MAN ON THE STREET

(BOB DYLAN) (1961)

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Based on Millard Lampell's "The Strange Death of John Doe" (THE ALMANAC SINGERS (1941), which, in turn, is based on a sentimental 1870s to 1880s song (by either Fred J. Mackley or Walter Phoenix -- both claimed authorship), "Beggar Joe," covered by Darby and Tarlton on Apr 15, 1929.
The tune is a variant of "The Young Man Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn."

• LISTEN TO DYLAN'S "MAN ON THE STREET" (Real Audio) at

  DOWNLOAD & LISTEN to "The Strange Death of John Doe" (Real Audio, 358 KB)

  LISTEN to "A Lazy Farmer Boy" (aka "The Young Man Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn")
  (Buster Carter & Preston Young) (Real Audio, 297 KB)

  DOWNLOAD & LISTEN to "Beggar Joe" (Real Audio, 723 KB)

Several variations to published lyrics © 1962, 1965 Music Corporation of America, Inc.

Lyrics a performed by Bob Dylan, 1st Gaslight Tape, GASLIGHT CAFÉ, NYC, NY,
Sep 6, 1961; transcribed by Manfred Helfert.

• DOWNLOAD FROM THIS SITE (Real Audio, 618 KB)

Well, I'll sing you a song, not very long,
'Bout an old man who never done wrong.
How he died nobody can say,
Found him dead in the street one day.

Well, the crowd gathered one fine morn',
The man whose clothes 'n' shoes was torn.
There on the sidewalk, he did lay,
Stopped 'n' stared 'n' went their way.

Well, the policeman come, he looked around,
"Get up, old man, or I'm takin' you down."
He jabbed him once with his bully [sic] club,
The old man then rolled off the curb.

Well, he jabbed him again, loudly said,
"Call the wagon -- this man is dead."
The wagon come, they loaded in him [sic],
Never saw the man again.
Well, I sung you my song, it ain't very long,
'Bout an old man who never done wrong.
How he died no one can say,
Found him dead in the street one day.