Bob Dylan and The Band was a long-lived collaboration with few official rel… Read Full Bio ↴Bob Dylan and The Band was a long-lived collaboration with few official releases, their recordings together often released under Dylan's name alone.

The members of The Band first worked together as The Hawks, the backing band of rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins from 1959 until 1963. Shortly afterwards, Bob Dylan came to Toronto and recruited the quintet for his history-making 1965/1966 world tour. The Band also worked with Dylan on the initial Blonde on Blonde sessions which, bar two tracks, were ultimately abandoned in favour of versions recorded with Nashville session musicians.

After a motorcycle accident in mid-1966, Dylan retreated from the public eye to his country house near Woodstock, New York. He was joined by the Band for some informal jam sessions starting in the autumn of 1967, nearly all of which were recorded. After being heavily bootleged, Columbia Records finally released The Basement Tapes in 1975, a selection of the better tracks recorded during the sessions along with new recordings by The Band.

Bob Dylan and The Band were reunited in 1974, recording Planet Waves for Asylum Records, Dylan's first album recorded for a record label other than Columbia. Although the album was released under Dylan's name alone, The Band joined Dylan for his first tour in eight years in support of Planet Waves, with some of the material recorded and released on the 1975 concert record Before the Flood.

Columbia Records finally released The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete in November 2014, featuring every surving recording from the original sessions in Woodstock.

Bourbon Street
Bob Dylan and The Band Lyrics

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I guess the point of goin' to college
Was to acquire myself a little knowledge
And help me figure out
What life was really all about

It made Peets and J.D. happy
And set me wild and free
Then I danced out of Mississippi

To the University of Bourbon Street

I sang, "Hey (hey), Pocky A-way"
On the streetcar headed uptown
I went to class (sure did) every day
And never wore a frown

I was taught by the Neville Brothers
Benny Spellman, and a whole lotta others
That brass band blew my mind
When I joined in the second line

I felt the power of the gris-gris
Got my soul saved by the backbeat
I was branded by Jean Lafitte
At the University of Bourbon Street

I sang on a paddlewheel boat
Floated down the Mississippi
Helped build a Mardi Gras float
And smoked a joint with a beautiful hippie

I heard a church choir sing
"Change my guitar strings"
Thought things just couldn't get better
'Til I walked to the Central Grocery
And had myself a muffaletta

I took my lunchbox to the streetcar
That Tennessee named, "Desire"
Then I followed my dancin' feet
To the University of Bourbon Street

Yeah, we got high-class, low-rent Voodoo information
Pat O'Brien's hurricane accreditation
Old-school sex education
And I learned how to eat

From the music and the people
To the cookin' and the joy
It really ain't a mystery
I just followed my dancin' feet
To the University of Bourbon Street

I got my Lucky Dog Ph.D.
At the University of Bourbon Street
Yeah, I just followed my dancin' feet
To the University of Bourbon Street
And a Po' Boy Master's Degree
At the University of Bourbon Street

It's all sweet, darling
University of Bourbon Street
Hand me that umbrella
Follow me to school

University of Bourbon Street
University of Bourbon Street

Overall Meaning

The song "Bourbon Street" by Bob Dylan and The Band tells the story of the singer's experience attending college and finding himself in the vibrant and lively atmosphere of New Orleans' Bourbon Street. The lyrics reflect the singer's personal journey of self-discovery and the transformative power of music and culture.

In the first verse, the singer reflects on the purpose of going to college - to acquire knowledge and understand the essence of life. The singer describes how this decision made their friends, Peets and J.D., happy while also giving them a sense of liberation. They metaphorically dance out of Mississippi and find themselves in the University of Bourbon Street, symbolizing the vibrant cultural and musical hub that is Bourbon Street.

The second verse highlights the singer's experience as a student in New Orleans. They mention the iconic streetcar and the feeling of joy they had while singing the traditional New Orleans song "Hey (hey), Pocky A-way." Despite going to class every day, the singer never wore a frown, suggesting that they found a true passion and joy in their studies.

The third verse emphasizes the impact of the music scene in New Orleans on the singer's life. They name some influential figures such as the Neville Brothers and Benny Spellman, who taught them valuable lessons. The mention of the brass band blowing their mind and joining the second line represents the transformative power of music and the cultural experience that the singer had while immersed in this vibrant environment. They also allude to mysticism and spirituality, as they felt the power of the "gris-gris" and had their soul saved by the backbeat.

The final verse further explores the singer's time in New Orleans, mentioning various experiences such as singing on a paddlewheel boat and participating in the construction of a Mardi Gras float. They describe smoking a joint with a beautiful hippie and being moved by a church choir's performance. The mention of the Central Grocery and enjoying a muffaletta highlights the singer's appreciation for the local cuisine. The lyrics culminate with the singer expressing their gratitude for the music, the people, and the overall atmosphere of New Orleans, as they followed their dancing feet to the University of Bourbon Street.

Overall, "Bourbon Street" is a song that celebrates the transformative power of music, culture, and the vibrant atmosphere of New Orleans. It portrays the singer's personal journey of self-discovery and the valuable lessons they learned through their experiences in this unique environment.

Bourbon StreetBob Dylan and The Band Lyrics

Bourbon Street
Bob Dylan and The Band Lyrics