My Own Version of You

My Own Version of You is the 3rd song on Bob Dylan's 39th studio album Rough and Rowdy Ways. It's based upon Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, wherein Dr. Victor Frankenstein grave robs and creates a 'monster' out of those body parts he collected. Like "I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You" and "Murder Most Foul", this song is one of the highest praised on the album. It was recorded in February 2020 in Sunset Sound Studio.

Background
The song is meant to be 'ghoulish' and 'creepy', like a 1970s horror movie. The song is pretty straight-forward –Dylan states he wants to create a perfect girl, someone who "feels how he feels." He says he would use the body parts from his favorite celebrities to create this girl, and 'bring her to life', like in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It name-drops famous actors or piano players, until Dylan reaches the culmination of "all of human history in your face."

Music
Like the 5th track, "Black Rider", this song has a descending chromatic bass line. A descending chromatic bass line is used frequently in jazz, and it is used here to create a 'creepy' atmosphere. The line itself progresses like this: 1–7–b7–6–b6–5. Here the bass-line, so it's C#–B#–B–A#–A–G#. In this song, it is not as subtle as Black Rider. Blake Mills uses his guitar to create sudden bursts of noise every couple lines, and Donnie Herron uses his pedal steel guitar throughout to create a harrowing sound.

The song is in C# Minor.

Personnel

 * Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar
 * Blake Mills – electric guitar
 * Donnie Herron – pedal steel guitar
 * Tony Garnier – bass
 * Matt Chamberlain – drums