Fourth Time Around
Yo La Tengo Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

When she said, "Don't waste your words, they're just lies"
I cried she was deaf
And she worked on my face until breaking my eyes
And what else you got left

It was then that I got up to leave
But she said, "Don't forget
Everybody must give something back
For something they get"

I stood there and hummed, I tapped on her drum
I asked her how come
And she buttoned her boot and straightened her suit
Then she said, "Don't get cute"

So, I forced my hands in my pockets
And felt with my thumbs
And gallantly handed her
My very last piece of gum

She threw me outside, I stood in the dirt
Where everyone walked
And after finding that I forgotten my shirt
I went back and knocked

I waited in the hallway, she went to get it
And I tried to make sense
Out of that picture of you in your wheelchair
That leaned up against

Her Jamaican rum and when she did come
I asked her for some
She said, "No, dear", I said, "Your words aren't clear
You'd better spit out your gum"

She screamed till her face got so red
Then she fell on the floor
And I covered her up and then
Thought I'd go look through her drawer

And when I was through I filled up my shoe
And brought it to you
And you, you took me in, you loved me then
You never wasted time

And I, I never took much




I never asked for your crutch
Now, don't ask for mine

Overall Meaning

Fourth Time Around is a poignant ballad written by Bob Dylan and covered by Yo La Tengo. The song portrays a series of emotions that the singer undergoes as he interacts with his love interest. In the first verse, the singer feels dejected as his love interest dismisses him. He cries, but she does not listen to his pleas for attention, leading him to feel helpless. The second verse sees the singer attempt to leave, but his love interest reminds him of the need to reciprocate whenever he receives kindness. The singer then hands over his last piece of gum as his token of gratitude.


In the third verse, the singer follows his love interest to her house; he searches her belongings and contemplates the significance of her wheelchair. In the final verse, the singer hands his love interest a piece of gum, and she becomes irate, screaming at him until she collapses. The singer then decides to cover her up and search her drawer for the item he seeks. Finally, he returns to his lover, feeling grateful and willing to reciprocate her love.


The song is known to be heavily influenced by the Beatles song Norwegian Wood, a song that Bob Dylan was said to admire. Fourth Time Around has many literary allusions, which attempt to portray the different emotions felt by the singer. Bob Dylan's lyrical style, which is more poetic than narrative, leaves the song's meaning open to individual interpretation.


Line by Line Meaning

When she said, "Don't waste your words, they're just lies"
She told me that my words won't make a difference, but I tried to reason with her anyway.


I cried she was deaf
She refused to listen to me, which made me feel helpless.


And she worked on my face until breaking my eyes
She used physical force to silence me, and hurt me in the process.


And what else you got left
After she's taken everything else from me, what left do I have to give?


It was then that I got up to leave
I realized that there's no point in staying if she won't listen.


But she said, "Don't forget Everybody must give something back For something they get"
She reminded me that I owe her something in return for what I've received from her.


I stood there and hummed, I tapped on her drum I asked her how come And she buttoned her boot and straightened her suit Then she said, "Don't get cute"
I tried to have a conversation with her, but she shut me down and told me to stop being confrontational.


So, I forced my hands in my pockets And felt with my thumbs And gallantly handed her My very last piece of gum
As a gesture of goodwill, I offered her my last piece of gum, even though I knew she didn't deserve it.


She threw me outside, I stood in the dirt Where everyone walked And after finding that I forgotten my shirt I went back and knocked
She kicked me out, but I still felt like I needed something from her, so I went back to ask for it.


I waited in the hallway, she went to get it And I tried to make sense Out of that picture of you in your wheelchair That leaned up against
While I was waiting for her, I looked at a photo of someone in a wheelchair and tried to understand its significance.


Her Jamaican rum and when she did come I asked her for some She said, "No, dear", I said, "Your words aren't clear You'd better spit out your gum"
She refused to give me her rum, and I joked that it was because she couldn't speak clearly while chewing gum.


She screamed till her face got so red Then she fell on the floor And I covered her up and then Thought I'd go look through her drawer
She got angry and upset, and I tried to calm her down by covering her up, but then I went through her things anyway.


And when I was through I filled up my shoe And brought it to you And you, you took me in, you loved me then You never wasted time
I found something valuable in her drawer, which I gave to someone else who showed me kindness and took care of me.


And I, I never took much I never asked for your crutch Now, don't ask for mine
Even though I received help from this person, I never relied on them too much, and now I'm telling them not to rely on me either.




Contributed by Gavin C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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jess


on Pencil Test

why pretend that you join my side
it won’t be such a thrill
to see you
I’m not impressed
that more or less
everyone’s just dying to meet you

doo doo doo doo
erasing you
doo doo doo doo
I’m done chasing you

asking ??
??
are you so sure of what you’re doing
how many ways
can you read your own gaze
before you get tired of you

doo doo doo doo
erasing you
doo doo doo doo
I’m done chasing you

doo doo doo doo
erasing you
doo doo doo doo
I’m done chasing you

doo doo doo doo
erasing you
doo doo doo doo
I’m done chasing you

doo doo doo
doo doo doo
doo doo doo
doo doo doo.....

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