It Ain't Me Babe

"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 artists who were forging the folk rock movement, including The Turtles and The Byrds.^[2]

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][3]

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".^[4] 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 covers and references

• Dylan and Johnny Cash were admirers of each other's work.^[5] 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.^[3]

• Jan & Dean covered "It Ain't Me Babe" on their 1965 album, Folk 'n Roll.

• "It Ain't Me Babe" was among many Dylan songs recorded by Joan Baez in the early years of their careers.^[6] 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.

• Sebastian Cabot recorded a spoken-word variation of the song for his infamous Sebastian Cabot, actor...Bob Dylan, poet album in 1966.^[7] This version was included in Golden Throats: The Great Celebrity Sing Off in 1988.^[8]

• Nancy Sinatra covered "It Ain't Me Babe" on her #1 1966 Boots album.

• Davy Jones covered the song on his 1965 self-titled debut album David Jones and released it as a single in 1967.

• Earl Scruggs recorded a version of the song.

• Chris Potter covered "It Ain't Me Babe" on his album Ultrahang.

• Fleet Foxes performed "It Ain't Me Babe" as part of BBC 6 Music HUB session in 2009.

• In the film Blow, George Jung (played by Johnny Depp) recites a line from "It Ain't Me Babe" while on trial for marijuana possession with intent to distribute.

• Editors covered the song on Dermot O'Leary's Saturday Sessions album in 2010.

• Johnny Thunders covered the song on the 1983 album Hurt Me.

• Christofer Drew of Never Shout Never covered the song in 2010 for Billboard's website Billboard.com.

• The Brazilian singer Mallu Magalhães covered the song in her first performances, one of them included on her DVD.

• The pop-punk band New Found Glory covered the song on their album From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II.

• Ô Paradis covered the song on the 2008 album "Pequeñas canciones de amor".

• Bryan Ferry covered the song on Another Time, Another Place album in 1974

• The Australian country and folk band The Lees covered the song on their 'Welcome Road" album in 2010.

• Laura Marling references the song in her single "Master Hunter" from her album Once I Was an Eagle of 2013.

• Tom Fletcher of British band McFly and wife Giovanna cover the song for his YouTube channel in 2013.

• Miley Cyrus covered the song during her 2014 Bangerz Tour

• Boy George did record an unreleased demo in 2012 and covered the song during his 2013-2014 This Is What I Do tour.

• Joaquín Sabina covered the song for his 2014 "500 noches para una crisis" tour. The version was translated "Ese no soy yo".

References

1. 1 2 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. Grove Press. pp. 157, 177. ISBN 0-8021-1686-8. 
3. 1 2 Gill, Andy (2011). Bob Dylan: The Stories Behind the Songs 1962–1969. Carlton Books. p. 85. ISBN 978-1-84732-759-8. 
4. ↑ Heylin, Clinton (2001). Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited. HarperCollins. p. 154. ISBN 0-06-052569-X. 
5. ↑ http://www.openculture.com/2012/06/the_1969_bob_dylan-johnny_cash_sessions_twelve_rare_recordings.html
6. ↑ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 19 - Blowin' in the Wind: Pop discovers folk music. [Part 2]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. Digital.library.unt.edu. 
7. ↑ Callahan, Mike; Edwards, David; Eyries, Patrice; Preuss, Peter (23 April 2003). "MGM Album Discography, Part 9". Both Sides Now Publications. Retrieved 24 October 2014. 
8. ↑ Callahan, Mike; Edwards, David; Eyries, Patrice (25 July 2004). "Rhino Album Discography, Part 2". Both Sides Now Publications. Retrieved 24 October 2014. 

External links

• BobDylan.com lyrics

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