, "you can make it in your disguise
The doctor suggested that the singer could still perform while inebriated if they hide their fear and nerves behind a persona or costume.

Just never show the fear that's in your eyes"
The singer should hide their anxiety and nervousness while performing, even if they feel it deeply.

Now if he says that he's afraid
If the performer admits to being scared or nervous,

Take him at his word
You should believe and trust what the performer says about their mental state.

And for the price that the poor boy has paid
The performer has suffered or sacrificed greatly to be in their position of fame and fortune.

He gets to sing just like a bird, oh, ooh
Despite the price he paid and his fears, the performer's talent allows him to sing beautifully and captivate an audience.

Your brow is sweating and your mouth gets dry
The singer describes the physical symptoms of anxiety and nervousness.

Fancy people go drifting by
Even as the performer struggles, the audience and others continue with their lives.

The moment of truth is right at hand
The critical moment of the performance is quickly arriving.

Just one more nightmare you can stand
The performer feels like they are going through a personal nightmare, but can endure just a little longer.

You want to try it once again
Despite his fears and previous failures, the performer wants to attempt another performance.

Please don't make him stop
The singer pleads for the audience or others to not prevent the performer from trying again.

Let him take it from the top
The performer wants to start fresh and begin a new performance from the beginning.

Let him start all over again
The performer desires to begin anew and overcome his fears and stage fright.