“Everything Is Broken” (1989) – Bob Dylan * Written by Bob Dylan * 45: “Everything Is Broken” / “Death Is Not the End” * LP: Oh Mercy * Produced by Daniel Lanois * Label: Columbia
“Everything Is Broken,” with its lyrical index of damage, is the single most resonant song in Bob Dylan’s oceanic oeuvre. At once lamenting, lashing out, and healing, it can get its work done on any listener approaching it from any angle. Learn these words and move through your life with wisdom and compassion. The song’s zen quality shines even brighter when you consider how “Death Is Not the End” appears as the single’s B-side. (No YouTube link – everything is broken, got it?)