My Back Pages Lyrics

My Back Pages lyrics

Crimson flames tied through my ears

Rollin' high and mighty traps

Pounced with fire on flaming roads

Using ideas as my maps

"We'll
meet on edges, soon," said I

Proud 'neath heated brow.

Ah, but I was
so much older then,

I'm younger than that now.



Half-wracked
prejudice leaped forth

"Rip down all hate," I screamed

Lies that
life is black and white

Spoke from my skull. I dreamed

Romantic
facts of musketeers

Foundationed deep, somehow.

Ah, but I was so
much older then,

I'm younger than that now.



Girls' faces
formed the forward path

From phony jealousy

To memorizing
politics

Of ancient history

Flung down by corpse evangelists

Unthought of, though, somehow.

Ah, but I was so much older then,

I'm younger than that now.



A self-ordained professor's
tongue

Too serious to fool

Spouted out that liberty

Is just
equality in school

"Equality," I spoke the word

As if a wedding
vow.

Ah, but I was so much older then,

I'm younger than that
now.



In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand

At the mongrel
dogs who teach

Fearing not that I'd become my enemy

In the instant
that I preach

My pathway led by confusion boats

Mutiny from stern
to bow.

Ah, but I was so much older then,

I'm younger than that
now.



Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats

Too
noble to neglect

Deceived me into thinking

I had something to
protect

Good and bad, I define these terms

Quite clear, no doubt,
somehow.

Ah, but I was so much older then,

I'm younger than that
now.