Released: August 30, 1965
Songwriter: Bob Dylan
Producer: Bob Johnston
[Verse 1]
Oh God said to Abraham, “Kill me a son”
Abe said, “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 said, “Where you want this killin' done?”
God said, “Out on Highway 61”
[Verse 2]
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"
Oh Howard just pointed with his gun
And said, "That way, down Highway 61"
[Verse 3]
Well Mack the Finger said to Louie the King
"I got forty red, white and blue shoestrings
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"
[Verse 4]
Now the fifth daughter on the twelfth night
Told the first father that things weren’t right
"My complexion" she says "is much too white"
He said "Come here and step into the light"
He says "Hmm you’re right
Let me tell the second mother this has been done"
But the second mother was with the seventh son
And they were both out on Highway 61
[Verse 5]
Now the rovin' gambler he was very bored
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"
Oh God said to Abraham, “Kill me a son”
Abe said, “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 said, “Where you want this killin' done?”
God said, “Out on Highway 61”
[Verse 2]
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"
Oh Howard just pointed with his gun
And said, "That way, down Highway 61"
[Verse 3]
Well Mack the Finger said to Louie the King
"I got forty red, white and blue shoestrings
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"
[Verse 4]
Now the fifth daughter on the twelfth night
Told the first father that things weren’t right
"My complexion" she says "is much too white"
He said "Come here and step into the light"
He says "Hmm you’re right
Let me tell the second mother this has been done"
But the second mother was with the seventh son
And they were both out on Highway 61
[Verse 5]
Now the rovin' gambler he was very bored
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"
The Bootleg Series Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969–1971)
- Highway 61 Revisited
- Working on a Guru
- Railroad Bill
- Copper Kettle
- In Search of Little Sadie
- Thirsty Boots
- Pretty Saro
- Tattle O’Day
- Annie’s Going to Sing Her Song
- Bring Me a Little Water
- This Evening So Soon
- Alberta #3
- Time Passes Slowly #1
- These Hands
- Went to See the Gypsy (Demo)
- Time Passes Slowly #2
- Wallflower
- Only a Hobo
- House Carpenter
- I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
- I Threw It All Away
- Country Pie
- All the Tired Horses
- Little Sadie
- Belle Isle
- If Not for You
- Days of 49
- Minstrel Boy
- Wigwam
- When I Paint My Masterpiece
- If Dogs Run Free
- New Morning
- Sign on the Window
- Spanish Is the Loving Tongue
- Went to See the Gypsy (Alternate Version) [New Morning]
- Murder Most Foul
- Blowin’ in the Wind
- The Times They Are A-Changin’
- All Along the Watchtower
- Like a Rolling Stone
- Make You Feel My Love
- Hurricane
- Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
- Mr. Tambourine Man
- A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
- Subterranean Homesick Blues
- Desolation Row
- Tangled Up in Blue
- Masters of War
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
- It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
- Girl from the North Country
- Tempest
- It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
- Ballad of a Thin Man
- Visions of Johanna
- I Contain Multitudes
- To Fall in Love with You
- Shelter from the Storm