Released: November 7, 1985
Songwriter: Bob Dylan
Producer: Bob Dylan
[Verse 1]
Everything went from bad to worse, money never changed a thing
Death kept following, tracking us down, at least I heard your bluebird sing
Now somebody’s got to show their hand, time is an enemy
I know you’re long gone, I guess it must be up to me
[Verse 2]
If I’d thought about it I never would’ve done it, I guess I would’ve let it slide
If I'd-a paid attention to what others were thinking, the heart inside me would’ve died
But I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity
Someone had to reach for the rising star, I guess it was up to me
[Verse 3]
Now the Union Central is pulling out, the orchids are in bloom
I’ve only got me one good shirt left and it smells of stale perfume
In fourteen months I’ve only smiled once and I didn’t do it consciously
Somebody’s got to find your trail, I guess it's gonna be up to me
[Verse 4]
It was like a revelation when you betrayed me with your touch
I’d just about convinced myself nothing had changed that much
The old Rounder in the iron mask, he slipped me the master key
Somebody had to unlock your heart, he said it was up to me
[Verse 5]
Now I watched you slowly disappear down into the officers’ club
I would’ve followed you in the door, but I didn’t have a ticket stub
So I waited all night ’til the break of day, hoping one of us could get free
When the dawn came over the river bridge, I knew it was up to me
[Verse 6]
The only decent thing I did when I worked as a postal clerk
Was to haul your picture down off the wall near the cage where I used to work
Was I a fool or not to protect your real identity?
You looked a little burned out my friend, I thought it might be up to me
[Verse 7]
I met somebody face to face, I had to remove my hat
She’s everything I need and love, but I can’t be swayed by that
It frightens me, the awful truth, of how sweet life can be
But she ain’t goin' to make a move, I guess it must be up to me
[Verse 8]
Now we heard the Sermon on the Mount, and I knew it was too complex
It didn’t amount to anything more than what the broken glass reflects
When you bite off more than you can chew, you got to pay the penalty
Somebody’s got to tell the tale, I guess it must be up to me
[Verse 9]
Dupree came in pimpin’ tonight to the Thunderbird Café
Crystal wanted to talk to him, I had to look the other way
Now I just can’t rest without you, love, I need your company
You ain’t goin' to cross the line, I guess it must be up to me
[Verse 10]
There’s a note left in the bottle, you can give it to Estelle
She’s the one you been wondering about, but there’s really nothing much to tell
We both heard voices for a while, now the rest is history
Somebody’s got to cry some tears, I guess it must be up to me
[Verse 11]
So go on boys, play your hands, life is a pantomime
The ringleaders from the county seat say you don’t have all that much time
And the girl with me behind the shades, she ain’t my property
One of us has got to hit the road, I guess it must be up to me
[Verse 12]
If we never meet again, baby, remember me
How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody
And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you, free
No one else could play that tune, you knew it was up to me
Everything went from bad to worse, money never changed a thing
Death kept following, tracking us down, at least I heard your bluebird sing
Now somebody’s got to show their hand, time is an enemy
I know you’re long gone, I guess it must be up to me
[Verse 2]
If I’d thought about it I never would’ve done it, I guess I would’ve let it slide
If I'd-a paid attention to what others were thinking, the heart inside me would’ve died
But I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity
Someone had to reach for the rising star, I guess it was up to me
[Verse 3]
Now the Union Central is pulling out, the orchids are in bloom
I’ve only got me one good shirt left and it smells of stale perfume
In fourteen months I’ve only smiled once and I didn’t do it consciously
Somebody’s got to find your trail, I guess it's gonna be up to me
[Verse 4]
It was like a revelation when you betrayed me with your touch
I’d just about convinced myself nothing had changed that much
The old Rounder in the iron mask, he slipped me the master key
Somebody had to unlock your heart, he said it was up to me
[Verse 5]
Now I watched you slowly disappear down into the officers’ club
I would’ve followed you in the door, but I didn’t have a ticket stub
So I waited all night ’til the break of day, hoping one of us could get free
When the dawn came over the river bridge, I knew it was up to me
[Verse 6]
The only decent thing I did when I worked as a postal clerk
Was to haul your picture down off the wall near the cage where I used to work
Was I a fool or not to protect your real identity?
You looked a little burned out my friend, I thought it might be up to me
[Verse 7]
I met somebody face to face, I had to remove my hat
She’s everything I need and love, but I can’t be swayed by that
It frightens me, the awful truth, of how sweet life can be
But she ain’t goin' to make a move, I guess it must be up to me
[Verse 8]
Now we heard the Sermon on the Mount, and I knew it was too complex
It didn’t amount to anything more than what the broken glass reflects
When you bite off more than you can chew, you got to pay the penalty
Somebody’s got to tell the tale, I guess it must be up to me
[Verse 9]
Dupree came in pimpin’ tonight to the Thunderbird Café
Crystal wanted to talk to him, I had to look the other way
Now I just can’t rest without you, love, I need your company
You ain’t goin' to cross the line, I guess it must be up to me
[Verse 10]
There’s a note left in the bottle, you can give it to Estelle
She’s the one you been wondering about, but there’s really nothing much to tell
We both heard voices for a while, now the rest is history
Somebody’s got to cry some tears, I guess it must be up to me
[Verse 11]
So go on boys, play your hands, life is a pantomime
The ringleaders from the county seat say you don’t have all that much time
And the girl with me behind the shades, she ain’t my property
One of us has got to hit the road, I guess it must be up to me
[Verse 12]
If we never meet again, baby, remember me
How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody
And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you, free
No one else could play that tune, you knew it was up to me
more tracks from the album
Biograph
- Forever Young (Demo)
- Romance in Durango
- Million Dollar Bash
- You Angel You
- On a Night Like This
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
- I Shall Be Released
- Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
- Time Passes Slowly
- If Not for You
- Lay Lady Lay
- Positively 4th Street
- Isis
- Solid Rock
- I Wanna Be Your Lover
- Baby, I’m in the Mood for You
- Up to Me
- Caribbean Wind
- Jet Pilot
- Mixed-Up Confusion
- Percy’s Song
- I’ll Keep It with Mine
- The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar
- Heart of Mine
- Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
- Lay Down Your Weary Tune
- Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)
- Tangled Up in Blue
- Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?
- Visions of Johanna
- All Along the Watchtower
- You’re a Big Girl Now
- Blowin’ in the Wind
- It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
- Mr. Tambourine Man
- Masters of War
- The Times They Are A-Changin’
- Tombstone Blues
- Like a Rolling Stone
- Gotta Serve Somebody
- I Believe in You
- Abandoned Love
- I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
- Dear Landlord
- It Ain’t Me Babe
- To Ramona
- The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
- Every Grain of Sand
- Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine)
- Just Like a Woman
- I Want You
- I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
- Subterranean Homesick Blues
From the album
- Biograph (1985)
Bob Dylan popular songs
- Murder Most Foul
- Blowin’ in the Wind
- The Times They Are A-Changin’
- All Along the Watchtower
- Like a Rolling Stone
- Make You Feel My Love
- Hurricane
- Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
- Mr. Tambourine Man
- A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
- Subterranean Homesick Blues
- Desolation Row
- Tangled Up in Blue
- Masters of War
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
- It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
- Girl from the North Country
- Tempest
- It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
- Ballad of a Thin Man
- Visions of Johanna
- I Contain Multitudes
- To Fall in Love with You
- Shelter from the Storm