It Ain't Me Babe

This song is apparently a parody of the Beatles She Love You Yeah Yeah Yeah with its retort of It Ain't me Babe No No No -

IT AIN'T ME BABE - DYLAN

Go 'way from my window,
Leave at your own chosen speed.
I'm not the one you want, babe,
I'm not the one you need.
You say you're lookin' for someone
Never weak but always strong,
To protect you an' defend you
Whether you are right or wrong,
Someone to open each and every door,
But it ain't me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Go lightly from the ledge, babe,
Go lightly on the ground.
I'm not the one you want, babe,
I will only let you down.
You say you're lookin' for someone

Who will promise never to part,
Someone to close his eyes for you,
Someone to close his heart,
Someone who will die for you an' more,
But it ain't me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Go melt back into the night, babe,
Everything inside is made of stone.
There's nothing in here moving
An' anyway I'm not alone.
You say you're looking for someone
Who'll pick you up each time you fall,
To gather flowers constantly
An' to come each time you call,
A lover for your life an' nothing more,
But it ain't me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

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Which Side Can You Be On suggests that this is an obvious parody of She Loves You - structured around a 'Go between' - 'She said she loves you and you know that can't be bad'. Dylan's song, although one of his 'personal' songs is revolutionary and as much a 'protest song' as Master's Of War. His song breaks with the precepts of Courtly love that still permeates most pop love songs today. The tradition where the male protagonist is expected to be 'strong' and defend the female 'whether she is right or wrong', 'to gather flowers constantly' etc. His revolutionary (for the time) song juxtaposes a strong sense of indviduality, anticipates the free love relationships of the 60's and even feminist sensibilites. He challenges the stereotypes of bourgeois sensibilities. Dylan's protagonist is clearly not going to play the game. His finger points not at the woman but the conventions which dictate romantic behaviour. The song is structured around a folk song but transforms it into a powerful new and assertive statement.