‘Forever Young’ by Bob Dylan

Clive writes:

‘May your wishes all come true’ might make this seem at first glance like a trite song. But it’s a blessing from the start: ‘May God bless and keep you always’. Then there are lots of other telling sentiments: ‘May you grow up to be righteous, / May you grow up to be true, / May you always know the truth…May you always be courageous…May you have a strong foundation / When the winds of changes shift / May your heart always be joyful…’

Dylan wrote it for one of his sons. We can now receive the song not as a straightforward longing for eternal youthfulness in the sense of an interminable life of the kind that we might know in our youths (for what if we wouldn’t want our youths to be repeated?).

It works as an appeal to grasp after and hold on to deep and powerful convictions about the fulfilled life. The kind of ongoing youthfulness that it is worth aspiring to is about righteous, joyful, truthful, courageous living. Seek those things and we shall feel young, invigorated, spirit-filled, whatever our age. Never give up on justice. Never step back from truth-seeking. 

I’ve seen Dylan a few times live. He’s as exasperating a performer as everyone says: playing songs you know well in versions which you don’t even recognise at first; not having much rapport with his audience (or at least not talking to them much); mumbling his lines without sometimes being in tune. But then you remind yourself: he can do what he likes – these are his words. He wrote all this stuff (words and music). If he wants to go up rather than down when singing ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’, then he can! He can be as playful as he likes with his words and his melodies. And he inevitably attracts quality touring musicians to create tight, lively bands around him.

Dylan therefore creates an ‘occasion’, a memory, which is worth recalling, alongside the multiple listenings – on CD, or streamed – of songs he’s produced. You can even get away with singing along with him out of tune because he often does too (…though preferably do that at home rather than in public). Participation matters. (‘Forever youuuuuuuuuung…..for-ever youuuuung….May yooooooou stayyyyyyy………’) It’s how music works best. It’s also how blessings and other prayers become part of who we are.