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Oxford Town Lyrics

Oxford Town, Oxford Town
Ev'rybody's got their heads bowed down
The sun don't shine above the ground
Ain't a-goin' down to Oxford Town

He went to down to Oxford Town
Guns and clubs followed him down
All because his face was brown
Better get away from Oxford Town

Oxford Town around the bend
He come to the door, but couldn't get in
All because of the color of his skin
What do you think about that, my frien'?

Me and my gal, my gal's son
We got met with a tear gas bomb
I don't even know why we come
Goin' back where we come from

Oxford Town in the afternoon
Ev'rybody singin' a sorrowful tune
Two men died 'neath the Mississippi moon
Somebody better investigate soon
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Cover art for Oxford Town lyrics by Bob Dylan

But specifically about the integration of the University of Mississippi and James Meredith.

Cover art for Oxford Town lyrics by Bob Dylan

It is about James Meredith, like UnpopularPoet said. We listened to it in history :D. That's how I discovered Bob Dylan, and now he's one of my all time favourites.

Cover art for Oxford Town lyrics by Bob Dylan

you bet your sweet ass

Cover art for Oxford Town lyrics by Bob Dylan

i think it is about racism. it is pretty obvious

Cover art for Oxford Town lyrics by Bob Dylan

its about the murders from that movie Missisipi Burning im pretty sure

Cover art for Oxford Town lyrics by Bob Dylan

was mississppi burning made by then? but anyway it is an awesome song - could have been longer if anything tho

Cover art for Oxford Town lyrics by Bob Dylan

althought it is highly likely it's oxford, MS... there is also an oxford, NJ still know for the KKK...

Cover art for Oxford Town lyrics by Bob Dylan

i live in oxford nc which is notorious for its racial history (blood done sign my name was written about the town). i like to think its about my home town, although i doubt it :)

I go to school here in Oxford, it is one of the most well known parts of MS...the desegregation of UM was huge here. Bob Dylan also writes more about MS in his song, Mississippi and as for it being in another state i.e. NJ or NC..it says in the lyrics

Oxford Town in the afternoon Ev'rybody singin' a sorrowful tune Two men died 'neath the MISSISSIPPI moon Somebody better investigate soon

and the following in "" was taken from wikipedia.org...

"Many of the songs on this album were labelled protest songs, inspired partly by...

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thats just my guess anyways.

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Cover art for Oxford Town lyrics by Bob Dylan

"whaddaya think about that ma frien'?" ha i love that line. i know this song is not supposed to be funny/happy/cute but the way bob sings it always makes me smile. and the way the lyrics are so clever and unforced... ahh why did bob have to come along and be so amazing that everything else is shit in comparison? too bad he got tired of these "topical" songs just as soon as he churned them out :(

Cover art for Oxford Town lyrics by Bob Dylan

It's about the desegregation of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford, MS and the race riots that broke out in the fall of 1962 on campus following James Meredith's enrollment.

Two good short docs can be found about it here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha3dS0JTrOg