"Walkin' Down the Line" is a song written by

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

and first recorded by him in November 1962 for ''

Broadside Broadside or broadsides may refer to: Naval * Broadside (naval), terminology for the side of a ship, the battery of cannon on one side of a warship, or their near simultaneous fire on naval warfare Printing and literature * Broadside (comic ...

'' magazine. Dylan recorded the song again in March 1963 for his music publisher Witmark and this version was released in 1991 on ''

The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991 ''The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3'' is a box set by Bob Dylan issued on Columbia Records. It is the first installment in Dylan's Bootleg Series, comprising material spanning the first three decades of his career, from 1961 to 1989. It has been c ...

''. The lyrics recount the troubles of a hobo walking down the railroad tracks. It was sung by

Arlo Guthrie Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk singer-songwriter. He is known for singing songs of protest against social injustice, and storytelling while performing songs, following the tradition of his father, Woody Guthrie. Gut ...

Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...

and his performance appears on the 1994 Woodstock 25th anniversary box set.

Covers

*1963 -

Jackie DeShannon Jackie DeShannon (born Sharon Lee Myers, August 21, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and radio broadcaster with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards, as both singer and composer. She was one of the first female singer-songwr ...

on her debut album, ''Jackie DeShannon'' *1964 -

Hamilton Camp Hamilton Camp (Born Robin S. Camp, 30 October 1934 – 2 October 2005) was a London-born actor and singer, who relocated to the United States with his family when he was a young child. He became an American folk singer during he 1960s, and ev ...

on his album ''Paths of Victory'' *1964 -

Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting ''The Glen Campbell Goodt ...

on his album ''

The Astounding 12-String Guitar of Glen Campbell ''The Astounding 12-String Guitar of Glen Campbell'' is the third album by American singer-guitarist Glen Campbell, recorded in stereo and released in 1964 by Capitol Records. The album is entirely instrumental, with the exception of one cut: "W ...

'' *1964 -

The Dillards The Dillards are an American bluegrass and country rock band from Salem, Missouri. The band is best known for introducing bluegrass music into the popular mainstream with their appearance as "The Darlings" on ''The Andy Griffith Show''. Band ...

on their album '' Live!!!! Almost!!! *1964 -

The Goldebriars The Goldebriars were an American folk music, folk quartet in the early 1960s, most notable for including a young Curt Boettcher as a guitarist and vocalist. The group also included two sisters, Dotti and Sheri Holmberg, with Ron Neilson as lead g ...

on their album ''Straight Ahead!'' *1965 - Joe & Eddie on their album ''Walkin' Down the Line'' *1965 - The Gene Norman Group on its album '' Dylan Jazz'' *1965 -

Odetta Odetta Holmes (December 31, 1930 – December 2, 2008), known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, lyricist, and a civil rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire co ...

on her album ''

Odetta Sings Dylan ''Odetta Sings Dylan'' is an album by American folk singer Odetta, issued by RCA Victor in 1965. It consists of covers of Bob Dylan songs. Background Odetta was a Civil rights activist. Although she grew up in the city, she described black f ...

'' *1967 -

Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician, songwriter and actor. From age eight he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. In 1957, he bega ...

on his album ''Country Fever'' *1968 -

Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez (; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more ...

on her album of Dylan covers '' Any Day Now'' *1969 -

Glenn Yarbrough Glenn Robertson Yarbrough (January 12, 1930 – August 11, 2016) was an American folk singer and guitarist. He was the lead singer (tenor) with the Limeliters from 1959 to 1963 and also had a prolific solo career. Yarbrough had a restlessne ...

on his album ''Yarbrough Country'' *1971 - Oliver on his album ''Prism'' *1972 -

Guy Carawan Guy Hughes Carawan Jr. (July 28, 1927 – May 2, 2015) was an American folk music, folk musician and musicology, musicologist. He served as music director and song leader for the Highlander Research and Education Center in New Market, Tenn ...

on his album ''The Telling Takes Me Home'' *1972 -

The Country Gentlemen The Country Gentlemen was a progressive bluegrass band that originated during the 1950s in the area of Washington, D.C., United States, and recorded and toured with various members until the death in 2004 of Charlie Waller (American musician), C ...

on their album ''The Award Winning Country Gentlemen'' *1975 -

and

Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notably ...

on the album ''Together in Concert'' *1979 -

Hannes Wader Hannes Wader (born Hans Eckard Wader on 23 June 1942) is a German singer-songwriter (" Liedermacher"). He has been an important figure in German leftist circles since the 1970s, with his songs covering such themes as socialist and communist resis ...

, Werner Lämmerhirt e.a. on ''Folk Friends'' *1992 -

Rising Sons Rising Sons was an American, Los Angeles, California-based blues rock and folk music band, which was founded in 1965. Their initial career was short-lived, but the group found retrospective fame for launching the careers of singer Taj Mahal and g ...

on their album ''Rising Sons Featuring Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder'' (recorded in the mid-1960s) *1997 - Rick Robbins on his album ''Walkin' Down The Line''http://www.rick-robbins.com/record.htm (released 1997 #RR00197CD) *2003 -

Sean Hayes Sean Patrick Hayes (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He is best known for playing Jack McFarland on the NBC sitcom ''Will & Grace'', for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, and one American Come ...

on his album '' Alabama Chicken'' *2004 -

The Flatlanders The Flatlanders are an American country music, country band from Lubbock, Texas, United States, founded in 1972 by Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock. The group garnered little success during their brief original incarnation from 1972 ...

on their album ''Live '72'' (recorded in 1972) *2007 -

Eilen Jewell Eilen Jewell (born April 6, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter from Boise, Idaho. She has released seven albums. Early life and education Jewell grew up in Boise, Idaho and attended St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After livin ...

on ''Letters From Sinners & Strangers'' *2011 -

Robin and Linda Williams Robin and Linda Williams are a husband-and-wife singer-songwriter folk music duo from Virginia. They met in South Carolina in 1971, and began performing in 1973. The Williamses appeared on Garrison Keillor's ''A Prairie Home Companion'' radio ...

on the Dylan tribute album ''A Nod to Bob 2''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walkin' Down the Line 1963 songs Songs written by Bob Dylan Bob Dylan songs Jackie DeShannon songs Ricky Nelson songs Oliver (singer) songs Glen Campbell songs