TRACK TALK #536 Too Late

TOO LATE
Album : The Bootleg Series Vol.16: Springtime in New York (1980-1985)
Recorded : Avril 1983
Released : Mai 2021 / 17 Septembre 2021

Un inédit datant des sessions d'Infidels, une sorte de brouillon pour "Foot of Pride", publié pour la 1ère fois sur la compil du magazine UNCUT pour le 80ème anniversaire de Bob Dylan.



Lyrics
Well there was a man, I don’t know, I can’t say
I was visiting a friend in jail
There were only two women at the scene at the time
Neither one involved, think both of ‘em were wearing veils
I said it was a natural situation, then he reached too high
Tumbled back to the ground
You know what they say about being nice to people on the way up
Sooner or later you might meet ‘em coming down

Well it’s too late to bring him back
Too late, too late, too late, too late, too late to bring him back.

He got a brother named Paul, hangin’ out at the Cafe Royale
Where all the company is mixed
Pretty to look at, he wants someone to throw the book at
But you know he drinks, and drinks can be fixed
Sing me one more song about your summer romance
Or maybe that one about your one night stand with Errol Flynn
In these times of compassion when conformity’s in fashion
Say one more stupid thing to me before the final nail is driven in.

Well it’s too late to bring him back
Too late, too late, too late to bring him back.

Doctor Silver Spoon from the Ecstasy ballroom
He’s a retired businessman who feeds off everyone he touched
He gave money to the Church and foundations of research
He’s not someone you can play around with too much.
There’s Rose in a play (?) from a spinning boat side of the lake
She’s rough to look at but she’s safe
She’ll feed you coconut bread, and spiced buns in bed
And you won’t have to worry about sleepin’ with your head face down in a grave.

Well it’s too late to bring him back
Too late, too late, too late too too late to bring him back.

Well, they’ll arrange to see a man tonight
He’ll tell you some secret things that you think might open some doors
How to enter in the gates of paradise
No, not really, more like going crazy from carrying a burden never meant to be yours
From the stage they’ll be throwing the bums (?) to the ground
A whore will pass the hat, collect a hundred grand and say, well boys, thanks
They like to take all this money from sin, build big castles to study in
Sing “Amazing Grace” all the way to the Swiss banks

Well it’s too late to bring him back
Too late, too late, too late too too late to bring him back.

La version alternative du prochain Bootleg Series :