Hurricane (Bob Dylan song)
"Hurricane" | ||||
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Columbia Studios, New York | ||||
Genre | Folk rock, protest song | |||
Length | 3:45 (Part I) 4:57 (Part II) 8:33 (Album version) | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bob Dylan, Jacques Levy | |||
Producer(s) | Don DeVito | |||
Bob Dylan singles chronology | ||||
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Desire track listing | ||||
9 tracks
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Official audio | ||||
"Hurricane" on YouTube |
"Hurricane" is a protest song by Bob Dylan co-written with Jacques Levy and released as a single in November 1975. It was also included on Dylan's 1976 album Desire. The song is about the imprisonment of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (1937–2014). It compiles acts of racism and profiling against Carter,[1] which Dylan describes as leading to a false trial and conviction.
Background
Carter and a man named John Artis had been charged with a triple murder at the Lafayette Grill in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1966. The following year Carter and Artis were found guilty of the murders, which were widely reported as racially motivated. In the years that followed, a substantial amount of controversy emerged over the case, ranging from allegations of faulty evidence and questionable eyewitness testimony to an unfair trial.
In his autobiography, Carter maintained his innocence, and after reading it, Dylan visited him in
Of writing the song, author Clinton Heylin wrote that "Dylan had written topical ballads such as 'The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll' and Bob wasn't sure that he could write a song [about Carter]... He was just filled with all these feelings about Hurricane. He couldn't make the first step. I think the first step was putting the song in a total storytelling mode. I don't remember whose idea it was to do that. But really, the beginning of the song is like stage directions, like what you would read in a script: 'Pistol shots ring out in a barroom night.... Here comes the story of the Hurricane.' Boom! Titles. You know, Bob loves movies, and he can write these movies that take place in eight to ten minutes, yet seem as full or fuller than regular movies".[3]
After meeting with Carter in prison and later with a group of his supporters, Dylan began to write "Hurricane". The song was one of his few "
Controversy and re-recording
Dylan first recorded the song in late July 1975; it featured
Even though some offending lyrics were removed, the song still drew legal action from eyewitness Patricia Graham (Patty) Valentine, who believed that it portrayed her as part of a conspiracy to frame Carter. However, her lawsuit was dismissed by a federal district court, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal.[8][9] Dylan biographer Howard Sounes praised the song but noted "there was no reference to [Carter's] antagonistic rhetoric, criminal history, or violent temper".[10]
Benefit concert and new trial
The song was released on the album Desire in January 1976, making the Carter case known to a broader public. "Hurricane" is credited with harnessing popular support to Carter's defense.
During the fall tour preceding Desire's release, Dylan and the Rolling Thunder Revue played a
Despite winning the right to a new trial, Carter and Artis were once again found guilty when the prosecution argued that the defendants committed a triple murder at the Lafayette Grill in revenge for the killing of an African-American tavern owner earlier during the same night. In 1976, Carter was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. Dylan, and the other high-profile supporters, did not attend the trial. Artis was paroled five years later.
In 1985
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[11] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[12] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[13] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Cover versions
The song has been covered by
In the season three premiere of the Showtime TV series Our Cartoon President, the song was parodied as a proclamation of Donald Trump's innocence during the 2020 impeachment trial of Donald Trump. The parody was performed by cartoon versions of Fox & Friends hosts Steve Doocy (on harmonica and acoustic guitar, a reference to Dylan's most commonly played instruments), Ainsley Earhardt (on cello), and Brian Kilmeade (on violin).[citation needed]
References
- ^ a b "Judge Drops Murder Charges In the Hurricane Carter Case". The New York Times. February 27, 1988. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
- ^ a b c Boehlert, Eric (2000-01-21). "Dylan's "Hurricane": A Look Back". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2013-02-02. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
- ISBN 978-0-06-052569-9.
- ^ "Dylan on U.S. Charts". Expectingrain.com. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. November 15, 1975. p. 72. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. November 15, 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ISBN 978-1-55652-844-6.
- ^ Blackman, Guy (2007-05-06). "Freedom of expression comes out the winner when rock's in the dock". The Age. Melbourne.
- ^ Valentine v. C.B.S., Inc., 698 F.2d 430 (1983) Archived 2008-10-24 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 0-552-99929-6.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^ "Italian single certifications – Bob Dylan – Hurricane" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved October 24, 2014. Select "2014" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Hurricane" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
- ^ "British single certifications – Bob Dylan – Hurricane". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
External links
- Lyrics at from Bob Dylan's official site