The 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
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
13 facts about this song
Recording Date"The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" was recorded by Bob Dylan on October 23, 1963.
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Album AppreciationThe song is featured on Bob Dylan's 1964 album "The Times They Are a-Changin".
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True Story InspirationThe song was inspired by a true story. Hattie Carroll was a 51-year old African-American barmaid who was killed by a white man, William Zantzinger, in February 1963.
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Social CommentaryThe song is notable for its social commentary, highlighting the discrimination and inequality in the American judicial system of the time.
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Use of Folk GenreBeing a part of the folk music genre, it is one of Bob Dylan's protest songs, using stark, uncompromising lyrics to tell a tragic story and make a political point.
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Song StructureThe song consists of five verses, with no chorus or bridge, which was a typical technique used by Dylan during this period.
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Song DurationThe original version of "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" has a duration of approximately five minutes and forty-eight seconds.
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Zantzinger's ConvictionIn reality, Zantzinger was convicted of manslaughter and served six months in jail, a fact that Dylan used to demonstrate the disparity in the treatment of crimes committed against white and black victims.
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Dylan's MispronunciationBob Dylan pronounced the last name of William Zantzinger incorrectly in the song. He pronounced it as "Zanzinger" instead of the correct "Zantzinger".
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Song ReceptionDespite its sobering subject matter, the song was critically acclaimed for its lyrical complexity and impactful storytelling, reinforcing Dylan's stature as a leading figure in the folk protest movement.
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Live PerformancesDylan played the song live frequently following its release. One of the most famous performances was at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964.
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CensorshipSome radio stations refused to play "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" due to its controversial lyrics about racial injustice.
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LegacyOver the years, the song has been covered by several artists, reinforcing its status as a classic in Dylan's discography and a significant piece of protest music.
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Citation
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