The first time I heard “It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” was admittedly a bit unorthodox for a Dylan epic — it played during the final episode of the Sopranos. Adolescent Anthony was coming of age and finally beginning to mature, and the track played as he and his love interest were in his car. For most, that was the fateful night when viewers wondered why the Sopranos had literally left them hanging. For me, it was the night I discovered “It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding).”
The irony of the whack-happy Soprano family drama juxtaposed with Dylan’s gorgeous anti-war lyrics is palpable, but I don’t mind. In any context, one can’t help but be struck by that not-quite-wailing voice and perfect contradictions (“Darkness at the break of noon”). Whether it serves as an introductory course or a welcome refresher to Dylan-ology, let “It’s Alright Ma” take you into his convoluted, poetic world.
