It Ain't Me Babe: Difference between revisions

"It Ain't Me Babe"
"It Ain't Me Babe"
	1964 sheet music cover
Song by Bob Dylan
from the album Another Side of Bob Dylan
Released	August 8, 1964
Recorded	June 9, 1964
Studio	CBS 30th Street Studio, New York City
Genre	Folk
Length	3:33
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Bob Dylan
Producer(s)	Tom Wilson

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"It Ain't Me Babe" is a song by Bob Dylan that originally appeared on his fourth album Another Side of Bob Dylan, which was released in 1964 by Columbia Records. According to music critic Oliver Trager, this song, along with others on the album, marked a departure for Dylan as he began to explore the possibilities of language and deeper levels of the human experience.^[1] Within a year of its release, the song was picked up as a single by folk rock act the Turtles^[2] and country artist Johnny Cash (who sang it as a duet with his future wife June Carter).^[3] Jan & Dean also covered the track on their Folk 'n Roll LP in 1965.

Influences

Dylan's biographers generally agree that the song owes its inspiration to his former girlfriend Suze Rotolo. He reportedly began writing the song during his visit to Italy in 1963 while searching for Rotolo, who was studying there.^[1]^[4]

Clinton Heylin reports that a Times reporter at a May 1964 Royal Festival Hall concert where Dylan first played "It Ain't Me" took the chorus "no, no, no" as a parody of the Beatles' "yeah, yeah, yeah" in "She Loves You".^[5]

Nat Hentoff's late October 1964 New Yorker article on Dylan includes an account of Hentoff's presence on the evening in June 1964 in the CBS recording studio when Dylan recorded this and a dozen or so other songs. After some description of the recording studio and booth exchanges among Dylan, his friends, and the session's producers, Hentoff describes the moment. "Dylan," Hentoff writes, "went on to record a song about a man leaving a girl because he was not prepared to be the kind of invincible hero and all-encompassing provider she wanted." "'It ain't me you're looking for babe,' he [Dylan] sang, with finality," Hentoff writes in his piece.

The melody in both phrases uses a scale descending through a minor third. (Dylan played at the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday, May 17, 1964. The Times reviewed the performance in the following day's edition under the heading of "A Minnesota Minstrel." However, the review makes no mention of "It Ain't Me, Babe.")

Notable renditions

Dylan and Johnny Cash were admirers of each other's work.^[6] Cash recorded the song with June Carter. The song was released on Cash's 1965 album, Orange Blossom Special, and became a hit. This song was also featured in the 2005 film about Cash's life, Walk the Line, and was performed by Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon on the film's soundtrack.
In 1965, the Turtles also had a breakthrough hit single of the song, which reached #8 in the U.S. and was then featured on their debut album of the same name.^[4]
"It Ain't Me Babe" was among many Dylan songs recorded by Joan Baez in the early years of her career.^[7] Baez's version appeared on her 1964 album Joan Baez/5, which also included "Go 'Way from My Window". Additionally, Baez's 1967 album Live in Japan contains the song. Dylan and Baez sang a duet of "It Ain't Me Babe" at the Newport Folk Festival on July 24, 1964, as can be seen in the 2007 documentary film The Other Side of the Mirror, and their October 31, 1964 performance of it may be heard on The Bootleg Series Vol. 6: Bob Dylan Live 1964, Concert at Philharmonic Hall, released in 2004.
Kesha covered the song during the 2016 Billboard Music Awards.^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b Trager, Oliver (2004). Keys to the Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. Billboard Books. pp. 14–15, 314–315. ISBN 0-8230-7974-0.
^ Sounes, Howard (2001). Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan. New York: Grove Press. pp. 157, 177. ISBN 0-8021-1686-8. OCLC 45639109.
^ Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2015). Bob Dylan All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal. ISBN 978-0-316-35353-3. OCLC 948752096.
^ ^a ^b Gill, Andy (2011). Bob Dylan: The Stories Behind the Songs 1962–1969. Carlton Books. p. 85. ISBN 978-1-84732-759-8.
^ Heylin, Clinton (2001). Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited. HarperCollins. p. 154. ISBN 0-06-052569-X.
^ Springer, Mike (2012-06-14). "Inside the 1969 Bob Dylan-Johnny Cash Sessions". Open Culture. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 19 - Blowin' in the Wind: Pop discovers folk music. [Part 2]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
^ "Kesha Slays Bob Dylan's 'It Ain't Me Babe' at 2016 Billboard Music Awards". Billboard.

External links

BobDylan.com lyrics

[Trager-1] Trager, Oliver (2004). Keys to the Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. Billboard Books. pp. 14–15, 314–315. ISBN 0-8230-7974-0.

[2] Sounes, Howard (2001). Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan. New York: Grove Press. pp. 157, 177. ISBN 0-8021-1686-8. OCLC 45639109.

[3] Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2015). Bob Dylan All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal. ISBN 978-0-316-35353-3. OCLC 948752096.

[Gill-4] Gill, Andy (2011). Bob Dylan: The Stories Behind the Songs 1962–1969. Carlton Books. p. 85. ISBN 978-1-84732-759-8.

[5] Heylin, Clinton (2001). Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited. HarperCollins. p. 154. ISBN 0-06-052569-X.

[6] Springer, Mike (2012-06-14). "Inside the 1969 Bob Dylan-Johnny Cash Sessions". Open Culture. Retrieved 2016-09-29.

[pc19-7] Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 19 - Blowin' in the Wind: Pop discovers folk music. [Part 2]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.

[8] "Kesha Slays Bob Dylan's 'It Ain't Me Babe' at 2016 Billboard Music Awards". Billboard.

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+{{Otheruses}}
-{{redirect|It Ain't Me, Babe}}
-{{Infobox song <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Songs -->
+{{Infobox song
-| Name           = It Ain't Me Babe
+| name     = It Ain't Me Babe
-| Artist         = [[Bob Dylan]]
+| cover    = It Ain't Me Babe sheet music 1964.png
+| alt      =
-| Album          = [[Another Side of Bob Dylan]]
+| caption  = 1964 sheet music cover
-| Released       = {{Start date|1964|08|8}}
-| Recorded       = June 9, 1964
+| type     =
+| artist   = [[Bob Dylan]]
-| Studio = [[CBS 30th Street Studio]], New York City
-| Genre          = [[American folk music revival|Folk]]
+| album    = [[Another Side of Bob Dylan]]
-| Length         = {{Duration|m=3|s=33}}
+| released = {{Start date|1964|08|8}}
-| Writer         = Bob Dylan
+| format   =
+| recorded = June 9, 1964
-| Label          = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
+| studio   = [[CBS 30th Street Studio]], New York City
-| Producer       = [[Tom Wilson (producer)|Tom Wilson]]
+| venue    =
-| Tracks         = {{Another Side of Bob Dylan tracks}}
+| genre    = [[American folk music revival|Folk]]
+| length   = {{Duration|m=3|s=33}}
+| label    = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
+| writer   = Bob Dylan
+| producer = [[Tom Wilson (producer)|Tom Wilson]]
 }}
-"'''It Ain't Me Babe'''" is a song by [[Bob Dylan]] that originally appeared on his fourth album ''[[Another Side of Bob Dylan]]'', which was released in 1964 by [[Columbia Records]]. According to music critic Oliver Trager, this song, along with others on the album, marked a departure for Dylan as he began to explore the possibilities of language and deeper levels of the human experience.<ref name = Trager /> Within a year of its release, the song was picked up as a single by [[folk rock]] act [[the Turtles]]<ref>{{Cite book | first = Howard | last = Sounes | title = Down The Highway: The Life Of Bob Dylan | publisher = Grove Press | year = 2001| isbn = 0-8021-1686-8 | pages = 157, 177}}</ref> and [[Country music|country]] artist [[Johnny Cash]] (who sang it as a duet with his future wife [[June Carter]]).<ref>{{cite book|last1=Margotin|first1=Philippe|last2=Guesdon|first2=Jean-Michel|title=Bob Dylan All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track|year=2015|publisher=Black Dog & Leventhal|isbn=978-0-316-35353-3|nopp=y}}</ref>
+"'''It Ain't Me Babe'''" is a song by [[Bob Dylan]] that originally appeared on his fourth album ''[[Another Side of Bob Dylan]]'', which was released in 1964 by [[Columbia Records]]. According to music critic Oliver Trager, this song, along with others on the album, marked a departure for Dylan as he began to explore the possibilities of language and deeper levels of the human experience.<ref name = Trager /> Within a year of its release, the song was picked up as a single by [[folk rock]] act [[the Turtles]]<ref>{{Cite book |first=Howard |last=Sounes |year=2001 |title=Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/downhighwaylifeo0000soun/page/157 |location=New York |publisher=Grove Press |isbn=0-8021-1686-8 |oclc=45639109 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/downhighwaylifeo0000soun/page/157 157, 177] }}</ref> and [[Country music|country]] artist [[Johnny Cash]] (who sang it as a duet with his future wife [[June Carter]]).<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Margotin |first1=Philippe |last2=Guesdon |first2=Jean-Michel |year=2015 |title=Bob Dylan All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track |location=New York |publisher=Black Dog & Leventhal |isbn=978-0-316-35353-3 |oclc=948752096}}</ref> [[Jan and Dean|Jan & Dean]] also covered the track on their ''Folk 'n Roll'' LP in 1965.
 ==Influences==
 Dylan's biographers generally agree that the song owes its inspiration to his former girlfriend [[Suze Rotolo]]. He reportedly began writing the song during his visit to Italy in 1963 while searching for Rotolo, who was studying there.<ref name = "Trager">{{cite book | last = Trager | first = Oliver | title = Keys to the Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia | year = 2004 | publisher = Billboard Books | isbn = 0-8230-7974-0 | pages = 14–15, 314–315}}</ref><ref name = "Gill" />
-[[Clinton Heylin]] reports that a ''[[The Times|Times]]'' reporter at a May 1964 [[Royal Festival Hall]] concert where Dylan first played "It Ain't Me" took the chorus "no, no, no" as a parody of [[the Beatles]]' "yeah, yeah, yeah" in "[[She Loves You]]".<ref>{{cite book | last = Heylin | first = Clinton | authorlink = Clinton Heylin | title = Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited | year = 2001 | publisher = HarperCollins | isbn = 0-06-052569-X | page = 154 }}</ref>
+[[Clinton Heylin]] reports that a ''[[The Times|Times]]'' reporter at a May 1964 [[Royal Festival Hall]] concert where Dylan first played "It Ain't Me" took the chorus "no, no, no" as a parody of [[the Beatles]]' "yeah, yeah, yeah" in "[[She Loves You]]".<ref>{{cite book | last = Heylin | first = Clinton | author-link = Clinton Heylin | title = Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited | year = 2001 | publisher = HarperCollins | isbn = 0-06-052569-X | page = 154 }}</ref>
-Nat Hentoff's late October 1964 ''New Yorker'' article on Dylan includes an account of Hentoff's presence on the evening in June 1964 in the CBS recording studio when Dylan recorded this and a dozen or so other songs. After some description of the recording studio and booth exchanges among Dylan, his friends, and the session's producers, Hentoff describes the moment. "Dylan," Hentoff writes, "went on to record a song about a man leaving a girl because he was not prepared to be the kind of invincible hero and all-encompassing provider she wanted."  "'It ain't me you're looking for babe,' he [Dylan] sang, with finality," Hentoff writes in his piece.
+[[Nat Hentoff]]'s late October 1964 ''New Yorker'' article on Dylan includes an account of Hentoff's presence on the evening in June 1964 in the CBS recording studio when Dylan recorded this and a dozen or so other songs. After some description of the recording studio and booth exchanges among Dylan, his friends, and the session's producers, Hentoff describes the moment. "Dylan," Hentoff writes, "went on to record a song about a man leaving a girl because he was not prepared to be the kind of invincible hero and all-encompassing provider she wanted."  "'It ain't me you're looking for babe,' he [Dylan] sang, with finality," Hentoff writes in his piece.
 The melody in both phrases uses a scale descending through a [[minor third]]. (Dylan played at the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday, May 17, 1964. The ''Times'' reviewed the performance in the following day's edition under the heading of "A Minnesota Minstrel." However, the review makes no mention of "It Ain't Me, Babe.")
+==Notable renditions==
-==Renditions==
-* Dylan and [[Johnny Cash]] were admirers of each other's work.<ref>{{cite web|last=Springer |first=Mike |url=http://www.openculture.com/2012/06/the_1969_bob_dylan-johnny_cash_sessions_twelve_rare_recordings.html |title=Inside the 1969 Bob Dylan-Johnny Cash Sessions |publisher=Open Culture |date=2012-06-14 |accessdate=2016-09-29}}</ref> Cash recorded the song with [[June Carter Cash|June Carter]]. The song was released on Cash's 1965 album, ''[[Orange Blossom Special (album)|Orange Blossom Special]]'', and became a hit. This song was also featured in the 2005 film about Cash's life, ''[[Walk the Line]]'', and was performed by [[Joaquin Phoenix]] and [[Reese Witherspoon]] on [[Walk the Line (soundtrack)|the film's soundtrack]].
+* Dylan and [[Johnny Cash]] were admirers of each other's work.<ref>{{cite web|last=Springer |first=Mike |url=http://www.openculture.com/2012/06/the_1969_bob_dylan-johnny_cash_sessions_twelve_rare_recordings.html |title=Inside the 1969 Bob Dylan-Johnny Cash Sessions |publisher=Open Culture |date=2012-06-14 |access-date=2016-09-29}}</ref> Cash recorded the song with [[June Carter Cash|June Carter]]. The song was released on Cash's 1965 album, ''[[Orange Blossom Special (album)|Orange Blossom Special]]'', and became a hit. This song was also featured in the 2005 film about Cash's life, ''[[Walk the Line]]'', and was performed by [[Joaquin Phoenix]] and [[Reese Witherspoon]] on [[Walk the Line (soundtrack)|the film's soundtrack]].
-* In 1965, [[The Turtles]] also had a breakthrough hit single of the song, which reached #8 in the U.S. and was then featured on their [[It Ain't Me Babe (album)|debut album of the same name]].<ref name = "Gill">{{cite book | last = Gill | first = Andy | authorlink = Andy Gill | title = Bob Dylan: The Stories Behind the Songs 1962–1969 | year = 2011 | publisher = Carlton Books | isbn = 978-1-84732-759-8 | page = 85}}</ref>
+* In 1965, [[the Turtles]] also had a breakthrough hit single of the song, which reached #8 in the U.S. and was then featured on their [[It Ain't Me Babe (album)|debut album of the same name]].<ref name = "Gill">{{cite book |last=Gill |first=Andy |author-link=Andy Gill (writer) |year=2011 |title=Bob Dylan: The Stories Behind the Songs 1962–1969 |publisher=Carlton Books |page=85 |isbn=978-1-84732-759-8}}</ref>
+* "It Ain't Me Babe" was among many Dylan songs recorded by [[Joan Baez]] in the early years of her career.<ref name=pc19>{{Gilliland |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19769/m1/ |title=Show 19 - Blowin' in the Wind: Pop discovers folk music. [Part 2]}}</ref> Baez's version appeared on her 1964 album ''[[Joan Baez/5]]'', which also included "Go 'Way from My Window". Additionally, Baez's 1967 album ''Live in Japan'' contains the song. Dylan and Baez sang a duet of "It Ain't Me Babe" at the [[Newport Folk Festival]] on July 24, 1964, as can be seen in the 2007 documentary film ''[[The Other Side of the Mirror (film)|The Other Side of the Mirror]]'', and their October 31, 1964 performance of it may be heard on ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 6: Bob Dylan Live 1964, Concert at Philharmonic Hall]]'', released in 2004.
-* [[Jan & Dean]] covered "It Ain't Me Babe" on their 1965 album, ''Folk 'n Roll''.
+* [[Kesha]] covered the song during the [[2016 Billboard Music Awards|2016 ''Billboard'' Music Awards]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Kesha Slays Bob Dylan's 'It Ain't Me Babe' at 2016 Billboard Music Awards |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/bbma/7378393/kesha-bob-dylan-it-aint-me-babe-2016-billboard-music-awards |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] }}</ref>
-* "It Ain't Me Babe" was among many Dylan songs recorded by [[Joan Baez]] in the early years of her career.<ref name=pc19>{{Gilliland |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19769/m1/ |title=Show 19 - Blowin' in the Wind: Pop discovers folk music. [Part 2]}}</ref> Baez's version appeared on her 1964 album ''[[Joan Baez/5]],'' which also included "Go 'Way From My Window."  Additionally, Baez's 1967 album ''Live In Japan'' contains the song. Dylan and Baez sang a duet of "It Ain't Me Babe" at the [[Newport Folk Festival]] on July 24, 1964, as can be seen in the 2007 documentary film ''[[The Other Side of the Mirror (film)|The Other Side of the Mirror]]'', and their October 31, 1964 performance of it may be heard on ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 6: Bob Dylan Live 1964, Concert at Philharmonic Hall]]'', released in 2004.
-* [[Sebastian Cabot (actor)|Sebastian Cabot]] recorded a spoken-word variation of the song for his infamous ''Sebastian Cabot, actor...Bob Dylan, poet'' album in 1966.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bsnpubs.com/mgm/mgm44014600.html |title=MGM Album Discography, Part 9 |first1=Mike|last1=Callahan |first2=David|last2=Edwards |first3=Patrice|last3=Eyries |first4=Peter|last4=Preuss |publisher=Both Sides Now Publications |date=23 April 2003 |accessdate=24 October 2014}}</ref> This version was included in ''[[Golden Throats|Golden Throats: The Great Celebrity Sing Off]]'' in 1988.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bsnpubs.com/warner/rhino/02rhino100.html |title=Rhino Album Discography, Part 2 |first1=Mike|last1=Callahan  |first2=David|last2=Edwards |first3=Patrice|last3=Eyries |publisher=Both Sides Now Publications |date=25 July 2004 |accessdate=24 October 2014}}</ref>
-* [[Nancy Sinatra]] covered "It Ain't Me Babe" on her #1 1966 [[Boots (album)|''Boots'']] album.
-* [[Davy Jones (actor)|Davy Jones]] covered the song on his 1965 self-titled debut album ''David Jones'' and released it as a single in 1967.
-* [[Johnny Thunders]] covered the song on the 1983 album ''[[Hurt Me]]''.
-* Christofer Drew of [[Never Shout Never]] covered the song in 2010 for ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'''s website Billboard.com.
-* The pop-punk band [[New Found Glory]] covered the song on their album ''[[From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II]]''.
-* [[Bryan Ferry]] covered the song on ''[[Another Time, Another Place (album)|Another Time, Another Place]]'' album in 1974
-* [[Kesha]] covered the song during the [[2016 Billboard Music Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/bbma/7378393/kesha-bob-dylan-it-aint-me-babe-2016-billboard-music-awards|title=Kesha Slays Bob Dylan's 'It Ain't Me Babe' at 2016 Billboard Music Awards|publisher=}}</ref>
-* [[Adam Harvey]] and [[Beccy Cole]] covered the song on their album ''[[The Great Country Songbook Volume 2]]'' (2017).
-* Soul singer [[Bettye LaVette]] included the song on her 2018 Dylan covers album ''Things Have Changed''.
 == References ==
@@ Line 47: / Line 43: @@
 * [http://www.bobdylan.com/#/songs/it-aint-me-babe BobDylan.com] lyrics
+{{Navboxes
+| title = Bob Dylan related articles
+| titlestyle = background: khaki
+| list1  =
 {{Bob Dylan}}
+{{Bob Dylan songs (1960s)}}
+}}
 {{Johnny Cash}}
 {{The Turtles}}
+{{authority control}}
 [[Category:1964 songs]]
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 [[Category:Bob Dylan songs]]
 [[Category:Johnny Cash songs]]
-[[Category:Jan and Dean songs]]
 [[Category:Joan Baez songs]]
 [[Category:June Carter Cash songs]]
-[[Category:Peter, Paul and Mary songs]]
 [[Category:The Turtles songs]]
-[[Category:Nancy Sinatra songs]]
-[[Category:Reese Witherspoon songs]]
-[[Category:The Byrds songs]]
 [[Category:Song recordings produced by Tom Wilson (record producer)]]
 [[Category:Columbia Records singles]]

v t e The Turtles
Howard Kaylan Mark Volman Al Nichol Jim Tucker Don Murray Chuck Portz Chip Douglas Joel Larson John Barbata Jim Pons John Seiter
Studio albums	It Ain't Me Babe You Baby Happy Together The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands Turtle Soup
Compilations	Golden Hits More Golden Hits Wooden Head
Singles	"It Ain't Me Babe" "Let Me Be" "You Baby" "Happy Together" "She'd Rather Be with Me" "You Know What I Mean" "She's My Girl" "Elenore" "You Showed Me" "Grim Reaper of Love" "Eve of Destruction"
Related articles	Discography Flo & Eddie My Dinner with Jimi "Christmas Is My Time of Year"
Category