Who Killed Davey Moore
Bob Dylan
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Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for? "Not I," says the referee, "Don't point your finger at me. I could've stopped it in the eighth An' maybe kept him from his fate, But the crowd would've booed, I'm sure, At not gettin' their money's worth. It's too bad he had to go, But there was a pressure on me too, you know. It wasn't me that made him fall. No, you can't blame me at all." Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for? "Not us," says the angry crowd, Whose screams filled the arena loud. "It's too bad he died that night But we just like to see a fight. We didn't mean for him t' meet his death, We just meant to see some sweat, There ain't nothing wrong in that. It wasn't us that made him fall. No, you can't blame us at all." Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for? "Not me," says his manager, Puffing on a big cigar. "It's hard to say, it's hard to tell, I always thought that he was well. It's too bad for his wife an' kids he's dead, But if he was sick, he should've said. It wasn't me that made him fall. No, you can't blame me at all." Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for? "Not me," says the gambling man, With his ticket stub still in his hand. "It wasn't me that knocked him down, My hands never touched him none. I didn't commit no ugly sin, Anyway, I put money on him to win. It wasn't me that made him fall. No, you can't blame me at all." Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for? "Not me," says the boxing writer, Pounding print on his old typewriter, Sayin', "Boxing ain't to blame, There's just as much danger in a football game." Sayin', "Fist fighting is here to stay, It's just the old American way. It wasn't me that made him fall. No, you can't blame me at all." Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for? "Not me," says the man whose fists Laid him low in a cloud of mist, Who came here from Cuba's door Where boxing ain't allowed no more. "I hit him, yes, it's true, But that's what I am paid to do. Don't say 'murder,' don't say 'kill.' It was destiny, it was God's will." Who killed Davey Moore, Why an' what's the reason for?
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Written by: BOB DYLAN
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Song Composition"Who Killed Davey Moore" is written & performed by a legendary American singer-songwriter, Bob Dylan. Known for his incredible poetic lyrics, Dylan composed this song in a folk ballad style.
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Historical ContextThe song is based on a real-life event – the death of a world champion featherweight boxer, Davey Moore, who died following a boxing match in 1963.
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Protest ThemeClassified under protest songs, "Who Killed Davey Moore" raises questions about societal attitudes towards brutality, ethical issues surrounding boxing, and the moral responsibilities of those in the industry.
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Unique FormatThe song, unlike conventional compositions, is composed of a series of rhetorical questions.
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PerformanceBob Dylan first debuted "Who Killed Davey Moore" live on October 26, 1963, at the Philharmonic Hall in New York. It was part of his "concert with protest songs".
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Non-Album ReleaseDespite its popularity and deep content, "Who Killed Davey Moore" was not initially included in any of Dylan's studio albums. It was primarily a live performance piece.
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RecordingsThe first known recording of the song was performed at the Bear Concert, available on the Bootleg Series Volume 6, marking its importance in Bob Dylan's live repertoire.
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Cover VersionsSeveral other performers have covered this song including Pete Seeger and Tom Russell, emphasizing its significant influence in the musical world.
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Varied InterpretationsThe song has sometimes been interpreted as an allegory about the Kennedy assassination, although Dylan has never confirmed this.
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Iconic Series"Who Killed Davey Moore" is part of a series of songs by Bob Dylan that deal with the theme of death and is considered a classic example of his finger-pointing songs.
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"Who Killed Davey Moore Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 23 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/33604060/Bob+Dylan/Who+Killed+Davey+Moore>.
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