Bob Dylan - Let Me Die In My Footsteps (Finjan Club, 1962)

 

 

Bob Dylan - Let Me Die In My Footsteps
Finjan Club, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
July 2, 1962

 

I will not go down under the ground
"Cause somebody tells me that death's comin' 'round
An' I will not carry myself down to die
When I go to my grave my head will be high,
Let me die in my footsteps
Before I go down under the ground.

There's been rumors of war and wars that have been
The meaning of the life has been lost in the wind
And some people thinkin' that the end is close by
"Stead of learnin' to live they are learning to die.
Let me die in my footsteps
Before I go down under the ground.

I don't know if I'm smart but I think I can see
When someone is pullin' the wool over me
And if this war comes and death's all around
Let me die on this land 'fore I die underground.
Let me die in my footsteps
Before I go down under the ground.

There's always been people that have to cause fear
They've been talking of the war now for many long years
I have read all their statements and I've not said a word
But now Lawd God, let my poor voice be heard.
Let me die in my footsteps
Before I go down under the ground.

If I had rubies and riches and crowns
I'd buy the whole world and change things around
I'd throw all the guns and the tanks in the sea
For they are mistakes of a past history.
Let me die in my footsteps
Before I go down under the ground.

Let me drink from the waters where the mountain streams flood
Let me smell of wildflowers flow free through my blood
Let me sleep in your meadows with the green grassy leaves
Let me walk down the highway with my brother in peace.
Let me die in my footsteps
Before I go down under the ground.

Go out in your country where the land meets the sun
See the craters and the canyons where the waterfalls run
Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho
Let every state in this union seep in your souls.
And you'll die in your footsteps
Before you go down under the ground.

 

밥 딜런의 제일 좋아하는 앨범 셋을 꼽으라면 좀 망설이겠습니다만, 하나를 꼽으라면 Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963)을 꼽겠습니다. 그런데 그 앨범을 준비하는 과정에서 여러 가지의 다른 노래들이 녹음 되었었고 그중의 하나가 Let Me Die In My Footsteps란 곡입니다. 최종 선곡과정에서 이곡을 대신해서 들어간 곡이 Hard Rain's Gonna Fall 이랍니다. 자칫했으면 Hard Rain's Gonna Fall이 실리지 못할수도 있었다는 이야기가 되네요. :-) 이때 녹음되었던 스튜디오 버전의 이곡은 나중에 Bootleg Series Vol 1-3 (1991)에 실렸습니다. 무슨 이유에선지 모르지만 마지막 가사가 잘려서 조금 짧아졌습니다. 이곡은 1962년 라이브 녹음된 곡으로 Freewheelin' 이 출반되기 거의 일년전쯤 녹음된 것입니다.