The Heartbreaking Bob Dylan Lyric About the Futility of Communicating With a Long-Gone Ex

It’s one of the most devastating parts of any breakup. We’re talking about the point in the immediate aftermath where one is no longer in steady contact with their former lover, meaning that they have no way of conveying their tortured feelings. Since Bob Dylan tackled a relationship fracture from every possible angle on his 1975 album Blood On The Tracks, it’s no surprise that he covered this topic as well. He did so on the haunting “If You See Her, Say Hello”, one of his most delicate ballads.

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Goodbye and “Hello”

Do you believe Bob Dylan when he says that Blood On The Tracks was not autobiographical? Many, including members of his family, have pointed to his separation from his wife, Sara, while writing the songs for the album as the impetus.

As for Dylan, he has contended at various times that the album was based on Chekhov’s short stories and that he was simply finding a new way of writing based on his interest in painting. In any case, most listeners heard it as a dark night of the soul type of record, one that could only come from somebody living inside the devastating dissolution of a relationship.

Dylan famously called an audible when it came to releasing the album. On the advice of his brother, David Zimmerman, he decided to re-record five of the tracks in Minnesota with musicians who worked regularly with David.

“If You See Her, Say Hello” was one of the re-recorded tracks. While the song stays as gentle as it was in its solo acoustic form, more colors are added via some fluttering mandolin and watery organ. The song is also given a bit more space to breathe. That allows the potency of the emotions on display to really hit home.

Exploring the Lyrics of “If You See Her, Say Hello”

The narrator of “If You See Her, Say Hello” speaks the entire song to a third party. He hopes this person might be able to pass along some messages to his ex. Of course, he’s unable to put a fine point on her location. “She might be in Tangier,” he muses in the first verse. But he can’t confirm any of the information.

It’s fascinating to compare how he wants to be portrayed to how he actually is. “Say for me that I’m all right though things get kind of slow,” he admits. “She might think that I’ve forgotten her, don’t tell her it isn’t so.” In other words, I’m hurting, but I don’t want her to know how badly.

“She still lives inside of me, we’ve never been apart,” he admits to his companion. He’s all over the place in the third verse, first showing his respect, then wishing her well, before eventually admitting to his pain: “Though the bitter taste still lingers on from the night I tried to make her stay.”

He realizes that his attempts to shrug everything off are futile, due to what he considers flaws in his nature. “Either I’m too sensitive, or else I’m gettin’ soft,” he muses. In the final verse, he replays his time with her like it’s a movie. His final gesture is to shake off his pride and reach out to her through this intermediary. “If she’s passin’ back this way, I’m not that hard to find,” he says. “Tell her she can look me up if she’s got the time.”

Bob Dylan deftly modulates the message of his narrator. The guy seems to be carefully measuring every bit of information he wants to convey. But his vocal performance on “If You See Her, Say Hello” gives away the true depth of his torment.

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