To Ramona
"To Ramona" is a folk waltz written by Bob Dylan for his fourth studio album Another Side of Bob Dylan.
| "To Ramona" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Bob Dylan | |
| from the album Another Side of Bob Dylan | |
| Released | August 8, 1964 |
| Recorded | June 9, 1964 |
| Genre | Folk |
| Length | 3:52 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Songwriter(s) | Bob Dylan |
| Producer(s) | Tom Wilson |
Background and composition
The melody is inspired by traditional Mexican Corrido folk music and also bears a similarity to Rex Griffin's 1937 song "The Last Letter". The song is one of several on the album to highlight the more personal and less political side of Dylan's songwriting that would become more prominent in the future.[1]
The song's lyrics make allusions to folk singer Joan Baez,[2] with whom Dylan was involved in a personal relationship at the time of its composition and subsequent release. It is another example of the G, G6, G7 harmonic motif Dylan uses pervasively on the record. The song was recorded in one take in the Columbia Recording Studios on June 9, 1964.
Live performances
Between 1964 and 2017, Dylan has performed the song 381 times in concert.[3]
References
- "To Ramona: an important song in understanding how Dylan composes, and the question of Joan Baez | Untold DylanUntold Dylan". 2015-11-22. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
- Power, Tom. "Single Songs: Bob Dylan's 'To Ramona'". CBC Music. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
- "To Ramona | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
