It's All Over Now Baby Blue
Nena Lyrics


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You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
Crying like a fire in the sun
Look out baby the saints are comin through
Because it's all over now, baby blue

The highway is for gamblers, you better use your sense
Take what you have gathered from coincidence
The empty-handed painter from your streets
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets
The sky, too, is folding over you
Because it's all over now, baby blue

Leave your stepping stones behind, there's something that calls for you
Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you




The carpet, too, is falling over you
Because it's all over now, baby blue

Overall Meaning

The song 'It's All Over Now Baby Blue' by Nena is a cover of Bob Dylan's 1965 song. The song is a farewell song with various symbols and coded references, leading to different interpretations. The song starts with a call to leave and take what is essential, indicating a sense of urgency to leave before it is too late. The lyrics suggest that the addressee is leaving, but the singer is not. The line "Yonder stands your orphan with his gun" likely reflects the turmoil and violence of the mid-1960s. The saints in the lines "Look out baby the saints are comin through" might represent the civil rights movement activists, who considered themselves the "holy ones" in a struggle for justice.


The song's second verse invokes the idea of the highway as a place for gamblers and the need to use common sense to survive. The mention of the "empty-handed painter" and "crazy patterns" possibly refer to the avant-garde artists of the time, like Jackson Pollock. The line "The sky, too, is folding over you" could be a metaphor for the singer's sense of impending doom, while the carpet falling over them in the third verse is a metaphor for their world crashing down.


Finally, the song ends with the singer being called to leave the past behind and move on to something new. The dead will not follow, and the road beckons the singer. The mention of stepping stones suggests the last chance to move forward before it is too late. The line "Because it's all over now, baby blue" could potentially refer to the color of the deserted sky or a deep sense of sadness.


Line by Line Meaning

You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last
It's time for you to go, take only what you think will be useful in the future


But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast
Hold on to what you value most before it's too late


Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
You'll face difficult challenges and will have to rely solely on yourself to overcome them


Crying like a fire in the sun
The pain and sorrow you face will be intense and overwhelming


Look out baby the saints are coming through
Be prepared for unexpected events and remain vigilant


Because it's all over now, baby blue
The past is behind you and it's time to move on


The highway is for gamblers, you better use your sense
Life is unpredictable, you must use your judgment wisely


Take what you have gathered from coincidence
Take what you've learned from life experiences and use them to make better decisions


The empty-handed painter from your streets
The people closest to you may not provide the help and support you need


Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets
Their actions may seem erratic and confusing to you


The sky, too, is folding over you
The weight of the world may feel heavy on your shoulders


Because it's all over now, baby blue
You must move on from the past and accept the changes happening in your life


Leave your stepping stones behind, there's something that calls for you
Leave your past behind and focus on what's waiting for you in the future


Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you
Don't dwell on the past, accept that it's gone and focus on the future


The carpet, too, is falling over you
The ground beneath you is shifting and you must adapt to the changes


Because it's all over now, baby blue
The past is gone, it's time to start a new chapter




Lyrics Ā© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@raveballs

@@dumena well, you can thank google translate for that ;) you obviously have a reverence for nena. i quite like the cover. i'll check out the two others you mentioned. here's my list of favorite dylan covers (love them or hate them).
edit: nice live covers of those songs!

Peter, Paul & Mary - Blowinā€™ in the Wind '63
Peter, Paul & Mary - Donā€™t Think Twice, Itā€™s Alright '63
Simon & Garfunkel - The Times They are a-Changinā€™ '64
The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man '65
The Turtles - It Ain't Me Babe '65
Odetta - Masters Of War '65
Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower '68
Simon & Garfunkel - The Boxer '70
Eric Clapton - Knockinā€™ on Heavenā€™s Door '75
Edie Brickell - A Hard Rainā€™s a-Gonna Fall '89
Guns ā€˜N Roses - Knockinā€™ on Heavenā€™s Door '89
great white - tangled up in blue '89
sophie b. hawkins - i want you '92
Concrete Blonde - Simple Twist of Fate '93
PJ Harvey - Highway 61 Revisited '93
Hole - Itā€™s All Over Now, Baby Blue '99
avril lavigne - knockin' on heaven's door '03
pearl jam - masters of war (live acoustic) '03
silvertide - it ain't me babe '06



@coolersurfer2222

@@raveballs broaden your horizon and listen:
Nina Simone - Ballad of Hollis Brown
Manfred Man - Quinn the Eskimo
Elvis - Dont think twice
Adele - You make me feel
George Harrison - If not for You
Julie Felix - Gates of Eden
Bruce Springsteen - Blowing in the wind (live)
Elvis - Tomorrow is a long time
George Harrison - Abandoned Love
Barry McQuire - She Belonges to You
Van Morrison - Its all over now, baby blue
Melanie - Mr. Tambourine Man
The Band - I shall be released
Eric Burdon - one more cup of coffee (live)



All comments from YouTube:

@jonjonidis3222

cheers! keep on rockin! i like it

@herbertluthe6850

super version!

@acligenova182

Bellissima

@honesty_-no9he

SUPERB.

@jameslynch7826

Excellent

@notatarget3216

nena matured! thx for this one!

@lauraferro2766

Fascination and fantastic MaN . šŸ‘ØšŸ‘®šŸŽ¤ā¤

@paulpetraitis2792

Perfect!

@MrIMBECILE1

EXCELLENT !

@luigivaliera6977

Bellissima!

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