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"The Freewheelin'", Track #7

JOHN: I think this is in the top 5 of Dylan's song. It's not angry, it's resigned, (the girl dropped him!) I always thought the rooster crowing at the break of dawn was her new love. But Dylan always writes from another era so it probably is a real rooster. (04/29/08)

BILL COHEN: This was an angry goodbye song to Suze Rotolo, his first real girlfriend. He says "Goodby is too good a word babe, so I'll just wish you "FAIR" thee well. The sarcasm was the only way a wordsmith like Dylan expresses his anger. Suze's mother was a hard boiled Italian New Yorker. She is quoted as calling Dylan a "twerp". She did not believe his stories about where he came from etc. She didn't want her daughter being involved with Jewish kid from nowhere, and with no future. The breakup was agony for Dylan who had already told everyone about his girlfriend, and had her on the cover cover of his album. There are other songs about Suzie, her mother and her sister who were responsible for the demise of Dylan' first love relationship. Dylan, after a while moved on to a very intense relationship with Joan Baez, and Suze became history. Dylan can take punishment, but just keeps moving on. (05/08/06)

DOGSANDCLOGS: I've quoted this song in a letter to a former live in boyfriend upon packing my vanagon and moving to CA, specifically "look out you're window, and I'll be gone. Youre the reason I'm traveling on. Don't think twice its allright. This song is so reassuring and poignant. (05/06/06)