It’s the time of year where everyone enters what they call their “slump.” Inhibitions are heightened, minds and bodies are exhausted, and grades start to slip. Summer break seems so close, yet still so far, and we all can’t help but just to dream and fantasize about bucket lists and plans–or anything that doesn’t involve school. However with this mindset, our focus seems to wander off elsewhere and suddenly class is over–another class period where nothing was learned.

“It Ain’t Me Babe,” originally written by Bob Dylan and popularized alongside Joan Baez, is one of many songs that has been trending over many social media platforms recently. Due to Timothée Chalamet and Monica Barbaro’s interpretation in “A Complete Unknown,” the song has blown up decades after its release. “It Ain’t Me Babe” is arguably one of Dylan’s best written songs, although underground prior to the movie’s release. Dylan has an obvious, yet powerful message in his song: he isn’t the one that his past lover was looking for.

Verse 1

“Go away from my window

Go at your own chosen speed

I’m not the one you want, babe

I’m not the one you need”

The song opens up with the singers immediately establishing distance, asking her significant other to leave without urgency, suggesting a desire for a clean break. Just like Romeo standing outside Juliet’s window, Dylan uses the metaphor of “her window” to describe their intimacy, as Romeo (like her significant other) waits forever outside for her love. She requests for them to become their own independent person and to live their life all without her. Yet Baez cares deeply for her significant other deeply, so she puts them down slowly.

Verse 2

“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”

The use of a ledge suggests that the significant other is not necessarily emotionally precarious after the breakup, and they will only continue to trip on the falling parts of the ledge. Knowing this, the singers sing to each other to come down from their high hopes and fantasies and realize the true person that they truly are. Though the thought of them seems perfect in the dreams, it is not reality, and they urge each other to find someone more deserving. 

Verse 3

“You say you’re lookin’ for someone

Who will promise to never part

Someone to close his eyes for you

Someone to close his heart

Someone who’d die for you and more”

The duo sing to each other once again, breaking through the imaginations that they have created of each other. They converse about how their traits of their ideal partners are not represented well in each other, struggling with commitment, trust, and fidelity. They both know themselves well, and they both know that they could not devote themselves to someone that they could love more than themselves. Though it is both their strongest wishes to have a happy, traditional relationship, they both know that they are not the ones for each other.

As the school year’s end is approaching rapidly, it’s important to remember that we should finish the year strong and well. Though our minds and bodies are exhausted, finishing the year with satisfied goals will make up for all the hard work that we threw ourselves into this year. So it’s time to get our heads out of the clouds and focus on the piles of homework heading our way.