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Bob Dylan — Everything is Broken
Album: Oh Mercy
Avg rating:
7.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2982









Released: 1989
Length: 3:07
Plays (last 30 days): 3
Broken lines, broken strings
Broken threads, broken springs
Broken idols, broken heads
People sleeping in broken beds
Ain't no use jiving
Ain't no use joking
Everything is broken

Broken bottles, broken plates
Broken switches, broken gates
Broken dishes, broken parts
Streets are filled with broken hearts
Broken words never meant to be spoken
Everything is broken

Seem like every time you stop and turn around
Something else just hit the ground

Broken cutters, broken saws
Broken buckles, broken laws
Broken bodies, broken bones
Broken voices on broken phones
Take a deep breath, feel like you're chokin'
Everything is broken

Every time you leave and go off someplace
Things fall to pieces in my face

Broken hands on broken ploughs
Broken treaties, broken vows
Broken pipes, broken tools
People bending broken rules
Hound dog howling, bullfrog croaking
Everything is broken
Comments (292)add comment
Turns out that everything is even more broken now than when he first penned this song in the eighties.  Hard to believe but here we are.  
This song is solid gołd!
 idiot_wind wrote:

Bob snubs Nobel award presentation. He has something else on his calendar.

My gosh...he's pushing 80 years old, and he can still piss people off.

Cool.   




Well, the Nobel Prize is pretty much meaningless at this point...
 kcar wrote:


(Written during coronavirus self-quarantine:)

Remember impeachment? Remember those innocent, carefree days when you didn't have to wrap your head around the consequences of a global pandemic and a collapse of the economy? 

Impeachment: the good times. 

All aboard...the Trump train! 



How's that Biden / Harris cruise ship treating you?
This song may be broken, but Bob ain't. 

He's touring the Midwest in early Oct 2023.  KC, STL, CHI, MIL. 

Plan to see at least two shows on the road. Get lost somewhere.

Where? Yes...Highway 61 runs right through these tour venues. 

Imagine that. 
I'm digging the hat.
A splendid album. I agree with previous posters. Prescient.
once again, zimmy is ahead of his time.
A truly timeless song ... sadly. 
 Jelani wrote:



You spelled Biden wrong. And we have proof.



I love you Jelani
 Segue wrote:


It's the Reagan Train



You spelled Biden wrong. And we have proof.
 kcar wrote:


(Written during coronavirus self-quarantine:)

Remember impeachment? Remember those innocent, carefree days when you didn't have to wrap your head around the consequences of a global pandemic and a collapse of the economy? 

Impeachment: the good times. 

All aboard...the Trump train! 



It's the Reagan Train




Remember those innocent, carefree days when you didn't have to wrap your head around the consequences of a collapse of the economy? 





I do.


            P O O T U S ~




Broken
Brother Bob, you're Breaking my heart
Tour the Midwest this Summer 2022
It’s all about the base!
I’d like to lighten the comments a little and say that every time I see the cover art for this song I think of Calvin and Hobbs!!!!
When I was younger, along time ago, I liked a few of his tunes.
With age comes clarity (for some things) and this song has a little of ALL Dylan.
This one is not near his best, but the body of work is substantial, and many of his works are superb. His voice separates opinion, but in the end that is what makes BOB. Bravo to a legend!
 Steely_D wrote:

Fantastic segue from CAKE. Nicely done.


Again...
So smooth that I didn't realize until..."wait...that's Bob Dylan"
 zenhead wrote:

Bob swings!




I Agree! Good tune!!  
Bob swings!
 Xstar wrote:
Trump finally making America great again by getting the #@% outta town!



 




Yeah, things have improved immensely since he left.  /sarc
Fantastic segue from CAKE. Nicely done.
broken roads

don't mean no broken road trips

brother bob is back on the road
This seems more appropriate today than it was back then.
 inmanart wrote:
I like Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Glenn Frey's covers of this one, but nothing beats the original 



Don't forget R. L. Burnside's version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhKqqYuV9MU
a hint of the New Dylan - 1995 to now
Trump finally making America great again by getting the #@% outta town!


kcar wrote:


(Written during coronavirus self-quarantine:)

Remember impeachment? Remember those innocent, carefree days when you didn't have to wrap your head around the consequences of a global pandemic and a collapse of the economy? 

Impeachment: the good times. 

All aboard...the Trump train! 

 

 idiot_wind wrote:
Bob snubs Nobel award presentation. He has something else on his calendar.

My gosh...he's pushing 80 years old, and he can still piss people off.

Cool.   
 
He'll get back with them.
 phlattop wrote:
What an apt song  to hear while the impeachment coverup goes on. Everything is broken in the US government and the Republican majority especially.
 
The first step to fixing what's "broken" is accepting that it's not all "just the other guy's fault".

It does take two sides to break or fix.
Bull frog croaking.
Day 4 of the 2020 RNC.
 unclehud wrote:
"Everything is broken."  Apt description for the USA these days.
 
No, THESE days.
Such a fitting song for our current political situation. Good songs last longer.
 phlattop wrote:
What an apt song  to hear while the impeachment coverup goes on. Everything is broken in the US government and the Republican majority especially.
 

(Written during coronavirus self-quarantine:)

Remember impeachment? Remember those innocent, carefree days when you didn't have to wrap your head around the consequences of a global pandemic and a collapse of the economy? 

Impeachment: the good times. 

All aboard...the Trump train! 

Bob's not wrong.
I like Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Glenn Frey's covers of this one, but nothing beats the original 
Its about time you played some Dylan.   Its Friday afternoon. 

You never play Dylan. What gives? 

Ha!
What an apt song  to hear while the impeachment coverup goes on. Everything is broken in the US government and the Republican majority especially.
Not a Bob fan but every time i see this album cover it reminds me of the Calvin and Hobbes comic😆
 unclehud wrote:
"Everything is broken."  Apt description for the USA these days.
 

Put it at 8 
"Everything is broken."  Apt description for the USA these days.
Love this entire album!! "Things Have Changed" and "Gotta Serve Somebody" are two more timeless gems from Zimmy!
The Bob Meister👍
Bob is on tour again.  In October, he's doing a ton of shows in Highway 61 country. I will be getting on the road  for 2-3 shows and plan to get lost.  
one of the few Dylan songs I genuinely enjoy
Long Live  Radio Paradise
Rating for me: Only 7  but I dont't yet
Skip if I don't hear this again 
The Anthem of Cynics everywhere. Muwah!
love this album can't stand this song
Rating for me: Only 7
That old rascal is touring Europe for  first half of this year.

Come back Bob! Get on highway 61 and come to Iowa!
Finally learnt to sing, should think of a career
Follow up with Cohen's "Everybody Knows!!"
Perfect!
 idiot_wind wrote:
Bob snubs Nobel award presentation. He has something else on his calendar.

My gosh...he's pushing 80 years old, and he can still piss people off.

Cool.   

 
Cool is right! That 1965 "presser" in SF, with the dark glasses and constantly lit cigarette is still up there as one of the coolest press conferences ever. Long live Bob Dylan!

And long live RP!



Bob,

Just don't drop the Nobel Prize...or it will be broken!

Ha! 
One of the very few Dylan songs that does not suck, I'll give it a 6 (I usually give BD songs a 1
Bob snubs Nobel award presentation. He has something else on his calendar.

My gosh...he's pushing 80 years old, and he can still piss people off.

Cool.   
That works!  Daniel Lanois produced this with his trademark sound...
Bob..just don't drop the Nobel statute...otherwise it will be broken! 
This doesn't suck. That's a compliment.
{#Nyah} I too can hear the waifs still playing / perfect song tho by Dylan
Is this a message from Bill? Something is definitely broken, I'm still hearing Prince through this…
I think that this song is great!  I think he hit an even higher level with Love and Theft, and this makes me want to find it and CRANK IT!
Love it, So Dylan
 alux wrote:

Take it from a friend—who, pray tell, is "they"?  Hard to take your statement seriously if you're stuck in generic pronouns.  No shortcuts if we want to get anywhere.  

 
Instead of you being disingenuous, how about I give you three guesses and the first two don't count?

I'm sure that if you think really hard you can figure it out in a single try.

disingenuous

adjective

Not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.
 dragon1952 wrote:
Bob Dylan meets Southern Culture on the Skids :^ )

 
Good call.
.........  10 for the album, one of his best.
Perfect campaign song for this upcoming election.

(Just saw that previously listeners had the same train of thought...)
 idiot_wind wrote:
Maybe Bobby will be on the broken road and touring in the summer of 2016. 

Yeah, baby, yeah.  

 
Eighth row tix for the Greek Theater with MAVIS STAPLES opening! 

Question: whom did Bob want to marry but she turned him down, because she thought it might displease Dr. King?

This should be an excellent show. 
 kcar wrote:

Jeb will have a lot of 'splainin' to do about his own business holdings when the campaign starts in earnest. 
 
 

 
this was posted exactly one year ago today
.
we were all so innocent way back then 
Maybe Bobby will be on the broken road and touring in the summer of 2016. 

Yeah, baby, yeah.  
The song is good but the arrangement, production and playing are even better.
one of my favorite Dylan songs I think this produced by the great Daniel lanua and im sure that last name is spelled wrong / everything is broken lol inc my spelling
Hey, you're right!   And then he opens his mouth.

 

lewie221 wrote:
Great bassline. Irresistibly drives the song forward.

 


Great bassline. Irresistibly drives the song forward.

Broken English is my invention.I'll keep looking for anything and everthing  that resembles bullfrog.
I like this Album very much too. But mainly because of "Man in the Long Black Coat". 
For "Everything is Broken", I'd give maybe a 5 or 6. But for Man in the Long Black Coat
it would be a straight 10!  
 AndyJ wrote:
WHAT does this silliness have to do with music-?

Go play in the politics world... 


 
HOW hard is it to let your eyes pass over the comments that don't interest you? 

Maybe you want another Fortunate Son to trash this country by means of some sort of congenital incompetence/sleaziness, but I sure don't.

 10/22/15: Growing murmurs that Jeb is toast and that (Jesus wept) Trump is going to be the nominee. Every presidential election sees the GOP sink to a new  low. 

Nice segue from Cake's "Shadow Stabbing" to this, though. 
 
WHAT does this silliness have to do with music-?

Go play in the politics world...
kcar wrote:

Jeb will have a lot of 'splainin' to do about his own business holdings when the campaign starts in earnest. They are a mysterious and very tangled web:

https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/features/2014-12-11/jeb-bush-has-a-mitt-romney-problem 

"Until now, many people have assumed that Bush’s greatest challenge would be dispelling the perception among Republican primary voters that he’s a moderate in a party dominated by right-wing conservatives. In the wake of Romney’s bruising 2012 loss, however, Bush’s overseas funds, mysterious investors, and foreign entanglements could prove harder to overcome. As a budding private equity mogul, he’s begun to resemble a Mini-Mitt. Bush declined to be interviewed for this article.

“Running as the second coming of Mitt Romney is not a credential that’s going to play anywhere, with Republicans or Democrats,” says John Brabender, a Republican consultant and veteran of presidential campaigns. “Not only would this be problematic on the campaign trail, I think it also signals someone who isn’t seriously looking at the presidency or he wouldn’t have gone down this path.” "

 
 

 


 misterbearbaby wrote:

It was no dream... You might want to consider the deal entered in by the Bush family with the Nazis. George Herbert Walker (George W. Bush’s maternal great-grandfather) took over the North American operations of the Hamburg-Amerika shipping line under the corporate umbrella of Walker's American Shipping & Commerce company. His son-in-law Prescott Bush was placed on the board of directors of a shadowy business entity called the "Harriman Fifteen Holding Company" that controlled future New York Governor Averell Harriman’s shares in Hamburg-Amerika. In 1942, with World War II raging and his own son George Herbert Walker Bush in combat, Prescott Bush was accused under the "Trading with the Enemy Act" of running a Nazi front group. Hamburg Amerika line was widely accused of forming the American bulwark of I.G Farben’s industrial spy network. Bush’s shares of the Harriman Fifteen Holding Company and the Hamburg-Amerika Line, among others, were seized by the U.S. Government. At least that last bit of this colorful history seems to be a verifiable historical event, based on recently declassified documents in the National Archives. The Bush family neither acknowledges nor refutes the story. The matter of the seizure of Bush’s assets in 1942 was regarded a fairly minor by most contemporaries; there were many such seizures. And we think it isn't broken today, 'cuz were all so smart and transparent now. Ah- hahahaha....

 
Jeb will have a lot of 'splainin' to do about his own business holdings when the campaign starts in earnest. They are a mysterious and very tangled web:

https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/features/2014-12-11/jeb-bush-has-a-mitt-romney-problem 

"Until now, many people have assumed that Bush’s greatest challenge would be dispelling the perception among Republican primary voters that he’s a moderate in a party dominated by right-wing conservatives. In the wake of Romney’s bruising 2012 loss, however, Bush’s overseas funds, mysterious investors, and foreign entanglements could prove harder to overcome. As a budding private equity mogul, he’s begun to resemble a Mini-Mitt. Bush declined to be interviewed for this article.

“Running as the second coming of Mitt Romney is not a credential that’s going to play anywhere, with Republicans or Democrats,” says John Brabender, a Republican consultant and veteran of presidential campaigns. “Not only would this be problematic on the campaign trail, I think it also signals someone who isn’t seriously looking at the presidency or he wouldn’t have gone down this path.” "

 
 
Bobby Dylan's Croakin's Again
Bob Dylan meets Southern Culture on the Skids :^ )
Funky Zimmy
 LowPhreak wrote:

Things started getting broken when they killed JFK, MLK, and RFK. Broke more after Reagan was elected, (with some help from the October Surprise/Bush I). Then they finished breaking everything with 9/11.

 
Take it from a friend--who, pray tell, is "they"?  Hard to take your statement seriously if you're stuck in generic pronouns.  No shortcuts if we want to get anywhere.  
 oldfart48 wrote:
1963 Dallis TEX- ASS if you don't remember you should.... the year the Nazi's won the war against U.S.and then the TREASONIST Bush scum took control, if you think nothing is broken you are living a dream......




 
Pretty much what I said, isn't it? Shit, where'd you learn to read?
 misterbearbaby wrote:

It was no dream... You might want to consider the deal entered in by the Bush family with the Nazis. George Herbert Walker (George W. Bush’s maternal great-grandfather) took over the North American operations of the Hamburg-Amerika shipping line under the corporate umbrella of Walker's American Shipping & Commerce company. His son-in-law Prescott Bush was placed on the board of directors of a shadowy business entity called the "Harriman Fifteen Holding Company" that controlled future New York Governor Averell Harriman’s shares in Hamburg-Amerika. In 1942, with World War II raging and his own son George Herbert Walker Bush in combat, Prescott Bush was accused under the "Trading with the Enemy Act" of running a Nazi front group. Hamburg Amerika line was widely accused of forming the American bulwark of I.G Farben’s industrial spy network. Bush’s shares of the Harriman Fifteen Holding Company and the Hamburg-Amerika Line, among others, were seized by the U.S. Government. At least that last bit of this colorful history seems to be a verifiable historical event, based on recently declassified documents in the National Archives. The Bush family neither acknowledges nor refutes the story. The matter of the seizure of Bush’s assets in 1942 was regarded a fairly minor by most contemporaries; there were many such seizures. And we think it isn't broken today, 'cuz were all so smart and transparent now. Ah- hahahaha....

 
and they are going to put Jeb in the white house come 016. the patriot act has just started to get going, the little town cops  now have full swat  teams and armored assault crap to make it plain to   " we the people "  who owns U.S. and the idiot , brainwashed sheep dream on.......drones , total spy coverage of ALL citizens, no due process, they do not even need charges to round U.S. up.  have you figured out that nice new " airport " out in the middle of nowhere their calling Denver? hint: from the air it is shaped like a swastika, and is 5 levels underground.......
I like this, but I also think that Love and Theft was a truly fantastic album, as well!
{#Yes} Mr Dylan's last really "great album" - Outstanding on all counts
Awesome - I like this and the R.L. Burnside version, too.

https://www.radioparadise.com/?name=songinfo&song_id=20316
 oldfart48 wrote:
1963 Dallis TEX- ASS if you don't remember you should.... the year the Nazi's won the war against U.S.and then the TREASONIST Bush scum took control, if you think nothing is broken you are living a dream......




 
It was no dream... You might want to consider the deal entered in by the Bush family with the Nazis. George Herbert Walker (George W. Bush’s maternal great-grandfather) took over the North American operations of the Hamburg-Amerika shipping line under the corporate umbrella of Walker's American Shipping & Commerce company. His son-in-law Prescott Bush was placed on the board of directors of a shadowy business entity called the "Harriman Fifteen Holding Company" that controlled future New York Governor Averell Harriman’s shares in Hamburg-Amerika. In 1942, with World War II raging and his own son George Herbert Walker Bush in combat, Prescott Bush was accused under the "Trading with the Enemy Act" of running a Nazi front group. Hamburg Amerika line was widely accused of forming the American bulwark of I.G Farben’s industrial spy network. Bush’s shares of the Harriman Fifteen Holding Company and the Hamburg-Amerika Line, among others, were seized by the U.S. Government. At least that last bit of this colorful history seems to be a verifiable historical event, based on recently declassified documents in the National Archives. The Bush family neither acknowledges nor refutes the story. The matter of the seizure of Bush’s assets in 1942 was regarded a fairly minor by most contemporaries; there were many such seizures. And we think it isn't broken today, 'cuz were all so smart and transparent now. Ah- hahahaha....
 gjr wrote:
this song sucks

  

Perhaps you're unfit to touch the tattered hem of Dylan's guitar strap.

Broken pipes broken hose
Broken larynx broken nose

Thought I was dreaming
Guess who Bill's got streaming
Again?  You must be jokin'
Bobby Dylan's croakin'!


this song sucks
 LowPhreak wrote:

Things started getting broken when they killed JFK, MLK, and RFK. Broke more after Reagan was elected, (with some help from the October Surprise/Bush I). Then they finished breaking everything with 9/11.

  1963 Dallis TEX- ASS if you don't remember you should.... the year the Nazi's won the war against U.S.and then the TREASONIST Bush scum took control, if you think nothing is broken you are living a dream......



 jmsmy wrote:
Not much was broken in 1989 - Bob.

But in 2012 - Everything Is Broken

 
Things started getting broken when they killed JFK, MLK, and RFK. Broke more after Reagan was elected, (with some help from the October Surprise/Bush I). Then they finished breaking everything with 9/11.
I like this song. It always reminds me of a place I used to work.
go listen to your mindless dreck, leave us fans of great music alone.....{#Nyah}
to quote jack black from "high fidelity"

 Barry: Rob, top five musical crimes perpetuated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s. Go. Sub-question: is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, is it better to burn out or fade away?


what a truly, truly AWFUL song
...wish his microphone was.
 GrooVy wrote:
jmsmy wrote:
Not much was broken in 1989 - Bob.

But in 2012 - Everything Is Broken
 
Yeah? i'm guessing that is what they were saying in 1989 too. =)

 
In 2013, things are even MORE broken.

Give it a few years and things will just be rubble.

A few years after that, even the rumble will be broken. 

marvelous...  love this song...
 
and, after Neko Case, the master himself.

Everybody in my church loves this song...
 
 Sloggydog wrote:
I'll still listen to him on CD but never again live after this year's Hop Farm Festival.  He couldn't have been worse.  Sounded like Tom Waits covering Bob Dylan with very little enthusiasm.  Just lucky Damien Rice, Patti Smith, Randy Crawford and Joan Armatrading had been so awesome before hand or I would have felt pretty cheated.  Actually Damien Rice who I have wanted to see for ages was even better than I could have imagined.

 
At a recent concert in Santa Barbara I heard he was singing in Romulan.
This song just lifted my spirit after a terrible technical day.  Thank you Bill!
 d-don wrote:


Nice hearing from you, Laz...we're dancing in Oregon too!
 

Keep a spring in your step, friend...
 
 Lazarus wrote:

WE BE DANCING...

love it...

 
 

Nice hearing from you, Laz...we're dancing in Oregon too!
this song is just horrible

WE BE DANCING...

love it...

 
 ziakut wrote:

Even just one Dylan song a year is far too much Dylan.
 
........smileybravosmiley..............agreed..........
SOunds a bit like "Things Have Changed" from "Wonder Boys" soundtrack... similar vein, sounds
 thatch wrote:
This song was used to great affect in HBO's True Blood recently.

 
Hehehe!  Two years later and this song is STILL reminding me of that True Blood episode...... {#Mrgreen}
I'll still listen to him on CD but never again live after this year's Hop Farm Festival.  He couldn't have been worse.  Sounded like Tom Waits covering Bob Dylan with very little enthusiasm.  Just lucky Damien Rice, Patti Smith, Randy Crawford and Joan Armatrading had been so awesome before hand or I would have felt pretty cheated.  Actually Damien Rice who I have wanted to see for ages was even better than I could have imagined.
ahhh, i love this! so fun.
 ubastard wrote:

Can there ever be 'too much Dylan' I don't think so :) but each to their own.

revolver wrote:

Although his songs can be amazing, there is far too much Dylan on this channel.
 
 
Even just one Dylan song a year is far too much Dylan.

Can there ever be 'too much Dylan' I don't think so :) but each to their own.

revolver wrote:

Although his songs can be amazing, there is far too much Dylan on this channel.
 


OK, I had a English teacher in High School who claims BD was his roommate in College.  Teacher's name was John Werner and did go to Minnesota school like Dylan.  Anyone know if this is true?   Mr. Werner was very gay....but we didn't know it at the time. 
He rocks ! And now, everything is broken !