I believe this song is about the History of American music and how it relates to Highway 61. The first verse is about Gospel music and Hymns, like the Cristian Hymn “The God of Abraham”. Religious music was the first from of popular music in America and from it emerged all the other styles referred to in this song.
Verse 2 is about “Georgia Sam”, nickname of a real Blues singer, Willie McTell. Poor Howard is “Poor Howard Stith” a Folk Blues singer from Minnesotta.
Verse 3. “Mack the Finger”. Some people had interpret this to mean a gangster or something like that. I believe this refers to Lonnie Mack, a virtuoso blues/ country guitarist known for his finger-picking style of playing. Born in Indiana, he became famous in ’63 and ’64 by recording guitar instrumentals which influenced greats like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Louie the King, I believe is Louie Armstrong the king of Jazz trumpet and song. Also “King Louie” from Disney’s “The Jungle Book” was played by another Jazz musician, Louis Prima, known as the “King of Jazz Band music” in his time. Shoe strings can refer to guitar strings and phones that don’t ring can mean that despite his enormous talent, Lonnie didn’t get a lot of recognition from the recording industry, hence “phones don’t ring” (he doesn’t get calls).
Verse 4. Could refer to Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night which was played as a musical in the early ’60’s. I’m not sure who the characters in this verse might be.
Verse 5. I don’t believe it’s talking about actual war, like some people think. Even Wikipedia says there must be a “political undertone”, and calls the verse “absurd”. But if you know that The “Rovin’ Gambler” is the title of a song by the Stanley Brothers, a Bluegrass duo from Virginia who ended up in Tennessee performing in a radio show in1948 and were very influential in future music, it makes more sense. In the song the gambler ends up in Jail for shooting a cheater, so he’s definitely bored. The gambler takes a chance with the promoter (Maybe George Wein) to set up bleachers and have a “war” which I think means a concert, specifically, the Newport Folk Festival. This concert was the famous occasion when Dylan went “electric” causing a rift or “war” of opinions between those who though he had betrayed them and sold out, and those who thought that the song he played “Like a Rolling Stone” was a revelation to Rock music.
So in conclusion I think this song is a collection of key events in the history of American music, some well known, some familiar only to well informed musicians, like Dylan, and their close link to Highway 61.
Please let me know if you agree or disagree. Either way, this is an awesome song.
Cheers!
I believe this song is about the History of American music and how it relates to Highway 61. The first verse is about Gospel music and Hymns, like the Cristian Hymn “The God of Abraham”. Religious music was the first from of popular music in America and from it emerged all the other styles referred to in this song.
Verse 2 is about “Georgia Sam”, nickname of a real Blues singer, Willie McTell. Poor Howard is “Poor Howard Stith” a Folk Blues singer from Minnesotta.
Verse 3. “Mack the Finger”. Some people had interpret this to mean a gangster or something like that. I believe this refers to Lonnie Mack, a virtuoso blues/ country guitarist known for his finger-picking style of playing. Born in Indiana, he became famous in ’63 and ’64 by recording guitar instrumentals which influenced greats like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Louie the King, I believe is Louie Armstrong the king of Jazz trumpet and song. Also “King Louie” from Disney’s “The Jungle Book” was played by another Jazz musician, Louis Prima, known as the “King of Jazz Band music” in his time. Shoe strings can refer to guitar strings and phones that don’t ring can mean that despite his enormous talent, Lonnie didn’t get a lot of recognition from the recording industry, hence “phones don’t ring” (he doesn’t get calls).
Verse 4. Could refer to Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night which was played as a musical in the early ’60’s. I’m not sure who the characters in this verse might be.
Verse 5. I don’t believe it’s talking about actual war, like some people think. Even Wikipedia says there must be a “political undertone”, and calls the verse “absurd”. But if you know that The “Rovin’ Gambler” is the title of a song by the Stanley Brothers, a Bluegrass duo from Virginia who ended up in Tennessee performing in a radio show in1948 and were very influential in future music, it makes more sense. In the song the gambler ends up in Jail for shooting a cheater, so he’s definitely bored. The gambler takes a chance with the promoter (Maybe George Wein) to set up bleachers and have a “war” which I think means a concert, specifically, the Newport Folk Festival. This concert was the famous occasion when Dylan went “electric” causing a rift or “war” of opinions between those who though he had betrayed them and sold out, and those who thought that the song he played “Like a Rolling Stone” was a revelation to Rock music.
So in conclusion I think this song is a collection of key events in the history of American music, some well known, some familiar only to well informed musicians, like Dylan, and their close link to Highway 61.
Please let me know if you agree or disagree. Either way, this is an awesome song. Cheers!