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Written by 
Bob Dylan
Released on 
Another Side Of Bob Dylan (1964) and Greatest Hits, vol. 2 (1971)
Tabbed by 
Eyolf Østrem

Most G’s are played with a small figure (G — G6 — G7) going up to G7:

G  320003
G6 322003
G7 323003

This is noted with a *).

He didn’t seem to spend too much time rehearsing this song before he went into the studio (the whole album was recorded in one evening/night session) he gets the first verse all wrong in the chords, and he struggles a lot with the final lines of each verse. I’ve written out the chords for the first two verses and in the following verses deviations from the second verse.

Capo 3rd fret (original key Eb major)

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

C            Am    Em
Half-cracked prejudice leaped forth
     F        G *)     C
"Rip down all hate," I screamed
C         Am      Em
Lies that life is black and white
F                      G  *)
Spoke from my skull, I dreamed
  Am              Em
Romantic facts of musketeers
    F                  G
Foundationed deep, somehow
        C     Am      Em    F
Ah, but I was so much older then
    G *)              C
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, thought, somehow
        C             F     C
Ah, but I was so much older then
    F       G *)      C
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
        C             Am
Ah, but I was so much older then
    F       G *)      C
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
   Am                  F      C
My existence led by confusion boats
Am          Em       G *)
Mutiny from stern to bow
        C     Am      F     C
Ah, but I was so much older then
    G       *)        C
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
        C     Am      F     C
Ah, but I was so much older then
    G       *)        C
I'm younger than that now.

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