Here are some of my favorite songs, and, of course, the essential part - why I like 'em so darn much. Of course, nothing I can say will do his songs justice, but I'll babble on and hopefully you'll get something out of it. This might take awhile...

• You're No Good (Bob Dylan)
  
  
  This song is hilarious. I love how he says, "You gimme the blues, I wanna lay down and die," in a funny country boy way. He's actually really pathetic in this song. He's in love with this major bitch, but the way he sings it, it seems like he's making fun of her while making fun of himself at the same time. If you look at the words, you want to slap Bob Dylan and tell him to shape up, but if you listen to it, you just think about how horrible she is. He's getting back at her in this song, but he also knows that he's a dumbass for loving her.
  
  Well, I don't know why I love you like I do.
  Nobody in the world can get along with you.
  You got the ways of a devil sleeping in a lion's den.
  I come home last night, you wouldn't even let me in.
  
  Oh, sometimes you're as sweet as anybody wanna be.
  Oh, when you get the crazy notion jumpin' all over me.
  When you gimme the blues, I guess you're satisfied.
  When you gimme the blues, I wanna lay down and die.
  
  After when you had no shoes on your feet, pretty mama,
  after when you had no food to eat.
  You're a kind of woman that just don't understand.
  You're taking all my money 'n' give it to another man.
  
  Well, you're that kind of woman makes a man lose his brains.
  You're that kind of woman drives a man insane.
  You gimme the blues, I guess you're satisfied.
  You gimme the blues, I wanna lay down and die.
  Well, you gimme the blues, I wanna lay down and die.
  
  

  Masters of War (Freewheelin' Bob Dylan)
  
  

  Like everyone in the '60s, Bob Dylan was all about protest, and like all teenagers, he had a lot of rebel anger in him. Put those two together, and you've got a ridiculously sadistic war protest song. I personally think that Bob Dylan was just feeling really bitter and hopeless about some annoying things going around him (i.e. racial injustice, U.S. wars, struggles with "the establishment," etc.), and he took it all out in this song. It's pretty brutal; so much that it's funny. I mean, you might think that he's just really messed up, or just a mean bastard, when he says "even Jesus wouldn't forgive what you do," or "you ain't worth the blood that runs in your veins", but ya gotta laugh when he blurts out, "I hope that you die." Or, maybe not. Perhaps you have to listen to the song. There's real bitterness in his voice. That's what I love about him.
  
  Come you masters of war
  You that build all the guns
  You that build the death planes
  You that build the big bombs
  You that hide behind walls
  You that hide behind desks
  I just want you to know
  I can see through your masks
  
  You that never done nothin'
  But build to destroy
  You play with my world
  Like it's your little toy
  You put a gun in my hand
  And you hide from my eyes
  And you turn and run farther
  When the fast bullets fly
  
  Like Judas of old
  You lie and deceive
  A world war can be won
  You want me to believe
  But I see through your eyes
  And I see through your brain
  Like I see through the water
  That runs down my drain
  
  You fasten the triggers
  For the others to fire
  Then you set back and watch
  When the death count gets higher
  You hide in your mansion
  As young people's blood
  Flows out of their bodies
  And is buried in the mud
  
  You've thrown the worst fear
  That can ever be hurled
  Fear to bring children
  Into the world
  For threatening my baby
  Unborn and unnamed
  You ain't worth the blood
  That runs in your veins
  
  How much do I know
  To talk out of turn
  You might say that I'm young
  You might say I'm unlearned
  But there's one thing I know
  Though I'm younger than you
  Even Jesus would never
  Forgive what you do
  
  Let me ask you one question
  Is your money that good
  Will it buy you forgiveness
  Do you think that it could
  I think you will find
  When your death takes its toll
  All the money you made
  Will never buy back your soul
  
  And I hope that you die
  And your death'll come soon
  I will follow your casket
  In the pale afternoon
  And I'll watch while you're lowered
  Down to your deathbed
  And I'll stand o'er your grave
  'Til I'm sure that you're dead
  
  

  All I Really Wanna Do (Another Side of Bob Dylan)
  
  

  I like this song mainly because Bob Dylan sounds the dorkiest here than all his other music. His country yodeling is so absurd, you know he's totally making fun of himself. It makes you shake your head at how dorky Bob Dylan is, but it's so funny. He also rhymes like crazy in this song, like the Beatles do especially in their "Let It Be" album. I love that, it's so funny. Like, "I ain't lookin' to block you up, shock or knock or lock you up." C'mon, can you get more clever and funny than that?
  
  I ain't lookin' to compete with you,
  Beat or cheat or mistreat you,
  Simplify you, classify you,
  Deny, defy or crucify you.
  All I really want to do
  Is, baby, be friends with you.
  
  No, and I ain't lookin' to fight with you,
  Frighten you or tighten you,
  Drag you down or drain you down,
  Chain you down or bring you down.
  All I really want to do
  Is, baby, be friends with you.
  
  I ain't lookin' to block you up
  Shock or knock or lock you up,
  Analyze you, categorize you,
  Finalize you or advertise you.
  All I really want to do
  Is, baby, be friends with you.
  
  I don't want to straight-face you,
  Race or chase you, track or trace you,
  Or disgrace you or displace you,
  Or define you or confine you.
  All I really want to do
  Is, baby, be friends with you.
  
  I don't want to meet your kin,
  Make you spin or do you in,
  Or select you or dissect you,
  Or inspect you or reject you.
  All I really want to do
  Is, baby, be friends with you.
  
  I don't want to fake you out,
  Take or shake or forsake you out,
  I ain't lookin' for you to feel like me,
  See like me or be like me.
  All I really want to do
  Is, baby, be friends with you.
  
  

  I Don't Believe You (Another Side of Bob Dylan)
  
  

  This song absolutely breaks your heart. Bob Dylan feels really hurt here. He has this incredibly night with this girl, and starts to really like her, but the next day, she pretends like he doesn't even exist. He's so hurt, he doesn't believe her. Then, the last stanza, he's like, "Fine, fuck you. Two can play at this game, you bitch. You don't exist for me, either." I think one of the reasons I like this song so much is because, sometimes I pretend that people who have hurt me don't exist. It's one of the cruelest things to do to another person that you (once) cared about. To make yourself out to be completely indifferent, so much that they can't help but feel like their not even worth one thought in your head; that everything that you had together is now completely meaningless. There's so much pain in this song, and it's even worse because Bob Dylan is equally participating in throwing away this relationship. He's so blinded by pain and bitter revenge, he turns his back and refuses to acknowledge what once was a really great thing. Sigh...
  
  I can't understand,
  She let go of my hand
  An' left me here facing the wall.
  I'd sure like t' know
  Why she did go,
  But I can't get close t' her at all.
  Though we kissed through the wild blazing nighttime,
  She said she would never forget.
  But now mornin's clear,
  It's like I ain't here,
  She just acts like we never have met.
  
  It's all new t' me,
  Like some mystery,
  It could even be like a myth.
  Yet it's hard t' think on,
  That she's the same one
  That last night I was with.
  From darkness, dreams're deserted,
  Am I still dreamin' yet?
  I wish she'd unlock
  Her voice once an' talk,
  'Stead of acting like we never have met.
  
  If she ain't feelin' well,
  Then why don't she tell
  'Stead of turnin' her back t' my face?
  Without any doubt,
  She seems too far out
  For me t' return t' her chase.
  Though the night ran swirling an' whirling,
  I remember her whispering yet.
  But evidently she don't
  An' evidently she won't,
  She just acts like we never have met.
  
  If I didn't have t' guess,
  I'd gladly confess
  T' anything I might've tried.
  If I was with 'er too long
  Or have done something wrong,
  I wish she'd tell me what it is, I'll run an' hide.
  Though her skirt it swayed as a guitar played,
  Her mouth was watery and wet.
  But now something has changed
  For she ain't the same,
  She just acts like we never have met.
  
  I'm leavin' today,
  I'll be on my way
  Of this I can't say very much.
  But if you want me to,
  I can be just like you
  An' pretend that we never have touched.
  An' if anybody asks me, "Is it easy to forget?"
  I'll say, "It's easily done,
  You just pick anyone,
  An' pretend that you never have met!"
  
  

  It Ain't Me Babe (Another Side of Bob Dylan)
  
  

  Me and my ex-boy Phil really like this song. We had/have a really weird relationship. God, I don't even want to get into it. But, as to this song, I guess I'll say some. We got together nearing the end of our senior year of high school, so basically, we knew this wasn't going to last. I mean, I was going to college on the west coast; he was trekking to the other side of the country. The only trouble was that we like/d each other in a way that we knew we'd never be able to find again (well, it would at the very least by long and difficult). This song is Bob Dylan telling a girl that she should stop loving him because he can't give her security, someone who will be there always no matter what. Me and Phil would play this song or talk about and it, was sort of our way of acknowledging that none of us should expect the other to stay blindly faithful when we go away to college. God, this song is sad. And, it's so much worse because it's the truth that you don't want to admit.
  
  Go 'way from my window,
  Leave at your own chosen speed.
  I'm not the one you want, babe,
  I'm not the one you need.
  You say you're lookin' for someone
  Never weak but always strong,
  To protect you an' defend you
  Whether you are right or wrong,
  Someone to open each and every door,
  But it ain't me, babe,
  No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
  It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.
  
  Go lightly from the ledge, babe,
  Go lightly on the ground.
  I'm not the one you want, babe,
  I will only let you down.
  You say you're lookin' for someone
  Who will promise never to part,
  Someone to close his eyes for you,
  Someone to close his heart,
  Someone who will die for you an' more,
  But it ain't me, babe,
  No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
  It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.
  
  Go melt back into the night, babe,
  Everything inside is made of stone.
  There's nothing in here moving
  An' anyway I'm not alone.
  You say you're looking for someone
  Who'll pick you up each time you fall,
  To gather flowers constantly
  An' to come each time you call,
  A lover for your life an' nothing more,
  But it ain't me, babe,
  No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
  It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.
  
  

  Like A Rolling Stone (Highway 61 Revisited)
  
  

  
  
  Once upon a time you dressed so fine
  You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
  People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
  You thought they were all kiddin' you
  You used to laugh about
  Everybody that was hangin' out
  Now you don't talk so loud
  Now you don't seem so proud
  About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
  
  How does it feel
  How does it feel
  To be without a home
  Like a complete unknown
  Like a rolling stone?
  
  You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
  But you know you only used to get juiced in it
  And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
  And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
  You said you'd never compromise
  With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
  He's not selling any alibis
  As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
  And ask him do you want to make a deal?
  
  How does it feel
  How does it feel
  To be on your own
  With no direction home
  Like a complete unknown
  Like a rolling stone?
  
  You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
  When they all come down and did tricks for you
  You never understood that it ain't no good
  You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
  You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
  Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
  Ain't it hard when you discover that
  He really wasn't where it's at
  After he took from you everything he could steal.
  
  How does it feel
  How does it feel
  To be on your own
  With no direction home
  Like a complete unknown
  Like a rolling stone?
  
  Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
  They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
  Exchanging all kinds of precious gifts and things
  But you'd better lift your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
  You used to be so amused
  At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
  Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
  When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
  You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.
  
  How does it feel
  How does it feel
  To be on your own
  With no direction home
  Like a complete unknown
  Like a rolling stone?