Blowin' In The Wind
Dolly Parton Lyrics
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Before you call him a man?
Yes, and how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, and how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, and how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, and how many deaths will it take till we know
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
It's blowin' in the wind
Blowin', blowin' in the wind
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it is washed to the sea?
Yes, and how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
Blowin', blowin' in the wind
Blowin', it's blowin' in the wind
Blowin', it's blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
Dolly Parton’s song Blowin’ in the Wind is a cover of Bob Dylan’s original song of the same name, released in 1962. The song addresses timeless questions about humanity, war, and freedom, all connected by the idea that the answers are not easily found. The first verse wonders how many roads a man must traverse to be considered a man, how many seas a dove must sail before it reaches the sand, and how many cannons must be fired until they are banned forever. The answer, according to the song, is “blowin’ in the wind,” meaning that it is elusive and not easily grasped.
The second verse asks how many times a man must look up to see the sky, how many ears he must have to hear the cries of others, and how many deaths it takes to realize that too many lives have been lost. Again, the answer is “blowin’ in the wind.” It is a poignant and powerful reflection on the human condition and highlights the difficulty of finding solutions to problems that have persisted for generations. Finally, the third verse asks how long a mountain can last before being eroded by the sea, how long people must wait before they are truly free, and how long we can turn our heads before facing the harsh realities of the world. Once again, the answer is simply “blowin’ in the wind.”
Line by Line Meaning
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
At what point does a boy grow into a man and gain recognition as such, and how much must he face before that happens?
Yes, and how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
For how long must a dove struggle in search of rest and peace and how far must it go to seek it?
Yes, and how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
How many wars must be waged and how many lives and resources must be lost before humanity decides to end it once and for all?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
The answer to these deep, existential questions is unknown, elusive and intangible, much like the wind
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
How many times must a man be oblivious to the beauty around him before he finally opens his eyes?
Yes, and how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
For how long must people cry out for help and support before they are heard and acknowledged by someone?
Yes, and how many deaths will it take till we know
That too many people have died?
How many lives must people sacrifice, how many deaths must occur in the name of something, before we see the folly of it?
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it is washed to the sea?
How long will a mountain stand tall and firm before the forces of nature finally put it to an end?
Yes, and how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
For how many years will some people be held back from their true potential and freedom before they are released from their shackles?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see?
How many times will a man ignore the injustices around him, pretending to be blind to them?
Blowin', blowin' in the wind
Blowin', it's blowin' in the wind
Blowin', it's blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
The answer to these profound, unanswerable questions is everchanging and elusive, like the wind blowing in all directions, taking its time to reveal itself.
Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Craig Brown
Those were the days album is in the top 10 of my favourite Dolly albums. and this song is one of my most favourites, along with 12th of Never and Imagine. The whole album is just jam packed with Dolly flavoured covers. I just cant stop playing all the songs.
Love your work Dolly.
From a fan Down Under.
Thomas Price
I love Dolly so much!! Great song as always. ❤❤ I wish you would have one more concert at Leconte center!
Donna Hatfield
WOW, Dolly... you are the best
Trizah Ngosa
One of ma favorite 🥰
Frank Machotka
I love your album I love your music I'm your biggest fan thank you God bless you. Baby 🦋🦋🌹🌹🥰💋💋❤️❤️
Paul wantuck
this song dolly good music haveing hearing this song.dolly is still performing good. thank you for this song dolly.
Nick
why does this sound like a happy song
Craig Brown
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
flame
Nsj