"Walls of Red Wing" is a

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fo ...

and

protest song A protest song is a song that is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of ''topical'' songs (or songs connected to current events). It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre. Among social mov ...

, written by American singer-songwriter

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 ...

. Originally recorded for Dylan's second album, ''

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan ''The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on May 27, 1963 by Columbia Records. Whereas his self-titled debut album ''Bob Dylan'' had contained only two original songs, this album ...

'',Bauldie, John, ''Linear Notes to The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3'' it was not included, and eventually attempted for his next work, '' The Times They Are a-Changin''', but, again, this version was never released. The version recorded for ''Freewheelin' '' eventually appeared on ''

The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991 ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

''. The song describes a boys' reform school located in

Red Wing, Minnesota Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, along the upper Mississippi River. The population was 16,547 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Goodhue County. This city is named for early 19th-century Dakota Sioux c ...

Composition

Dylan based "Walls of Red Wing" on the traditional Scottish folk ballad " The Road and the Miles to Dundee", which he may have learned during his trip to London in early 1963, from other aspiring folk singers, such as Martin Carthy. In his narration, Dylan goes to describe a

juvenile detention center In criminal justice systems, a youth detention center, known as a juvenile detention center (JDC),Stahl, Dean, Karen Kerchelich, and Ralph De Sola. ''Abbreviations Dictionary''. CRC Press, 20011202. Retrieved 23 August 2010. , . juvenile de ...

in Red Wing, Minnesota. The description is hyperbolical, and describes the students there as "thrown in like bandits and cast off like criminals",Lyrics to "Walls of Red Wing"
''bobdylan.com''. Retrieved August 23, 2010 the walls of "barbed wire" and the fence with "electricity's sting", the guards holding their clubs like they were "kings", and the supposed "dungeon" of the building. Despite these harrowing descriptions, Red Wing was not the impenetrable "Gothic fortress" (as

John Bauldie John Bauldie (23 August 1949 – 22 October 1996) was a British journalist, noted as one of the foremost experts on the work of Bob Dylan. He was editor of the Dylan fanzine '' The Telegraph'', and was also on the launch staff of '' Q'' magazine ...

calls it) portrayed in this song.

Cover versions

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 ...

covered this song on her 1968 album '' Any Day Now'';

Ramblin' Jack Elliot Ramblin' Jack Elliott (born Elliot Charles Adnopoz; August 1, 1931) is an American folk singer and songwriter. Life and career Elliott was born in 1931 in Brooklyn, New York, United States, the son of Florence (Rieger) and Abraham Adnopoz, a ...

covered it in 1997 on his album '' Friends of Mine''.Bjorner
Walls of Red Wing Covers
Bjorner's

It Ain't Me Babe "It Ain't Me Babe" is a song by Bob Dylan that originally appeared on his fourth album '' Another Side of Bob Dylan'', which was released in 1964 by Columbia Records. According to music critic Oliver Trager, this song, along with others on the al ...

. Retrieved August 23, 2010

References

External links

Lyrics
at the official Bob Dylan website {{DEFAULTSORT:Walls of Red Wing 1963 songs Bob Dylan songs Songs written by Bob Dylan