By Tony Attwood
This song appeared on the Bootleg series and it is reported Bob performed it three or four times on tour (depending on which source you use) in concerts. You can find a recording of it here
It is generally agreed that the original version was written in 1907 by Ada R. Habershon and composer Charles H. Gabriel.
Bob also performed it with Neil Young on 14 July 2019 at Nowlan Park in Kilkenny, Ireland. There is a video of that concert but it seems to have a life of its own and not always turn up on searches. But the session is of interest as it was the first time Neil and Bob had got together on stage for around a quarter of a century.
Not surprisingly, the song was actually made popular by the Carter Family in 1935 and it is quite possible that this was the original version Bob heard prior to recording it on the Basement Tapes.
The Neil Young / Bob Dylan version is currently at
Roy Acuff made a receording of the song and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on their landmark 1972 album featuring Mother Maybelle Carter.
And here is the Basement Tapes version.
What has made the song so popular over time is the fact that it is possible to add interesting harmonies beyond the melody, and the way in which the rhythm can be modified across different versions.
Here is one of the most well-known versions, from Johnny Cash with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band which if you like the song is certainly worth listening to…
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