bob dylan
In 1964, a young and angry Dylan wrote this, and made it the title song for his third studio album. 4 years later, a much older artist reflected his own career, releasing an album with the same title; pulling up this song as the last one, not the first. The artist was Burl Ives, and the producer was Bob Johnston. I expect HIM to have caught the idea, and been picking out the material, which not only was written by younger folk singers, but singers Johnston himself had been working with.
However, this album was the first one nailing me to the songwriter "Dylan". First 5 years later I bought my first Dylan album, and started digging backwards, where I regard this song as the ultimate Dylan. It has the moral that no person with ongoing senility should make decisions for the future. I'm now approaching my 7th decade, and willing to step backwards. Anyway; I've always been there, just living and singing.
The song has since '64 been covered, adapted, translated and rewritten into so many versions and languages I haven't bothered to keep track on them. The lyrics I've brought you are Dylan's original, and the chords are a bit modified. I don't beg your pardon for that.
come gather 'round people wherever you roam
and admit that the waters around you have grown
and accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone
if your time to you is worth savin'
then you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone
for the times they are a-changin'
come writers and critics who prophesize with your pen
and keep your eyes wide : the chance won't come again
and don't speak too soon for the wheel's still in spin
and there's no tellin' who that it's namin'
for the loser now will be later to win
for the times they are a-changin'
come senators, congressmen : please heed the call
don't stand in the doorway : don't block up the hall
for he that gets hurt will be he who has stalled
there's a battle outside and it is ragin'
it'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls
for the times they are a-changin'
come mothers and fathers throughout the land
and don't criticize what you can't understand
your sons and your daughters are beyond your command
your old road is rapidly agin'
please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand
for the times they are a-changin'
the line it is drawn : the curse it is cast
the slow one now will later be fast
as the present now will later be past
the order is rapidly fadin'
and the first one now will later be last
for the times they are a-changin'
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
... A F#m E7 A come gather round people wherever you roam C#m Bsus4 E and admit that the waters around you have grown A F#m E7 A and accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone A C#m G ... E if your time to you is worth savin' E/E E7/D C#m/C# E/B then you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone A Bm Esus4 A for the times they are a-changin'
