Oh God said to Abraham, “Kill me a son”
Abe says, “Man, you must be puttin’ me on”
With those opening lines, this song takes off down the highway that runs through the heart of America, a highway filled with characters that spring from the American imagination and ends with a promoter (Bill Graham?) assuring the roving gambler that he could stage World War III out on Highway 61.
Dylan released the album Highway 61 Revisited on this date (August 30) in 1965, the second in a trio of albums released in an 18 month period, a trio (Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde) that may never have been matched. Can you think of a trio of albums by any artist that is the equal?
This is a rollicking Chiago blues befitting the lyrics. I love the addition of the police siren. In listening to the studio recordings – there were many takes before reaching the version we hear on the record – the siren suddenly appears. Who had that idea? Where did it come from?
We are almost 60 years on and Dylan is still performing this song in concert, heard him play it this summer at Jones Beach. If you had this song in your repertoire wouldn’t you play it as often as you could? According to the Dylan website, he has played it 2014 times live.
Many years ago, our family sat in a pew at St. Patrick’s in Huntington for Sunday mass. The lectern began to read the passage about Abraham and Issac, Patrick, our eldest, who was still in grade school, leaned forward and mouthed to me the opening lines to this song. Carol leaned back and sighed, realizing she was living among a pack of heathens.
Watch out, that music you listen to can be dangerous.
YouTube: https://youtu.be/8hr3Stnk8_k?si=QkZVgwyrJdQMN3zA
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/6os5B6xjuke9YfBKH3tu1e?si=cc026c0bc4a94980