Martin Luther King, Jr. made his "I Have A Dream" speech at the March on Washington. Universities in the south were starting to become integrated as African Americans gained rights. Women too were growing in power, represented by the publication of the Feminine Mystique in 1963. Furthermore, the country was at a time of distress with the impending Vietnam War and the assignation of President Kennedy. .
Dylan goes on to advise that one should not "speak too soon/ for the wheel's still in spin/ And there's no telling who/ that it's namin"/ For the loser now/ will be later to win." Here, the idea is stated that everything is in motion, and even from moment to moment, things are changing. He warns people who immediately want to record and analyze everything that it is too soon, because despite change made up to the point in which he wrote the song, a lot more change is about to occur. In reference to the war, Dylan already expresses doubt in who it is really benefiting. It is a little too early in the war to say that Dylan could already see that America would end up losing, however, he is expressing the idea that what looks right and just at the time, will not necessarily turn out to be that way. Next, Bob appeals to the congressmen and senators to aid the country in making change through legislative means. He pleads with them to "heed the call/ Don't stand in the hallway/ Don't block up the hall." He goes on to say that "there's a battle outside/ and it's ragin"/ It"ll soon shake the [your] windows/ and rattle the [your] walls." He is saying that there is a growing support of change in America and it will soon be so big that it will not be able to be ignored. If it has to come by force, it will, however, he asks for the government to not stand in the way and rather aid the new movement.
Lastly, Dylan reaches out to the older generation. At this time period, the older generation, being most people over the age of 45, was conservative, having blind faith in the government.
