About the song
“**Hurricane**” is a powerful protest song by Bob Dylan, co-written with Jacques Levy and released in November 1975. It was also featured on Dylan’s 1976 album *Desire*. The song is a dramatic and poignant recounting of the wrongful imprisonment of boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, reflecting Dylan’s commitment to social justice and his disdain for racial injustice.
The background of the song centers on a tragic and controversial case from the 1960s. Rubin Carter and his friend John Artis were charged with a triple murder that occurred at the Lafayette Grill in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1966. Despite the lack of solid evidence and questionable eyewitness testimony, Carter and Artis were convicted. The case was widely criticized as racially motivated, and many believed that Carter was unfairly targeted due to his race. Over the years, numerous doubts arose about the fairness of the trial and the integrity of the evidence presented.
Dylan’s interest in Carter’s story began after he read Carter’s autobiography, which led him to visit Carter in Rahway State Prison in New Jersey. Dylan’s encounter with Carter and subsequent discussions with his supporters deeply moved him and inspired him to write “Hurricane.”
Author Clinton Heylin noted that Dylan initially struggled with how to approach the song. However, he eventually chose a storytelling format that resembles stage directions in a script, making the narrative vivid and engaging. This approach allowed Dylan to effectively convey the injustices faced by Carter.
“Hurricane” stands out as one of Dylan’s significant protest songs from the 1970s. It became one of his most successful singles of the decade, reaching No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. Critics praised the song for its compelling narrative and emotional depth. Billboard described it as “probably the most powerful song Dylan has recorded in a decade,” while Record World emphasized the song’s authenticity and raw portrayal of injustice.
The song’s impact extended beyond music, shining a spotlight on the plight of Rubin Carter and contributing to the broader conversation about racial inequality and wrongful convictions. Dylan’s “Hurricane” remains a poignant reminder of the power of music to address and challenge social injustices.
Video
Lyrics
So this is who I am
And this is all I know
And I must choose to live
For all that I can give
The spark that makes the power grow
And I will stand for my dream if I can
Symbol of my faith in who I am
But you are my only
And I must follow on the road that lies ahead
And I won’t let my heart control my head
But you are my only
And we don’t say goodbye
We don’t say goodbye
And I know what I’ve got to be
Immortality
I make my journey through eternity
I keep the memory of you and me inside
Fulfill your destiny
Is there within the child
My storm will never end
My fate is on the wind
The king of hearts, the joker’s wild
But we don’t say goodbye
We don’t say goodbye
I’ll make them all remember me
‘Cause I have found a dream that must come true
Every ounce of me must see it though
But you are my only
I’m sorry I don’t have a role for love to play
Hand over my heart I’ll find my way
I will make them give to me
Immortality
There is a vision and a fire in me
I keep the memory of you and me inside
And we don’t say, goodbye
We don’t say, goodbye
With all my love for you
And what else we may do
We don’t say, goodbye