It Ain't Me Babe
Encyclopedia
"It Ain't Me Babe" is the title of a 1964 song by Bob Dylan
, first included on his album Another Side of Bob Dylan
. The song's opening line ("Go away from my window...") is allegedly influenced by musicologist/folk-singer John Jacob Niles
' composition "Go 'Way From My Window." Niles is referred to by Dylan as an early influence in his autobiography, Chronicles, Vol. 1. 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 lines "no, no, no, it ain't me babe" as a parody of The Beatles
' "She Loves You
". When Bob Dylan played his first electric concerts at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Carnegie Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, and Monterey in 1965, he gave "It Ain't Me, Babe" an electric arrangement.
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...
, first included on his album Another Side of Bob Dylan
Another Side of Bob Dylan
Another Side of Bob Dylan is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. It was released August 8, 1964 by Columbia Records....
. The song's opening line ("Go away from my window...") is allegedly influenced by musicologist/folk-singer John Jacob Niles
John Jacob Niles
John Jacob Niles was an American composer, singer, and collector of traditional ballads. Called the "Dean of American Balladeers", Niles was an important influence on the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s, with Joan Baez, Burl Ives, and Peter, Paul and Mary, among others,...
' composition "Go 'Way From My Window." Niles is referred to by Dylan as an early influence in his autobiography, Chronicles, Vol. 1. Clinton Heylin reports that a Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
reporter at a May 1964 Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
concert where Dylan first played "It Ain't Me" took the lines "no, no, no, it ain't me babe" as a parody of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' "She Loves You
She Loves You
"She Loves You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney based on an idea by McCartney, originally recorded by The Beatles for release as a single in 1963. The single set and surpassed several records in the United Kingdom charts, and set a record in the United States by being one of the...
". When Bob Dylan played his first electric concerts at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Carnegie Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, and Monterey in 1965, he gave "It Ain't Me, Babe" an electric arrangement.
Notable covers and references
- Dylan and Johnny CashJohnny CashJohn R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
admired each other's work a great deal, and with Dylan's blessing, Cash recorded the song with June CarterJune Carter CashValerie June Carter Cash was an American singer, dancer, songwriter, actress, comedienne and author who was a member of the Carter Family and the second wife of singer Johnny Cash...
. The song was released on Cash's 1965 album, Orange Blossom SpecialOrange Blossom Special (album)Due to the acclaim that the cover of the song "Orange Blossom Special" received from the audiences that attended live concerts of Cash, a single of the song was released previous to the album, in February of 1965 reaching number three in the Billboard singles. During the mid 1960s, the authorship...
, and became a hit. This song was also featured in the 2005 film about Cash's life, Walk the LineWalk the LineWalk the Line is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold and based on the early life and career of country music artist Johnny Cash...
, and was performed by Joaquin PhoenixJoaquin PhoenixJoaquin Rafael Phoenix , formerly credited as Leaf Phoenix, is an American film actor. He was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and his family returned to the continental United States four years later...
and Reese WitherspoonReese WitherspoonLaura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon , better known as Reese Witherspoon, is an American actress and film producer. Witherspoon landed her first feature role as the female lead in the film The Man in the Moon in 1991; later that year she made her television acting debut, in the cable movie Wildflower...
on the film's soundtrackWalk the Line (soundtrack)Walk the Line is a Grammy Award-winning soundtrack from the movie Walk the Line released November 15, 2005 by Wind-Up Records. There are nine songs performed by Joaquin Phoenix, four songs by Reese Witherspoon, one song by Waylon Payne, one song by Johnathan Rice, two songs by Tyler Hilton, and...
.
- In 1965, The TurtlesThe TurtlesThe Turtles are an American rock group led by vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. The band became notable for several Top 40 hits beginning with its cover version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965...
also had a hit single of the song, which reached #8 in the U.S. and was then featured on their album of the same nameIt Ain't Me Babe (album)It Ain't Me Babe is The Turtles first studio album. It was released in October 1965 on White Whale Records.Sundazed Records licensed the rights to The Turtles library and has re-released most of their early albums.-Track listing:Side 1...
.
- "It Ain't Me Babe" was among many Dylan songs recorded by Joan BaezJoan BaezJoan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
in the early years of their careers. Baez's version appeared on Joan Baez/5Joan Baez/5Joan Baez/5 is a 1964 album by American folk singer Joan Baez. It peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 chart. The single "There But for Fortune" reached number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100.-History:...
, which also included "Go 'Way From My Window." Additionally, Baez's version from 1967 Live In Japan also contains the song.
- Nancy SinatraNancy SinatraNancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
covered "It Ain't Me Babe" on her 1966 BootsBoots (album)Boots is a 1966 studio album by Nancy Sinatra. The album was produced by Lee Hazlewood. Billy Strange was the arranger and conductor.- Track listing :#"As Tears Go By" – 2:54...
album.
- Davy JonesDavy Jones (actor)David Thomas "Davy" Jones is an English rock singer-songwriter and actor best known as a member of the Monkees.-Early life:...
covered it on his 1965 self-titled debut album.
- Earl ScruggsEarl ScruggsEarl Eugene Scruggs is an American musician noted for perfecting and popularizing a 3-finger banjo-picking style that is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music...
covered "It Ain't Me Babe" and "Blowin' in the WindBlowin' in the Wind"Blowin' in the Wind" is a song written by Bob Dylan and released on his album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in 1963. Although it has been described as a protest song, it poses a series of questions about peace, war and freedom...
".
- Fleet FoxesFleet FoxesFleet Foxes are a folk rock band which formed in Seattle, Washington. They are signed to the Sub Pop and Bella Union record labels. The band came to prominence in 2008 with the release of their second EP, Sun Giant, and their debut full length album Fleet Foxes...
have also covered "It Ain't Me Babe".
- In the film BlowBlow (film)Blow is a 2001 biopic about the American cocaine smuggler George Jung, directed by Ted Demme. David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes adapted Bruce Porter's 1993 book Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellín Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All for the screenplay. It is based on the real...
, George JungGeorge JungGeorge Jacob Jung , nicknamed "Boston George", was a major player in the cocaine trade in the United States in the 1970s and early 1980s. Jung was a part of the Medellín Cartel which was responsible for up to 85 percent of the cocaine smuggled into the United States . He specialized in the...
(played by Johnny DeppJohnny DeppJohn Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
) recites a line from "It Ain't Me Babe" while on trial for marijuana possession with intent to distribute.
- EditorsEditorsEditors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham, who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith , Chris Urbanowicz , Russell Leetch and Ed Lay .Editors have so far released two platinum studio...
covered the song on Dermot O'Leary's Saturday Sessions Album in 2010.
- Johnny ThundersJohnny ThundersJohnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr. , was an American protopunk guitarist, singer and songwriter.He came to prominence in the early '70s as a member of the New York Dolls...
covered the song in 1983 in Hurt me album.
- Christofer Drew of Never Shout Never covered the song in 2010 for BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's website Billboard.com.
- It Ain't Me by T-PainT-PainFaheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
featuring Akon and T.I is a cover version of the Dylan Song on T-Pain's album Thr33 RingzThr33 Ringz-Commercial performance:Three Ringz debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, selling over 167,700 copies in its first week. The album has been certified Gold, selling over 700,000 copies.-Reception:-External links:**...
(2009).
External
- BobDylan.com lyrics