United State Highway number 61 has been referenced in many songs the most popular being Bob Dylan's 1965 song Highway 61 Revisited. It stretches from Northern Minnesota to the gulf of Mexico. It is credited with bringing the blues from the south, north to Chicago, which is what the opening verse is referring to.
The third verse refers to the bluesman Leadbelly. Leadbelly went to prison for killing a man. Legend has it that he wrote and played a song for the Warden who was so impressed with it, he let Leadbelly go free.
The fourth verse is about Robert Zimmerman, who left the mining town of Hibbing, Minnesota for New York City, where he became Bob Dylan.
I'm not sure what the second verse means regarding Hannibal's son.
United State Highway number 61 has been referenced in many songs the most popular being Bob Dylan's 1965 song Highway 61 Revisited. It stretches from Northern Minnesota to the gulf of Mexico. It is credited with bringing the blues from the south, north to Chicago, which is what the opening verse is referring to.
The third verse refers to the bluesman Leadbelly. Leadbelly went to prison for killing a man. Legend has it that he wrote and played a song for the Warden who was so impressed with it, he let Leadbelly go free.
The fourth verse is about Robert Zimmerman, who left the mining town of Hibbing, Minnesota for New York City, where he became Bob Dylan.
I'm not sure what the second verse means regarding Hannibal's son.