Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Lifter]

From famous song by PETER PAUL AND MARY:

"The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind"

What does it mean?
Only the wind knows the answer or the wind give us the answer? Maybe something else?

thanks

[CP]

The song was written by Bob Dylan, and recorded by him and others, including Peter, Paul and Mary.

Dylan's poetry is not to be parsed and assigned a simple answer, in my humble opinion. Listen to him sing it and read the words and see what they mean to you. The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind -- it's out there for you to find, or maybe never find.

The lyrics:

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[CP]

By the way, Dylan himself never interprets his poems / songs, so far as I know. He expects people to work out the meanings for themselves. And of course the meanings may change over time.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[Lifter]

CP, I like your answer very much
Thanks a lot