Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
Bob Dylan
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When you're lost in the rain in Juarez when it's Easter time, too And your gravity fails and negativity don't pull you through Don't put on any airs when you're down on Rue Morgue Avenue They got some hungry women there and they really make a mess outta you Now, if you see Saint Annie, please tell her thanks a lot I cannot move, my fingers are all in a knot I don't have the strength to get up and take another shot And my best friend, my doctor, won't even say what it is I've got Sweet Melinda, the peasants call her the goddess of gloom She speaks good English and she invites you up into her room And you're so kind and careful not to go to her too soon And she takes your voice and leaves you howling at the moon Up on Housing Project Hill, it's either fortune or fame You must pick one or the other, though neither of them are to be what they claim If you're lookin' to get silly, you better go back to from where you came Because the cops don't need you, and man, they expect the same Now, all the authorities, they just stand around and boast How they blackmailed the sergeant-at-arms into leaving his post And picking up Angel, who just arrived here from the coast Who looked so fine at first but left looking just like a ghost I started out on burgundy but soon hit the harder stuff Everybody said they'd stand behind me when the game got rough But the joke was on me, there was nobody even there to bluff I'm going back to New York City, I do believe I've had enough
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Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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8 facts about this song
Song's Background"Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. It was released on the 1965 album "Highway 61 Revisited."
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Bob Dylan's VersionBob Dylan's recording of the song is remarkably known for its long, complex lines and its vivid, abstract imagery.
- The song is also praised for its beautiful sad tune, a departure from Dylan's earlier, more political pieces.
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Bryan Ferry VersionEnglish singer and songwriter Brian Ferry covered "Just like Tom Thumb’s Blues" in his 2007 album "Dylanesque," a tribute to Bob Dylan.
- Ferry's version is characterized by his distinctive vocals, with an arrangement that has traces of rock, glam, and art-pop elements.
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Linda Ronstadt VersionLinda Ronstadt performed a cover of the song in her 1969 album "Hand Sown ... Home Grown."
- Ronstadt significantly altered the melody of the original song, giving it a country-folk feel that suited her vocal style.
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Neil Young's VersionNeil Young performed the song on several live performances, including at the Bob Dylan Tribute concert in 1992.
- Young's rendition has a mournful tone, reflecting his distinctive, high-pitched folk rock style.
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Nina Simone VersionNina Simone, one of the most eclectic R&B artists of all time, recorded a version of "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" on her 1969 album "To Love Somebody."
- Simone's version has a distinct jazzy value and is driven by her strong, soulful vocals.
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LyricsThe song lyrics recount experiences and struggles in a psychedelic world, a reference to Dylan's visit to Mexico, where he encountered disorientation and soul-searching.
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Popularity and Recognition"Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" has been covered by numerous artists in many genres over the past six decades, demonstrating its enduring popularity and significance.
- Despite never being released as a single, the song is considered one of Dylan's best work. In 2015, Rolling Stone listed it as the 16th greatest Bob Dylan song.
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"Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 1 Jun 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/2779920/Bob+Dylan/Just+Like+Tom+Thumb%27s+Blues>.
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