Love Minus Zero/No Limit
George Harrison Lyrics


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My love, she speaks like silence
Without ideals or violence
She doesn't have to say she's faithful
Yet she's true like ice, like fire
People carry roses
And make promises by the hour
My love she laughs like the flowers
Valentines can't buy her

In the dime stores and bus stations
People talk of situations
Read books, repeat quotations
Draw conclusions on the wall
Some speak of the future
My love, she speaks softly
She knows there's no success like failure
And that failure's no success at all

The cloak and dagger dangles
Madams light the candles
In ceremonies of the horsemen
Even the pawn must hold a grudge
Statues made of matchsticks
Crumble into one another
My love winks she does not bother
She knows too much to argue or to judge

The bridge at midnight trembles
The country doctor rambles
Bankers' nieces seek perfection
Expecting all the gifts that wise men bring
The wind howls like a hammer
The night wind blows cold n' rainy




My love, she's like some raven
At my window with a broken wing

Overall Meaning

In "Love Minus Zero/No Limit," George Harrison takes an introspective look at love and its many facets. He describes his lover as being someone who doesn't talk much but speaks volumes through her actions. She is faithful and true, but she doesn't need to say it, as her character is as solid as ice and fire. While others may make grand promises and declarations of love, his love is content to laugh like the flowers and cannot be wooed by empty gestures like Valentine's Day presents.


The song goes on to paint a picture of a world where people are constantly talking and drawing conclusions but often miss the essence of what they're discussing. They're preoccupied with the future and success, but Harrison's love knows that failure is its own kind of success. He contrasts this with the imagery of ceremonies and statues crumbling, emphasizing the impermanence of human accomplishments.


As the song comes to a close, Harrison's lover becomes ever more elusive. She knows too much to argue or judge, and she appears as a raven with a broken wing, mysterious and wounded. The bridge trembles at midnight, the winds howl like hammers, and the night is cold and rainy, yet his love remains resolute and unbreakable. Through it all, "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" suggests that true love is not something that can be easily defined or understood, but that its power endures.


Line by Line Meaning

My love, she speaks like silence
My love is soft spoken


Without ideals or violence
She's peaceful with no extreme views


She doesn't have to say she's faithful
She doesn't need to express her faithfulness


Yet she's true like ice, like fire
She's loyal like ice and passionate like fire


People carry roses
People make grand gestures of love


And make promises by the hour
But promises are so common


My love she laughs like the flowers
My love is happy and carefree, like flowers


Valentines can't buy her
She doesn't care for material gifts like Valentines


In the dime stores and bus stations
In the shops and public transport


People talk of situations
People share their life situations


Read books, repeat quotations
People read and recite quotes


Draw conclusions on the wall
They draw their own conclusions


Some speak of the future
Some worry about the future


My love, she speaks softly
My love speaks quietly


She knows there's no success like failure
She understands that failure is part of success


And that failure's no success at all
And that without failure, there is no success


The cloak and dagger dangles
There's secrecy and mystery


Madams light the candles
Women light candles


In ceremonies of the horsemen
In events with the riders on horseback


Even the pawn must hold a grudge
Even the most insignificant person can carry resentment


Statues made of matchsticks
Fragile and temporary things


Crumble into one another
Fall and break into each other


My love winks she does not bother
My love doesn't care, she just winks


She knows too much to argue or to judge
She has so much knowledge that she doesn't need to argue or judge


The bridge at midnight trembles
The bridge shakes in the night


The country doctor rambles
The doctor in the countryside talks aimlessly


Bankers' nieces seek perfection
Wealthy women with high standards


Expecting all the gifts that wise men bring
Expecting the best of everything


The wind howls like a hammer
The wind is loud and forceful


The night wind blows cold n' rainy
The wind at night is cold and rainy


My love, she's like some raven
My love is like a raven


At my window with a broken wing
At my window, but wounded




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, AUDIAM, INC
Written by: BOB DYLAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Thanks to Kitsu at KitsuBeatles and YellowSubmarineProject.

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MegaPlexy

@GingerGilligan See, one can like & admire someone's work, but personally you don't want to make contacts. Dylan admired The Beatles of course. But he was nasty to Paul when he wanted to play the new Revolver -LP to Bob.
Also, Dylan warned John not to imitate him and also wrote a song where he mocks John.

What's wrong with you when keep insisting this love affair between Dylan & John & Paul ? It's not true.
Dylan loved George Harrison in reality, and that's something J & P can only dream about.

Here's a spring 1966 clip Dylan touring in UK, in a car with Lennon, see how uncomfortable John is, and Dylan is just too drunk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSO_YniK4XE



All comments from YouTube:

Judith Walker

This version with Dylan and Harrison was the song we chose for our first dance at our wedding, now married 23 years!

Brad Cohen

Same here! 20 years in October!

Sidney Siegel

same here will be 21 years in November

Lisa

Congratulations you guys. Many happy returns. ✌

gary1961

Amazingly, this is the first time I've ever heard this version with George and Bob. It's brilliant.
Seeing as we're talking wedding anniversaries, ours in on August 20th. It is our 40th. We've been together since 1978 - 45 years.

Colin Heddle

The way they look at each other - you can tell these two had a real friendship. Incredibly touching.

P Gray

George had the ability to sing with just about anyone.

Frank Galligan

Only time I ever heard Dylan even try to harmonize.good job bob and George.

TD

He used to harmonize with Joan Baez and Johnny Cash too

Elizabeth Grossman

And with Clyde King

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