From the time we began dating in 1981, I knew Bud and I had a huge difference of opinion about music. I favored country while he was all about rock. He changed my mind somewhat but I never changed his.
Along with Pink Floyd, Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin, he was also a fan of Bob Dylan's. In August, 1990 Dylan was appearing at the Iowa State Fair as part of his Never Ending Tour. Bud, his step-son and wife and I were there. They loved it; I hated it. I knew none of the songs and couldn't even make out the lyrics. It sounded like he was singing with a mouth full of mush. To further exacerbate my evening the girls behind us were blowing soap bubbles which kept landing in my hair. My companions had a wonder evening, I had a disgusting one.
Seventeen years later I learned that Dylan had written a song To Ramona which was on his 1964 album Another side of Bob Dylan. Up until then the only song 'about me' that I knew was written by Louis Wolfe Gilbert and Mabel Wayne for the movie Ramona. It was the first theme song ever written for the movies. (My favorite recording of the song was, and always will be, Al Martino's version.)
In all my recent sorting of pictures and papers, I found a copy of To Ramona lyrics I had printed off in 2007.
To Ramona By Bob Dylan
Ramona, come closerShut softly your watery eyesThe pangs of your sadnessWill pass as your senses will riseFor the flowers of the cityThough breathlike, get deathlike sometimesAnd there's no use in tryin'To deal with the dyin'Though I cannot explain that in lines
Your cracked country lipsI still wish to kissAs to be under the strength of your skinYour magnetic movementsStill capture the minutes I'm inBut it grieves my heart, loveTo see you tryin' to be a part ofA world that just don't existIt's all just a dream, babeA vacuum, a scheme, babeThat sucks you into feelin' like this
I can see that your headHas been twisted and fedWith worthless foam from the mouthI can tell you are tornBetween stayin' and returnin'Back to the SouthYou've been fooled into thinkingThat the finishin' end is at handYet there's no one to beat youNo one t' defeat you'Cept the thoughts of yourself feeling bad
I've heard you say many timesThat you're better than no oneAnd no one is better than youIf you really believe thatYou know you haveNothing to win and nothing to loseFrom fixtures and forces and friendsYour sorrow does stemThat hype you and type youMaking you feelThat you gotta be exactly like them
I'd forever talk to youBut soon my wordsWould turn into a meaningless ringFor deep in my heartI know there is no help I can bringEverything passesEverything changesJust do what you think you should doAnd someday maybeWho knows, babyI'll come and be cryin' to you
I don't remember why I saved the lyrics but this morning I listened to Bob Dylan singing them. I'm still not a fan. Give me Willie and Waylon and the Boys or Kenny Rogers and Dottie West anyday.
(Tomorrow something else I printed off years ago - and presented at a class reunion.)
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