It Ain't Me Babe

Infobox Song
Name = It Ain't Me Babe


Caption = Album cover
Type =
Artist = Bob Dylan
alt Artist = The Turtles, Silvertide, Johnny Cash
Album = Another Side of Bob Dylan
Published =
Released = 1964
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Recorded =
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Length =
Writer = Bob Dylan
Composer = Bob Dylan
Label = Columbia Records
Producer = Tom Wilson
Chart position =
Tracks =
#"All I Really Want to Do"
#"Black Crow Blues"
#"Spanish Harlem Incident"
#"Chimes of Freedom"
#"I Shall Be Free No. 10"
#"To Ramona"
#"Motorpsycho Nitemare"
#"My Back Pages"
#"I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)"
#"Ballad in Plain D"
#"It Ain't Me Babe"
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"It Ain't Me Babe" is the title of a 1964 song by Bob Dylan, first included on his album "Another Side of Bob Dylan". The song's opening line ("Go away from my window...") is allegedly influenced by musicologist/folk-singer John Jacob Niles' composition "Go 'Way From My Window." Niles is referred to by Dylan as an early influence in his autobiography, "Chronicles, Vol. 1". Clinton Heylin reports that a London "Times" reporter at a May 1964 Royal Festival Hall concert where Dylan first played the "It Ain't Me" took the lines "no, no, no, it ain't me babe" as a parody of The Beatles' "She Loves You". [cite book | last = Heylin | first = Clinton | authorlink = Clinton Heylin | title = Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited | year = 2001 | publisher = HarperCollins | isbn = 006052569X | pages = 154 ] When Bob Dylan played his first electric concerts at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Carnegie Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, and Monterey in 1965, he gave "It Ain't Me, Babe" an electric arrangement.

Covers and uses

Dylan and Johnny Cash admired each other's work a great deal, and with Dylan's blessing, Cash recorded the song with June Carter. The song was released on Cash's 1965 album, "Orange Blossom Special", and became a hit. This song was also featured in the 2005 film about Cash's life, "Walk the Line", and was performed by Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.

In the film "Blow", George Jung (played by Johnny Depp) recites a line from "It Ain't Me Babe" while on trial for marijuana possession with intent to distribute.

In 1965, The Turtles also had a hit single of the song, which reached #8 in the U.S., and was then featured on their album of the same name.

"It Ain't Me Babe" was among many Dylan songs recorded by Joan Baez in the early years of their careers. Baez' version appeared on "Joan Baez/5," which also included "Go 'Way From My Window."

Nancy Sinatra covered "It Ain't Me Babe" on her 1966 "Boots" album.

The Peter, Paul & Mary album "Flowers and Stones", released in 1990, featured a cover of "It Ain't Me Babe".

The song is covered by Silvertide, and is featured on the soundtrack of M. Night Shyamalan's "Lady in the Water".

"It Ain't Me Babe" and, particularly, use of the term 'Babe', inspired Sonny and Cher and the writing of their biggest hit, "I Got You Babe".

"It Ain't Me Babe" was also the title of an underground comix.

"It Ain't Me Babe" was also covered by independent pop-rock artist Dave Melillo in 2005.

Johnny Cash's version of the song was re-recorded by New Found Glory for their cover song LP From the Screen to Your Stereo Pt. 2.

On the 2007 Jesse Cook album, Frontiers, a version of "It Ain't Me Babe" is performed with Melissa McClelland singing.

In 2007 American rock band Chiodos used the lines "I'm not the one that you want, I'll only let you down" in their song, Intensity In Ten Cities.

In September 2008, song was used during the ending credits of the TV show Mad Men. (Second episode of the second season)

References