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Hurricane is a protest song by Bob Dylan co-written with Jacques Levy, about the imprisonment of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter. It compiles alleged acts of racism and profiling against Carter, which Dylan describes as leading to a false trial and conviction.
Dylan’s Desire opens with “Hurricane”, arguably the most popular song on the 1976 release. Named after former middleweight contender Rubin Carter, Dylan had been inspired to write it after reading Carter’s autobiography, The Sixteenth Round, which Carter had sent him “because of his prior commitment to the civil rights struggle.”
Carter and a man named John Artis had been charged with a triple murder which occurred in the Lafayette Grill, Paterson, New Jersey in 1966. Widely reported as a racially motivated crime, Carter and Artis were found guilty of committing the murders, and both were sentenced to four consecutive life sentences. In the years that followed, a substantial amount of controversy emerged over the case, ranging from allegations of faulty evidence and questionable eyewitness testimony to an unfair trial. In his autobiography, Carter maintained his innocence, and his story eventually led Dylan to visit him in Rahway State Prison in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey.
Dylan had written topical ballads before, including, “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” and “The Death of Emmett Till”, but according to Jacques Levy, he wasn’t sure that he could write a song… “He was just filled with all these feelings about Hurricane. He couldn’t make the first step.
Dylan’s Desire opens with “Hurricane”, arguably the most popular song on the 1976 release. Named after former middleweight contender Rubin Carter, Dylan had been inspired to write it after reading Carter’s autobiography, The Sixteenth Round, which Carter had sent him “because of his prior commitment to the civil rights struggle.”
Carter and a man named John Artis had been charged with a triple murder which occurred in the Lafayette Grill, Paterson, New Jersey in 1966. Widely reported as a racially motivated crime, Carter and Artis were found guilty of committing the murders, and both were sentenced to four consecutive life sentences. In the years that followed, a substantial amount of controversy emerged over the case, ranging from allegations of faulty evidence and questionable eyewitness testimony to an unfair trial. In his autobiography, Carter maintained his innocence, and his story eventually led Dylan to visit him in Rahway State Prison in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey.
Dylan had written topical ballads before, including, “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” and “The Death of Emmett Till”, but according to Jacques Levy, he wasn’t sure that he could write a song… “He was just filled with all these feelings about Hurricane. He couldn’t make the first step.
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An attempt, it was too difficult for me but you get an idea all the same
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Shouts
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metalrayne wrote:
His voice is a vessel for raw emotion and genius. The man is a legend. Not bad for a punk kid from Minnesota eh? :)
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jellytron wrote:
I am not concerned with the context of the story guilty or no isnt the domain of music good bad or great or even ugly are the ingredients of greatness. this tune still rocks now! its cool
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Waxto wrote:
His voice is not beatiful at all... but omg the way he sings, what a feeling
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ktxed wrote:
epic sine numero ! =))
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pete1963 wrote:
reminds me of high school in the mid 70s
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Ristaccia wrote:
Epic story telling
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kNNn wrote:
Epic. [4]
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petesntinnocent wrote:
Epic. [3]
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MayaSingh wrote:
Yeah, I'm familiar with the story but I've read many places where people discuss whether he is guilty or not, there's probably some doubt about it today. But of course I think he is innocent!
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dragon-eater wrote:
Epic. [2]
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r_m wrote:
I think it's pretty obvious that Carter was innocent. Aren't you familiar with the story?
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deadgrave wrote:
awesome song
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arsenalwa wrote:
Epic.
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MayaSingh wrote:
I cannot decide wether this is Dylan's best song or if it's "Ballad of a thin man", but this song is absolutely amazing. But was Carter innocent? Well, Dylan made the unfair treatment of coloured people get attention, so his job is done anyway. It could easily been some other black boxer who were accused of murdering someone without beeing guilty.
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h4h4 wrote:
legendary
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bat_aztec wrote:
just perfect....
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illeatchu wrote:
this is my favorite song to garden to. :)
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Macu3 wrote:
Indeed great song. Though there're still doubts whether Carter was innocent.
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ihelix wrote:
My favorite Dylan song....
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longraphics wrote:
Good vintage Bob Dylan song!
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twistedlillstar, benni991 and ziem loved Bob Dylan – Hurricane. 32 minutes ago
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