"Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" (
purchase/download) is a song from
Bob Dylan's 1963 album,
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. The melody is said to have been taught to Dylan by folksinger Paul Clayton, from whom Dylan also borrowed a few lyrics that were originally in Clayton's "Who's Goin' to Buy You Ribbons When I'm Gone?"
"Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" Lyrics
Lyrically, "Don't Think Twice" is a bittersweet song about leaving a disappointing relationship. As breakup songs go, it's a lyrically lovely middle finger to the girl who did him wrong. Particularly biting is the third verse:
It ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
Like you never did before
It ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
I can't hear you any more
I'm a-thinkin' and a-wond'rin' all the way down the road
I once loved a woman, a child I'm told
I give her my heart but she wanted my soul
But don't think twice, it's all right
(full lyrics to "Don't Think Twice It's Alright")
Who has covered "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright"?
Like so many of Dylan's songs, "Don't Think Twice" has been recorded by countless other artists from all areas across the musical spectrum. Famous covers have come from Joan Baez (
purchase/download) and Johnny Cash (
purchase/download). More recently, Randy Travis (
purchase/download) and the Waifs (
purchase/download) have released versions, as have numerous others.
