You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
Encyclopedia
"You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" is a song written by Bob Dylan
in 1967 in Woodstock
, New York, during the self-imposed exile from public appearances that followed his July 29, 1966 motorcycle accident. A recording of Dylan performing the song was first officially released on the Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II
album in 1971. An earlier 1967 recording of the song, performed by Dylan and The Band
, was issued in 1975 on the album The Basement Tapes
. The Byrds
also recorded a version of the song in 1968 and issued it as a single
. The Byrds' version is notable for being the first commercial release of the song, predating Dylan's own version by three years; a later cover by Byrds members Roger McGuinn
and Chris Hillman
reached the top 10 of the Hot Country Songs
charts in 1989. The song has been covered by many artists, including Joan Baez
, Unit 4 + 2
, Earl Scruggs
, Phish
, Counting Crows
, The Dandy Warhols
, and Glen Hansard
with Markéta Irglová
.
by Dylan's publisher for fellow artists to record. "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" was written during this period and features lyrics that allude to the singer waiting for his bride to arrive and possibly, a final premarital fling. The original version found on The Basement Tapes album was recorded with The Band (minus Levon Helm
who had temporarily left the group at this point) in the basement of their house in West Saugerties
, New York, called "Big Pink". An alternate, unreleased version recorded during the Basement Tapes sessions includes improvised nonsense lyrics including "Just pick up that oil cloth, cram it in the corn / I don't care if your name is Michael / You're gonna need some boards / Get your lunch, you foreign bib."
album—"You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," "I Shall Be Released
," and "Down in the Flood
"—with Happy Traum
playing bass, banjo and electric guitar, as well as providing vocal harmony. Traum notes that "they were very popular songs ... that [Dylan] wanted to put his own stamp on." The lyrics of this performance of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" differed significantly from both the Basement Tapes versions, and also played upon a mistaken lyric in The Byrds' cover
of three years earlier (see below). The 1971 version was later released on the compilations The Essential Bob Dylan
(2000) and Dylan
(2007), although in the latter case the album's liner notes erroneously state that it is the 1967 version.
on April 2, 1968, some three years prior to any commercial release of the song by Dylan. It was the lead single from The Byrds' 1968 country rock
album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo
, and reached number 74 on the Bllboard Hot 100
chart and number 45 on the UK Singles Chart
. Along with the then current line-up of The Byrds, the song also features musical contributions from session musician Lloyd Green
on pedal steel guitar
. Although it is not as famous as their cover version of "Mr. Tambourine Man
", The Byrds' recording of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" is often considered by critics to be the band's best Dylan cover.
The song was selected as a suitable cover
by The Byrds after their record label
, Columbia Records
, sent them some demo
s from Dylan's Woodstock sessions. Included among these demos were the songs "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" and "Nothing Was Delivered", both of which were recorded by The Byrds in March 1968, during the Nashville
recording sessions
for Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Despite the change in musical style that the country
-influenced Sweetheart of the Rodeo album represented for The Byrds, the inclusion of two Dylan covers on the album forged a link with their previous folk rock
incarnation, when Dylan's material had been a mainstay of their repertoire.
The Byrds' recording of the song caused a minor controversy between the band and its author. Dylan's original demo of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" contained the lyric "Pick up your money, pack up your tent", which was mistakenly altered in The Byrds' version, by guitarist
and singer Roger McGuinn
, to "Pack up your money, pick up your tent". Dylan expressed mock-annoyance at this lyric change in his 1971 recording of the song, singing "Pack up your money, put up your tent McGuinn/You ain't goin' nowhere." McGuinn replied in 1989 on a new recording of the song included on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
's Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two
album, adding the word "Dylan" after the same "Pack up your money, pick up your tent" lyric. McGuinn and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's 1989 recording of the song, which also featured The Byrds' former bass player
Chris Hillman
, was released as a single and peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
chart in 1989, as well as number eleven on the Canadian country music charts published by RPM
. In spite of the involvement of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the single release was credited to McGuinn and Hillman alone.
After its appearance on Sweetheart of the Rodeo, the song would go on to become a staple of The Byrds' live concert
repertoire, until their final disbandment in 1973. The Byrds also chose to re-record "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" in 1971 with Earl Scruggs
, as part of the Earl Scruggs, His Family and Friends television special, and this version was included on the program's accompanying soundtrack album. The song was also performed live by a reformed line-up of The Byrds featuring Roger McGuinn, David Crosby
, and Chris Hillman in January 1989. McGuinn continues to perform the song in his solo concerts and consequently it appears on his 2007 album, Live from Spain.
In addition to its appearance on the Sweetheart of the Rodeo album, The Byrds' original recording of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" also appears on several of the band's compilations
, including The Best of The Byrds: Greatest Hits, Volume II
, History of The Byrds
, The Byrds Play Dylan
, The Original Singles: 1967–1969, Volume 2
, The Byrds, and There Is a Season
. Live performances of the song are included on the expanded edition of The Byrds' (Untitled) album and on Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971
.
group Unit 4 + 2
released a recording of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" as a single in 1968 but it suffered poor sales as a result of the version released by The Byrds and consequently it did not chart. Joan Baez
included a gender-switched version of the song, in which she sings "Tomorrow's the day my man's gonna come", on her 1968 album of Dylan covers, Any Day Now. Australian band The Flying Circus
included this song on their self titled debut album released in August 1969.
Roots rock
quartet The Rave-Ups
covered the song on their 1985 album, Town and Country. Shawn Colvin
, Mary Chapin Carpenter
, and Rosanne Cash
also performed the song at Madison Square Garden
in 1992, for eventual release on the Bob Dylan tribute album The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
.
Phish
covered the song during their July 30, 2003 concert at the Tweeter Center at the Waterfront in Camden, New Jersey. This is the only time that Phish has performed the song.
The Crust Brothers
covered "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" on their 1998 live album, Marquee Mark
and Counting Crows
recorded the song as a bonus track on their Hard Candy album in 2002 as well as performing it live with Augustana
. Maria Muldaur
recorded the song, with slightly altered lyrics, on her 2006 Heart of Mine: Maria Muldaur Sings Love Songs of Bob Dylan album and Marty Raybon
, former vocalist of Shenandoah
, also covered the song on his 2006 album, When the Sand Runs Out.
Glen Hansard
and Markéta Irglová
recorded the song for the soundtrack album to Todd Haynes
' Dylan biopic, I'm Not There
, using the lyrics from Dylan's 1971 version, including the reference to Roger McGuinn. The Dandy Warhols
have covered the song on the 2009 digital download edition of their album The Dandy Warhols Are Sound
.
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
in 1967 in Woodstock
Woodstock, New York
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 at the 2000 census.The Town of Woodstock is in the northern part of the county...
, New York, during the self-imposed exile from public appearances that followed his July 29, 1966 motorcycle accident. A recording of Dylan performing the song was first officially released on the Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II
Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II
Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II , also known as More Bob Dylan Greatest Hits, was the second compilation album released by Bob Dylan. With Dylan not expected to release any new material for an extended period of time, CBS Records president Clive Davis proposed issuing a double LP compilation of...
album in 1971. An earlier 1967 recording of the song, performed by Dylan and The Band
The Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
, was issued in 1975 on the album The Basement Tapes
The Basement Tapes
The Basement Tapes is a 1975 studio album by Bob Dylan and The Band. The songs featuring Dylan's vocals were recorded in 1967, eight years before the album's release, at houses in and around Woodstock, New York, where Dylan and the Band lived...
. The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
also recorded a version of the song in 1968 and issued it as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. The Byrds' version is notable for being the first commercial release of the song, predating Dylan's own version by three years; a later cover by Byrds members Roger McGuinn
Roger McGuinn
James Roger McGuinn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for being the lead singer and lead guitarist on many of The Byrds' records...
and Chris Hillman
Chris Hillman
Christopher Hillman was one of the original members of The Byrds which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Michael Clarke....
reached the top 10 of the Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts in 1989. The song has been covered by many artists, including Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
, Unit 4 + 2
Unit 4 + 2
Unit 4 + 2 were a British pop band, who had a number one hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1965 with the song "Concrete and Clay". The track topped the UK chart for one week.-Early days:...
, Earl Scruggs
Earl Scruggs
Earl Eugene Scruggs is an American musician noted for perfecting and popularizing a 3-finger banjo-picking style that is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music...
, Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
, Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
, The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols are an American alternative rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1994. The band was founded by singer-guitarist Courtney Taylor-Taylor and guitarist Peter Holmström, with keyboardist Zia McCabe and drummer Eric Hedford later joining. Hedford left in 1998 and was replaced by...
, and Glen Hansard
Glen Hansard
Glen Hansard is the Academy Award–winning principal songwriter and vocalist/guitarist for Irish group The Frames and one half of folk rock duo, The Swell Season...
with Markéta Irglová
Markéta Irglová
Markéta Irglová is a Czech songwriter, musician, actress, and singer. As of 2010, she resides in New York City.-Early life:...
.
1967 versions
Starting in June 1967 and ending in October 1967, Bob Dylan's writing and recording sessions with The Band (then known as The Hawks) in Woodstock, New York, were the source of many new songs that were circulated as demosDemo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
by Dylan's publisher for fellow artists to record. "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" was written during this period and features lyrics that allude to the singer waiting for his bride to arrive and possibly, a final premarital fling. The original version found on The Basement Tapes album was recorded with The Band (minus Levon Helm
Levon Helm
Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm , is an American rock multi-instrumentalist and actor who achieved fame as the drummer and frequent lead and backing vocalist for The Band....
who had temporarily left the group at this point) in the basement of their house in West Saugerties
West Saugerties, New York
West Saugerties is an hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States and part of the Town of Saugerties.West Saugerties is located at . It lies above sea level.-History:...
, New York, called "Big Pink". An alternate, unreleased version recorded during the Basement Tapes sessions includes improvised nonsense lyrics including "Just pick up that oil cloth, cram it in the corn / I don't care if your name is Michael / You're gonna need some boards / Get your lunch, you foreign bib."
1971 version
In October 1971, Dylan re-recorded three songs from the Basement Tapes sessions for inclusion on his Greatest Hits Vol. IIBob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II
Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II , also known as More Bob Dylan Greatest Hits, was the second compilation album released by Bob Dylan. With Dylan not expected to release any new material for an extended period of time, CBS Records president Clive Davis proposed issuing a double LP compilation of...
album—"You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," "I Shall Be Released
I Shall Be Released
"I Shall Be Released" is a 1967 song written by Bob Dylan.The Band played it on their debut album, Music from Big Pink , with Richard Manuel singing lead vocals, and Rick Danko and Levon Helm harmonizing in the chorus...
," and "Down in the Flood
Down in the Flood
Down in the Flood is a song by Bob Dylan, copyrighted and originally recorded by him in 1967 and featured on his 1971 compilation album, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II. He has recorded it with The Band, too - this version was featured on the 1975 album The Basement Tapes...
"—with Happy Traum
Happy Traum
Happy Traum is an American folk musician who started playing music in the Fifties. Happy is most famously known as one half of Happy and Artie Traum, a duo he began with his brother...
playing bass, banjo and electric guitar, as well as providing vocal harmony. Traum notes that "they were very popular songs ... that [Dylan] wanted to put his own stamp on." The lyrics of this performance of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" differed significantly from both the Basement Tapes versions, and also played upon a mistaken lyric in The Byrds' cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of three years earlier (see below). The 1971 version was later released on the compilations The Essential Bob Dylan
The Essential Bob Dylan
The Essential Bob Dylan is a compilation by Bob Dylan, released as a double-CD set in 2000, part of Columbia Records' "The Essential" series....
(2000) and Dylan
Dylan (2007 album)
Dylan is a greatest hits collection by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The collection was released on October 2, 2007 by Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings with worldwide distribution through Sony BMG...
(2007), although in the latter case the album's liner notes erroneously state that it is the 1967 version.
The Byrds' version
The Byrds' recording of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" was released as a singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on April 2, 1968, some three years prior to any commercial release of the song by Dylan. It was the lead single from The Byrds' 1968 country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo
Sweetheart of the Rodeo
Sweetheart of the Rodeo is the sixth album by American rock band The Byrds and was released on August 30, 1968 on Columbia Records...
, and reached number 74 on the Bllboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart and number 45 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Along with the then current line-up of The Byrds, the song also features musical contributions from session musician Lloyd Green
Lloyd Green
Lloyd Green is an American steel guitarist. Green is most notable for his session work, having played on records with artists such as Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson, Lynn Anderson, Don Williams, Paul McCartney, Charley Pride and many others.-Early life:Lloyd Green was born on October 4, 1937 in Leaf,...
on pedal steel guitar
Pedal steel guitar
The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
. Although it is not as famous as their cover version of "Mr. Tambourine Man
Mr. Tambourine Man
"Mr. Tambourine Man" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan, which was released on his 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. The Byrds also recorded a version of the song that was released as their first single on Columbia Records, reaching number 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and...
", The Byrds' recording of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" is often considered by critics to be the band's best Dylan cover.
The song was selected as a suitable cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by The Byrds after their record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, sent them some demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
s from Dylan's Woodstock sessions. Included among these demos were the songs "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" and "Nothing Was Delivered", both of which were recorded by The Byrds in March 1968, during the Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
recording sessions
Studio recording
The term studio recording means any recording made in a studio, as opposed to a live recording, which is usually made in a concert venue or a theatre, with an audience attending the performance.-Studio cast recordings:...
for Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Despite the change in musical style that the country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
-influenced Sweetheart of the Rodeo album represented for The Byrds, the inclusion of two Dylan covers on the album forged a link with their previous folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
incarnation, when Dylan's material had been a mainstay of their repertoire.
The Byrds' recording of the song caused a minor controversy between the band and its author. Dylan's original demo of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" contained the lyric "Pick up your money, pack up your tent", which was mistakenly altered in The Byrds' version, by guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and singer Roger McGuinn
Roger McGuinn
James Roger McGuinn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for being the lead singer and lead guitarist on many of The Byrds' records...
, to "Pack up your money, pick up your tent". Dylan expressed mock-annoyance at this lyric change in his 1971 recording of the song, singing "Pack up your money, put up your tent McGuinn/You ain't goin' nowhere." McGuinn replied in 1989 on a new recording of the song included on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country-folk-rock band that has existed in various forms since its founding in Long Beach, California in 1966. The group's membership has had at least a dozen changes over the years, including a period from 1976 to 1981 when the band performed and recorded...
's Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two
Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two
Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two is a 1989 album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The album follows the same concept as the band's 1972 album, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, which featured guest performances from many notable country music stars.-Composition:Circle II features largely acoustic,...
album, adding the word "Dylan" after the same "Pack up your money, pick up your tent" lyric. McGuinn and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's 1989 recording of the song, which also featured The Byrds' former bass player
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Chris Hillman
Chris Hillman
Christopher Hillman was one of the original members of The Byrds which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Michael Clarke....
, was released as a single and peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart in 1989, as well as number eleven on the Canadian country music charts published by RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
. In spite of the involvement of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the single release was credited to McGuinn and Hillman alone.
After its appearance on Sweetheart of the Rodeo, the song would go on to become a staple of The Byrds' live concert
Rock concert
The term rock concert refers to a musical performance in the style of any one of many genres inspired by "rock and roll" music. While a variety of vocal and instrumental styles can constitute a rock concert, this phenomenon is typically characterized by bands playing at least one electric guitar,...
repertoire, until their final disbandment in 1973. The Byrds also chose to re-record "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" in 1971 with Earl Scruggs
Earl Scruggs
Earl Eugene Scruggs is an American musician noted for perfecting and popularizing a 3-finger banjo-picking style that is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music...
, as part of the Earl Scruggs, His Family and Friends television special, and this version was included on the program's accompanying soundtrack album. The song was also performed live by a reformed line-up of The Byrds featuring Roger McGuinn, David Crosby
David Crosby
David Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
, and Chris Hillman in January 1989. McGuinn continues to perform the song in his solo concerts and consequently it appears on his 2007 album, Live from Spain.
In addition to its appearance on the Sweetheart of the Rodeo album, The Byrds' original recording of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" also appears on several of the band's compilations
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, including The Best of The Byrds: Greatest Hits, Volume II
The Best of The Byrds: Greatest Hits, Volume II
The Best of The Byrds: Greatest Hits, Volume II is the third greatest hits album by the American rock band The Byrds, but only the second to be released in the United States, since the earlier The Byrds' Greatest Hits Volume II had only been issued in the UK. The album was released in the U.S...
, History of The Byrds
History of The Byrds
History of The Byrds is a budget priced, double album compilation by the American rock band The Byrds and was released on May 18, 1973 by CBS Records . The compilation was released exclusively in Europe and the UK, peaking at #47 on the UK Albums Chart, but it was also available in the United...
, The Byrds Play Dylan
The Byrds Play Dylan
The Byrds Play Dylan is the name of two compilation albums by the American rock band The Byrds, one released in 1979 and the other issued in 2002. As their titles suggest, each compilation consists of interpretations of Bob Dylan penned songs, which The Byrds recorded at different stages of their...
, The Original Singles: 1967–1969, Volume 2
The Original Singles: 1967–1969, Volume 2
The Original Singles: 1965-1967, Volume 2 is a compilation album by American rock 'n' roll band The Byrds. Originally released in 1982, it offered, for the first time, all of the mono single versions of the Byrds' singles released between 1967 and early 1969...
, The Byrds, and There Is a Season
There Is a Season
There Is a Season is a four-CD box set by the American rock band The Byrds that was released on September 26, 2006 by Columbia/Legacy. It comprises 99 tracks and includes material from every one of the band's twelve studio albums, presented in roughly chronological order...
. Live performances of the song are included on the expanded edition of The Byrds' (Untitled) album and on Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971
Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971
Live at Royal Albert Hall is a live album by the American rock band The Byrds, released in 2008 on Sundazed Records. The album consists of recordings from the band's appearance at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England on May 13, 1971...
.
Other covers
The British beatBeat music
Beat music, British beat, or Merseybeat is a pop and rock music genre that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1960s. Beat music is a fusion of rock and roll, doo wop, skiffle, R&B and soul...
group Unit 4 + 2
Unit 4 + 2
Unit 4 + 2 were a British pop band, who had a number one hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1965 with the song "Concrete and Clay". The track topped the UK chart for one week.-Early days:...
released a recording of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" as a single in 1968 but it suffered poor sales as a result of the version released by The Byrds and consequently it did not chart. Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
included a gender-switched version of the song, in which she sings "Tomorrow's the day my man's gonna come", on her 1968 album of Dylan covers, Any Day Now. Australian band The Flying Circus
The Flying Circus (band)
The Flying Circus was a pioneering Australian country rock band who had a number of pop hits in Australia from 1968 to 1971 and then re-located to Canada from 1971 to 1974 where they also achieved a degree of success.-Beginnings:...
included this song on their self titled debut album released in August 1969.
Roots rock
Roots rock
Roots rock is a term now used to describe rock music that looks back to rock's origins in folk, blues and country music. It is particularly associated with the creation of hybrid sub-genres from the later 1960s including country rock and Southern rock, which have been seen as responses to the...
quartet The Rave-Ups
The Rave-Ups
The Rave-Ups are a roots rock group hailing originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but is best known as being from Los Angeles, California. They are best known for their alternative rock hit songs "Respectfully King of Rain" and "Positively Lost Me" as well as their appearances in Pretty in Pink...
covered the song on their 1985 album, Town and Country. Shawn Colvin
Shawn Colvin
Shawn Colvin is an American singer-songwriter and musician.-Childhood and early career:Colvin was born in Vermillion, South Dakota. Her formative years were spent in the town of Carbondale, Illinois, where she attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She learned to play guitar at the age...
, Mary Chapin Carpenter
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Mary Chapin Carpenter is an American folk and country music artist. Carpenter spent several years singing in Washington, D.C. clubs before signing in the late 1980s with Columbia Records, who marketed her as a country singer...
, and Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of the late country music singer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin....
also performed the song at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in 1992, for eventual release on the Bob Dylan tribute album The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration is a live double-album release in recognition of Bob Dylan's 30 years as a recording artist. Recorded on October 16, 1992 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, it captures most of the concert, which featured many artists performing classic Dylan songs,...
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Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
covered the song during their July 30, 2003 concert at the Tweeter Center at the Waterfront in Camden, New Jersey. This is the only time that Phish has performed the song.
The Crust Brothers
The Crust Brothers
The Crust Brothers, a band formed by Stephen Malkmus and members of Silkworm , released one album, Marquee Mark, a live recording of their December 5, 1997, show at the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle, Washington. The show was a benefit for the Washington Wilderness Coalition...
covered "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" on their 1998 live album, Marquee Mark
Marquee Mark
Marquee Mark, the Crust Brothers' only album, was released by the small Telemomo label on October 15, 1998. It is a live recording of the band's December 5, 1997, show at the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle, Washington. The bulk of the repertoire is drawn from songs associated with Bob Dylan and The...
and Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
recorded the song as a bonus track on their Hard Candy album in 2002 as well as performing it live with Augustana
Augustana (band)
Augustana is an American rock band from San Diego, California who are signed to the Epic Records record label. They are best known for their singles, "Boston" and "Sweet and Low."-Beginning years:...
. Maria Muldaur
Maria Muldaur
Maria Muldaur is a folk-blues singer who was part of the American folk music revival in the early 1960s...
recorded the song, with slightly altered lyrics, on her 2006 Heart of Mine: Maria Muldaur Sings Love Songs of Bob Dylan album and Marty Raybon
Marty Raybon
Marty Raybon Marty Raybon Marty Raybon (born December 8, 1959 is an Award Winning American country music artist. He is known primarily for his role as the lead singer of the band Shenandoah, a role which he held from 1985 to 1996. He recorded his first solo album, Marty Raybon, in 1995 on Sparrow...
, former vocalist of Shenandoah
Shenandoah (band)
Shenandoah is an American country music group founded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama in 1984 by Marty Raybon , Ralph Ezell , Stan Thorn , Jim Seales , and Mike McGuire...
, also covered the song on his 2006 album, When the Sand Runs Out.
Glen Hansard
Glen Hansard
Glen Hansard is the Academy Award–winning principal songwriter and vocalist/guitarist for Irish group The Frames and one half of folk rock duo, The Swell Season...
and Markéta Irglová
Markéta Irglová
Markéta Irglová is a Czech songwriter, musician, actress, and singer. As of 2010, she resides in New York City.-Early life:...
recorded the song for the soundtrack album to Todd Haynes
Todd Haynes
Todd Haynes is an American independent film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his feature films Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, Poison, Velvet Goldmine, Safe, and the Academy Award-nominated Far from Heaven and I'm Not There.- Style and themes :The writes that "Haynes is...
' Dylan biopic, I'm Not There
I'm Not There
I'm Not There is a 2007 biographical musical film directed by Todd Haynes, inspired by iconic American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Six actors depict different facets of Dylan's life and public persona: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, and Ben Whishaw...
, using the lyrics from Dylan's 1971 version, including the reference to Roger McGuinn. The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols are an American alternative rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1994. The band was founded by singer-guitarist Courtney Taylor-Taylor and guitarist Peter Holmström, with keyboardist Zia McCabe and drummer Eric Hedford later joining. Hedford left in 1998 and was replaced by...
have covered the song on the 2009 digital download edition of their album The Dandy Warhols Are Sound
The Dandy Warhols Are Sound
The Dandy Warhols Are Sound is the release of Grammy Award-winning soul mixing engineer Russell Elevado's original mix of The Dandy Warhols' 2003 studio album, Welcome to the Monkey House...
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The Byrds version
| Chart (1968) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 55 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 74 |
| UK Singles Chart | 45 |
Chris Hillman/Roger McGuinn version
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 6 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 11 |