OK Walt, I've looked over both songs. Like I said, Dylan's song was first released in 1966, Joni's is copyrighted 1968. So the chronology certainly works out, but I'm not sure that it's a "response" song per se.
But there are some interesting comparisons. Dylan sings: "I can't stay in here - Ain't it clear that I just can't fit. Yes, I believe it's time for us to quit." Joni sings: "If he'd drop his defenses you'd see through the stone to the heart of the man, but the moment he senses you've seen him he'll leave you as fast as he can." Dylan sings: "It was raining from the first, and I was dying there of thirst, so I came in here" Joni sings: "just like me, he's lookin' for a door standing open, saying welcome, lay your troubles down" Joni also describes the object of her song as: "so independent, he acts like he couldn't care less for us all. He's someone's descendent, their child, though he'll never acknowledge their call". The first part of that is a fair description of Dylan's detachment, and the last might/would apply to the fact that he changed his name from that given to him by his "descendent". (Zimmerman to Dylan) She also says: "the songs that he sings they have loneliness woven between every line", which is a fair assessment of "Just Like A Woman". To see the complete lyric to "Just Like Me", you can go to: http://www.jmdl.com/lyrics/JustLikeMe.cfm I'm a rookie with Dylan lyrics, so I'd certainly like to hear what you Dylanites think. Bob NP: Jethro Tull, "Witches Promise"
