“With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair”

I do not remember the first time I ever heard a Bob Dylan song. But I do remember the moment I fell in love with his music.

I was about nine years old. And I remember knowing this phrase: “The answer is blowin’ in the wind.” Well, at that point in my life, I thought it was just a phrase. But it was one of those phrases you know, but you don’t know exactly how you know it … you know?

I was sitting in the car with my Dad, and at that time in my life, whenever my Dad and I would drive together, the oldies radio station was always on. Always. Usually, I didn’t listen. I mean, I was a kid. I was more fascinated by my reflection in the rearview-mirror.

But one day in particular, that song played. I didn’t even notice when the song first started playing — I was most likely making faces at myself in that damned rearview-mirror. But suddenly, something took me out of my childish self-absorption: I heard that one lyric. It was the first lyric of Bob Dylan’s that I ever truly heard. I heard him sing (well, more like wail) “The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind, the answer is blowin’ in the wind.”

My mind was BLOWN. It was certifiably blown. And I don’t even know why it freaked me out so much — but it did. Everything changed. I was nine, and everything changed. “It was a song!” I remember thinking. “A song!” And at that moment, all I could do was imagine how amazing the singer of that lyric must be that one of his lyrics could become so widely known that even I knew the lyric before I knew the song. (Little did I know at that ignorant stage in my life just how many of his lyrics are legendary … this was the first of many realizations for little, bitty me).

Now, at the ripe, old age of 18, I know just about every Dylan song there is. I’ve worshipped his lyrics, wept over them, studied them, memorized them, dreamt about them, analyzed them, laughed at them and, in some cases, lived by them. For instance, when it’s time for me to admit that the waters around me have grown, I’ll be damned if I don’t accept that I’ll soon be drenched to the bone. In that scenario, I’d immediately start swimming, ’cause, you know, otherwise, I’d sink like a stone. You know, things like that.

But now, after extensive Dylan listening, worshipping and even, in some cases, evangelism, I feel like I am now eligible to choose (drumroll please …) my favorite Dylan lyrics.

I know, I know, you’re all sitting there at your computers, laptops, iPhones, what have you, thinking, “Emilia, why are you attempting the impossible?”

Well, all I can say is, I’m willing to go that extra mile for my readers, and make tough choices like this for your entertainment and reading pleasure.

The lyrics come from Dylan’s masterpiece — wait, actually, it’s more than a masterpiece. It’s … well, how can I even say it? It is an immortal, golden messiah of song; it’s a sweeping, brilliant, resonating shower of musical inspiration. It’s Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing. It’s the most beautiful sunset you’ve ever seen. It’s the feeling you get when someone tells you, “I love you,” and means it.

It is Shelter From the Storm.

And these are my favorite Dylan lyrics of all time:

“Suddenly I turned around, and she was standing there with silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair. She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns. ‘Come in,’ she said, ‘I’ll give ya shelter from the storm.'”

Oh my god, just writing those lyrics brought tears to my eyes. I’m not kidding! At this very instant, I am experiencing the burning sensation one feels in his/her eyes when he/she is holding back tears. Dammit, it burns so good!

But, just read those lyrics. And then, close your eyes and imagine them. Then, try to feel the sensation and experience they describe. Can you possibly imagine a more beautiful, soothing sense of calm? Is there a greater paradise than the one Dylan has so perfectly and immortally created for us? Try to picture yourself as Dylan earlier describes himself in the song: You’re burned out from exhaustion, buried in the hail, poisoned in the bushes, and blown out on the trail; hunted like a crocodile ravaged in the corn.

And then, you suddenly stumble upon this woman clad in flowers and silver bracelets. She gracefully walks up to you, and takes off your crown of thorns! Then, she tells you to come in — she wants to give you shelter from the storm through which you’ve been suffering. Could words describe your relief? Your joy? Your luck?

Yes, they could. ‘Cause Bobby does it: “I’m living in a foreign country, but I’m bound to cross the line. Beauty walks a razor’s edge — someday I’ll make it mine. If I could only turn back the clock to when God and her were born. ‘Come in,’ she said, ‘I’ll give ya shelter from the storm.'”

This is my favorite version of the song:

Please, listen to it — really listen to it. You can read the lyrics here. Just read them, and really think about them. Try to imagine them — what they look like, what they feel like, what emotions Dylan felt as he penned those pretty pieces of poetry.

And if you disagree, and feel that these aren’t the best lyrics, then please, by all means tell me your favorites! I can’t think of a more pleasing, exciting and fun debate to have. Because, you know, either way, I get to read more Dylan lyrics. No matter how the debate turns out, it’s going to be a win.