EVERYTHING IS BROKEN




Everything is broken.


EVERYTHING IS BROKEN
Take a deep breath, feel like you're chokin'.



PERFORMANCES SINCE 1998


1998.06.03,
BERLIN, GERMANY

1998.09.24,
EUGENE, OREGON

1999.02.02,
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

1999.02.05,
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

1999.02.17,
CLEVELAND, OHIO

1999.02.19,
BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK

1999.02.24,
AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

1999.04.11,
SAN SEBASTIÁN, SPAIN

1999.04.19,
MURCIA, SPAIN

1999.10.26,
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (LATE SHOW)

1999.11.11,
AUGUSTA, MAINE

1999.11.14,
WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS

2000.09.20,
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND

2000.09.25,
PORTSMOUTH, ENGLAND

2001.03.03,
TOKYO, JAPAN

2001.04.24,
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI

2001.07.22,
PESCARA, ITALY

2001.07.24,
ANZIO, ITALY

2001.07.26,
NAPOLI, ITALY

2001.07.28,
TAORMINA, ITALY

2001.08.12,
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

2001.08.16,
WICHITA, KANSAS

2001.08.24,
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

2001.08.25,
LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA

2001.10.21,
DENVER, COLORADO

2001.10.25,
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA

2003.05.06,
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA





Broken lines broken strings

Broken threads broken springs

Broken idols broken heads

People sleeping in broken beds

Ain't no use jiving

Ain't no use joking

Everything is broken

Broken bottles broken plates

Broken switches broken gates

Broken dishes broken parts

Streets are filled with broken hearts

Broken words never meant to be spoken

Everything is broken

Seem like every time you stop and turn around

Something else just hit the ground

Broken cutters broken saws

Broken buckles broken laws

Broken bodies broken bones

Broken voices on broken phones

Take a deep breath feel like you're chokin'

Everything is broken

Every time you leave and go off someplace

Things fall to pieces in my face

Broken hands on broken ploughs

Broken treaties broken vows

Broken pipes broken tools

People bending broken rules

Hound dog howling bull frog croaking

Everything is broken






From 1989 to 1993 “EVERYTHING IS BROKEN” had almost 250 stage appearances, from 1994 until now about 50. I had seen it in Bad Mergentheim 1991, in Wiesbaden 1993 and in Mannheim 1996, before my wife and I saw both 2000 performances of this thought provoking song.

“EVERYTHING IS BROKEN” had its first stage appearance for 2000 in Birmingham on September 20th (in the number 18 spot, after appearing already in that position on the Glasgow cue sheet as second choice three days earlier, where the third choice "TO BE ALONE WITH YOU" was performed; first choice in Glasgow had been "MAN OF PEACE", which then was performed in Newcastle, between Glasgow and Birmingham).

The second and last performance of "EVERYTHING IS BROKEN" in 2000 was in Portsmouth on September 25th, where it kicked the pillbox hat out of the main-set-ending-spot and preceded the now officially released live version of "THINGS HAVE CHANGED". In Tokyo in March 2001 Bob performed “EVERYTHING IS BROKEN” again in the same show as "DOWN IN THE FLOOD", as he did already six months before in Birmingham.

The performance in April 2001 in Missouri was the first US appearance of "EVERYTHING IS BROKEN" in more than 18 months. Two months later Bob closed another main set with this song, in Pescara, Italy. In Anzio, Italy, this song closed the first electric set; and in Napoli and Taormina it opened the second electric set. In August 2001, in Springfield, "EVERYTHING IS BROKEN" closed the main set again, in Wichita it started the second electric set once more, before in Las Vegas and Lancaster it closed the main set again. In Las Vegas it was also performed once more in a show which Bob Dylan opened with "HALLELUJAH I'M READY TO GO", as in Portsmouth and Napoli.

The only two performances of "EVERYTHING IS BROKEN" after September 11th 2001 were in Denver and St. Paul. In 2002 it was not performed at all. The next performance was in May 2003, as the opening song in Charleston, South Carolina,


























Biblical references:


~ Isaiah 24 ~


The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.


~ Psalm 51 ~

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.