Roots of Bob

Don't Think Twice, It's All Right

The melody is adapted from Paul Clayton's adaption of a folk tune, "Scarlet Ribbons For Her Hair" (is this the title of the original folk tune, or Clayton's adaption of it? Is "Who'll Buy You[r?] Ribbons When I'm Gone" (with variants such as "Who'll Count Your Chickens When I'm Gone") the original song or Clayton's adaption?). According to Robert Shelton "Clayton and Dylan had an amicable legal tiff, settling without rancor out of court" ("No Direction Home" by Robert Shelton, page 156). Johnny Cash wrote his own version called "Understand Your Man", sometimes incorrectly cited as being being Dylan's influence.

In "For Dave Glover" (1963 Newport Folk Festival programme) Dylan wrote "Without no 'Lone Green Valley' there'd be no 'Don't Think Twice'".

thanks to Ben Taylor

> Original title, "Who's Goin' Buy You Ribbons When I'm Gone."

>
>     It ain't no use to sit and sigh now, darlin,
>     And it ain't no use to sit and cry now,
>     T'ain't no use to sit and wonder why, darlin,
>     Just wonder who's gonna buy you ribbons when I'm gone.
>
>     So times on the railroad gettin' hard, babe,
>     I woke up last night and saw it snow,
>     Remember what you said to me last summer
>     When you saw me walkin' down that road.
>
>     So I'm walkin' down that long, lonesome road,
>     You're the one that made me travel on,
>     But still-I-can't-help wonderin' on my way,
>     Who's gonna buy you ribbons when I'm gone?

> Clayton recorded that around 1960 on Monument 4001, a collection of original ballads, "Home-Made Songs & Ballads".

(thanks to Ron Mura)

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