It Ain't Me, Babe

I will confess right now that I simply don't relate to any good guy-bashing songs. I've never had that kind of bitter hatefulness, feigned or true, that needed that sort of outlet. I'm proud of that. However, some months ago I heard Bob Dylan's version of "It Ain't Me, Babe," and suddenly felt that someone had expressed my personal feelings on the matter of smack-talk just right. I mention it now because it has been running through my head the last few days.

While this song does take some shots at the person (Babe) in question, this really isn't the focus of it. It mainy focuses on what kind of person the singer is, in effect by relating what kind of person he is not. This includes a look at what the nature of love is to him, in that it is not "perfect," and is better off for being so.

Essentially, the feeling that rings true realistically here is that when a relationship ends, the worst and yet the most respectable and amiable reason you can give for it is that the other person didn't (or never will) really love you. That can be both a smack in the face, and a sad but civil truth. And yet there is a bit of hope on the fringes of this truth as well. But wait, this describes a completely different type of song I hadn't considered before starting this blog entry. The bittersweet song. Blast! Now I'll have to retract my statements. It looks like I still don't relate to any guy-bashing songs, or the like. That's actually pretty good news. My pride remains intact.

Anyway, the lyrics to this song really are so simple and melancholy, yet very enlightening and empowering at once. And while I used to make fun of Bob Dylan's sound...I really think I like it now. Afterall, he wrote protest songs with harmonica solos in them. That is boss! At least, I'm sure that's what the kids in the 60s were saying...

Here are the lyrics, which I found on a really awesome website where you can not only listen to this song, but also a bunch of other Bob Dylan songs. In fact, I think it's got his whole collection! Plus I like the site because you get to watch a record turn while the songs play. Yes, I am that simple-minded. Too many years of school have turned my brain to goo. Gray-mattered goo.