Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
Encyclopedia
"Baby, Let Me Follow You Down" is a traditional folk song popularised in the late 1950s by blues guitarist Eric Von Schmidt
. The song is best known from its appearance on Bob Dylan
's debut album Bob Dylan
.
, a blues-guitarist and singer-songwriter of the folk revival in the late 1950s. Von Schmidt was a well-known face in the east coast folk
scene and was reasonably well-known across the United States
. His chronicles of the Cambridge Folk era, also called "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down," describes the evolution of the song. Eric had first heard a song by Blind Boy Fuller
called "Baby, Let Me Lay It On You." Eric von Schmidt credits Reverend Gary Davis
for writing "three quarters" of this song (the melody is very similar to Davis' "Please Baby").
The first known recording, titled "Mama, Let Me Lay It On You," was made by Walter Coleman in 1936; however, Tony Russell claims that Memphis Minnie
recorded and released a duet version (with her husband Joe McCoy) as early as 1930, with the arrangement reused by McCoy and his band The Harlem Hamfats in a Jazz song titled "Let Your Linen Hang Low".
The title was changed to "Baby, Let Me follow You Down" around 1959, and became a feature in the coffee houses of Greenwich Village
in the early 1960s. The song was sung by local musicians such as Dave Van Ronk
. The song was later picked up by the young, up and coming folk singer Bob Dylan
, who made the song famous on his Columbia Records
debut.
The Animals
's "Baby Let Me Take You Home
" (1964), is said to be an adaptation of "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down".
An alternative history of the song is given on Arnold Ryens' site "The Originals". He claims that the earliest version was by the "State Street Boys" (featuring Big Bill Broonzy
). It was issued in 1935 under the title "Don't You Tear My Clothes" (with Lyrics credited to Sam Hopkins). Washboard Sam
apparently recorded it under the same title in 1936.
" at The Band
's Last Waltz concert
.
Eric Von Schmidt
Eric "Rick" Von Schmidt was an American singer-songwriter and Grammy Award recipient. He was associated with the folk/blues revival of the 1960s and a key part of the East Coast folk music scene that included Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.-Background and associations with Dylan:Von Schmidt's father,...
. The song is best known from its appearance on Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's debut album Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (album)
Bob Dylan is the debut album by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released in March 1962 on Columbia Records. It features two original compositions, the rest being old folk standards, and was produced by Columbia's legendary talent scout John H...
.
Early years of the song
The song was adapted by Eric Von SchmidtEric Von Schmidt
Eric "Rick" Von Schmidt was an American singer-songwriter and Grammy Award recipient. He was associated with the folk/blues revival of the 1960s and a key part of the East Coast folk music scene that included Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.-Background and associations with Dylan:Von Schmidt's father,...
, a blues-guitarist and singer-songwriter of the folk revival in the late 1950s. Von Schmidt was a well-known face in the east coast folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
scene and was reasonably well-known across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His chronicles of the Cambridge Folk era, also called "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down," describes the evolution of the song. Eric had first heard a song by Blind Boy Fuller
Blind Boy Fuller
Blind Boy Fuller was an American blues guitarist and vocalist. He was one of the most popular of the recorded Piedmont blues artists with rural Black Americans, a group that also included Blind Blake, Josh White, and Buddy Moss.-Life and career:Fulton Allen was born in Wadesboro, North Carolina,...
called "Baby, Let Me Lay It On You." Eric von Schmidt credits Reverend Gary Davis
Reverend Gary Davis
Reverend Gary Davis, also Blind Gary Davis, was an American blues and gospel singer and guitarist, who was also proficient on the banjo and harmonica...
for writing "three quarters" of this song (the melody is very similar to Davis' "Please Baby").
The first known recording, titled "Mama, Let Me Lay It On You," was made by Walter Coleman in 1936; however, Tony Russell claims that Memphis Minnie
Memphis Minnie
Memphis Minnie was an American blues guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. She was the only female blues artist considered a match to male contemporaries as both a singer and an instrumentalist.-Career:...
recorded and released a duet version (with her husband Joe McCoy) as early as 1930, with the arrangement reused by McCoy and his band The Harlem Hamfats in a Jazz song titled "Let Your Linen Hang Low".
The title was changed to "Baby, Let Me follow You Down" around 1959, and became a feature in the coffee houses of Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
in the early 1960s. The song was sung by local musicians such as Dave Van Ronk
Dave Van Ronk
Dave Van Ronk was an American folk singer, born in Brooklyn, New York, who settled in Greenwich Village, New York, and was eventually nicknamed the "Mayor of MacDougal Street" ....
. The song was later picked up by the young, up and coming folk singer Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, who made the song famous on his Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
debut.
The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
's "Baby Let Me Take You Home
Baby Let Me Take You Home
"Baby Let Me Take You Home", a song credited to Bert Russell and Wes Farrell, was The Animals' debut single, released in 1964. In the UK, it reached #21 on the pop singles chart. In the U.S...
" (1964), is said to be an adaptation of "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down".
An alternative history of the song is given on Arnold Ryens' site "The Originals". He claims that the earliest version was by the "State Street Boys" (featuring Big Bill Broonzy
Big Bill Broonzy
Big Bill Broonzy was a prolific American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s when he played country blues to mostly black audiences. Through the ‘30s and ‘40s he successfully navigated a transition in style to a more urban blues sound popular with white audiences...
). It was issued in 1935 under the title "Don't You Tear My Clothes" (with Lyrics credited to Sam Hopkins). Washboard Sam
Washboard Sam
Robert Brown , known professionally as Washboard Sam, was an American blues singer and musician.-Biography:...
apparently recorded it under the same title in 1936.
Dylan years
The song became very popular amongst Dylan's following and was a regular feature of Dylan's song list. During his 1966 World Tour Bob Dylan electrified the sound of the song, playing the song with electric guitar and a five-piece electric band including drum-kit as backing. Dylan performed the song with a medley of "Forever YoungForever Young (Bob Dylan song)
"Forever Young" is a song by Bob Dylan. The song first appeared on Dylan's 1974 album Planet Waves.- Analysis :In the notes for the 2007 album titled DYLAN, Bill Flanagan had the following to say about "Forever Young":...
" at The Band
The Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
's Last Waltz concert
The Last Waltz
The Last Waltz was a concert by the rock group The Band, held on American Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco...
.
Additional verses
An early version of the song contained two verses and a main chorus. Bob Dylan added another verse to the song which appeared regularly. The song has also been edited and changed over the last half a century.Dylan albums containing the song
- Bob DylanBob Dylan (album)Bob Dylan is the debut album by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released in March 1962 on Columbia Records. It features two original compositions, the rest being old folk standards, and was produced by Columbia's legendary talent scout John H...
, recorded November 1961, issued 1962 - BiographBiograph (album)Biograph is a 53-track compilation spanning the career of Bob Dylan, from his 1962 debut album to the 1981 LP Shot of Love. Released in 1985 by Columbia Records, on both a 5-LP and a 3-CD Box set, it was one of the earliest and most successful examples of the CD Box set...
, from Bob Dylan, issued 1985 - The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert, recorded May 1966, issued 1998
- The Last WaltzThe Last WaltzThe Last Waltz was a concert by the rock group The Band, held on American Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco...
, live with The BandThe BandThe Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
, recorded November 1976, issued April 1978 - The Bootleg Series Vol. 9 – The Witmark Demos: 1962–1964, recorded January 1964, issued October 2010
Other recordings
- Dave Van RonkDave Van RonkDave Van Ronk was an American folk singer, born in Brooklyn, New York, who settled in Greenwich Village, New York, and was eventually nicknamed the "Mayor of MacDougal Street" ....
recorded "Baby, Let Me Lay It On You" on his 1964 album Just Dave Van RonkJust Dave Van RonkJust Dave Van Ronk is a 1964 album by folk/blues singer Dave Van Ronk. It has not been released on CD.-History:It is probably this arrangement of "House Of The Risin' Sun" that was developed by Dave Van Ronk that Bob Dylan — who was a close friend of Van Ronk's at the time — used on his 1962 debut...
(Mercury SR/MR 20908). - Jackie DeShannonJackie DeShannonJackie DeShannon is an American singer-songwriter with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards. She was one of the first female singer-songwriters of the rock 'n' roll period.- Life and early career :...
covered the song on her 1965 album Jackie: In the WindJackie: In the WindIn the Wind is an LP album by Jackie DeShannon, released by Imperial Records under catalog number LP-9296 as a monophonic recording in 1965, and later in stereo under catalog number LP-12296 the same year.-Track listing:...
. - Eric von SchmidtEric Von SchmidtEric "Rick" Von Schmidt was an American singer-songwriter and Grammy Award recipient. He was associated with the folk/blues revival of the 1960s and a key part of the East Coast folk music scene that included Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.-Background and associations with Dylan:Von Schmidt's father,...
, recorded "Baby, Let Me Lay It on You" as the title track of his 1995 album. - Bryan FerryBryan FerryBryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
recorded the song on his album Dylanesque, released 2007. He also performed the song throughout his 2007 tour. - Experimental jazz trio Medeski Martin & WoodMedeski Martin & WoodMedeski Martin & Wood is an American jazz trio formed in 1991, consisting of John Medeski on keyboards and piano, Billy Martin on drums and percussion, and Chris Wood on double bass and bass guitar....
arranged and recorded an instrumental blues version for their 2009 album Radiolarians 2, part of their The Radiolarian SeriesThe Radiolarian SeriesThe Radiolarian Series is an album project by experimental jazz fusion trio Medeski Martin & Wood released in three installments in 2008-2009....
. - French mash-up bootlegging artist ToToM used Dylan's original version with the The RaptureThe Rapture (band)The Rapture is an Indie rock band based in New York City. The band mixes influences from many genres including post-punk, acid house, disco, electronica and rock, pioneering the post-punk revival genre...
's Get Myself Into ItGet Myself Into It"Get Myself Into It" is The Rapture's first single taken from the 2006 album Pieces of the People We Love.-12":*A1 – Get Myself Into It *A2 – Get Myself Into It...
in the mash-up song Rapture (Let Me Follow You Down) for his 2009 album, Dylan Mashed. - Widespread PanicWidespread PanicWidespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
has covered the song 9 times to date, most recently at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater on Sept 30th, 2011.
External links
- Eric Von Schmidt on SongTalk, 1993 - Von Schmidt speculates about the origins and evolution of the song he popularized.
- Rev. Gary Davis bio at BobDylanRoots.com - Short bio examines Davis' claim that he authored the song.