Blowin' In The Wind – English Lyrics

• By: Bob Dylan

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic journey with Bob Dylan's iconic "Blowin' in the Wind." This song is a masterclass in poetic questioning and nuanced expression, perfect for learning English through its evocative metaphors and timeless themes of justice, peace, and human awareness. Its simple yet profound lyrics, coupled with a gentle folk melody, offer an accessible entry point to understanding culturally significant English phrases and exploring the power of language to provoke thought and inspire change. Listen closely to how Dylan uses repeated questions to drive his message, and you'll find a deeper appreciation for English rhythm and rhetoric.

[English]

How many roads must a man walk down

Before you call him a man?

How many seas must a white dove sail

Before she sleeps in the sand?

Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly

Before they're forever banned?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind

The answer is blowin' in the wind

Yes, 'n' how many years can a mountain exist

Before it's washed to the sea?

Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist

Before they're allowed to be free?

Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head

And pretend that he just doesn't see?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind

The answer is blowin' in the wind

Yes, 'n' how many times must a man look up

Before he can see the sky?

Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have

Before he can hear people cry?

Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows

That too many people have died?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind

The answer is blowin' in the wind

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
walk /wɔːk/ A1	verb - to move at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn noun - a journey on foot
roads /roʊdz/ A1	noun - a way or course for traveling between two places
seas /siːz/ A1	noun - the expanse of salt water that covers most of the earth's surface
sail /seɪl/ A2	verb - to travel on water in a ship or boat
sleeps /sliːps/ A1	verb - to be in a state of rest when your eyes are closed, your body is inactive, and your mind is unconscious
sand /sænd/ A1	noun - a loose granular substance, typically pale yellowish brown, resulting from the erosion of siliceous and other rocks and forming a major constituent of deserts, riverbeds, the seabed, and beaches.
cannonballs /ˈkænənˌbɔlz/ B2	noun - a solid ball of stone or iron formerly used as a projectile from a cannon.
fly /flaɪ/ A2	verb - to move through the air using wings
banned /bænd/ B2	verb - officially or legally prohibit (something)
blowin' /ˈbloʊɪn/ B1	verb - moving and being carried by the wind
wind /wɪnd/ A1	noun - the perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a current of air blowing from a particular direction
years /jɪərz/ A1	noun - the time it takes the earth to travel around the sun
mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ A2	noun - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface rising abruptly from the surrounding level
exist /ɪɡˈzɪst/ B1	verb - have objective reality or being
free /friː/ A2	adjective - not under the control or power of someone else
head /hɛd/ A1	noun - the part of the body above the neck where the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and brain are
see /siː/ A1	verb - perceive with the eyes; discern visually
sky /skaɪ/ A1	noun - the region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth.
hear /hɪər/ A1	verb - perceive with the ear the sound made by (someone or something)
cry /kraɪ/ A2	verb - shed tears, typically as an expression of distress, pain, or sorrow
deaths /dɛθs/ A2	noun - the action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of a person or organism
died /daɪd/ A2	verb - past tense of die: to stop living

Key Grammar Structures

• How many roads must a man walk down Before you call him a man?

  ➔ Modal verb "must" for obligation/necessity/probability, Question formation (subject-verb inversion), conditional clause (Before + clause).

  ➔ This line uses the modal verb "must" to express a sense of necessity. The question format is a rhetorical device. "Before you call him a man?" introduces a condition that needs to be met.

• How many seas must a white dove sail Before she sleeps in the sand?

  ➔ Modal verb "must" (similar usage to previous example), Subjunctive mood (implied), Conditional clause.

  ➔ Again, "must" indicates necessity. The line implies a hypothetical situation requiring a number of actions before a final state is reached. Subjunctive is implied in the 'Before' clause.

• Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly Before they're forever banned?

  ➔ Modal verb "must", Passive voice ("they're banned"), Adverb of frequency ("forever"), Conditional Clause

  ➔ This line continues the use of "must" to question the necessity before a certain event. The passive voice emphasizes the action being done to the cannon balls. 'Forever' specifies the duration of the ban.

• Yes, 'n' how many years can a mountain exist Before it's washed to the sea?

  ➔ Modal verb "can" for possibility, Passive Voice (it's washed), Conditional Clause.

  ➔ "Can" expresses the possibility of a mountain existing for a certain period. The passive "it's washed" indicates the mountain being acted upon by natural forces.

• Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist Before they're allowed to be free?

  ➔ Modal verb "can", Passive voice with modal verb (they're allowed), Infinitive of purpose (to be free), Conditional Clause.

  ➔ "Can" expresses the possibility or potential for people to exist. "They're allowed" shows that freedom is granted by an external authority. "To be free" clarifies the intended result.

• Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head And pretend that he just doesn't see?

  ➔ Modal verb "can", Verb "pretend" + "that" clause (reporting a thought), Negative adverb "doesn't"

  ➔ "Can" indicates the possibility or ability of a man to turn his head. "Pretend that..." is used to report someone's inner thought. "Doesn't see" is a negative statement, showing the person's denial or ignorance.

• Yes, 'n' how many times must a man look up Before he can see the sky?

  ➔ Modal verbs "must" and "can", Conditional clause (Before + clause)

  ➔ This line uses both modal verbs: "must" to emphasize the necessity of looking up, and "can" to express the ability to see the sky after performing the action. The "Before" clause indicates the condition.