Highway 61 Revisited

Highway 61 Revisited

Highway 61 from Vicksburg Mississippi to Memphis Tennessee is known as the Highway of the Blues. Hwy  61 runs through the Mississippi delta and is subject to many a Blues song most famously at crossing of Hwy 61 and Hwy 49 is the place where Robert Johnson met the devil himself.
Bob Dylan wrote Hwy 61 Revisited with 5 stanzas each presenting a character with a unique problem and all are told to take it out on Hwy 61.

Oh God said to Abraham, "Kill me a son"
Abe says, "Man, you must be puttin' me on"
God say, "No." Abe say, "What?"
God say, "You can do what you want Abe, but
The next time you see me comin' you better run"
Well Abe says, "Where you want this killin' done?"
God says. "Out on Highway 61"

Well Georgia Sam he had a bloody nose
Welfare Department they wouldn't give him no clothes
He asked poor Howard where can I go
Howard said there's only one place I know
Sam said tell me quick man I got to run
Ol' Howard just pointed with his gun
And said that way down on Highway 61

Well Mack the finger said to Louie the King
I got forty red white and blue shoe strings
And a thousand telephones that don't ring
Do you know where I can get rid of these things
And Louie the King said let me think for a minute son
And he said yes I think it can be easily done
Just take everything down to Highway 61

Now the fifth daughter on the twelfth night
Told the first father that things weren't right
My complexion she said is much too white
He said come here and step into the light he says hmmm you're right
Let me tell second mother this has been done
But the second mother was with the seventh son
And they were both out on Highway 61

Now the rowin' gambler he was very bored
He was tryin' to create a next world war
He found a promoter who nearly fell off the floor
He said I never engaged in this kind of thing before
But yes I think it can be very easily done
We'll just put some bleachers out in the sun
And have it on Highway 61

Johnny Winter covered Hwy 61 revisited in his own style and it became a regular on concert playlists.
Here is Johnny's 10 minute live version of Bob Dylan's Hwy 61 Revisited


Glen

Avid blues music connoisseur Bass guitar enthusiast

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