It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) - Live at Philharmonic Hall, New York, NY - October 1964

Dylan vents about subjects such as commercialism, hypocrisy and warmongering in this song. In the book, Bob Dylan, Performing Artist, author Paul Williams states this song sees Dylan acknowledge "the possibility that the most important (and least articulated) political issue of our times is that we are all being fed a false picture of reality, and it's coming at us from every direction." Williams adds that Dylan portrays an "alienated individual identifying the characteristics of the world around him and thus declaring his freedom from its 'rules'."

This song is one of Dylan's personal favorites. In 1980, he stated: "I don't think I could sit down now and write 'It's Alright, Ma' again. I wouldn't even know where to begin, but I can still sing it."

The opening line, "Darkness at the break of noon," is referring to a nuclear explosion. After a nuclear explosion, the sky turns black and the sun disappears.