Lyr Req: Mama, You've Been on My Mind (Bob Dylan)

Subject: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 07:44 AM

The opening lines of this 60's Dylan song (in the DigiTrad as 'Daddy, you've' etc)are usually given as 'Perhaps it's the color of this sun cut flat and (or I'm?) coverin'/The cross road I'm standing at'. Does anyone know what this actually means? I know that hunting for meaning in the Bob's songs is a risky business, but the rest of the song is perfectly straightforward, and I feel I'm missing something here. This has been bugging me since 1969, but there was no Mudcat then.....

Rusty.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 09:32 AM

Log on to www.bobdylan.com there are the words to all his songs and more.

eric

[ I can't do blue clicky things ]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: Peace
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 01:58 PM

"Perhaps it's the color of the sun caught flat, uncovering,
The crossroads I'm standing at,
Maybe it's the weather or something like that,
But mama you've been on my mind."

I would hazard he's making a statement that has multiple meaning because he's undecided as to why the gal is on his mind. One of those "you're in my head" kinda things.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 01:58 PM

I always thought it was "uncovering".

When I heard this line, I pictured a hot, glaring desolate place such as Atomic City, Idaho at noon in August.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: Peace
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 02:02 PM

Sorry about the crosspost, leeneia.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 02:06 PM

No problem, Peace. Peace.

I thought it was "cut".

If an unfamous person had written this line, we would dismiss it as poorly done and forget about it. Or else somebody would put it in their folk processor and produce something good. But this was by Dylan so...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: Peace
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 02:21 PM

I have never heard Dylan sing this song. The only version with which I am somewhat familiar is Baez's. Heard it a few times in the late 1960s and maybe a few since then. I generally find her interpretations of Dylan's work to be lacking--maybe I just think her voice is too sweet. But, she did this one well, IMO.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: Peace
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 02:22 PM

PS The above is from memory, so don't take what I posted for lyrics as gospel.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: Peace
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 03:19 PM

Well, I heard the lyrics wrong and remembered them wronger and posted that stanza wrongest.

"Perhaps it's the color of the sun cut flat
An' cov'rin' the crossroads I'm standing at,
Or maybe it's the weather or something like that,
But mama, you been on my mind."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 04:21 PM

Looks as though I heard the lyrics wrongest! Thanks, folks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 04:24 PM

(er, that last post was from me, with an expired cookie, apparently. Hey, it's good to be back!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 04:48 PM

To clarify, it looks the second set of lyrics that Peace posted above are copied-and-pasted from http://bobdylan.com/songs/mama.html and therefore should be authoritative.

Here's my interpretation: The disc of the sun appears to be cut and flattened on one side because it's partly below the horizon. The crossroad(s) is also covered with red, the color of the setting sun.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Momma, You've Been On My Mind.
From: Peace
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 04:52 PM

Right you are, Jim. Sorry, all, again. Should have said that. Geeze, I'm on a roll today.