Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie
| "Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie" is a poem written by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, and recited live during his April 12, 1963 performance at New York City's Town Hall.[1] It was released in 1991 on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991 after circulating on bootleg releases for years, even appearing on the ten-LP box set Ten of Swords in 1985.
History
Dylan's performance at the Town Hall on April 12 was used to debut several new compositions, such as "Tomorrow Is a Long Time", "Dusty Old Fairgrounds", "Ramblin' Down Thru the World", and "Bob Dylan's New Orleans Rag".[2] However, at the end of the concert, Dylan returned to the stage to recite one of his poems in public, "Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie", which he has never done since.[1] In his introduction, Dylan explained that he had written the piece after being asked to "write something about Woody...what does Woody Guthrie mean to you in twenty-five words" in the impending release of a book about Guthrie.[2] He then explains that he "couldn't do it, I wrote out five pages, and, I have it here, have it here by accident, actually." Apparently, the poem described his "feelings towards Woody Guthrie",[2] but, Guthrie's name is not mentioned until the last stanza.[3]
References
- ^ a b Bauldie, John, (1991) Linear notes to The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3
- ^ a b c Bjorner (May 21, 2010) New York City, New York, April 12, 1963 Bjorner's Still on the Road. Retrieved August 16, 2010
- ^ Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie (Bob Dylan). woodyguthrie.de. Retrieved August 18, 2010
External links
- Lyrics at bobdylan.com
