Cover art for Tryin’ to Get to Heaven by Bob Dylan

Tryin’ to Get to Heaven

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Sep. 30, 19971 viewer13.3K views

Tryin’ to Get to Heaven Lyrics

[Verse 4]
I’m going down the river
Down to New Orleans

They tell me everything is gonna be all right
But I don’t know what “all right” even means
I was riding in a buggy with Miss Mary-Jane
Miss Mary-Jane got a house in Baltimore

I been all around the world, boys
Now I’m trying to get to heaven before they close the door

[Verse 5]
Gonna sleep down in the parlor
And relive my dreams
I’ll close my eyes and I wonder
If everything is as hollow as it seems
Some trains don't pull no gamblers
No midnight ramblers like they did before

I been to Sugar Town, I shook the sugar down
Now I’m trying to get to heaven before they close the door

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About

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Genius Annotation

“Trying To Get To Heaven” is the fifth track on Dylan’s album “Time Out Of Mind” (1997). It was recorded at Criteria Studios, Miami in January 1997.

The song is in many ways a collage of lines of old American folk songs (see annotations). The title itself comes from the folk song “The Old Ark’s A-Moverin'”. It was collected by Alan Lomax and is part of his collection Folk Songs Of North America (1960).

Look at that sister comin' ‘long slow
She’s tryin’ to get to heaven fo' they close the do'

Credits
Produced By
Written By
Recording Engineer
Additional Production
Assistant Engineer
Phonographic Copyright ℗
Vocals
Acoustic Guitar
Electric Guitar
Pedal Steel Guitar
Slide Guitar
Electric Piano [Wurlitzer]
Keyboards
Pump Organ
Bass Guitar
Art Direction
Artwork
Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Mixing Engineer
Lacquer Cutting At
Mastered at
Production Company
Recorded At
Criteria Recording Studios - Miami, FL
Release Date
September 30, 1997
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