La mélodie est basée sur la chanson traditionnelle du domaine public "Qui va acheter tes poulets quand je serai parti" et a été transmise à Dylan par le chanteur folk Paul Clayton, qui l’avait utilisé dans sa chanson "Who's Gonna Buy You Rubans Quand je suis parti? " deux ans avant que Dylan n'écrive "Don't Think Twice". Dylan chante " lié, je ne peux pas dire ". Les paroles ont été changées lorsque Dylan a interprété des versions en direct de la chanson et des reprises sur d’autres artistes dont Peter Paul and Mary.

It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It don't matter, anyhow
And it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If you don't know by now
When the rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I'll be gone
You're the reason I'm travelin' on
Don't think twice it's all right
It ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
Light I never know'd
It ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
I'm on the dark side of the road
Still I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
To try and make me change my mind and stay
We never did too much talkin' anyway
So don't think twice it's all right
I'm walkin' down that long, lonesome road, babe
Where I'm bound, I can't tell
But goodbye is too good a word gal
So I'll just say "fair-thee-well"
I ain't saying you treated me unkind
You could have done better, but I don't mind
And you just sorta wasted my precious time
But don't think twice it's all right
It ain't no use in callin' out my name gal
Like you never did before
It ain't no use in callin' out my name gal
I can't hear you anymore
I'm thinkin' and wonderin' all the way down the road
I once loved a woman, a child I'm told
I gave her my heart but she wanted my soul
Don't think twice it's all right

Paroliers : Bob Dylan