Is Bob Dylan's 'Make You feel my Love' just an 'ordinary' love song?
Is Bob Dylan’s “Make you feel my love” just an ‘ordinary’ love song? - by Kees de Graaf.
‘Make you feel my love’ was recorded in 1997 for the album ‘Time out of Mind’. Ever since that time the song has been covered many times by a lot of artists, e.g. Billy Joel, Garth Brooks, Adele, etc. Apart from that, the song is performed in all sorts of Talent Shows all over the world. The result of all this is, that the song is now well known to the public at large. We have reason enough to believe that the vast majority of the general public feels that ‘Make you feel my love’ is just an “ordinary’’ love song about romantic feelings between two persons and in which you should not search for any deeper spiritual meaning.
For quite some years after the release of the song in 1997 I had been thinking too that the song, no matter how beautifully composed, is indeed nothing more than just an ‘ordinary’ love song. Love songs, of which thousands and thousands have been composed over the years. In Pop culture “love”, in all sorts of forms and variations, has been the main theme for many decades. The bulk of these love songs remain ‘down to earth’, in the style of “Love, love me do, you know I love you, I’ll always be true, so please love me do”.
Although Dylan himself wrote about romantic love in a down to earth manner in “I threw it all away”: “Love is all there is, it makes the world go ‘round, love and only love, it can’t be denied. No matter what you think about it, you just won’t be able do without it” it is at the same time true that Dylan nowadays hardly ever writes material which is not capable of multiple interpretation.
During Dylan’s 2004 CBS 60 Minutes interview, the late Ed Bradley quoted from Chronicles where Dylan wrote about the impact of his lyrics: “For sure my lyrics have struck nerves that have never been struck before” subsequently Bradley asked Dylan: “How do you feel when you listen to or perform all those songs today?” Dylan replied: “They (that is the songs) change their meanings over periods of time. They change their meanings for different situations that a person is in and they hold up because they are so wide, there so many levels in them”.
When we apply Dylan’s statement to “Make you feel my love” you may be in a situation where for you this is just a beautiful but yet ‘ordinary’ love song, that’s all you hear in it. For somebody else it may be a very suitable wedding song to confirm mutual commitment to eternal love in matrimony- love till death do us part.
As said, I always thought that “Make you feel my love” was no more than just an ‘ordinary’ love song, until a couple of years ago I found out that the song may also be interpreted in a spiritual way. Before we delve deeper into this, let’s put our finger on what this song is not: a sign that Bob Dylan suffered from a reactive depression. Dr A.T. Bradford recently published a book called: “Out of the Dark Woods – Dylan, Depression and Faith – (The Messages behind the Music of Bob Dylan.)”. In 1986 Dylan had married his gospel back-up singer, Carolyn Dennis. She filed for divorce in 1990. According to Dr Bradford, a British family doctor and government health Commissioner, the emotional trauma caused by the divorce triggered off in Dylan a severe reactive depression. This depression was responsible for the choice of the title of his next album -of original material- “Time Out Of Mind.” “Time Out Of (my) Mind” summed up the state of Dylan’s mental condition at the time. Bradford says that all songs on the album – “Make you feel my love” obviously also included - show symptoms of moderate-severe reactive depression. Compelling as Dr Bradford’s arguments may be that indeed Dylan suffered from a reactive depression, and that there are a lot of traces of these symptoms also in the lyrics of ”Time out of Mind”, I do not see any traces of these symptoms in the song “Make you feel my love”. On the contrary, in the song the poet goes to great length to reassure and convince the ‘you’ in the song of his enduring love, friendship and commitment through the darkest hour of any circumstance. A person suffering from a reactive depression would not be capable of this. The song says that no matter how hard the rain blows in your face, even when there is no one there to dry your tears, no matter how hard the storms are raging on the rolling see and on the highway of regret, the poet is always there to offer you a warm embrace, and to hold you for a million years, to go to the end of the earth for you, to make you feel his love. It is a song of great comfort, not at all a song that shows the symptoms of depression by the composer.
A couple of years ago I found out that “Make you feel my love” may also be interpreted in a different, spiritual way. There is some rich Biblical imagery in the song to support this interpretation.In this interpretation the “I” in the song is Jesus. Jesus speaks through the mouth of Dylan. Jesus had spoken before through the mouth of Dylan in the Stanley Brother’s bluegrass spiritual “I am the man Thomas”, a song which he performed 59 times in concert at the beginning of this century. There is of course a difference. The “I” in “I am the man Thomas” cannot be anybody else but Jesus. In “Make you feel my love” the “I” could very well be Jesus but not necessarily.
Let us take a look at some of the Biblical imagery in this song: We read:” nothing that I wouldn’t do, go to the ends of the earth for you, to make you feel my love”. ‘The ends of the earth’ is an expression which is often used in the Bible. In the Psalms for a start, the expression is used 15 times. Most of the time the expression ‘the ends of the earth’ refers to the unlimited power of God which reaches to ‘the ends of the earth’. He makes his love and power felt everywhere, in every out of the way corner, in every nook and cranny of this earth. Everywhere people are summoned to recognize His splendour and majesty. The good news of Jesus spread to the ends of the earth (Romans 10:18). The apostles are sent out to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19) to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. There is nothing Jesus wouldn’t do, He really goes to ‘the ends of the earth’’ for us, to bring us the good message and to make us feel His love. When the task of the disciples will have been accomplished Jesus will return, like Dylan has sung in a lot of show openers this year: ‘Jesus is coming back, coming back to gather his jewels’. (By the way, Dylan uses the word ‘’jewels” in opposition to the three jewels of Buddhism). We read the expression ‘ends of the earth’ also in Mark 13:27: “And then He (Jesus) will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heaven’. “Ring them bells where the four winds blow’’, Dylan earlier wrote.
We find another element of rich biblical imagery when we read: ‘I’d go hungry, I’d go black and blue, I’d go crawling down the avenue, Oh there’s nothing that I wouldn’t do to make you feel my love’. Jesus was tempted by the devil and had fasted for forty days and nights and afterwards he was very hungry (Matthew 4:2). He’d go hungry for us. But even more significant is the expression “ I’d go crawling down the avenue”, because this is exactly what Jesus did in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39) where we read that he fell on his face and prayed in great anguish, crawling down the avenue and begging his Father: ‘let this cup pass from me’. Indeed, there is nothing Jesus wouldn’t do, to make you feel His love.
Once you have learned to understand this song in this way, it is a beautiful expression of love and commitment from Jesus for all his followers. Jesus ‘got nothing but affection for all those who sail with Him’. When there is no one there to dry your tears, “He will wipe away every tear from your eyes” (Revelation 21:4), He takes you in his arms and offers you a warm embrace and He will hold you for a million years, He will never ever let you go. You can rest assured, He will never do you wrong. No matter how full of turmoil the times may be, “the winds of change are blowing wild and free”, the best is still to come when He returns: “You ain’t see nothing like me yet”.
My conclusion is that a spiritual interpretation of this song is as valid as any other interpretation and that in view of the Biblical imagery that is used in the song, an interpretation whereby Jesus speaks through the mouth of Dylan, has solid ground in the lyrics of the song. If you are willing to respond to this article, please press ‘reacties’ below.
Click this link to respond to this article
Agree with your analysis which I came across today.
My cover, with some footage from The Passion.
https://youtu.be/Tj4wPMw6aXU— Rob Paynter27-03-2023 08:44
Thank you so much for this interpretation! I was driving to Deventer( the Netherlands) on 14/12/2022 and heard this song on the radio. It was as if Jesus/God spoke to me through the song. He also had a message for me through this song (for something I struggeld with). When I googeld and found out that Bob Dylan was the original writer, I googeld the possibility of a spiritual meaning of the song. I'm so happy and gratefull for your rich bible explanation. I agree with everything!
— Marion Willemsen18-12-2022 22:57
This article is great. I wasn't aware much of the content and lyrics at first until recently I listened this song and have been feeling something different, feel calm, sooth, and more importantly, I feel empowered and cared, and feel the love of God delivered from the song. So I googled this song and I am led to your article. Thanks!
— Tina19-09-2021 05:11
We are actively promoting a link to this interesting topic on The Bob Dylan Project at:
http://thebobdylanproject.com/Song/id/390/Make-You-Feel-My-Love
If you are interested, we are a portal to all the great information related to this topic.
Join us inside Bob Dylan Music Box.— David George Freeman09-12-2019 02:52
Just listened to Adele sing it multiple times (I have heard it a lot before) and just this time couldn’t get out of my head the notion of this song being about Christ ...and I am wanting to do a video of images of Biblical scenes set to the song:
Jesus calming a storm....When the wind is blowing in your face
The woman caught in adultery surrounded by men who want to stone her....and the while world is on your case
He lets the little child stay when others want to shoo the child away.... I could offer you a warm embrace to make you feel my love
He arrives at Lazarus’ tomb when all think it is too late... When the evening shadows and the stars appear and there’s no one there to dry your tears
Jesus walks on water.... The storms are raging on the rolling sea,
the woman with a reputation wipes Jesus feet with her hair.... and on the highway of regret
Jesus overrurns the moneychangers’ tables in the temple.... The winds of change are blowing wild and free—you ain’t seen nothin’ like me yet
Gesthemane.... I’d go hungry
Pilate’s court.... I’d go black &blue
Jesus carrying His cross with Simon of Cyrene entering the scene.... I’d go crawling down the avenue
The Crucifixion.... There is nothin’ that I wouldn’t do to make you feel my love— Jennifer28-06-2018 20:03
"Make You Feel My Live" is a simple and beautiful love song. My favourite interpretation is by Sarah Maclaine, as it highlights the beauty of the composition.
Have a listen - I hope the link below works.
https://youtu.be/97ARK-im5nA— Todd18-07-2015 01:06
Been listening to this album recently and thought I'd throw in my $.02 even though its an old post.
You dd a great job summarizing the idea that bob's songs are true on multiple levels, as is all truth. "Time out of Mind" as a phrase means something like, "time beyond the horizon of our ability to know." In other words, that which we imagine lays just out of sight but ever recedes ahead of us as we pursue it (as dies the horizon).
The biblical book of Ecclesiastes is an influence for this entire album. It's theme is essentially that our pursuit of the fulfillment and meaning that we believe lies just beyond the horizon is futile and that the only good in the world is to cease striving after this distant happiness and to take pleasure in sharing whatever the present holds for us with others. This album is Dylan's version of this, realizing that all his life he has been chasing the horizon, chasing perfection, instead of living and loving in the present.
In the verses below the word "eternity" is the Hebrew word "olam" which is defined in Strong's biblical concordance as "time out of mind". It implies that what lies ahead and behind is obscured by the horizon, hidden and unknowable.
Ecclesiastes 3:10-13
I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil —this is God's gift to man.
This song then expresses Dylan's faith that this is God's attitude towards him, even though he cannot "feel his love". It is a decision to live as if gods love for him is true, to love others and live in the present, even though it feels like God is absent. Notice that every line starts with "I could". It is a plea from God/Christ to BELIEVE that he feels this way, even though we can't KNOW that he does. We desire surety that god loves us, but We have none except faith in the love of Christ.
Hope that makes sense!— NateW22-01-2013 04:28
Been listening to this album recently and thought I'd throw in my $.02 even though its an old post.
You dd a great job summarizing the idea that bob's songs are true on multiple levels, as is all truth. "Time out of Mind" as a phrase means something like, "time beyond the horizon of our ability to know." In other words, that which we imagine lays just out of sight but ever recedes ahead of us as we pursue it (as dies the horizon).
The biblical book of Ecclesiastes is an influence for this entire album. It's theme is essentially that our pursuit of the fulfillment and meaning that we believe lies just beyond the horizon is futile and that the only good in the world is to cease striving after this distant happiness and to take pleasure in sharing whatever the present holds for us with others. This album is Dylan's version of this, realizing that all his life he has been chasing the horizon, chasing perfection, instead of living and loving in the present.
In the verses below the word "eternity" is the Hebrew word "olam" which is defined in Strong's biblical concordance as "time out of mind". It implies that what lies ahead and behind is obscured by the horizon, hidden and unknowable.
Ecclesiastes 3:10-13
I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil —this is God's gift to man.
This song then expresses Dylan's faith that this is God's attitude towards him, even though he cannot "feel his love". It is a decision to live as if gods love for him is true, to love others and live in the present, even though it feels like God is absent. Notice that every line starts with "I could". It is a plea from God/Christ to BELIEVE that he feels this way, even though we can't KNOW that he does. We desire surety that god loves us, but We have none except faith in the love of Christ.
Hope that makes sense!— NateW22-01-2013 04:27
Thank you for the excellent well written description. That album, Time out of mind... Is a masterpiece. When my mind left me in 2003, due to a divorce and hard living. That album those songs pulled me thru. I felt God in Bob Dylans lyrics. They were so powerful it took me five long years to be able to listen to it again. I had a spiritual epiphany walking the streets of Southern California... I... Felt I was not alone... I'm beginning to read the bible. Thank you again. Luis.
— Luis A. Pulido24-12-2012 05:42
Interesting...
To me it's a love song that borders on the obsessive; there is fair part of 'stalker' in the lyrics, especially in the 'builds' ("No doubt in my mind where you belong", "You ain't seen nothing like me yet").— GJ26-02-2012 14:11
It is both a love song and a spiritual one. I love the comment that it's a song that's transitional...depending on where you are in your life.
If you are a believer... this all makes perfect sense! If you have been in love, been married, divorced, still married... love transitions... eros, phileo, agape.
~H— Hanna30-12-2011 19:46
Yes, I had a revelation from God that He wrote this song. I wasn't aware that Adele didn't write it until recently. It didn't make much sense to me at first, that "He wrote the song but Adele isn't aware of it", until I found out that Bob Dylan wrote this song. I then learned that he had on/off relationships close to God which pointed to the fact that yes He could have indeed wrote the song with Bob and Adele not be aware of it. He said that He will write songs in the future with Adele, so I look forward to that!
— James18-12-2011 14:34
Just had this revelation yesterday and was searching to see if i was the only one. Previously thought that this was a nice song but I couldn't quite connect with it because it promised things that for a mere human would be impossible. Thought it was a little over the top. But when i think of it religiously it is the most beautiful song ever written and a powerful reminder that God is always trying to make you feel his love.
— Cemonne30-11-2011 22:14
I've always interpreted the song as 'lost love'. In the aftermath of ending longtime relationships for me there has always been a feeling of wanting to be the person that would actually have fitted in that relationship. To me that is what it is all about. Everything you would do that you didn't do. The highway of regret and the ridiculous idea of understanding it all and the ability to make the necessary changes. That it could work now. Pain and regret. Much more then promise.
— Antonio29-10-2011 11:45
That's a pretty thin interpretation. The song is a bald song of seduction when he promises the girl the sun-moon-and-stars. The promises are the fiction of true love at first sight. However, most people overlook the impossibility of the promises and see it as a true love song. Dylan has been mixing Biblical references since his early days. It makes for great poetry and does give the songs a complexity allowing for articles like this. Cheers.
— Stephen Pate31-08-2011 19:31
Right up the alley, Kees. Thank you very much! If interested, here is a site I have worked on for some time. I hope to update it with more of Dylan's songs soon (once my software is fixed). God bless you!!www.DylanCode.com
— Steve Sorensen28-08-2011 13:38
Great article, hits the nail right on the head. Not the first time Dylan has written a lyric as narrated by Our Lord-at least this is how I read 'When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky'. Always gives me goose-bumps, that one.
— Mick Leahy27-08-2011 23:59
As much as I love this song, I always flinched a tad with "you ain't seen nothing like me yet." Seemed a bit egotistical at first blush, so your assessment sounds plausible.
— shastadaisy27-08-2011 17:48
Thanks for this Preken. You and other readers may be interested in a little slideshow posted some time back on Slicer's Slivers of Being:
http://t-rinder.typepad.com/blog/2010/11/adeles-cover-or-bobs-original-version-which-to-choose.html— The Slicer27-08-2011 10:57