Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me/
Let me forget about today until tomorrow.
Bob Dylan’s “Mr Tambourine Man”-the original, and The Byrds’ “Mr Tambourine Man”-the folk rock version, are both equally deserving of mention. Dylan provides a couple extra verses and the lyrics are great- and tell a more complete picture of who this Mr Tambourine Man is.
Though he is not specifically clear, Dylan seems to describe Mr. Tambourine Man as a kind of muse. When he gets tired and is unable to sleep, Mr. Tambourine Man comes along and sings Dylan a song, and Dylan dances and sings along with him in Mr Tambourine Man’s shadow…seemingly creating music.
The Byrds version is great in that it tightens the song up to become a bigger radio hit. It is much more accessible. It also adds a few unique elements that are key to The Byrds sound: the twelve-string electric guitars and the harmonies in the chorus. There are many live Dylan versions that are good. I recommend his 1966 version at Live Free Trade Hall. He was on fire that night. Many of his best version of your favorites come from that night.
Mr. Tambourine Man Lyrics
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I’ll come following you
Though I know that evening’s empire has returned into sand
Vanished from my hand
Left me blindly here to stand but still not sleeping
My weariness amazes me, I’m branded on my feet
I have no one to meet
And the ancient empty street’s too dead for dreaming
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I’ll come following you
Take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship
My senses have been stripped
My hands can’t feel to grip
My toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wandering
I’m ready to go anywhere, I’m ready for to fade
Into my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way, I promise to go under it
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I’ll come following you
Though you might hear laughing, spinning, swinging madly across the sun
It’s not aimed at anyone
It’s just escaping on the run
And but for the sky there are no fences facing
And if you hear vague traces of skipping reels of rhyme
To your tambourine in time
It’s just a ragged clown behind
I wouldn’t pay it any mind
It’s just a shadow you’re seeing that he’s chasing
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I’ll come following you
And take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind
Down the foggy ruins of time
Far past the frozen leaves
The haunted frightened trees
Out to the windy beach
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky
With one hand waving free
Silhouetted by the sea
Circled by the circus sands
With all memory and fate
Driven deep beneath the waves
Let me forget about today until tomorrow
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I’ll come following you
written by Bob Dylan