"One Too Many Mornings" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriterBob Dylan, first released on January 13, 1964, as the fourth track on his third studio album, The Times They Are a-Changin'.[1] Recorded in an acoustic folk style at Columbia Records' Studio A in New York City on October 24, 1963, the song features Dylan's signature harmonica and guitar accompaniment, clocking in at just over two minutes.[1] It poignantly captures the emotional weight of a dissolving romantic relationship through introspective lyrics about distance and irreconcilable paths.[2]The track stands out on The Times They Are a-Changin', an album renowned for its socially conscious and personal songwriting, marking Dylan's evolution as a folk artist during his early career in Greenwich Village.[3] Often interpreted as a farewell without bitterness, the song's melody and structure in the key of C major contribute to its melancholic yet resolute tone.[2] Dylan has revisited "One Too Many Mornings" extensively in live settings, transforming it from a tender acoustic piece into electric arrangements during his 1966 world tour with the Hawks, showcasing his shift toward rock influences.Beyond Dylan's catalog, the song has inspired over 100 covers by diverse artists, highlighting its enduring appeal in folk and country genres.[4] Notable renditions include Joan Baez's 1968 version on her Dylan tribute album Any Day Now, which added vocal harmonies for a duet-like intimacy, and a 1969 duet collaboration with Johnny Cash during Nashville sessions, recorded in 1969 and released in 2019 on Dylan's The Bootleg Series Vol. 15: Travelin' Thru, 1967–1969 (after Cash's death in 2003).[4] These interpretations underscore the song's versatility and its place as a cornerstone of Dylan's oeuvre, frequently ranked among his most evocative early works.[2]
Background
Composition and Recording
"One Too Many Mornings" was composed by Bob Dylan in late 1963, during a transitional phase in his career marked by the folk-protest style that defined his early work, following the release of his second album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan earlier that year and preceding his later shift toward electric rock instrumentation. The song emerged from personal circumstances, particularly Dylan's breakup with longtime girlfriend Suze Rotolo, which infused the lyrics with a narrative of emotional farewell and separation.[5]The track was recorded on October 24, 1963, at Columbia Records' Studio A in New York City, during sessions for Dylan's third album, The Times They Are a-Changin'. Produced by Tom Wilson, the session captured Dylan performing solo on acoustic guitar and harmonica, employing a fingerpicked style in the key of C major. The master take (Take 15), which clocks in at 2:41, was selected from six attempts (Takes 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, and 15).[6][7][8][9][10]Outtakes from the session, such as an alternate take of the song, remained unreleased for decades until their inclusion on The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through the Open Window 1956–1963 in 2025, providing insight into Dylan's experimentation during the recording process. The song's simple arrangement and chord progression bear a resemblance to the album's title track, reflecting the cohesive acoustic folk aesthetic of the sessions.[11]
Release and Initial Reception
"One Too Many Mornings" was released on January 13, 1964, as the fourth track on Bob Dylan's third studio album, The Times They Are a-Changin', issued by Columbia Records.[12][13]The album, dominated by protest-themed songs addressing social issues like poverty and civil rights, featured "One Too Many Mornings" as one of its more intimate, personal ballads, offering a respite from the overt political content.[14][15]The Times They Are a-Changin' peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 chart in April 1964, marking Dylan's highest-charting album to that point.[13][16]Contemporary critics in 1964 lauded the album for its raw emotional intensity and Dylan's evolving lyrical prowess, though the folk genre limited mainstream radio airplay beyond niche audiences.[17][18] New York Times critic Robert Shelton, an early champion of Dylan, highlighted the record's poignant storytelling in his broader coverage of the artist's work that year, emphasizing its depth amid the folkrevival scene.[19]Among fans, the song received positive but understated attention in its debut year, with Dylan performing it sporadically in Greenwich Village coffeehouse sets during late 1963 and early 1964 prior to and following the album's launch; it was never issued as a single but appeared in subsequent early-career compilations starting with Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits in 1967.[20][21]
Musical and Lyrical Analysis
Musical Structure
"One Too Many Mornings" is composed in the key of C major and employs an open A tuning (E A C# E A C#) with a capo on the third fret to achieve this tonality.[22][23] The arrangement is a simple folk style, featuring fingerpicked acoustic guitar accompaniment by Bob Dylan and his harmonica fills between verses.[12] The chord progression in the verses primarily follows a C - Am - F - C pattern, resolving with a G chord, which echoes the harmonic simplicity of "The Times They Are a-Changin'" from the same album.[24] Written in 4/4 time at a moderate tempo of approximately 104 beats per minute, the song maintains a conversational rhythm through its burbling fingerpicking.The song's form is strophic, comprising three verses without a distinct chorus or traditional bridge; instead, harmonica interludes and subtle dynamic shifts in the guitar picking provide transitional emphasis and emotional progression.[3] These variations in the picking pattern—alternating bass notes with melodic fills—build tension across the verses, culminating in the final resolution.[23] The track lasts 2:39 in its studio version.[21]Originally recorded on October 24, 1963, and released on the 1964 album The Times They Are a-Changin', the song was mixed in mono for its initial LP pressing.[12] Subsequent stereo remasterings, such as those in the 1990s Columbia Legacy series and the 2003 hybrid SACD edition, enhance the clarity of the guitar's warm, resonant tone and the harmonica's plaintive interjections.[21]
Lyrics and Themes
"One Too Many Mornings" consists of three verses that depict the quiet dissolution of a romantic relationship during a poignant morning farewell, rich with imagery of encroaching darkness and emotional isolation. The first verse sets a somber scene on a darkening street where barking dogs fade into silence, shattered only by the narrator's inner turmoil, culminating in the refrain: "For I'm one too many mornings / And a thousand miles behind."[3] The second verse shifts to the doorstep crossroads, where the narrator's fading gaze lingers on the shared room and the indifferent street, repeating the refrain to underscore a growing sense of separation.[3] In the third verse, a "restless hungry feeling" emerges as miscommunication deepens, leading to mutual acknowledgment of irreconcilable perspectives—"You're right from your side / I'm right from mine"—before the shared refrain resolves the divide.[3]The song's central themes revolve around breakup regret and the transition from emotional distance to resolute independence, capturing the ache of a love eroded by unspoken rifts.[5] Motifs of loss and departure dominate, symbolized by thresholds like the "crossroads of my doorstep" and vast distances, evoking a journey away from intimacy toward solitude.[5] This narrative arc progresses emotionally: the first verse conveys raw sadness through nocturnal imagery of inner shattering, the second suggests tentative acceptance amid fading memories, and the third introduces subtle anger via the frustration of unheard intentions and defensive righteousness.[5] The refrain's repetition reinforces a sense of inevitable drift, blending melancholy with a quiet resolve to move on.[5]Interpretations often tie the lyrics to Dylan's personal life, particularly the tensions in his relationship with Suze Rotolo during 1962–1963, when her trip to Italy and subsequent strains inspired songs of parting and loneliness.[25] Rotolo's absence fueled the plaintive tone, mirroring the real-life strain of Dylan's rising fame and her pursuit of independence, which culminated in their separation by mid-1964.[26] As part of what scholars term the "Suze cycle," the song reflects autobiographical regret over a relationship marked by emotional and physical miles.[5]Poetically, Dylan employs a folk ballad style with simple, repetitive structure to heighten intimacy, using the recurring refrain as a leitmotif for accumulating distance.[5] The rhyme scheme is straightforward and ballad-like, often pairing end sounds in an approximate ABAB or AABB pattern (e.g., "dark"/"bark," "fade"/"laid"), which lends a rhythmic, conversational flow to the narrative.[27] Cinematic devices, such as the shattering silence and fading eyes, draw on noir-like symbolism to evoke psychological depth, while alliteration and internal echoes (e.g., the insistent "i" sounds in the refrain) amplify the theme of isolation.[5][27]
Bob Dylan's Versions
Studio Recording
The finalized studio version of "One Too Many Mornings" features Bob Dylan's solo vocal and acoustic guitar accompaniment, with a harmonica solo inserted after the second verse, under the raw folk production style overseen by Tom Wilson.[28][29]Recorded at Columbia's Studio A in New York City on October 24, 1963, the track exhibits an intimate, unpolished sound characteristic of Dylan's early acoustic work, running for 2:41 and serving as the eighth song on his third album, The Times They Are a-Changin', released on January 13, 1964.[30][12]Subsequent reissues have preserved and enhanced the original recording; it was remastered for the 1991 Columbia Legacy edition of the album, improving clarity while retaining the analog warmth.[31] The track also appeared on the 1985 box set Biograph, on the 2000 compilation The Essential Bob Dylan, and as an alternate take from the 1963 sessions on the 2025 release The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through the Open Window.[32][33][11]In the 2010s, digital enhancements were applied in box sets such as The Original Mono Recordings (2010) and The Complete Album Collection Vol. One (2013), offering higher-fidelity transfers for modern playback.[21]
Live Performances
Dylan first performed "One Too Many Mornings" in intimate acoustic arrangements as part of his early folk sets from 1964 to 1965, capturing the song's original tenderness through solo guitar and harmonica. A notable example occurred during his early 1964 concerts, aligning with his emerging repertoire of introspective ballads.[34]The song underwent a significant transformation during Dylan's 1966 world tour, shifting to electric instrumentation with his backing band, The Hawks, which infused it with a raw, amplified energy reflective of his controversial pivot from folk purity. This arrangement was prominently featured on May 17, 1966, at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England—known for the audience heckle of "Judas!"—and later released on The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Live 1966.[35]In later years, Dylan continued to adapt the song across collaborations and tours, often reworking it for fuller band dynamics. A collaborative version from 1970 sessions with George Harrison, tied to preparations around the Isle of Wight Festival, appears on the 50th Anniversary Collection: 1970, blending their guitars in a relaxed, country-inflected take.[36] An informal 1967 rendition with The Band during the Basement Tapes sessions, characterized by loose, playful jamming, was included on The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete.[37] By 1976, during the Rolling Thunder Revue, the song received a gritty, high-energy electric treatment, as heard on the live album Hard Rain from the May 23 concert at Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins, Colorado.[38]Throughout his career, Dylan has performed "One Too Many Mornings" over 200 times in concert, frequently rearranging it to suit evolving band configurations and his vocal style, from acoustic introspection to rock-driven intensity.[39] In the 2020s, during the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour, versions appeared in stripped-down forms emphasizing narrative depth over elaborate production.[40]
Cover Versions and Legacy
Notable Covers
"One Too Many Mornings" has been covered more than 100 times by artists across genres, with notable versions highlighting adaptations from folk to country and indie styles.[1]Early covers emerged in the 1960s, often infusing the song with pop and traditional folk elements. The Association released a pop-folk arrangement in 1965 as their debut single on Valiant Records, featuring harmonious vocals and upbeat instrumentation that contrasted Dylan's original austerity.[41][42] In 1968, Joan Baez recorded a version with layered vocal harmonies and subtle orchestral backing on her double albumAny Day Now, a tribute to Dylan songs that emphasized emotional depth through her clear, resonant delivery.[43][44] That same year, Burl Ives presented a straightforward traditional folk rendition on his Dylan-inspired albumThe Times They Are A-Changin', delivered in his warm, narrative baritone suited to storytelling ballads.[45][46] The Kingston Trio contributed a live folkharmony performance, recorded in 1966 and released in 1969 on their concert albumOnce Upon a Time, capturing the group's signature close-knit vocal style in a casual stage setting.[47][48]Country adaptations have been particularly influential, with Johnny Cash recording multiple versions that infused the track with twangy instrumentation and heartfelt duets, helping to extend its reach into Nashville's soundscape. In 1978, Cash duetted with June Carter Cash on Johnny & June, offering an intimate, gospel-tinged reading that highlighted relational longing.[49] His 1986 collaboration with Waylon Jennings on the album Heroes delivered a robust outlaw country duet, marked by gritty harmonies and pedal steel guitar that amplified the song's themes of separation.[50][51] A 2012 remix featuring The Avett Brothers appeared on the Amnesty International benefit compilation Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan, blending Cash's archival vocals with the brothers' rustic folk energy to support human rights causes.[52]Later covers continued to reinterpret the song through supergroup and indie lenses. In 2014, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson laid down an outlaw country duet with weathered vocals and acoustic sparsity, later integrated as an alternate take into The Highwaymen's 2016 live album The Highwaymen Live - American Outlaws, posthumously completing the supergroup's vision after the deaths of Jennings and Cash.[53][54] In 2023, Cat Power provided a haunting live indie-folk take on Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert, recreating Dylan's 1966 performance with minimalist guitar and vulnerable phrasing that evoked quiet introspection.[55][56]
Cultural Impact
"One Too Many Mornings" has left a lasting legacy in music by bridging Bob Dylan's early folk era with country and rock influences, inspiring covers across genres that highlight its versatile emotional depth. The song's inclusion in Rolling Stone's 2020 list of the 100 Greatest Bob Dylan Songs underscores its enduring artistic significance, ranking at number 43 for its poignant portrayal of relational farewell.[57] Their 1969 duet recording elevated the track's status within country music, broadening Dylan's appeal beyond folk audiences and contributing to the cross-genre dialogues that informed his later Nobel Prize in Literature recognition in 2016 for creating "new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."[57]In media and popular culture, the song has been featured prominently, reinforcing its ties to 1960s counterculture and generational themes. It appears on the soundtrack of the 2007 Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There, directed by Todd Haynes, where Joe Henry's version accompanies scenes exploring Dylan's multifaceted identity. The track also features in Ken Burns' 2017 PBS documentary The Vietnam War, evoking the era's personal and societal divides during the conflict's escalation, as noted in episode recaps linking its melancholic farewell to broader narratives of loss and separation. Literary discussions of 1960s counterculture, such as in cultural histories examining Dylan's influence on British youth movements, reference the song as emblematic of introspective folk narratives amid social upheaval.[58][59]The song maintains ongoing relevance through tributes, modern adaptations, and its place in the folk canon as a symbol of personal-political farewell. At events marking Dylan's 80th birthday in 2021, such as the WFUV listener poll and various tribute concerts, "One Too Many Mornings" was highlighted for its timeless resonance, with performances underscoring its role in Dylan's expansive catalog. Contemporary uses include Angel Olsen's 2022 cover for the Apple TV+ series Shining Girls, which donates proceeds to gun safety initiatives, demonstrating the song's adaptability to current social contexts. Dylan's own live performances of the track total 237 documented instances from 1966 to 2005, per official archives, cementing its status as a staple in his repertoire and the broader folk tradition.[60][61][62]