Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street” Meaning

Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street” is a classic song that expresses his resentment and bitterness towards his former friends and lovers who betrayed him. The song is named after the street where he lived with his girlfriend Suze Rotolo in New York, but it also refers to his experiences in Minneapolis. The song is a scathing indictment of the hypocrisy and insincerity of the people who pretended to care for him.

The Meaning of Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street”

Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street,” released in 1965, is a reflection of his frustrations. The song isn’t about a specific person but a collective representation of the disingenuous people Dylan encountered in his journey. The lyrics are bitter and derisive, which caused many, at the time of the song’s release, to draw a comparison with Dylan’s similarly toned previous single “Like a Rolling Stone”. The song is a scathing condemnation of the decadent ways of those who betrayed him.

Lyrics Meaning

The lyrics to “Positively 4th Street” offer a compelling look at the disingenuous people Dylan encountered in his journey. Let’s highlight Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street” lyrics and see how he does this.

Verse One

“You’ve got a lot of nerve / To say you are my friend” Dylan is calling out his former friend for pretending to be his friend.
“When I was down / You just stood there grinning” The friend didn’t help Dylan when he was down, but instead, he enjoyed seeing him suffer.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve / To say you got a helping hand to lend” The friend is pretending to be helpful, but he is not sincere.

Chorus

“I know the reason / That you talk behind my back” Dylan knows that his former friend is talking behind his back.
“I used to be among the crowd / You’re in with” Dylan used to be part of the same crowd as his former friend, but he is not anymore.
“Do you take me for such a fool / To think I’d make contact / With the one who tries to hide / What he doesn’t know to begin with” Dylan is not a fool to make contact with his former friend who is hiding something.

Verse Two

“You see me on the street / You always act surprised” Dylan’s former friend is pretending to be surprised when he sees him on the street.
“You say, ‘How are you?’ ‘Good luck’ / But you don’t mean it” The friend is not sincere when he asks Dylan how he is doing or wishes him good luck.
“When you know as well as me / You’d rather see me paralyzed” The friend would rather see Dylan suffer than succeed.

FAQs on Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street”

Here are some frequently asked questions about Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street”:

What is the song about?

Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street” is a song about betrayal and revenge. The subject of the song is someone who has been betrayed by a friend, and who is seeking revenge. The song is told from the perspective of the person who has been betrayed, and who is looking for a way to get back at the person who did them wrong.

What is the meaning behind the song?

The song is a scathing condemnation of the decadent ways of those who betrayed Bob Dylan. The lyrics are bitter and derisive, which caused many, at the time of the song’s release, to draw a comparison with Dylan’s similarly toned previous single “Like a Rolling Stone”.