Trust Yourself — Bob Dylan Analysis

A song about trusting what you think is right in a world of dubious information

“Do this to be successful. Don’t do this to be attractive. Do this to be rich.” Be weary of what you read and hear, but don’t ignore them. This song is a fairly straightforward message about trusting your own thinking (don’t even trust me).

Verse 1

Trust yourself
Trust yourself to do the things that only you know best
Trust yourself
Trust yourself to do what’s right and not be second-guessed
Don’t trust me to show you beauty
When beauty may only turn to rust
If you need somebody you can trust, trust yourself

do the things that only you know best. There are things that only you really know. For example, only you know how you truly feel while others only have clues. Only you know about your past experiences in detail. Only you know about your financial situation. All of these things are factors in your decisions. Hence, I can give you advice, but only you know best on what to do. As a detailed example, telling you to change careers doesn’t factor in all the financial details, familial situation, or feelings that you know.

Trust yourself to do what’s right. There is no answer for what is right or wrong. Under ethical dilemmas, you have to use your own thinking. People tend to just do what others around them are doing. Whether it’s a hot stock, a hot career, or maybe a financial decision, be careful of just following what everyone else is doing. When there are no established understanding for something out there, you have to trust yourself.

Don’t trust me to show beauty. Beauty is an abstract concept that is entirely subjective; beauty standards are determined by the person. Hence, you cannot measure what is beautiful by what others deem is beautiful. Similarly, you cannot try to be beautiful under the measuring tape of another person’s perception of beauty. You cannot trust others for a measuring tape on beauty.

Dylan likes to repeat the last line in the following verses. It reinforces the message so the audience walks away from the song with this.

Verse 2

Trust yourself
Trust yourself to know the way that will prove true in the end
Trust yourself
Trust yourself to find the path where there is no if and when
Don’t trust me to show you the truth
When the truth may only be ashes and dust
If you want somebody you can trust, trust yourself

Trust yourself to know the way that will prove true in the end…to find the path. Everyone is on their Odysseus’ journey. The road is ambiguous, confusing and overwhelming. Everyone had their unique way of getting there (just read some biographies). There are only a few patterns you can extract from people’s stories that will help you choose your own path with absolute certainty. As you take your steps forwards in the cloudy mist, trust yourself to find the path that is right.

Don’t trust me to show you the truth. When the truth may only be ashes and dust. Truth is another abstract concept that we have no firm understanding of. If someone claims to have truth, be careful because their truth can be ashes. Trust yourself more than other people.

Bridge

Well, you’re on your own, you always were
In a land of wolves and thieves
Don’t put your hope in ungodly man
Or be a slave to what somebody else believes

on your own… in a land of wolves and thieves. Contains vaguely biblical references to wolves and thieves. Wolves are deceitful and thieves only want things from you. You cannot trust others. (While this is a paranoid outlook, I personally think that you can trust the people you love and have gained trust in, such as family. However, there is risk of net loss when you trust a stranger. )

Don’t put your hope in ungodly man. Man is faulty. Man makes mistakes. Man stands on wavering grounds (of knowledge and wisdom). You’ll be disappointed in you put all your hopes in Man. (Even I take Dylan’s words with a grain of salt)

Or be a slave to what somebody else believes. A harsh way of saying that following others like its the Bible or a guidebook sacrifices your own voice. Don’t live someone else’s life. (Take it all with a grain of salt.) You’ll be disappointed when you read about people’s lives in hopes of finding some guidebook.

Verse 3

Trust yourself
And you won’t be disappointed when vain people let you down
Trust yourself
And look not for answers where no answers can be found
Don’t trust me to show you love
When my love may be the only lust
If you want somebody you can trust, trust yourself

And you won’t be disappointed when vain people will let you down. The widely admired people (vain people) can let you down. For example, famous celebrities. Another interpretation is that following what other people are doing (vain people’s actions perhaps?) will let you down. For example, following the career choice of your peers (and not thinking for yourself) can lead to disappointment.

And look not for answers where no answers can be found. There are questions without answers. At some point, recognize that the collective humanity hasn’t found a concrete answer for them and don’t spend your time searching for them. Move on to what you want to do in your life. (I’ve been down that rabbit hole in my younger years.)

Don’t trust me to show you love. Love is another abstract concept with no real definition. Love can be deceitful. Love may be a financial decision. Love can be obsessive. Love can be infatuation. Love can just be satisfaction of our primitive senses. Bob Dylan has had various divorces and partners through life so don’t look to him for a guidebook on love.

Some of my takeaways

While this song tells you to trust yourself, don’t mistake this for bigotry. Listen and read others’ opinion, but trust yourself. Listening to what others have to say often refines our own intuitions and opinions. (So read and listen as much as possible.) For example, biographies are like living in someone’s shoes and reflections for a short while. It gives perspective outside from your narrow life. Hence, your intuition on what to do incorporates the perspective of many people’s lives.

I aimed to try to explain Bob Dylan’s lyrics as if he were explaining things. If you have a suggestion on this analysis, please reach out!