By Tony Attwood
There has long been a fascination with the way in which Bob Dyloan treated gambling in his early songs – and indeed the excitement and fascination Bob appeared to have in relation to gambling songs (of which more in a moment).
And it is not surprising that Bob has taken himself into this theme, because gambling was of course such a regular theme in early blues and folk music which was Bob’s prime influence and reference source in his early days of writing. And this was quite simply because the places in which the early blues and folk songs evolved in the United States, were indeed the same places where gambling took place.
For as we know, one of the main early influences in Bob’s songwriting was traditional American folk songs as sung in the South. He was, and indeed still is, incredibly well-versed in the traditions of American folk music, and so it is natural that he wrote at vaious points songs in which gambling played a part.
Now I have of course mentioned these songs before but I thought it might be interesting to try and pull togeher a coulple of the key songs that Dylan recorded – particularly those that he recorded in the early 1960s but which (perhaps because of the sensitivities of the record company over the work of recently signed artist) the record company was not particularly in favour of releasing. Thankfully, an understanding of Bob’s work as (among many other things) a chronicler of how the United States was in earlier times, has led to a revisiting of these early songs he wrote, and emphasises as ever that Bob has been a chronicler of theways of the United States as much as a songwriter who reflects upon his own feelings.
One particular song that has always attracted me involves Dylan’s character who was based on Wild Bill Hickock (known as “Willie O’Conley” in the song), and Bob’s song that was intended to be part of his second album. Interestingly, that album that we have always known as Freewheelin was originally called Bob Dylan’s Blues, at least until late July 1962, when Dylan recorded “Rambling, Gambling Willie”.
The version in this video is really worth comparing with the version on Bootleg 1-3 and the Whitmark Version. I guess it is an early version and came before either of the two recordings that are in the Bootleg series. Perhaps someone can put me right on which version is which!
In fact, in 2010 another version of this song by Bob arrived on the album known as the Witmark Demons 1962-4, and there’s evidence of even earlier takes, possibly recorded in concert or as different studio attempts, with some debate (which we of course have joined in) as to which version came first
One of the interesting points here is that the gambler who is described in the song (Will O’Conley who was the subject ofthe song “Rambling Gambling Willie) with his vast number of children but no wife, is a total myth – Bob’s character being based on a mythical retelling which is itself based on the real-life Old West figure Wild Bill Hickok.
As our colleague Larry Fyffe pointed out some years ago Will O’Conley was the ultimate gambler but also a man of contradictions, having a “heart of gold” who supports his 27 children (although as everyone notes, Willy never had a wife). Willie was also known for NOT being ostentatious in his dress. Neverthess Willy’s life ends when a rival player who has just lost to Willie shoots the famous gambler, before he can reveal his hand, which turns out to be the famous “dead man’s hand” (aces and eights).
The origin of the fictional “Willie” is generally agreed to be Wild Bill Hickok, who again was said to have been shot dead during a card game, in the appropriately named (or perhaps later renamed) Deadwood saloon in 1876.
What makes Dylan’s song particularly attractive is the way he manages to blend rhythmically perfect lines into the melody of the song while offering the listener real entertainment as with for example, “Make your money while you can before you have to stop. For, when you pull that dead man’s hand, your gambling days are up”.
There’s also no doubt that while Bob’s fame was still emerging the record company, which of course at this time didn’t realise just how enormous a talent they had on their books, were somewhat concerned about too manygambling songs emerging, and so Bob’s recordings of ttraditional songs such as Delia with its tale of a gambling girl, and “Broke Down Engine” were recorded by Bob buty never released by the record company.
Of course, Bob was singing about, and indeed creating songs about, historic times and matters have moved on, and in this regard we might think of the fact the PA Online Gambling Guide is rather helpful as the online gambling industry in that state is, I’m told, the largest in the country
And while you are contemplating that, let me also offer you one other bit of history in relation to gambling in music. The spoken introduction gives us a further insight into this early song of Bob.
Part two of this series follows shortly.