On July 9, 1962, Bob Dylan entered Columbia’s Studio A in New York and recorded “Blowin’ in the Wind.” It would be a year, though, before the recording was released on his album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. The song and album were a breakthrough for Dylan after his unsuccessful self-titled first album, with many crediting the song and album as a turning point for Dylan’s songwriting.
Most people, however, first heard the song from a source besides Dylan’s 1962 recording. Besides those who were lucky enough to hear him sing it in a performance, many first heard it in another voice. Before Dylan’s version of the song was released, Peter, Paul, and Mary had a pop hit with the song, which became a civil rights movement anthem.
This video captures Dylan performing the song on TV in 1963.
What is your favorite version of “Blowin’ in the Wind”? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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