This song is based off of the song by Kansas Joe McCoy, a black jazz muscian in the 40s and 50s, called When the Levee Breaks, which was adapted by Led Zeplin on the Mothership album. This has nothing to do with New Orleans, in a press release after it was brought up that Dylan seemingly 'copied' this song without giving credit he said it was loosely based off it in lyrics and in meaning. In the 50s Katrina was a name and not a hurricane, so I doubt it was written as a homage to Katrina.
This song is based off of the song by Kansas Joe McCoy, a black jazz muscian in the 40s and 50s, called When the Levee Breaks, which was adapted by Led Zeplin on the Mothership album. This has nothing to do with New Orleans, in a press release after it was brought up that Dylan seemingly 'copied' this song without giving credit he said it was loosely based off it in lyrics and in meaning. In the 50s Katrina was a name and not a hurricane, so I doubt it was written as a homage to Katrina.