Not The Stones But Like A Rolling Stone

Written for Song Lyric Sunday –
“Attention Grabbers”
This is my response to the challenge.

This week at Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday, the theme is “Attention Grabbers”. Our challenge is to write about a song with a great intro.

There are countless songs that have great intros, and there are so many that hold warm memories for me. But ultimately, I selected one song from an artist who has been a part of my life for 60+ years, an international superstar and an icon in the music world who continues to write and record music and perform. That artist is Bob Dylan and my song choice this week is “Like A Rolling Stone”.

On June 16, 1965, on the second day of recording at Columbia Records’ Studio A in Manhattan, folk singer Bob Dylan, along with a band featuring electric guitars and an organ, laid down the master take of “Like A Rolling Stone.” It would prove to be Dylan’s magnum opus, marking his move from folk into electric rock with one of the greatest rock and roll records of all time.

The lyrics are considered confrontational, targeting a formerly wealthy, pampered person (“Miss Lonely”) experiencing a fall from grace. It is sometimes associated with Edie Sedgwick (who was obsessed with Dylan) or seen as a commentary on the shallow lives of the privileged. Sedgwick and Dylan had a brief affair shortly before he married Sarah Lownds and many say that this song was written about Sedgwick. It should be noted that there is absolutely nothing beyond circumstantial evidence to support this theory, but the myth is so widely known that it’s taken on a life of its own and is therefore recognizable on its own terms.

“Like A Rolling Stone” was the only single from Dylan’s sixth album, Highway 61 Revisited, released in 1965 when he was buzzworthy …. especially in the New York City music scene …. but hardly a sensation. The song got significant airplay and many connected with it, sending them on an enlightening journey through his back catalog. Dylan’s producer, Tom Wilson, invited Al Kooper (who was primarily a guitarist and went on to be a very successful music producer) to play the Hammond organ on this song. Dylan loved what Kooper played and made sure it was a prominent part of the recording, famously instructing Tom Wilson to “turn up the organ”. There is a lot of controversy as to whether Kooper was even qualified to play the organ for the final recording session. Ironically, it is his famous organ riff that became a legendary intro and propelled “Like A Rolling Stone” into massive hit status.

Jimi Hendrix, who considered himself a guitarist but not a singer, was inspired by “Like A Rolling Stone”; Dylan proved you didn’t need a conventional voice to sing R&R. Hendrix often played the song, including a performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival; that performance is a classic. Hendrix had made a name for himself in Europe, but didn’t manage to make a dent in the US market until the fabled Summer of Love. After Monterey, Hendrix became one of the nation’s future music legends. Hendrix and Dylan met only once, but Jimi had a knack for bringing out the emotions in Dylan’s songs.

“Like A Rolling Stone” made it to #2 in the US – held off the #1 spot by the Beatles’ “Help!”. Dylan had another #2 hit with “Rainy Day Women #12 And #35”, but never reached #1 as a recording artist. He did as a writer when The Byrds hit #1 with their cover of his “Mr. Tambourine Man” in 1965. In the November 2004 issue, Rolling Stone magazine named “Like A Rolling Stone” #1 on their list of the greatest songs of all time. And, yes, in case you were wondering, Rolling Stone magazine, got its name (in a roundabout way) from the song …. but that is a story for another time.

This is “Like A Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan

LYRICS

Once upon a time you dressed so fine
Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn’t you?
People call say ‘beware doll, you’re bound to fall’
You thought they were all kidding you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hanging out
Now you don’t talk so loud
Now you don’t seem so proud
About having to be scrounging your next meal

How does it feel, how does it feel?
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone

Ahh you’ve gone to the finest schools, alright Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
Nobody’s ever taught you how to live out on the street
And now you’re gonna have to get used to it
You say you 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 say do you want to make a deal?

How does it feel, how does it feel?
To be on your own, with no direction home
A complete unknown, like a rolling stone

Ah you never turned around to see the frowns
On the jugglers and the clowns when they all 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 a chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain’t it hard when you discovered 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

Ahh princess on a steeple and all the pretty people
They’re all drinking, thinking that they’ve got it made
Exchanging all precious gifts
But you better take your diamond ring, you better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him he calls you, you can’t refuse
When you ain’t got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You’re invisible now, you’ve got no secrets to conceal

How does it feel, ah how does it feel?
To be on your own, with no direction home
Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone

^{Source: LyricFind
Songwriter: Bob Dylan
Like A Rolling Stone lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group}

Attention Grabbers

Big thanks to Jim Adams for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday this week and every week. Be sure to follow the link and check out Jim’s site.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to some great music.

That’s all she wrote, kids. See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2026

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