Every Grain of Sand

Bob Dylan

About Every Grain of Sand

"Every Grain of Sand" is a song written by Bob Dylan, recorded in Los Angeles in the spring of 1981 and released in August of that year on Dylan's album Shot of Love. It was subsequently included on the compilation Biograph. An early version of the song, recorded in September 1980 and featuring Jennifer Warnes on backing vocal, was released in 1991 on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991. The song appeared on the soundtrack for the 1997 film Another Day in Paradise.  


Year:
1985
6:15
668 
#9

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In the time of my confession, in the hour of my deepest need
When the pool of tears beneath my feet floods every newborn seed
There's a dying voice within me reaching out somewhere
Toiling in the danger and the morals of despair

Don't have the inclination to look back on any mistake
Like Cain, I now behold this chain of events that I must break
In the fury of the moment I can see the master's hand
In every leaf that trembles, in every grain of sand

Oh, the flowers of indulgence and the weeds of yesteryear
Like criminals, they have choked the breath of conscience and good cheer
The sun beams down upon the steps of time to light the way
To ease the pain of idleness and the memory of decay

I gaze into the doorway of temptation's angry flame
And every time I pass that way I'll always hear my name
Then onward in my journey I come to understand
That every hair is numbered like every grain of sand

I have gone from rags to riches in the sorrow of the night
In the violence of a summer's dream, in the chill of a wintry light
In the bitter dance of loneliness fading into space
In the broken mirror of innocence on each forgotten face

I hear the ancient footsteps like the motion of the sea
Sometimes I turn, there's someone there, other times it's only me
I am hanging in the balance of the reality of man
Like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand

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Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan ( /ˈdɪlən/; born Robert Allen Zimmerman; May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, poet and artist. He has been an influential figure in popular music and culture for more than five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly reluctant figurehead of social unrest. A number of Dylan's early songs, such as "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changin'", became anthems for the US civil rights and anti-war movements. Leaving his initial base in the culture of folk music behind, Dylan's six-minute single "Like a Rolling Stone" has been described as radically altering the parameters of popular music in … more »

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Written by: BOB DYLAN

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Album Release
"Every Grain of Sand" is a song from Bob Dylan's album "Shot of Love," which was released in 1981.
Song Compilation
This song is included in the compilation "Biograph," released in 1985, a box set that Dylan himself compiled, in which he included some of his major hits, unreleased tracks, and personal favorites.
Religious Influence
This song reflects Dylan's Christianity, similarly to many other songs in the album "Shot of Love". The lyrics mention themes of faith and spiritual wisdom.
Poetic Comparison
The song lyrics are often compared with William Blake's poem "Auguries of Innocence". Both the song and the poem discuss finding the spiritual in the everyday universe, and the idea of another dimension existing nearly unnoticed in our everyday world.
Bootleg Release
An early version of this song from Dylan's Shot of Love sessions can be found on the bootleg volume "The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991."
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by various artists, including Emmylou Harris and Nick Cave.
Unreleased Footage
There is a music video for the song recorded in the 1980s that was never officially released.
Live Performances
Dylan did not perform the song live until 1999, almost two decades after its release.
Personal Significance
Dylan has mentioned in interviews that the song holds a deep personal significance for him, partially because it came to him in a dream.
Emotional Brilliance
The song is considered one of Dylan's most brilliant emotional compositions, regarded by fans and critics as a masterpiece.
High-Ranking
Rolling Stone listed "Every Grain of Sand" as the 7th best song of Bob Dylan.
Songwriting Process
It is noted that Dylan wrote the lyrics to "Every Grain of Sand" quickly, in less than an hour. He described the writing process as an almost unconscious action.

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