An NYC Bar Played a Surprising Role in Shaping Bob Dylan’s Most Iconic Album originally appeared on Parade.
In 1963, the times were in fact a-changing, but no one captured it quite like Bob Dylan. It was 62 years ago on August 6 that a spry 22-year-old Dylan walked into the studio to record the ground-breaking album, The Times They Are A-Changin’, that changed music forever. He completely bucked tradition a recorded a folk album devoid of any covers.
His completely original score was a political protest album from top to bottom amid a backdrop of tumultuous times including the civil rights movements, the Cold War, and dropping mere weeks prior, seemed to eerily predict the assassination of JFK. And it all came to be thanks to one bar in Greenwich Village.
Related: Bob Dylan Marks 60-Year Anniversary of First Hit With Clip of ‘Greatest Moment in Music Ever’
Dylan famously hung around the Irish bar The White Horse Tavern which was filled with Irish locals and expats who’d sing songs from their motherland.
“All through the night they would sing drinking songs, country ballads, and rousing rebel songs that would lift the roof,” Dylan wrote in Chronicles. “The rebellion songs were a really serious thing. The language was flashy and provocative – a lot of action in the words, all sung with great gusto.”
Dylan took the rebellious tunes and paired them with original lyrics that really spoke to the American people. However, it also spurred some controversy within the Irish community. According to Music Radar, Irish songwriter Dominic Behanaccused him of “plagiarizing” his tune to “The Patriot Game” and putting it behind his song “With God On Our Side.” Dylan never acknowledged the criticism as Behan’s song borrowed the tune from the traditional Irish song “The Merry Month of May.”
Dylan actually recorded a few covers for the album, but through his own vetting process decided to keep it all his own work. And that “small” decision changed the course of music history. Sláinte!
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An NYC Bar Played a Surprising Role in Shaping Bob Dylan’s Most Iconic Album first appeared on Parade on Aug 6, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
