Dylan Song by Song: "My Back Pages" Quiz

Answer: Another Side of Bob Dylan

The song was recorded on June 9, 1964 and released on August 8, 1964 on Dylan's fourth studio album, "Another Side of Bob Dylan." The album was produced by Tom Wilson and included such memorable songs as "It Ain't Me Babe," "To Ramona," and "All I Really Wanna Do."

Answer: The 1960s folk protest movement

In a way, the song might be described as an anti-anti-protest song. By 1964, Dylan had grown disenchanted with the folk protest movement and discontent with being confined by the label. He began to tell reporters that he was no longer interested in politics. He resisted the attempts of journalists to pigeon-hole him. Not long before the release of this song, at the National Emergency Civil Liberties Committee (NECLC) Bill of Rights Dinner in December of 1963, Dylan said, "There's no black and white, left and right to me anymore."

In his book "Song and Dance Man III: The Art of Bob Dylan," Michael Gray notes that Dylan had "finished recording his 'protests' in 1963, and...had issued his dismissive evaluation, 'My Back Pages'. By the time the protest craze was happening, it was one too many mornings and a thousand miles behind its founder."

Answer: younger

This refrain calls to mind a famous quip attributed to Oscar Wilde: "I'm not young enough to know everything." Though only in his early twenties when he recorded this song, Dylan already seemed to be rejecting the youthful arrogance and romanticism that speaks "lies that life is black and white." He appeared to be rethinking his former confident attacks on authority: "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."

Answer: Equality

"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." These lines imply an impassioned youth who once saw the world in stark terms of black and white. The conflation of liberty and equality calls to mind the motto of the French revolution - "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity."

Answer: protect

Here, Dylan is perhaps describing the tendency to dig in one's heels in defense of one's own beliefs rather than hearing out alternative viewpoints. The rhyme scheme of this song is ABCB, as can be seen in the end rhymes of "neglect" and "protect" in the second and fourth line.

Answer: Crimson

The song opens: "Crimson flames tied through my ears / Rollin' high and mighty traps."

In his book "Song and Dance Man III," Michael Gray notes that on this song, "Dylan's voice sounds younger than on his earlier work: he has thrown off the mantle of the old bluesman and assumed one of his own."

Answer: 1988

The song was recorded in 1964, but Dylan's first live performance was on June 11, 1988 in Mountain View, California. He later performed at his 30th Anniversary Concert in Madison Square Garden in 1992.

Answer: The Byrds

The Byrds released the song on their 1967 album and also released it as a single. Dylan used the Byrds' arrangement when he performed the song at his 30th Anniversary Concert.

Answer: Tracy Chapman

George Harrison and Roger McGuinn also sang on the song with Dylan. While Tracy Chapman did not perform on this song, she did sing "The Times They Are A-Changin'" at the concert.

Answer: Ancient Memories

"Ancient Memories," later "My Back Pages," was the last song recorded for the album. Although "My Back Pages" is played on acoustic guitar on the album, not long after the release of this song, in 1965, Dylan shocked his folk fans by going electric at the Newport Folk Festival.