“You Changed My Life” is a song from Bob Dylan’s 1981 album
Released on
The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1–3: Rare & Unreleased 1961-1991 (1991) and The Bootleg Series Vol. 13: Trouble No More 1979–1981
The line “You came in like the wind, like Errol Flynn” is indeed one of the lyrics.
My Lord and my Savior, my companion, my friend
Heart fixer, mind regulator, true to the end
My creator, my comforter, my cause for joy
What the world is set against but will never destroy
But you, you changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
You came in like a wind, like Errol Flynn
You changed my life
Errol Flynn was a swashbuckling Hollywood actor known for his roles in films such as “The Adventures of Robin Hood” and “Captain Blood”. Flynn was famous for his charming, larger-than-life on-screen persona, and he was known to make a dramatic entrance in many of his films.
In the context of the lyric “You came in like the wind, like Errol Flynn”, Dylan seems to be saying that the person he’s singing about made a dramatic, impactful entrance into his life, much like the way Flynn would burst onto the screen in his films. The comparison to the wind also suggests a sense of refreshing change or a powerful, uncontrollable force.
It’s also worth noting that this album was created during Dylan’s “born again” Christian period, so many of the songs, including “You Changed My Life”, can be interpreted as being about his religious experience and spiritual transformation.
More Theories on Expectingrain
I find this line (from “You changed my life”) particularly amusing,
>since it is presumably addressed to God. The expression “in like Flyn”,
>often taken as referring to the Great Errol’s notorious romantic
>proclivities, has definite sexual overtones. It certainly expresses the
>love of God for Bob in unconventional (and forcible) terms 🙂
Glad you brought this up, Neale, I agree this line is one of the most
amusing, especially from the “religious” songs – and intriguing. I wonder
if this expression is as familiar to Americans as it is to Australians,
and if it means the same thing (ie instant seduction, to put it
politely)? Any input on this matter from the States would be appreciated!
Does the Great Errol hold any particular fascination for Dylan
(he is mentioned also in “Foot of Pride” – “your fall by the sword love
affair with Errol Flynn”), or is it just one of the “old movie buff”
references common to many Dylan songs?
Read more at here : https://expectingrain.com/dok/who/f/flynnerrol.html