She knows there’s no success like failure/
And that failure’s no success at all.
I would argue that “Love Minus Zero” is the one of the two true love songs that Dylan ever wrote. He wrote many songs about love, but none of them contained as overtly a positive message as this one. (Sad Eyed Lady and Sara are pretty close…interestingly all of these songs are written for the same woman. He ended up marrying her.).
Dylan praises a woman differently than anyone else would, and that is what makes him the best song writer. He says, “my love doesn’t have to say she’s faithful, but she’s true like ice like fire.” And people try to charm her by the hour but valentine’s can’t buy her. She also does not judge and she speaks softly…he is very specific, and I’d imagine this would have to be intoxicating for a woman to hear. The way he describes her makes her sound amazing.
The melody of the song is solid and Dylan is in good voice. Like many of his songs it has a harmonica solo—which I like. The song is simple. There is no bridge or chorus, so it is unique and not exactly catchy, but it is a different type of song for Dylan. Combined with his beautiful lyrics it makes for an excellent love song worthy of the top 500.
Lyrics Love Minus Zero/No Limits
My love she speaks like silence
Without ideals or violence
She doesn’t have to say she’s faithful
Yet she’s true, like ice, like fire
People carry roses
And make promises by the hours
My love she laughs like the flowers
Valentines can’t buy her
In the dime stores and bus stations
People talk of situations
Read books, repeat quotations
Draw conclusions on the wall
Some speak of the future
My love she speaks softly
She knows there’s no success like failure
And that failure’s no success at all
The cloak and dagger dangles
Madams light the candles
In ceremonies of the horsemen
Even the pawn must hold a grudge
Statues made of matchsticks
Crumble into one another
My love winks, she does not bother
She knows too much to argue or to judge
The bridge at midnight trembles
The country doctor rambles
Bankers’ nieces seek perfection
Expecting all the gifts that wise men bring
The wind howls like a hammer
The night blows rainy
My love she’s like some raven
At my window with a broken wing
Songwriters: Bob Dylan