Bob Dylan: The lines, they are a changin'

Bob Dylan performs on the Late Show with David Letterman. Photo / Getty Images

For decades, fans and academics have pored over the lyrics to the songs of Bob Dylan. Now the singer has reopened the debate over the meaning of his work, by changing key words and entire lines to some of his best-known songs.

As part of an exhibition at the Halcyon Gallery in London, Dylan has written out many of his most famous lyrics by hand, accompanying them with sketches to illustrate their content or meaning.

But, in keeping with his mercurial reputation, Dylan has made significant changes to the lyrics of familiar songs, in some cases extensively rewriting the words of tracks such as Tangled Up In Blue and Rainy Day Women #12 & 35.

The changes show that Dylan, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016, continues to refuse to be pinned down over the interpretation of his work.

The catalogue to the Mondo Scripto exhibition (the singer came up with the name) states: "One of Bob Dylan's most critically acclaimed songs Tangled Up In Blue (1975) has been almost completely redrafted for the exhibition. Dylan sees his songs as never being complete and has continually reworked the lyrics of this single since it was released.

"While many of the songs in this exhibition have small word and syntax changes, other songs that have been significantly rewritten are: Gotta Serve Somebody (1979); If You See Her, Say Hello (1975); Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (1966); When I Paint My Masterpiece (1971) and You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (1975)."

In one example he has changed lines in Tangled Up In Blue from: "And I was standin' on the side of the road/Rain fallin' on my shoes/Heading out for the East Coast/Lord knows I've paid some dues gettin' through/Tangled up in blue" to "And he was standin' on the side of the road/Rain fallin on his shoes/Heading out for the East Coast/Radio blasting the news coming through tangled up in blue".