'I Threw It All Away' Bob Dylan 1969
"Once I had mountains in the palm of my hand
And rivers that ran through ev’ry day"
'I Threw It All Away' is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The track appeared on Dylan's album Nashville Skyline in 1969, and was released as its first single later that year, where it reached number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 30 on the UK Singles Chart. It is considered to be one of the best and most popular songs on the album.
'I Threw It All Away' was one of the first songs written for Nashville Skyline and one of only two new songs that were definitely written prior to the recording sessions ('Lay Lady Lay' being the other). Dylan played the song for George Harrison and his wife Patty in November 1968, and Harrison was apparently impressed enough with the song to learn it himself. It was the second song recorded for Nashville Skyline, after 'To Be Alone with You', on February 13, 1969.
Dylan is singing about a love that he has lost by being cruel and angry. There has been some speculation on whom Dylan is referring to in the song. Many have speculated that it could be about a number of women including Suze Rotolo, Joan Baez, and Edie Sedgwick.
Unlike many songs Dylan wrote about failed relationships, such as Don't Think Twice, It's All Right', 'It Ain't Me, Babe' and 'One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)', Dylan takes responsibility for the failure in this song. The song has also been interpreted as a portrait of Dylan's muse.
Bron: Wikipedia
Eigenlijk zie ik de song ook wel als een wake-up call om te koesteren wat ons lief is, niet alleen onze grote liefde, maar evengoed de 'mountains and rivers', de natuur om ons heen. Wat heeft liefde voor betekenis als de wereld om ons heen die liefde niet haar waarde kan geven? In 1976 fietse ik langs de Colorado River, de Marble Canyon en de Vermillion Cliffs in Arizona (USA) en het was daar dat ik de nietigheid van ons mensen ervoer en met de nodige nederigheid voelde wat wij in de 'palm van onze handen' hebben.
Even terugkomend op Nashville. Een prachtige impressie uit die tijd is te vinden op: 'Bob Dylan - Nashville Sessions 1969 & More (From Dylan/Cash To New Morning Sessions)'. De uitvoering met George Harrison staat los ook op: 'Bob Dylan & George Harrison- I Threw It All Away (Studio Recording 1970 RARE)'.
'I Threw It All Away' Bob Dylan 1969 Live on the Johnny Cash Show.
I once held her in my arms
She said she would always stay
But I was cruel
I treated her like a fool
I threw it all away
Once I had mountains in the palm of my hand
And rivers that ran through ev’ry day
I must have been mad
I never knew what I had
Until I threw it all away
Love is all there is, it makes the world go ’round
Love and only love, it can’t be denied
No matter what you think about it
You just won’t be able to do without it
Take a tip from one who’s tried
So if you find someone that gives you all of her love
Take it to your heart, don’t let it stray
For one thing that’s certain
You will surely be a-hurtin’
If you throw it all away