Meaning of "Down The Highway" by Bob Dylan

The lyrics of "Down The Highway" by Bob Dylan paint a picture of a restless journey and the longing for a lost love. The highway symbolizes a path of uncertainty and constant movement. The narrator is walking down the highway with a suitcase, indicating a transient and nomadic lifestyle. They express a deep yearning for their lover who is far away in a foreign land. The repetition of missing their baby highlights the emotional void and loneliness they feel without their partner.

The lyrics also touch upon the changing nature of the world. The streets becoming empty and the highway getting filled could signify a shift in society, perhaps from the personal to the impersonal or the feeling of being left behind. This change in the surroundings adds to the narrator's anxiety about their love. They fear that their intense love for their partner will ultimately be their downfall, as if love itself is a gamble with a high cost.

The reference to gambling suggests a sense of desperation and the lack of options available to the narrator. They have been gambling for a long time, risking everything they have. The plea to not take away their highway shoes reveals a fear of losing their freedom and ability to keep moving forward. The highway becomes a symbol of their escape and a means to maintain autonomy.

The determination expressed in the lyrics reflects the narrator's resilience. They are willing to take risks and remain steadfast in pursuing their desires, even if it means sacrificing everything. The parallel between getting lucky and dying trying implies that the narrator's pursuit of love is a matter of life and death. It conveys a sense of passion and devotion that transcends logic and reason.

The mention of the ocean adds another layer to the meaning of the song. The narrator suggests meeting in the middle of the ocean, a place of vastness and unknown depths. It becomes a metaphor for leaving behind the burdens and troubles of the highway, and potentially finding a new beginning. However, the ocean has already taken their baby, metaphorically representing the loss of their love. The suitcase symbolizes the separation and the departed heart, taken away to Italy, amplifying the sense of distance and loss.

Ultimately, "Down The Highway" portrays the restless journey of a lover who is yearning for connection, willing to risk everything for love, and grappling with the weight of their emotions and the uncertainty of the future.