Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
Bob Dylan
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William Zanzinger killed poor Hattie Carroll With a cane that he twirled around his diamond ring finger At a Baltimore hotel society gathering And the cops were called in and his weapon took from him As they rode him in custody down to the station And booked William Zanzinger for first-degree murder But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears Take the rag away from your face Now ain't the time for your tears William Zanzinger, who at twenty-four years Owns a tobacco farm of six hundred acres With rich wealthy parents who provide and protect him And high office relations in the politics of Maryland Reacted to his deed with a shrug of his shoulders And swear words and sneering, and his tongue it was snarling In a matter of minutes, on bail was out walking But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize fears Take the rag away from your face Now ain't the time for your tears Hattie Carroll was a maid in the kitchen She was fifty-one years old and gave birth to ten children Who carried the dishes and took out the garbage And never sat once at the head of the table And didn't even talk to the people at the table Who just cleaned up all the food from the table And emptied the ashtrays on a whole other level Got killed by a blow, lay slain by a cane That sailed through the air and came down through the room Doomed and determined to destroy all the gentle And she never done nothing to William Zanzinger And you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears Take the rag away from your face Now ain't the time for your tears In the courtroom of honor, the judge pounded his gavel To show that all's equal and that the courts are on the level And that the strings in the books ain't pulled and persuaded And that even the nobles get properly handled Once that the cops have chased after and caught 'em And that the ladder of law has no top and no bottom Stared at the person who killed for no reason Who just happened to be feelin' that way without warnin' And he spoke through his cloak, most deep and distinguished And handed out strongly, for penalty and repentance William Zanzinger with a six-month sentence Oh, but you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears Bury the rag deep in your face For now's the time for your tears
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Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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10 facts about this song
SongwritingOne of Bob Dylan's earliest socio-political songs, "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll," was influenced by Dylan's concern for social rights and justice, which reflected a significant shift in his songwriting from the more personal themes to the broader social-political commentary.
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ContextThe song draws from the real story of Hattie Carroll, a 51-year old African-American barmaid brutally struck and killed by a wealthy young tobacco farmer from Maryland, William Zantzinger, in 1963. Bob Dylan wrote the song as an oblique commentary on racial injustice in the US.
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Song Release"The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" was part of Bob Dylan's 1964 album, "The Times They Are a-Changin'," which represented a significant point in his career as it marked the maturation of his songwriting and social commentary themes.
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ReceptionIt was never released as a single, yet it gained considerable attention and praise for its poignant narrative and condemnation of racial prejudice.
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Musical styleThe song follows a folk ballad style, typical of Bob Dylan's early work, and features him alone on guitar and harmonica.
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Influence and LegacyThe song is often hailed as a powerful example of protest music, and it has since inspired numerous covers by artists like Christy Moore, Billy Bragg, and Mason Jennings, among others.
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ControversyDespite its popularity, the song has also stirred controversy for its historical inaccuracies and misrepresentation of the events surrounding Hattie Carroll's death. Critics argue that Dylan's lyrics oversimplified the issue and villainized Zantzinger while neglecting to mention that Carroll's cause of death was a pre-existing heart condition, not the assault.
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AccomplishmentsIn 2007, Rolling Stone magazine placed "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" at number 371 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, testament to the song's enduring impact and significance.
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Lyrics InterpretationIn this song, Dylan metaphorically highlights the disparity between classes and racial injustice in American society. The lyrics navigate the tragedy of Carroll's death and the consequent trial and sentence of Zantzinger, emphasising the inequality in their standings - Carroll, a working-class African-American woman, and Zantzinger, a young, wealthy white man.
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Documentary Appearance"The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" features prominently in "Bob Dylan: No Direction Home," the critically acclaimed documentary by Martin Scorsese.
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Citation
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