I wonder if some of my American friends could share what they know about this song? I've been playing it for forty years or so - and I wish i had something to say about it - the kind of thing you can only say when you know what a song sprang from.

Like everyone else I heard it on Dylan's first album - by then The Animals had had their first hit with Baby let Me Take You Home - presumaly stolen from it.

I know (or think I know) this much:-

1) Ric Von Schmidt wrote it. The book BLMFYD seems to link it with a Blind Boy Fuller song.
2) I'm pretty sure I heard a Snooks Eaglin thing called Alberta - I don't know whether that came after BLMFYD - it sounds very similar.

I was puzzled by the idea that it was considered rather daring. Why? Is it an American colloqialism that I don't understand?

I don't know Ric Von Schmidts version - he said that it had different chords to the Dylan one.   I think the chords Dylan uses are pretty exquisite - they are what attracted me to the song.

Anyway, can anyone tell me a little bit about what it signified to the people who first sang it? Or just give me some insight.