Studio Album · No. 1
Bob Dylan Songwriting Credits by Bob Dylan
Holds writing credit on 2 of 13 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 2 / 13 documented
Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Bob Dylan carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Bob Dylan wrote only two of the thirteen songs on his 1962 self-titled debut: 'Talkin' New York' and 'Song to Woody', the latter a tribute to Woody Guthrie. The other eleven tracks are traditional folk and blues songs plus covers, several credited as traditional and arranged by Dylan, and others written by artists such as Jesse Fuller ('You're No Good'), Bukka White ('Fixin' to Die'), Curtis Jones ('Highway 51'), and Blind Lemon Jefferson ('See That My Grave Is Kept Clean'). The album leans heavily on Dylan interpreting existing folk and blues material rather than original songwriting. Two arrangements are credited to other folk performers: Eric Von Schmidt for 'Baby, Let Me Follow You Down' and Dave Van Ronk for 'House of the Risin' Sun'.
Released March 19, 1962 on Columbia Records, Dylan's debut was produced by Columbia talent scout John H. Hammond, who had signed Dylan to the label. Only two of the thirteen tracks are original compositions, "Talkin' New York" and "Song to Woody," the latter an ode to Dylan's hero Woody Guthrie, while the rest draw from folk standards and traditional blues material. Dylan absorbed the repertoire largely from contemporaries performing in New York's Greenwich Village coffeehouses, including Dave Van Ronk's arrangement of "House of the Rising Sun," which Van Ronk resented Dylan recording. The album established Dylan's raw acoustic folk and country blues style, showcasing a distinctive vocal delivery that made familiar material sound distinctly his own. Initial sales were dismal, roughly 2,500 U.S. copies, earning Dylan the nickname "Hammond's Folly" internally at Columbia, though the album eventually reached No. 13 in the UK in 1965 and was later reassessed as an important document of early-1960s folk revival.
Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
You're No Good
|
Jesse Fuller | Jesse Fuller | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 2 |
Talkin' New York
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 3 |
In My Time of Dyin'
|
Traditional | Traditional | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 4 |
Man of Constant Sorrow
|
Traditional | Traditional | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 5 |
Fixin' to Die
|
Traditional | Traditional | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 6 |
Pretty Peggy-O
|
Traditional | Traditional | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 7 |
Highway 51 Blues
|
Curtis Jones | Curtis Jones | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 8 |
Gospel Plow
|
Traditional | Traditional | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 9 |
Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
|
Traditional | Traditional | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 10 |
House of the Risin' Sun
|
Traditional | Traditional | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 11 |
Freight Train Blues
|
Traditional | Traditional | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 12 |
Song to Woody
|
Robert Allen Zimmermann | Robert Allen Zimmermann | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 13 |
See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
|
Blind Lemon Jefferson | Blind Lemon Jefferson | John Hammond | Bob Dylan (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |