About the song
**”My Back Pages”** is a significant song by Bob Dylan, first featured on his 1964 album *Another Side of Bob Dylan*. This track stands out for its reflective lyrics and stylistic connection to Dylan’s earlier folk protest songs, yet it marks a notable departure in both tone and content. The song is accompanied by Dylan’s voice and acoustic guitar, presenting a more subdued and introspective side compared to his previous work.
The lyrics of *”My Back Pages”* reveal Dylan’s growing disillusionment with his past ideals. The famous refrain, “Ah, but I was so much older then / I’m younger than that now,” suggests a critical reassessment of his earlier beliefs and activism. This refrain reflects Dylan’s recognition of his own evolving perspective, moving from a place of certainty to one of deeper questioning. It symbolizes his shift away from the 1960s protest movement and his desire to explore new directions in his songwriting.
Dylan wrote and recorded *”My Back Pages”* in June 1964. Initially titled “Ancient Memories,” the song was the final addition to the *Another Side of Bob Dylan* album. It draws on elements from traditional folk music and echoes the mournful tone of earlier songs like “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll.” Despite its folk roots, the song critiques the very movement it once supported, indicating Dylan’s growing frustration with the limitations of protest music.
Interestingly, Dylan did not perform the song live until 1988, a significant gap from its release. During his 1978 tour, a brief instrumental version was played, but it wasn’t until the Never Ending Tour that *”My Back Pages”* reappeared in his setlist, often with new arrangements and both electric and acoustic variations. The song’s live performances have showcased its enduring relevance and adaptability.
The Byrds’ cover of *”My Back Pages”* in 1967 further cemented the song’s impact, marking their last Top 40 hit in the U.S. The song has also been covered by various artists, reflecting its broad influence and Dylan’s evolving musical journey.
Overall, *”My Back Pages”* exemplifies Dylan’s transition from a staunch protest singer to a more introspective and evolving artist. Its lyrics and historical context offer a deep look into the changes within Dylan’s own perspectives and the shifting landscape of his music.
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Lyrics
Crimson flames tied through my ears, rollin’ high and mighty traps
Pounced with fire on flaming roads using ideas as my maps
“We’ll meet on edges, soon, ” said I, proud ‘neath heated brow
Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now
Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth, “rip down all hate, ” I screamed
Lies that life is black and white spoke from my skull, I dreamed
Romantic facts of musketeers foundationed deep, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now
Girls’ faces formed the forward path from phony jealousy
To memorizing politics of ancient history
Flung down by corpse evangelists, unthought of, though somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then. I’m younger than that now
A self-ordained professor’s tongue too serious to fool
Spouted out that liberty is just equality in school
“Equality, ” I spoke the word as if a wedding vow
Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now
In a soldier’s stance, I aimed my hand at the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I’d become my enemy in the instant that I preach
My existence led by confusion boats, mutiny from stern to bow
Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now
Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking I had something to protect
Good and bad, I define these terms quite clear, no doubt, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then I’m younger than that now