Don't Think Twice, It's All Right – English Lyrics

• By: Bob Dylan

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the lyrical mastery of Bob Dylan with "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." This folk classic, while seemingly a simple breakup tune, offers a rich exploration of complex emotions and subtle poetic techniques. Through its deceptively casual yet profound lyrics, you can learn how English can convey layers of meaning—from bitter resignation to underlying hurt—making it a compelling piece for understanding nuanced expression in the language. The song's unique blend of quick-paced melody and melancholic themes also demonstrates how musicality can profoundly impact a song's emotional landscape.

[English]

Well it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe

Ifin' you don't know by now

An' it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe

It'll never do some how

When your rooster crows at the break a dawn

Look out your window and I'll be gone

You're the reason I'm trav'lin' on

Don't think twice, it's all right

And it ain't no use in a-turnin' on your light, babe

The light I never knowed

An' it ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe

I'm on the dark side of the road

But I wish there was somethin' you would do or say

To try and make me change my mind and stay

We never did too much talkin' anyway

But don't think twice, it's all right

No it ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal

Like you never done before

And it ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal

I can't hear ya any more

I'm a-thinkin' and a-wond'rin' wallkin' way down the road

I once loved a woman, a child I am told

I give her my heart but she wanted my soul

But don't think twice, it's all right

So long honey babe

Where I'm bound, I can't tell

Goodbye is too good a word, babe

So I just say fare thee well

I ain't sayin' you treated me unkind

You could have done better but I don't mind

You just kinda wasted my precious time

But don't think twice, it's all right

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
wonder /ˈwʌndər/ B1	verb - to feel curiosity or doubt about something noun - a feeling of amazement and admiration, caused by something beautiful, remarkable, or unfamiliar.
rooster /ˈruːstər/ B1	noun - an adult male chicken
crows /kroʊz/ B1	verb - to (of a rooster) make a loud, high-pitched cry.
dawn /dɔːn/ B1	noun - the first light of day
reason /ˈriːzən/ A2	noun - a cause, explanation, or justification for an action or event.
traveling /ˈtrævəlɪŋ/ A2	verb - going from one place to another, typically over a distance.
light /laɪt/ A1	noun - the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible.
dark /dɑːrk/ A2	adjective - with little or no light.
wish /wɪʃ/ A2	verb - feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that is not easily attained.
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ A2	verb - to make or become different.
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness.
call /kɔːl/ A1	verb - to give (someone or something) a specified name or description.
hear /hɪər/ A1	verb - perceive with the ear the sound made by (someone or something).
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - have a strong feeling of affection for (someone). noun - an intense feeling of affection.
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system by rhythmic contraction and dilation.
soul /soʊl/ B1	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.
precious /ˈpreʃəs/ B2	adjective - of great value; not to be wasted or treated carelessly.
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.

Key Grammar Structures

• Well it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe

  ➔ It + be + no use + to + infinitive

  ➔ This structure expresses the futility of an action. "It ain't no use" is a colloquial contraction of "It is no use." The infinitive "to sit and wonder why" explains what is futile.

• Ifin' you don't know by now

  ➔ Ellipsis and Subjunctive (implied)

  ➔ "Ifin'" is a colloquial shortening of "if." There's an implied subjunctive condition. It implies "If you don't know *now, then it doesn't matter*" the implication of the condition results in consequence

• When your rooster crows at the break a dawn

  ➔ Article omission

  ➔ The line omits the article "the" before "break a dawn," creating a more informal, poetic tone. Standard English would be "at the break of dawn."

• You're the reason I'm trav'lin' on

  ➔ Relative clause with implied relative pronoun

  ➔ The relative pronoun "that" or "why" is omitted. It can be expanded to "You're the reason *that* I'm traveling on."

• The light I never knowed

  ➔ Non-standard verb form (knowed)

  ➔ "Knowed" is a non-standard, archaic past participle form of "know." The standard past participle is "known."

• We never did too much talkin' anyway

  ➔ Double negative (implied)

  ➔ While not a direct double negative, the construction "too much talking anyway" suggests a lack of substantial conversation, implying a negative sentiment.

• Like you never done before

  ➔ Non-standard verb form (done)

  ➔ "Done" is used in place of the standard past participle "done", typical dialectal or informal speech.

• Where I'm bound, I can't tell

  ➔ Indirect question

  ➔ This is an indirect question embedded within a statement. The typical direct question would be "Where am I bound?" But here, it's part of a larger statement "I can't tell *where I'm bound*."