Thursday, January 25, 2007

Walls of Red Wing

Oh, the age of the inmates
I remember quite freely:
No younger than twelve,
No older 'n seventeen.
Thrown in like bandits
And cast off like criminals,
Inside the walls,
The walls of Red Wing.
...

Bob Dylan, recorded in 1963, at the last Freewheelin' session, released on The Bootleg Series 1-3 (1991)

From a NYT article by Steve Dougherty, Sept. 11, 2005, (also the birthday of Jimmie Davis, 1899! ) This is Highway 61 up North. The author visits Minnesota and tries to find connections between Bob Dylan's songs and the places of his youth (Dylan was born in Duluth, MN). He does find some connections. For example, it turns out there is a place called Red Wing in which there is a reform school for boys. There's even a place called Rollingstone! Have a look:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2005/09/11/travel/11highway.html?ex=1169874000&en=af072f989dc26989&ei=5070

No comments: