Released: August 20, 1979
Songwriter: Bob Dylan
Producer: Jerry Wexler Barry Beckett
[Verse 1]
Change my way of thinking
Make myself a different set of rules
Gonna change my way of thinking
Make myself a different set of rules
Going to put my good foot forward
Stop being influenced by fools
[Verse 2]
So much oppression
Can't keep track of it no more
So much oppression
Can't keep track of it no more
Sons becoming husbands to their mothers
Old men turning young daughters into whores
[Verse 3]
Stripes on your shoulders
Stripes on your back and on your hands
Stripes on your shoulders
Stripes on your back and on your hands
Swords piercing your side
Blood and water flowing through the land
[Verse 4]
Well, I don't know which one is worse
Doing your own thing or just being cool
Don't know which one is worse
Doing your own thing or being cool
You remember only about the brass ring
You forget all about the golden rule
[Verse 5]
You can mislead a man
You can take ahold of his heart with your eyes
You can mislead a man
You can take ahold of his heart with your eyes
But there's only one authority
And that's the authority on high
[Verse 6]
I got a God-fearing woman
One I can easily afford
I got a God-fearing woman
One I can easily afford
She can do the Georgia Crawl
She can walk in the Spirit of the Lord
[Verse 7]
Jesus said, "Be ready
For you know not the hour in which I come"
Jesus said, "Be ready
For you know not the hour in which I come"
He said, "He who is not for Me is against Me"
Just so you know where He's coming from
[Verse 8]
There's a kingdom called Heaven
A place where there is no pain of birth
There's a place called Heaven
A place where there is no pain of birth
Well the Lord created it, mister
About the same time that He made the earth
ALTERNATE VERSION
[Verse 9]
Change my way of thinking, make myself a different set of rules
Change my way of thinking, make myself a different set of rules
Put my best foot forward, stop being influenced by fools
[Verse 10]
I’m sitting at the welcome table, I’m so hungry I could eat a horse
I’m sitting at the welcome table, I’m so hungry I could eat a horse
I’m going to revitalize my thinking, I’m going to let the law take its course
[Verse 11]
Jesus is calling, He’s coming back to gather up his jewels
Jesus is calling, He’s coming back to gather up his jewels
We living by the golden rule, whoever got the gold rules
[Verse 12]
The sun is shining, it's not but one train on this track
The sun is shining, it's not but one train on this track
I’m stepping out of the dark woods, I’m jumping on the monkey’s back
[Verse 13]
I’m all dressed up, I’m going to the county dance
I’m all dressed up, I’m going to the county dance
Every day you got to pray for guidance
Every day you got to give yourself a chance
[Verse 14]
Storms are on the ocean, storms out on the mountain, too
Storms are on the ocean, storms out on the mountain, too
Oh Lord, you know I have no friend like you
[Verse 15]
I’ll tell you something, things you never had you’ll never miss
I’ll tell you something, things you never had you’ll never miss
A brave man will kill you with a sword, a coward with a kiss
Change my way of thinking
Make myself a different set of rules
Gonna change my way of thinking
Make myself a different set of rules
Going to put my good foot forward
Stop being influenced by fools
[Verse 2]
So much oppression
Can't keep track of it no more
So much oppression
Can't keep track of it no more
Sons becoming husbands to their mothers
Old men turning young daughters into whores
[Verse 3]
Stripes on your shoulders
Stripes on your back and on your hands
Stripes on your shoulders
Stripes on your back and on your hands
Swords piercing your side
Blood and water flowing through the land
[Verse 4]
Well, I don't know which one is worse
Doing your own thing or just being cool
Don't know which one is worse
Doing your own thing or being cool
You remember only about the brass ring
You forget all about the golden rule
[Verse 5]
You can mislead a man
You can take ahold of his heart with your eyes
You can mislead a man
You can take ahold of his heart with your eyes
But there's only one authority
And that's the authority on high
[Verse 6]
I got a God-fearing woman
One I can easily afford
I got a God-fearing woman
One I can easily afford
She can do the Georgia Crawl
She can walk in the Spirit of the Lord
[Verse 7]
Jesus said, "Be ready
For you know not the hour in which I come"
Jesus said, "Be ready
For you know not the hour in which I come"
He said, "He who is not for Me is against Me"
Just so you know where He's coming from
[Verse 8]
There's a kingdom called Heaven
A place where there is no pain of birth
There's a place called Heaven
A place where there is no pain of birth
Well the Lord created it, mister
About the same time that He made the earth
ALTERNATE VERSION
[Verse 9]
Change my way of thinking, make myself a different set of rules
Change my way of thinking, make myself a different set of rules
Put my best foot forward, stop being influenced by fools
[Verse 10]
I’m sitting at the welcome table, I’m so hungry I could eat a horse
I’m sitting at the welcome table, I’m so hungry I could eat a horse
I’m going to revitalize my thinking, I’m going to let the law take its course
[Verse 11]
Jesus is calling, He’s coming back to gather up his jewels
Jesus is calling, He’s coming back to gather up his jewels
We living by the golden rule, whoever got the gold rules
[Verse 12]
The sun is shining, it's not but one train on this track
The sun is shining, it's not but one train on this track
I’m stepping out of the dark woods, I’m jumping on the monkey’s back
[Verse 13]
I’m all dressed up, I’m going to the county dance
I’m all dressed up, I’m going to the county dance
Every day you got to pray for guidance
Every day you got to give yourself a chance
[Verse 14]
Storms are on the ocean, storms out on the mountain, too
Storms are on the ocean, storms out on the mountain, too
Oh Lord, you know I have no friend like you
[Verse 15]
I’ll tell you something, things you never had you’ll never miss
I’ll tell you something, things you never had you’ll never miss
A brave man will kill you with a sword, a coward with a kiss
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