The Times They Are A-Changin'
Bob Dylan · The Essential 3.0 Bob Dylan [2009]
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,
The battle outside ragin'
Will 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 aging
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'.
The Times They Are A-Changin'
Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" stands as a definitive anthem of social transformation and generational shift. Released during the height of his folk era, the recording captures the artist's unique ability to distill complex cultural movements into accessible, poetic verse. The song's driving rhythm and prophetic tone reflect Dylan's evolution from a traditional folk singer into a visionary songwriter who reshaped the landscape of popular music. As a cornerstone of his extensive discography, the track exemplifies his capacity to articulate the spirit of an age while maintaining a timeless resonance. Its enduring presence in live performances and compilations underscores its status as a cultural touchstone, inviting listeners to reflect on the constant flux of history through the lens of one of music's most influential voices.

