I Threw It All Away (November 2000)

Even before you hear these new lyrics it’s the music that hits you. The band is playing a minor reworking of Every Grain of Sand while Dylan is singing I Threw It All Away. There were only two performances of this song in 2000, on consecutive nights, and here they are. Towards the end of the second outing, Dylan pleads, “Please don’t throw it all away!” These could well be the most radical lyric changes to the song since 1978’s “Must have been deceived” line.

Once I was waiting, fortunately in love
And rivers, rivers that ran, rivers that ran through ev’ry day
But I must have been insane
Had no reason to complain
‘Cause I, ’cause I threw it all away
I don’t know why!
But I, but I threw it all away

Once I had mountains in the palm of my hand
And rivers that ran through ev’ry day
But I must have been crazy
Or else I must have got lazy
Ah Lord,
I threw it all away
I must have had some reason!
Yes, I threw it all away

Once I had mountains in the palm of my hand
And rivers that ran through ev’ry day
I must have been mad
I never knew what I had

Until I threw it all away

Tab 1

Tab 2

Tab 3

I Threw It All Away (February 21, 1978)

I once held her in my arms
She said she would always stay
But I couldn’t believe
Must have been deceived

I threw it all away

I once held her in my arms
She said she would always stay
But I was cruel
I treated her like a fool

I threw it all away

Tab 1

Tab 2

Tab 3