From a Buick 6
| "From a Buick 6" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| A-side | "Positively 4th Street" |
"From a Buick 6" is a song by Bob Dylan from his album Highway 61 Revisited, which was also released as a single on the B-side of "Positively 4th Street." It was recorded on July 30, 1965.[2]
Musical style
The song is a raucous blues song played recklessly by a band that included Al Kooper on organ and Mike Bloomfield on guitar.[3] The guitar part is patterned after older blues riffs by Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton and Big Joe Williams.[4] It also features a backbeat from drummer Bobby Gregg, a bass line from Harvey Brooks, and a soaring harmonica break.[3][5] The song starts with a snare shot that is similar to the opening song of Highway 61 Revisited, "Like a Rolling Stone".[2][5] It is essentially a 12-bar blues pattern, played with power chords, and is notable for Bloomfield's almost indiscernible substitution of a F-chord in the tenth bar of all but the first verses, while the bass and organ play the G-chord. The song is partially based on Sleepy John Estes' 1930 song "Milk Cow Blues", even taking a few lyrics from the older song, but its approach is more similar to The Kinks' version of a Kokomo Arnold song that was also called "Milk Cow Blues".[3]
Cover versions
"From a Buick 6" has been covered by musicians such as Gary U.S. Bonds, Mitch Ryder, Treat Her Right, Mike Wilhelm, Alex Taylor and Johnny Winter.[6]
Legacy
The name of a 2002 novel by Stephen King, From a Buick 8 is adapted from the title of this song.
The track "From a Motel 6" on the 1993 Yo La Tengo album Painful is a nod to the title of this song.[7]
In an Apple presentation held in 2006, Steve Jobs noted that this was his favorite track of all time.[8]
References
- ^ "Highway 61 Revisited review". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
- ^ a b Polizzotti, M. (2006). Highway 61 Revisited. pp. 29, 90–95. ISBN 978-0-8264-1775-6.
- ^ a b c "From a Buick 6". allmusic. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
- ^ Shelton, R. (1997). No Direction Home. p. 280. ISBN 0-306-80782-3.
- ^ a b Gill, A. (1998). Don't Think Twice It's Alright. p. 86. ISBN 1-56025-185-9.
- ^ "From a Buick 6 covers". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/from-a-motel-6-ep-mw0000112310
- ^ http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/27063/steve-jobs-10-favorite-records-and-what-they-say-about-him/
