Origins: Tune to Dylan 'Walls of Red Wing'

Subject: Origins: Tune to Dylan 'Walls of Red Wing'
From: GUEST,Scoville at work
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 12:18 PM

Was listening to some old 1930's-1940's cowboy songs on the way to work today and noticed that one, "The Old Hitching Rail" by Charlie Marshall & his Mavericks, has a tune remarkably similar to Bob Dylan's "Walls of Red Wing".

I know Dylan borrowed lyrics, tunes, and general ideas all over the place, especially in his early years, but does anyone know if the tune of "Red Wing" was based on an old song, and which song that might be? A lot of the old "cowboy songs"--most of them are pop tunes, really--seem to be based in some way on older music (there is a great country version of "Barbara Allan", with almost-unaltered bloody lyrics set to a lively tune) so I wouldn't be surprised if "Hitching Rail" also borrowed at least its tune from something earlier, although the lyrics are quite elaborate and sound modern to me.

Subject: RE: Origins: Tune to Dylan 'Walls of Red Wing'
From: Garry Gillard
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 06:33 AM

There's a great deal of information here: www.bobdylanroots.com/folk.html. Perhaps it includes what you are after.