bob dylan
This song is #3 in a funny link of rip-offs, and here's the funny story behind:
Folksinger and folklorist Paul Clayton (1931-1967) adapted the public domain traditional song "Who's Gonna Buy Your Chickens When I'm Gone" - a most probably "negro" ballad - adding the tune a couple of chords and naming it "Who's Gonna Buy You Ribbons When I'm Gone". Clayton was an institutor in Greenwich Village, and Dylan captured this song for improvement, telling Clayton straight away «I'm gonna steal it». So he did; 1963. Monument sued Columbia Records for copyright infringement. It was settled out of court, and Clayton and Dylan remained friends.
Obstinate rumours tell that Clayton wanted it to be more than "friends" ... Clayton was gay. These rumours also tell that Dylan responded with writing "It Ain't Me, Babe", and closed their relationship with "It's All Over Now Baby Blue". Spiteful bullshit, or...? However, Clayton - nowadays almost forgotten, and most appreciated for promoting the appalachian dulcimer, got haunted by heavy depression for several reasons, and committed suicide in 1967.
Later, Dylan and Cash made friends. One of the results was "Understand Your Man"; an obvious rip-off. But none of them were gay, and both were signed with Columbia, so a new lawsuit was out of question. Still nobody knows who's gonna buy you neighter chickens nor ribbons. To a busker, a good song is a good song no matter who really wrote it. At least, the lyrics of THIS one is genuine Dylan. Adapted; though.
ain't no use to sit and wonder why babe • it won't matter anyhow
no there ain't no use to sit and wonder why babe • that if you don't know by now
when the rooster crows at the break of dawn
look out your window and I'll be gone
and you're the reason that I'm travelling on
don't think twice • it's all right
ain't no use in turning on your light babe • that light I never knowed
no there ain't no use in turning on your light babe • I'm on the dark side of the road
still I wish there was something you would do or say
to try to make me change my mind and stay
we never did too much talking anyway
so don't think twice • it's all right
ain't no use in calling out my name gal • like you never did before
no there ain't no use in calling out my name gal • I can't hear you anymore
I ain't saying you treated me unkind
you could have done better but I don't mind
you just kinda wasted some of my precious time
but don't think twice • it's all right
well I'm walking down that long lonesome road babe • where I'm bound I can't tell
but goodbye is too good a word gal so I'm just saying fare thee well
I'm thinking and wondering • walking down the road
I once loved a woman • a child I'm told
I gave her my heart but she wanted my soul
so don't think twice • it's all right
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
E B7 C#m A B7 ain't no use to sit and wonder why babe it won't matter anyhow E B7 C#m F#7 B7 no there ain't no use to sit and wonder why babe that if you don't know by now E E7 when the rooster crows at the break of dawn A G#7 look out your window and I'll be gone E Emaj7 C#m A and you're the reason that I'm travelling on E B7 E don't think twice it's all right
