My Back Pages — текст песни (Steve Earle)

(Bob Dylan)

Crimson flames tied through my ears
Rollin` high and mighty traps
Pounced with fire on flaming roads
Using ideas as my maps
"We`ll meet on edges, soon," said I
Proud `neath heated brow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I`m younger than that now

Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth
"Rip down all hate," I screamed
Lies that life is black and white
Spoke from my skull. I dreamed
Romantic facts of musketeers
Foundationed deep, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I`m younger than that now.

Girls` faces formed the forward path
From phony jealousy
To memorizing politics
Of ancient history
Flung down by corpse evangelists
Unthought of, though, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I`m younger than that now

A self-ordained professor`s tongue
Too serious to fool
Spouted out that liberty
Is just equality in school
"Equality," I spoke the word
As if a wedding vow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I`m younger than that now

In a soldier`s stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I`d become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
My pathway led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I`m younger than that now

Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect
Good and bad, I define these terms
Quite clear, no doubt, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then
I`m younger than that now