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Bob Dylan — Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
Album: Blonde on Blonde
Avg rating:
6.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 363









Released: 1966
Length: 4:29
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Well, they'll stone you when you're trying to be so good
They'll stone you just like they said they would
They'll stone you when you're tryin' to go home
Then they'll stone you when you're there all alone

But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

Well, they'll stone you when you're walkin' on the street
They'll stone you when you're tryin' to keep your seat
They'll stone you when you're walkin' on the floor
They'll stone you when you're walkin' to the door

But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

They'll stone you when you're at the breakfast table
They'll stone you when you are young and able
They'll stone you when you're tryin' to make a buck
They'll stone you and then they'll say good luck

Yeah, but I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

Well, they'll stone you and say that it's the end
Then they'll stone you and then they'll come back again
They'll stone you when you're riding in your car
They'll stone you when you're playing your guitar

Yes, but I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned, alright

Well, they'll stone you when you are all alone
They'll stone you when you are walking home
They'll stone you and then say you are brave
They'll stone you when you're sent down in your grave

But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned
Comments (56)add comment
 bluejay08003 wrote:
Ho hum.  Count me among the wags. I never ever saw the point or merit of this song.  Maybe it's me.  I'm not a Dylan hater, but this one just escapes me.  Not enough to force PSD, but I could go another decade without it.

OK, Bill's commentary on why it's called "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" (can't say 'stoned' on radio and can't sell records with this chorus as the title) just made it worth my 4 minutes.  Score one more for RP over Pandora. Now that I know that factoid, I can go another decade without it.  
 
Thumbs up to the RP kudos and Long Live RP and getting stoned!!

 stalfnzo wrote:
What the hell is he saying!? Awful music. I look at Dylan like I look at Paris Hilton: He's famous for being famous, not because he has any talent.
 
It's obvious you know a lot more about Paris Hilton than Bob Dylan.
Not that there's anything wrong with that; we all have our priorities.
{#Cowboy}{#Group-hug}{#Roflol}
10 here!
Amazing: Never have I seen an equal number of 1 votes and 10 votes for a song on this amazing radio station but this very cool gem has, as of this writing, 34 ones and 34 tens... that is, until I vote it a ten just because. :o)
 stalfnzo wrote:
What the hell is he saying!? Awful music. I look at Dylan like I look at Paris Hilton: He's famous for being famous, not because he has any talent.

 he is saying: Everybody must get stoned!!! and I say oh yeah!


What the hell is he saying!? Awful music. I look at Dylan like I look at Paris Hilton: He's famous for being famous, not because he has any talent.
Ho hum.  Count me among the wags. I never ever saw the point or merit of this song.  Maybe it's me.  I'm not a Dylan hater, but this one just escapes me.  Not enough to force PSD, but I could go another decade without it.

OK, Bill's commentary on why it's called "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" (can't say 'stoned' on radio and can't sell records with this chorus as the title) just made it worth my 4 minutes.  Score one more for RP over Pandora. Now that I know that factoid, I can go another decade without it.  
wtf? That tambourine is out of rythm. :D Please no more Bob Dylan, he even can't sing.
oh yes......{#Eek}
I'm glad Bob had a ball singing this ... wasn't quite as much fun listening. {#Crashcomp} Win some, lose some.
 kurtster wrote:

I don't think this is about drug use either.

I know this post is 8 years old (to the day), but as I recall back in 1965, hardly anyone was smoking pot back then.  It was a big deal to get busted, anywhere.  For instance, I recall watching a car being torn apart by the Newport Beach Police on the side of a road in my development and the cops being extremely happy with finding only 3 seeds !  That was all they found and all they needed.  They didn't shoo us kids away, I think they wanted us to see what they were about and up to in order to scare the begeezus out of us.  That was in 1965/6.   

Louisiana had for the first offense of possession life in prison, second offense was the death penalty.  Getting high came out of the closet in California in 1967, the Summer of Love.  Before then is was not cool, it was not ok.  It was extremely dangerous to the user, but only if caught.

On the other hand, 1965 was the summer of my first toke.  So what do I know ...

 


 
kaybee wrote:

I was around when this came out and believe me, it is about drug use - probably smoking grass or hash(ish).


 

Wikipedia knows all, sees all: 


"There can also be heard much laughter and shouting in the background, mixed down to a low volume level, and Dylan himself laughs several times during his vocal delivery. According to Howard Sounes' book Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan, Dylan refused to play the song "straight," meaning sober, and large milkshake cartons of "Leprechaun Cocktails" (normally served inshot glasses) were supposedly brought in for the band to consume – but this was a myth according to session musician Charlie McCoy, who was present at the time. The cocktail incident refers to a Leonard Cohen session. However musical instruments were swapped on the session. During the recording, Dylan was high on cannabis, having passed joints around before the recording."



Myself, I haven't smoked pot in 23+ years but this song makes me miss it. 


One of those songs in which the title of it is never in the lyrics themselves. For What It's Worth. Positively 4th Street. 


Somehow I previously rated this song incorrectly... it is a big 10...


Bob Dylan's latest album is called Tempest...  for more information about the album, look here... 
 ziakut wrote:
Quite simply without any merit or value...except for amount of ridiculousness.
 
PFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTT!!!!{#Beat}
Quite simply without any merit or value...except for amount of ridiculousness.
Saw him in Portland a few years ago, and he sang this on about his third encore. He growled, "Everybody must go home!"
Where I grew up in the 70&80s...( Rochester, NY).....WCMF played this every Friday afternoon....It was called The Friday Song! Kinda set the tone for the weekend!
Rainy Day Women

interestin' enough rave;


Big-bang Expansion 
 ThePoose wrote:
Have a few drinks and it will start to sound pretty good..
 
All joking aside, you're probably right!  ; )
Now call up this on YouTube: Must be Santa.
Bob plays another big joke on us all.
Hahaha hehehe hohoho
On_The_Beach wrote:

Not my least favourite, but my least favourite from Blonde on Blonde.

 
How's that, dude? {#Devil_pimp}
Have a few drinks and it will start to sound pretty good..

 On_The_Beach wrote:

Not my least favourite, but my least favourite from Blonde on Blonde.

 


After all these years of listening to this song, I just realized that this a polka done in slow motion with killer lyrics.
 fast_eddie wrote:
Probably my least favorite Dylan song....
 
Not my least favourite, but my least favourite from Blonde on Blonde.

I understand the context of the song may not actually be referring to drug use, but this song always takes me back to my hazy days.  The first time I had ever heard this song was sitting in the bedroom of one of my best friends in high school, passing the bowl back and forth and talking about girls.

Man, I miss high school some days.
 kurtster wrote:

I don't think this is about drug use either.

I know this post is 8 years old (to the day), but as I recall back in 1965, hardly anyone was smoking pot back then.  It was a big deal to get busted, anywhere.  For instance, I recall watching a car being torn apart by the Newport Beach Police on the side of a road in my development and the cops being extremely happy with finding only 3 seeds !  That was all they found and all they needed.  They didn't shoo us kids away, I think they wanted us to see what they were about and up to in order to scare the begeezus out of us.  That was in 1965/6.  

Louisiana had for the first offense of possession life in prison, second offense was the death penalty.  Getting high came out of the closet in California in 1967, the Summer of Love.  Before then is was not cool, it was not ok.  It was extremely dangerous to the user, but only if caught.

On the other hand, 1965 was the summer of my first toke.  So what do I know ...

 
I was around when this came out and believe me, it is about drug use - probably smoking grass or hash(ish).

 fast_eddie wrote:
Probably my least favorite Dylan song....
 
Is there any other kind?
Always dug this song and album.
{#Devil_pimp}{#Bananapiano}
 Ahnyer_Keester wrote:
Oh please let the next song be They're Coming To Take Me Away by Napoleon XIV
 
It's almost the same drum track.
 fast_eddie wrote:
Probably my least favorite Dylan song....
 
{#Yes} Quite annoying really

Regarding the odd commentary about what Bob means by "stoned" - I'm sure he means it in the same sense used in this Kerouac quote "I had finished the wine...and I was proper stoned (1957).

I mean listen to that horn!  How is this not a boozing song?
This song has a rollicking kind of charm that goes well with Dylans, ah, distinctive, voice.  
 
Probably my least favorite Dylan song....
12 & 35 refers to the classical music naming conventions
 segueman wrote:
Has anyone ever considered the possibility Bob's not talking about drug use here?

I forgot to post this when the song was on and now see similar comments to back up my belief that Bob's talking about a different kinda stoned here. As mentioned, people get excited about drugs and can never see deeper than "woo hoo drugs". hehe he said stoned. Save the grey matter.Edited By segueman at 11:46 am on 6/05/2003
 
I don't think this is about drug use either.

I know this post is 8 years old (to the day), but as I recall back in 1965, hardly anyone was smoking pot back then.  It was a big deal to get busted, anywhere.  For instance, I recall watching a car being torn apart by the Newport Beach Police on the side of a road in my development and the cops being extremely happy with finding only 3 seeds !  That was all they found and all they needed.  They didn't shoo us kids away, I think they wanted us to see what they were about and up to in order to scare the begeezus out of us.  That was in 1965/6.  

Louisiana had for the first offense of possession life in prison, second offense was the death penalty.  Getting high came out of the closet in California in 1967, the Summer of Love.  Before then is was not cool, it was not ok.  It was extremely dangerous to the user, but only if caught.

On the other hand, 1965 was the summer of my first toke.  So what do I know ...

IIRC this is one of the first songs Al Kooper ever played on as a 16yo kid stumbling into a studio at the right place at the right time.  Kooper plays piano on this track.

S & G's
Happy birthday Bob!  {#Cheers}
70 y.o today!
Hard to believe this hasn't been played in years here...

Oh please let the next song be They're Coming To Take Me Away by Napoleon XIV
 ziakut wrote:
Stinky, sloppy but perfect for the parade of all disfunction of the world. This tune should be erased from Earth now and forever! Gawd...this sucks! 
 
+1
Stinky, sloppy but perfect for the parade of all disfunction of the world. This tune should be erased from Earth now and forever! Gawd...this sucks! 
 DaveBass wrote:

Bob Dylan is really over rated... This song is not one of his best...
 

{#Lol}10

As an anthem from the days of a naive and ill-advised belief in the inevitability and desireability of a botanically enhanced revolution I find this dated and kinda sad. The point that seems apparent to me but I don't see discussed is the WAY Dylan played on the "Let's Go Get Stoned" idea with a kinda Old Testament double entendre, the "they'll stone ya" being in the sense of attack by the self rightous. Clever, but the crude and simple minded over use of it has pretty much spoiled it for me.
Love Dylan, but never able to dig this. Obviously Bob enjoyed making this; too bad I don't share his enthusiasm. But hey, one dud in a 40 year career ain't bad!
Not my favorite Dylan, but I appreciate it as a follow-up to Nada Surf's Blonde On Blonde.
Actually, like a lot of Dylan songs, more than one thing was going on at the same time. I think one impulse was to goof on Ray Charles popular "Let's go get stoned." In most of America circa '65/'66 stoned meant getting drunk. Into that context Ray Charles' song came out and raised some eyebrows. Dylan then came out w/ this tune a short while later putting forward the "new" meaning of stoned: i.e. getting high. Within a short period of time, the previous meaning of stoned was totally overwhelmed by the new usage.
Has anyone ever considered the possibility Bob's not talking about drug use here? I forgot to post this when the song was on and now see similar comments to back up my belief that Bob's talking about a different kinda stoned here. As mentioned, people get excited about drugs and can never see deeper than "woo hoo drugs". hehe he said stoned. Save the grey matter.
Originally Posted by Hannio: Where's the Mr. Zigzag smiley? Actually, I've always considered this song to be against drug use.
That's interesting, why do you think so? I really think this song is about partying and populism, but I think that out of the context of the album. A lot of the songs on "Blonde on Blonde" have a certain debauchery to them that separates them from earlier Dylan work. Of course, pot smokers latch on to anything that mentions pot, but those people are always so insightful.
Where\'s the Mr. Zigzag smiley? Actually, I\'ve always considered this song to be against drug use.
Are you people on drugs? Just because the song mentions drugs it's a 'great song'. The music is annoying and, for us non-drug users, the lyrics are idiotic and stupid. Worst Dylan Song ever. Like his other stuff, though.
I have to agree with this sentiment. Dylan is brilliant by and large, but this is just irritating and repetitive.
Back when Dylan had humor in his music. The big missing ingredient from his stuff today.