The “shameful piece of writing” that could have ended badly for Bob Dylan
Throughout his illustrious career, Bob Dylan has composed numerous monumental songs, drawing inspiration from real-life events and figures along the way. His music often delves into the realm of genuine historical occurrences and personalities, imbuing his work with a sincere and almost palpable edge.
Dylan included the track ‘The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll’ on his 1964 album titled The Times They Are a-Changin’. The song narrates the tragic events surrounding the death of Hattie Carroll in 1963, a Black waitress who fell victim to a vicious and racially motivated assault by William Zantzinger. Zantzinger was subsequently convicted of manslaughter by a group of judges, resulting in a relatively short prison term.
However, while recounting historical events isn’t an unknown occurrence in music, Dylan’s story veered a little far away from the truth. For one, Dylan misspelled Zantzinger’s last name, and misrepresented a few details from the trial. Some of this might be down to the fact that Dylan recorded the song when the news was still hot off the press, taking it to a recording studio immediately.
While Dylan’s song accurately suggests, without explicitly stating, that Carroll was black and Zantzinger was white, the song also alludes to Zantzinger using his cane to fatally assault Carroll, but in truth, his drunken attack with the cane also targeted at least two others that same night — an incident reported by both a bellboy and a waiter. On August 28th, 1963, Zantzinger received a six-month jail sentence for both assault and manslaughter. Dylan’s song strongly suggests that his privileged, upper-class status may have played a role in the short sentencing.
After Zantzinger was released from jail, he started to work in real estate, but after a mix-up with county taxes, unlawful suing, and property fraud, Zantzinger was arrested and sentenced to another 19 months in prison. Interestingly, he didn’t say anything about Dylan or his song until 2001, when he told Dylan biographer Howard Sounes: “[Dylan] is a no-account son a bitch. He’s just like a scum bag of the earth. I should have sued him and put him in jail. [The song is] a total lie”.
Dylan’s biographer, Clinton Heylin, also noted that Dylan was lucky he didn’t face a lawsuit. “He’s very lucky that he didn’t get his ass sued,” Heylin said. “I love the song, but it’s a shameful piece of writing”.
Judy Collins, who famously covered Dylan many times, recorded a version of the song for her 1964 album The Judy Collins Concert. She explained the importance of its subject matter, implying that the song will outlive its source: “It transcends time and specifics because it’s so visceral,” Collins said.
Adding: “There’s this big blustering racist, striding around with his watch chain, and this poor maid. It’s also so visual. He explicitly describes this guy who, if you saw him in a bar, you’d try to get him thrown out. Get the picture in your mind and get it down on paper. Then it might last”.
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