Resonance Raman spectra were obtained for thymidine and thymine with excitation wavelengths in resonance with the similar to 260 nm band absorption spectrum. The spectra indicate that the Franck-Condon (FC) region photodissociation dynamics of thymidine have multidimensional character with motion predominantly along the nominal C-5=C-6 stretch + C-6-H bend nu(17) (Delta = 0.75, lambda = 468 cm(-1)), the nominal thymine ring stretch + C-6-H bend + N-1-C-1, stretch nu(29) (Delta = 0.73, lambda = 363 cm(-1)), the nominal thymine ring stretch + C-5-CH3/N-1-C-1, stretch nu(37) (Delta = 0.69, lambda = 292 cm(-1)), and accompanied by the moderate and minor changes in the nu(40), nu(20) and nu(23), nu(55), nu(60), nu(61), nu(63) modes. A preliminary resonance Raman intensity analysis was done, and these results for thymidine and thymine were compared to each other. The roles of ribose in the FC structure dynamics of thymidine were explored and the results were used to correlate to its lifetime constants tau(1) and tau(2) for two nonradiative decay channels. S-pi/S-n conical intersection versus a distorted structure of S-pi,S-min in the FC region was briefly discussed.