John Wesley Harding
Bastard Son (Live)
[Intro]
Last song, this is the last song
Thanks for being here
Just gonna tell you about my family
It's a brief story but—
Bob Dylan is my father, yeah, Joan Baez is my mother
And I'm their bastard son
[Verse 1]
Though my roots show through I'm just twenty-two
I don't belong to anyone
When The Band was disbanded, I was disowned
I got a number you can ring me on but I ain't got no phone
Got a forwarding address, baby I ain't got no home
I got no direction home
[Refrain]
That's the style of a bastard child
This is the song of a bastard son, yeah
[Spoken]
Leonard Cohen, he's my uncle
[Verse 2]
Uncle Leonard used to make me laugh
Took away my nightmares, tore my daydreams in half
Showed them to me reflected upside-down
In the mirror that [?] Suzanne Vega found
Leonard's still doing his tricks today
Only goes to show that growing up might pay
[Refrain]
That's the style of a bastard child
This is the song of a bastard son, yeah
[Verse 3]
Well, Bruce and James were family friends
Took my mind to Carolina through the New Jersey bends
Gave me a harmonica when I was three
Nailed a banjo to my knees
Now Bruce is a hero, yeah, James is a slave
Bruce gave in and James just gave up
[Refrain]
That's the style of a bastard child
This is the song of a bastard son
[Spoken]
I nicked this riff from Bruce Springsteen entirely, actually
Used to be a song called "Down, Down, Down"
I don't think you've heard that one
[Verse 4]
Well, my family didn't grow up too well with technology
But I think that this is why they disowned me
But I don't wanna be a black sheep getting old
I don't wanna be a black sheep, wanna get back in the fold
So here's to Leonard, Neil, Warren, Andy, yeah, T-Bone, Dave
You're singing something good man, it's gotta be saved
[Refrain]
That's the style of a bastard child
This is the song of a bastard son, yeah
[Verse 5]
I've only just started playing the guitar
And already they say I'm a has-been
Say my songs are too long, words are too strong, lyrics aren't clean
The synthesizer's broken, the twelve inch does not exist, it's true
It's gonna take me a blessed life to get on to the hit list
It's gonna take me a blessed life to get on to the hit list, yeah
But I'm singing for the men, for the women and the kids
Who grew up like me with seven basic instincts hid
[Refrain]
That's the style of a bastard child
This is the song of a bastard son
That's the style of a bastard child
This is the song of a bastard son
[Outro]
Alright, thanks a lot for listening
You've been great and I thank you
Thanks
One more thing to say—
Shh, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, one more thing
Just wanna say one thing before I go and that is:
Bob Dylan is my father, Joan Baez is my mother
And I'm their bastard son—thanks!
You're great
Good night folks
Good night folks
Thanks a lot