Don't Think Twice It's Alright
Chris Thile & Brad Mehldau Lyrics
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Well, it ain′t no use to sit and wonder why, babe
Even you don't know by now
And it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It′ll never do somehow
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
You're the reason I′m a-traveling on
But don't think twice, it′s all right.
And it ain't no use in turning on your light, babe
The light I never knowed
And it ain′t no use in turning 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
But we never did too much talking anyway
But don′t think twice, it′s all right.
So it ain't no use in calling out my name, gal
Like you never done before
And it ain′t no use in calling out my name, gal
I can't hear you any more
I′m a-thinking and a-wonderin' walking down the road
I once loved a woman, a child I am told
I gave her my heart but she wanted my soul
But don′t think twice, it's all right.
So long honey, baby
Where I'm bound, I can′t tell
Goodbye′s too good a word, babe
So I'll just say fare thee well
I ain′t a-saying 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.
"Don't Think Twice It's All Right" is a powerful and emotional ballad that expresses the bitter feelings of a lover who is leaving his partner. The song is rooted deep in the folk and country traditions of the early 1960s, utilizing the acoustic guitar and the vocals to convey a sense of intimacy and directness. The song begins with the singer dismissing the need for explanations for his departure, urging his partner not to fuss over his absence. The line "It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe," says everything that needs to be said about how the singer regards his relationship with his partner.
The second stanza begins with the singer emphasizing his desire for anonymity and privacy, hence the words "It ain't no use in turning on your light, babe, I'm on the dark side of the road." The stanza ends with the singer rejecting any belief or hope his partner may have in changing his mind about leaving, or even trying to convince him to do otherwise. In the final stanza, the singer reflects on his past love and reveals the cause of the breakdown of their relationship. When he says "I gave her my heart but she wanted my soul," he means that his ex-partner demanded too much of him emotionally, resulting in him feeling drained and empty. The final goodbye, "So long honey, baby, where I'm bound, I can't tell. Goodbye's too good a word, babe, so I'll just say fare thee well," is a testament to how the love has grown cold, and there's no way to rekindle the flame.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
There is no point in reflecting on and questioning why things did not work out between us.
Even you don't know by now
Even you cannot give me a logical answer that would satisfy me right now.
And it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It will not do any good to dwell on the past and wonder what went wrong.
It'll never do somehow
Reflecting on the past will not change the present or the future.
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
As soon as it is morning and the rooster crows,
Look out your window, and I'll be gone
I will not be there with you anymore.
You're the reason I'm a-traveling on
I am leaving because of you.
But don't think twice, it's all right.
Please do not feel guilty or responsible for my departure.
And it ain't no use in turning on your light, babe
Turning on the light will not make any difference in my decision to leave.
The light I never knowed
I never experienced the light being turned on in our relationship.
And it ain't no use in turning on your light, babe
It is pointless to try and make things work by doing something as simple as turning on a light.
I'm on the dark side of the road
I am going through a difficult time and am in a dark place emotionally.
But I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
I wish there was something that you could do or say to change my mind and make me stay.
To try and make me change my mind and stay
To convince me to alter my decision about leaving and to stay with you.
But we never did too much talking anyway
Our communication was always lacking or nonexistent anyway.
But don't think twice, it's all right.
Please do not feel bad or blame yourself for our relationship ending.
So it ain't no use in calling out my name, gal
There is no point in calling my name and trying to get my attention or make me come back to you.
Like you never done before
Just like all the other times that you have called out to me.
And it ain't no use in calling out my name, gal
It will not make any difference in my decision to leave or make me come back.
I can't hear you any more
I am tuning out everything and everyone to focus on my own journey and growth.
I'm a-thinking and a-wonderin' walking down the road
As I walk on and continue on my journey, I am deep in thought and wondering about life.
I once loved a woman, a child I am told
In the past, I loved a woman when I myself was still a child.
I gave her my heart but she wanted my soul
I offered her all of my love and care, but she wanted more than I was capable of giving.
But don't think twice, it's all right.
Please do not feel guilty or responsible for my departure and accept that it is for the best.
So long honey, baby
Goodbye, my love.
Where I'm bound, I can't tell
I do not know where my journey will take me or what the future holds.
Goodbye's too good a word, babe
Saying goodbye feels too final and too painful to utter.
So I'll just say fare thee well
Instead of saying goodbye, I will just bid you farewell.
I ain't a-saying you treated me unkind
I do not mean to imply or suggest that you treated me with unkindness during our time together.
You could have done better but I don't mind
You could have treated me better, but I do not blame you for anything.
You just kinda wasted my precious time
We spent a lot of time together, but looking back, it feels like a waste because we did not make the most of it.
But don't think twice, it's all right.
Please do not feel bad or blame yourself for our relationship ending and accept that it is for the best.
Writer(s): Bob Dylan
Contributed by Alice D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.