Bob Dylan is often seen as the face of folk music, and at the heart of folk music is protest. Though the man behind “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Masters of War” never set out to become a protest songwriter, he has always been driven by a desire to spread awareness. Whether through his music or his famously disruptive performances like the one at Newport Folk Festival, Dylan’s good at stirring things up.
However, he’s even better at diverting attention to issues larger than himself. During his peak, when racial injustice still lingered in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement, Dylan wrote one song that mirrored the years based on an actual murder trial. That same song also shows that writing about real people and real incidents requires the utmost accuracy — a precaution in case of lawsuits.
Bob Dylan Defended Middleweight Boxer Rubin Carter in “Hurricane”
Dylan loves writing a good protest song, and “Hurricane” is no exception. Based on real-life events, Dylan first came across middleweight boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter after reading his autobiography, The Sixteenth Round. In 1966, a late-night shooting at Paterson’s Lafayette Bar and Grill left three dead and one injured. Witnesses describe Black male shooters. Minutes later, police stopped Carter, and John Artis in a white Dodge Polara. The reason for the stop remains disputed, including claims of racial profiling. In the aftermath, Carter and Artis were sentenced in 1967 to two consecutive life sentences for the triple murder, leading to allegations of wrongful arrest.
Moved by Carter’s book, Dylan took the time to see the boxer at Trenton State Prison. In Still on the Road: The Songs of Bob Dylan, the singer shares his thoughts on Carter after his visit.
“The first time I saw [Carter], I left knowing one thing. That this man’s philosophy and my philosophy were running on the same road, and you don’t meet too many people like that… [and] I took some note because I wasn’t aware of all the facts, and I thought that maybe sometimes I could condense it down and put it into a song… Was I doing my bit for Rubin? I wrote that song because it was tops in my mind, it had priority in my mind at the time to get that song done.”
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Bob Dylan’s masterpiece is perhaps even more relevant today, on its 60th birthday, than it was in 1965.
CBS Lawyers Forced Bob Dylan to Change Lyrics Due to Risky Allegations
Dylan and frequent collaborator Jacques Levy wrote the first version of “Hurricane” based on the events of Curtis’ arrest. But even with Levy’s careful fact-checking, they still mixed up major details of the case. One instance in particular is that they confused the roles of Alfred Bello and Arthur D. Bradley, two petty criminals involved in a burglary the night of the murders. Early drafts of the song accused Bradley of “robbing the bodies,” cutting a deal with the police, and lying on the stand. In truth, Bradley wasn’t even near the Lafayette Bar and Grill. It was Bello who stole money from the cash register, not from the victims.
Those same two men became the state’s key eyewitnesses at trial, claiming they saw Carter and Artis leaving the scene. But aside from their testimony, prosecutors had almost no evidence tying the two men to the crime. Later, it came out that both Bello and Bradley had received money and reduced sentences for cooperating, raising even more doubts about the case against Carter and Artis. When Dylan was about to perform the first version of “Hurricane,” with the shaky lyrics, on a prerecorded TV special for John Hammon Sr., CBS lawyers forced Dylan to change the lyrics or re-record “Hurricane.”
In 1975, Bob Dylan Held the “Night of the Hurricane” Benefit Concert
It took time for Dylan to confront the inaccuracies in his lyrics. After meeting with his label, he learned he couldn’t simply “punch in” his own lines. It was risky to be loose with the facts, even down to the tiniest details. Although it is common for artists to change bits and pieces out of creative liberty, the slightest lyrical change could prompt a baseless allegation. Still, Dylan remains committed to spreading the word about Carter’s case. Even as he re-recorded “Hurricane,” he began performing the song in the second half of every show, utilizing the momentum to spread awareness about injustice.
On December 8, 1975, Dylan held the “Night of the Hurricane” benefit concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Headlined by Dylan himself and his Rolling Thunder Revue, “Night of the Hurricane” was a star-studded affair. Muhammad Ali served as the master of ceremonies, and Dylan’s revue included Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, and Mick Ronson, to name a few. The money earned from the show is spent on lawyers’ fees and other costs.
