Highlands ¹

Bob Dylan © 1997 Special Rider Music

(Official lyrics @ www.bobdylan.com)

Time Out of Mind sessions, Criteria studios, Miami FL - 5.jan.1997, album version (20 verses) 

Well my heart's in the Highlands, gentle and fair
Honeysuckle bloomin' in the wildwood air
Bluebells blazin' where the Aberdeen waters flow
Well my heart's in the Highlands
I'm gonna go there when I feel good enough to go.

Windows were shakin' all night in my dreams
Everything was exactly the way that it seems
Woke up this mornin' and I looked at the same old page
Same ol' rat race
Life in the same old cage.

I don't want nothin' from anyone, ain't that much to take
Wouldn't know the difference between a real blonde and a fake
Feel like a prisoner in a world of mystery
I wish someone'd come
And push back the clock for me.

Well my heart's in the Highlands wherever I roam
That's where I'll be when I get called home
The wind it whispers to the buckeye trees of rhyme
Well my heart's in the Highlands
I can only get there one step at a time.

I'm listening to Neil Young, I gotta turn up the sound
Someone's always yellin' turn it down
Feel like I'm driftin', driftin' from scene to scene
I'm wanderin' the world
In the devil could it all possibly mean.

Insanity is smashin' up against my soul
You could say I was on anythin' but a roll
If I had a conscience well I just might blow my top
What would I do with it anyway
Maybe take it to the pawn shop.

My heart's in the Highlands at the break of dawn
By the beautiful lake of the Black Swan
Big white clouds like chariots that swing down low
Well my heart's in the Highlands
Only place left to go.

I'm in Boston town in some restaurant
I got no idea what I want
Or maybe I do but I'm just really not sure
Waitress comes over
Nobody in the place but me and her.

Well it must be a holiday, there's nobody around
She studies me closely as I sit down
She got a pretty face and long white shiny legs
I say "Tell me what I want"
She says "You probably want hard boiled eggs."

I say "That's right, bring me some"
She says "We ain't got any, you picked the wrong time to come"
Then she says "I know you're an artist, draw a picture of me"
I said "I would if I could but 
I don't do sketches from memory."

Well she's there she says, "I'm right here in front of you or haven't you looked"
I say, "All right I know but I don't have my drawin' book"
She gives me a napkin, she says, "You can do it on that"
I say, "Yes I could but 
I don't know where my pencil is at."

She pulls one out from behind her ear
She says, "Alright now go ahead, draw me I'm stayin' right here"
I make a few lines and I show it for her to see
Well she takes the napkin and throws it back
And says "That don't look a thing like me."

I said "Oh kind miss, it most certainly does"
She says, "You must be jokin'", I said, "I wish I was"
Then she says, "You don't read women authors do ya?"
At least that's what I think I hear her say
Well I say, "How would you know and what would it matter anyway?"

Well she says, "You just don't seem like you do"
I said, "You're way wrong"
She says "Which ones have you read then?"
I say, "Read Erica Jong"
She goes away for a minute
And I slide out of my chair
I step outside back to the busy street but nobody's goin' anywhere.

Well my heart's in the Highlands with the horses and hounds
Way up in the border country far from the towns
With the twang of the arrow and the snap of the bow
My heart's in the Highlands
Can't see any other way to go.

Every day is the same thing out the door
Feel further away than ever before
Some things in life, it just gets too late to learn
Well I'm lost somewhere
I must have made a few bad turns.

I see people in the park, forgettin' their troubles and woes
They're drinkin' and dancin', wearin' bright-colored clothes
All the young men with the young women lookin' so good
Well I'd trade places with any of 'em
In a minute if I could.

I'm crossin' the street to get away from a mangy dog
Talkin' to myself in a monologue
I think what I need might be a full-length leather coat
Somebody just asked me
If I registered to vote.

The sun is beginnin' to shine on me
But it's not like the sun that used to be
The party's over and there's less and less to say
I got new eyes
Everything looks far away.

Well my heart's in the Highlands, at the break of day
Over the hills and far away
There's a way to get there and I'll figure it out somehow
Well I'm already there in my mind
And that's good enough for now. 
    

Highlands ²

Time Out of Mind sessions, Criteria studios, Miami FL - 16.jan.1997, B17 #2 (18 verses) 

My heart's in the Highlands, gentle an' fair
Honeysuckle bloomin' in the wildwood air
Bluebells blazin' where the Aberdeen waters flow
Well, my heart's in the Highlands
I'm a-go there when i feel good enough to go.

Windows were shakin' all night in my dreams
Everything's exactly the way that it seems
I woke up this mornin' an' i looked at the same old page
Same ol' rat race, life in the same old cage.

My heart's in the Highlands wherever i roam
That's where i'll be when i get called home
The wind it whispers to the buckeye trees of rhyme
Well, my heart's in the Highlands
I can only get there one step at a time.

I'm listenin' to Neil Young an' i turn up the sound
Someone's always yellin' could you turn that down
Feel like i'm driftin', driftin' from scene to scene
I'm wanderin' the world
In the devil could it all possibly mean.

Insanity is smashin' against my soul
You could say i was on anything but a roll
If i had a conscience, well i just might blow my top
What would i do of it anyway
Maybe take it to the pawn shop.

My heart's in the Highlands at the break of dawn
By the beautiful lake of the Black Swan
Big white clouds like chariots that swing down low
Well, my heart's in the Highlands
The only place left for me to go.

I'm in Boston town in some restaurant
I got no idea what i want
Or maybe i do but i'm just not really sure
Well, the waitress comes over
There's nobody in the place but me and her.

I think it must be a holiday, there's nobody around
She studies me closely as i sit down
She got a pretty face an' long white shiny legs
I say "Tell me what i want"
She says, "You want hard boiled eggs."

I say "Yes, that's right, bring me some"
She says "We ain't got any, you picked the wrong time to come"
Then she says "I know you're an artist, draw a picture of me"
I said "I would if i could but 
I don't do sketches from memory."

Well she's says, "I'm right here in front of you or haven't you looked"
I say, "Yes i know but i don't have my drawin' book"
Then she puts out a napkin in front of me, she says, "There you can do it on that"
I say "Yes i could but 
I don't know where my pencil is at."

Well, she pulls one out from behind her ear
She says, "Alright now go ahead, i'm staying right here"
I make some lines an' i show it to her so she can see
Well, she pushes the napkin back
She says "That don't look a thing like me."

I said "Yes it does most certainly does"
She says, "You must be jokin'", i said, "I wish i was"
Then she says, "You don't read women authors do you?"
At least that's what i think i heard her say
I say "I read a few but what would it matter anyway?"

Well, my heart's in the Highlands with the horses an' hounds
Way up in the border country far from the towns
With the twang of the arrow and the snap of the bow
Well, my heart's in the Highlands
I can't see any other way to go.

Every day is the same, out the door
I feel further away than ever before
Some lessons in life, it gets too late to learn
Well, i'm lost somewhere, i must have made a few bad turns.

People in the park, forgettin' their troubles and woes
Drinkin' and dancin', wearin' bright-colored clothes
All the young men an' all the young women lookin' so good
I'd trade places with anyone of them in a minute if i only could.

I'm crossin' the street to get away from a mangy dog
I'm talkin' to myself in an endless monologue
I think what i need might be a full-length leather coat
Somebody just asked me if i registered to vote.

The sun is beginnin' to shine on me
But it's not like the sun that used to be
The party's over, everyday there's less and less to say
I got new eyes, everything looks far away.

My heart's in the Highlands, at the break of day
Over the hills and far away
There's a way to get there an' i'll figure it out somehow
Well, i'm already there  already in my mind and that's good enough for now. 
    

Highlands ³

Live, Santa Cruz CA - 16 Mar 2000 

Well my heart's in the Highlands, gentle and fair
Honeysuckle bloomin' in the wildwood air
Bluebells blazin' where the Aberdeen waters flow
Well my heart's in the Highlands
I'm gonna go there when I feel good enough to go.

Windows were shakin' all night in my dreams
Everything was exactly the way that it seems
Woke up this mornin'(?) in a world of mystery
I wish somebody was comin'
And push back the clock for me.

I don't want nothin' from anybody, ain't that much to take
I wouldn't know the difference between a real blonde or a fake
I wish someone was comin'
And push back the clock for me.

Well my heart's in the Highlands wherever I roam
That's where I'll be when I get called home
Big white clouds like chariots that swing down low
Well my heart's in the Highlands
The only place left to go.

I'm listening to Neil Young, I gotta turn up the sound
Somebody's always yellin' turn it down
Feel like I'm driftin', driftin' from scene to scene
I'm wanderin' what
In the devil could it all possibly mean.

Insanity is smashin' up against my soul
You could say I was on anythin' just but a roll
If I had a conscience well I just might blow my top
What would I do with it anyway
Maybe take it to the pawn shop.

My heart's in the Highlands at the break of dawn
By the beautiful lake of the Black Swan
The wind it whispers to the buckeye trees of rhyme
Well my heart's in the Highlands
I can only get there one step at a time.

I'm in Boston town in some restaurant
I got no idea what I want
Or maybe I do but well i'm not too sure
Well the waitress comes over
Nobody in the place but me and her.

It must be a holiday, there ain't nobody around
She studies me closely as I sit down
She got a pretty face and long white shiny legs
I say, "What's good day"
She says "You probably want hard boiled eggs."

I say "That's right, bring me some"
She says "We ain't got any, you picked the wrong time to come"
Then she says "I know you're an artist, well, draw a picture of me"
I said "I would if I could but I
I don't do sketches from memory."

"I'm right here in front of you or haven't you looked"
I say, "All right I know but I ain't got my drawin' book"
She gives me a napkin, she says, "You can do it on that"
I say, "I would if I could but 
I just don't know where my pencil is at."

She pulls one out from behind her ear
She says, "Go ahead, now draw me I'm stayin' right here"
I make a few lines and I show it for her to see
Well she takes the napkin and she throws it back
And she says "That don't look a thing like me."

I said "Oh kind miss, it most certainly does"
She says, "You must be jokin'", I say, "I wish I was"
Then she says, "You don't read women authors do you?"
At least that's what I think I hear her say
I say, "How would you know and what would it matter anyway?"

She says, "You just don't seem like you do"
I said, "You're way wrong"
She says "Which ones have you read then?"
I say, "I'm pretty fond of Erica Jong"
She goes away for a minute
And I slide out of my chair
I step outside back to the busy street but nobody's goin' anywhere.

Well my heart's in the Highlands with the horses and hounds
Way up in the border country and away from the towns
The twang of the arrow and the snap of the bow
Well my heart's in the Highlands
I just don"t know any other place to go.

Every day is the same thing out the door
Feel further away the day before
Some things in life, it just gets too late to learn
Well I'm lost somewhere
I must have made a few bad turns.

I see people in the park, forgettin' their troubles and woes
They're drinkin' and dancin', wearin' bright-colored clothes
All the young men an' all the young women lookin' so good
Yeah I'd trade places with any of 'em
In a minute if I could.

I'm crossin' the street to get away from a mangy dog
Talkin' to myself in a monologue
I think what I need might be a full-length leather coat
Somebody just asked me
If I registered to vote.

Well the sun is beginnin' to shine on me
But it's not like the sun that used to be
The party's over and there's less and less to say
I got new eyes
Everything looks a little far away.

Well my heart's in the Highlands, at the break of day
Over the hills and far away
There's a way to get there and I'll figure it out somehow
Well I'm already there in my mind
And it's just good enough for now.