Bob Dylan

Songwriter: Bob Dylan

Producer: Tom Wilson (producer) John Hammond

[Verse 1]
Well, I saw it advertised one day
That the Bear Mountain picnic was coming my way
"Come along and take a trip
We'll bring you up there on a ship
Bring the wife and family
Bring the whole kids"
Yippee

[Verse 2]
Well, I run right down and bought a ticket
To this thing called the Bear Mountain picnic
Little did I realize
I was in for a pleasant, funny surprise
Had nothing to do with picnic
Didn't come close to a mountain
And I hate bears

[Verse 3]
Took the wife and kids down to the pier
There was six thousand people there
Everybody had a ticket for the trip
"Oh well," I said "it's a pretty big ship
Besides, anyhow, the more the merrier"

[Verse 4]
Well, we all got on, and what do you think?
That big old boat started to sink
More people kept a-piling on
That old ship was a-going down
Funny way to start a picnic

[Verse 5]
Well, I soon lost track of my kids and wife
So many people, I never saw in my life
That old ship was sinking down in the water
There was six thousand people trying to kill each other
Dogs a-barking, cats a-screaming
Women a-yelling, men a-flying, fists a-flying
Paper flying, cops a-coming, me a-running
Maybe we just better call off the picnic

[Verse 6]
I got shoved down, got pushed around
All I remember was a moanin' sound
Don't remember one thing more
All I remember is waking up on the shore
My arms and legs were broken
My feet were splintered
My head was cracked
I couldn't walk
I couldn't talk, smell, feel
Couldn't see
Didn't know where I was
I was bald
Quite lucky to be alive though

[Verse 7]
Well, feeling like I just climbed out of my casket
I grabbed back hold of my picnic basket
Took the wife and kids and started home
Wishing I'd never got up that mornin'

[Verse 8]
Now, I don't care just what you do
If you want a have a picnic, that's up to you
But don't tell me about it, I don't want to hear it
You see, I just lost all my picnic spirit
Stay in my kitchen, have my own picnic
Have a picnic in the bathroom

[Verse 9]
Well, it don't seem to me quite so funny
What some people are going to do for money
There's a brand new gimmick every day
Just to take somebody's money away
I think we ought to take some of these people
And put them on a boat, send them up to Bear Mountain
For a picnic

Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman May 24, 1941), is an American singer-songwriter, writer, and artist who has influenced popular music and culture for more than five decades. Dylan has especially played a critical role in the American folk music revival.

Dylan’s songs are built from myriad political, social, philosophical and literary influences. Many of his anti-war and civil-rights-influenced songs set social unrest, as journalists widely named him the “spokesman for his generation” in the 1960s.

The musician has a signature change in voice and style in many different albums of his throughout the decades. He has notably explored and experimented with the genres of folk, rap, blues, and rock.

more tracks from the album

The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991

From the album

The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991 (1991)

Bob Dylan popular songs

Talkin’ Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre BluesBob Dylan

Bob Dylan

The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991