Meaning of "Ninety Miles An Hour (Down A Dead End Street)" by Bob Dylan

The lyrics of "Ninety Miles An Hour (Down A Dead End Street)" by Bob Dylan explores the theme of forbidden love and the inevitable consequences that arise from pursuing a relationship that is doomed from the start. The narrator acknowledges the wrongness of being with someone who belongs to another, presented metaphorically as speeding towards disaster at an unstoppable pace. The reference to a bad motorcycle with the devil in the seat symbolizes the dangerous allure of the forbidden romance, representing the thrill and excitement of being with someone they shouldn't be with. Despite the warning signs and the knowledge that the relationship is heading towards destruction, the narrator is unable to resist the passion and intoxicating feeling of being with the other person. The repeated image of going ninety miles an hour down a dead end street serves as a powerful metaphor for the inevitability of the relationship's downfall, capturing the reckless abandon and inability to stop the rush towards disaster.