I'm Not There (1956) ¹ (incomplete)

Bob Dylan

The Basement Tapes - may/october 1967  

see below for Les Kokay's "deciphered version" and Tony Attwood "English man version"

The day's all risin' and she's all the time
In my neighborhood, she cried both day and night
I know it because it was there.
It's a milestone but she's down on her luck
And she's daily so lonely 'bout to make a hard-earned buck
Now and then.

I believe where she'd stop him if she wants time to care
I believe that she'd look upon the sidings to care
And i go by the lord in a way, she's on my way
But i don't belong there.

No I don't belong to her, i don't belong to [every prize???]
She's my christ forsaken angel but she don't hear me cry
She's a lone-hearted mystic and she [th] [can't???] carry on
When i'm there she's all right but she's not when i'm gone.

Heaven knows that the answers she's don't call in no one
She's the way the sailing beauty falls, she's mine for the one
And i lost her hesitatin' by temptation less it runs
But she don't honor me, but I'm not there I'm gone.

Now i cried tonight like i cried the night before
And i'm eased on the highs but i dream about the door
It's alone, she's forsaken by fate ways to tell
[It don't hang???] [found sommation???] / It don't have consolation 
She smiles fare thee well.

Now i went out neath the levee, i was born to love her
But she knows that the kingdom weighs so high above her
And i run but i rave but it's not too fast to sleigh on
But i daren't perceive her, i'm not there I'm gone.

Well it's all about diffusion as i cry for her [fill|veil]
I don't need anybody now beside me to tell
And it's all affirmation i receive, but it's not
She's a lone hearted beauty but she don't like the spot and she moans.

Yes, she's gone like the rainbow all shining yesterday
But now she's home beside me and i'd like her here to stay
She's a lone forsaken beauty and it's "Don't trust anyone"
I wish i was beside her but i'm not there, i'm gone.

Well, it's too hard to stay here and i don't bother leave
It's all back for [be amusin'???]  [she's???] hard, too hard to deal
It's alone, it's a crime the way she moans me around
But she told, born to hate me, just a dawn forsaken clown.

Yes i believe that it's rightful, oh i believe it in my mind
A bell tolled like i said when i before carry on the crying
And this old gypsy told her, like i said "Carry on"
I wish i was there to help her, but i'm not there, i'm gone.   

Les Kokay's "deciphered version" (Isis issue 136, Jan. 2008)

It's all right and she holds her tight
In my neighborhood, she cried both day and night
I know it because he was there.
It's a milestone but she's down on her luck
And she's daily salutin', but to make an hard to luck
I believe.

I believe where she's stopping if she wants time to care
I believe that she'd look upon deciding to care
And i go by the lord in a way she's on my way
But i don't belong there.

No I don't belong to her, i don't belong to every prize
She's my christ forsaken angel but she don't hear me cry
She's a lone-hearted mystic and she can't carry on
When i'm there she's all right, but she's not when i'm gone.

Heaven knows that the answers she's don't call in no one
She's the way the sailing beautiful, she's mine for the one
And i lost her hesitatin' by temptation less it runs
But she don't honour me but I'm not there I'm gone.

Now i've cried tonight like i cried the night before
And i'll lease on the horizon but i dream about the door
So long, Jesus saviour, blind fate worth to tell
It don't have approximation, she smiles fare thee well.

Now i went out neath the levee, i was born to love her
But she knows that the kingdom weighs so high above her
And i run but i race but it's not too fast to sleign on
But i don't perceive her,  i'm not there I'm gone.

Well it's all about diffusion as i cry for her veil
I don't need anybody now beside me to tell.
And it's all affirmation i receive, but it's not
She's a lone hearted beauty but she don't like the spot, and she moans.

Yes, she's gone like the radio, that shinin' yesterday
But now she's home beside me and i'd like her here to stay
She's a bone-forsaken beauty and it's "don't trust anyone"
I wish i was beside her but i'm not there, i'm gone.

Well, it's two hearts 'istaken and i don't far believe
It's all [bang or it's] amusin' and she's hard, too hard to leave
It's a low, it's a crime the way she moans me around
Was she told, born to hate me, but there's a dawn fortakin' clown.

Yes i believe that it's rightful, oh i believe it in my mind
A bell tolled like i said when i before carry on the crying
And this old gypsy told her, like i said "carry on"
I wish i was there to help her but i'm not there, i'm gone.   


Another transcription: by Tony Attwood, "an English guy trying to understanding an American singer" 
(Untold Dylan : bob-dylan.org.uk/archives/2052)

Things are all right and she's all too tight
In my neighbourhood she cries both day and night
I know it because it was there
It's a milestone but she's down on her luck
And she's daily salooning about to make a hard earned buck; I was there.

I believe that she'd stop him if she would start to care
I believe that she'd look upon the side that used to care
And I'd go by the Lord anywhere she's on my way
But I don't belong there.

No, I don't belong to her, I don't belong to anybody
She's my Christ-forsaken-angel but she don't hear me cry
She's a lone hearted mystic and she can't carry on
Whens I'm there she's all right, but then she's not, when I'm gone.

Heaven knows that the answer she not calling no one
She's the way, forsaken beauty for she's mine, for the one
And I lost her hesitation by temptation lest  it runs
But she don't honour me but I'm not there, I'm gone.

Now I'll cry tonight like I cried the night before
And I'm leased on the highway  but I still dream about the door
It's so long, she's forsaken by her faith, (where's to tell?)
It don't have consternation she's my all, fare thee well.

Now when I'll teach that lady I was born to love her
But she knows that the kingdom waits so high above her
And I run but I race but it's not too fast or still
But I don't perceive her, I'm not there, I'm gone.

Well it's all about diffusion and I cry for her veil
I don't need anybody now beside me to tell
And it's all affirmation I receive but it's not
She's a lone-hearted beauty but she don't like this spot and she' gone.

Yeah, she's gone like the radio below the shining yesterday
But now she's home beside me and I'd like her here to stay
She's a lone, forsaken beauty and she don't trust anyone
And I wish I was beside her but I'm not there, I'm gone.

Well, it's too hard to stay here and I don't want to leave
It's so bad, for so few see, but she's a heart too hard to need
It's alone, it's a crime the way she hauls me around
But she don't fall to hate me but tears are gone, a painted clown.

Yes, I believe that it's rightful oh, I believe it in my mind
I've been told like I said one night before "Carry on the crying"
And the old gypsy told her like I said, "Carry on,"
I wish I was there to help her but I'm not there, I'm gone.