The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll by Bob Dylan (1964)

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The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll

The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll is a topical song written about the killing of an African-American barmaid, Hattie Carroll (March 3, 1911 - February 9, 1963). The song was written and performed by Bob Dylan, released in 1964 from his album The Times They Are a-Changin’.

The 51-year-old barmaid was killed by a 24-year-old, white young man from a wealthy tobacco farming family in Charles County, Maryland, and was sentenced to six months in jail after being convicted of assault. [1]

The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll by Bob Dylan (1964)

Key Lyrics

William Zanzinger killed poor Hattie Carroll

With a cane that he twirled around his diamond ring finger

At a Baltimore hotel society gatherin'

And the cops was called in and his weapon took from him

As they rode him in custody down to the station

And booked William Zanzinger for first-degree murder

But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears

Take the rag away from your face

Now ain't the time for your tears

William Zanzinger, who at twenty-four years

Owns a tobacco farm of six hundred acres

With rich wealthy parents who provide and protect him

And high office relations in the politics of Maryland

Reacted to his deed with a shrug of his shoulders

And swear words and sneering, and his tongue it was a-snarling

And in a matter of minutes on bail was out walking

But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize fears

Take the rag away from your face

Now ain't the time for your tears

Hattie Carroll was a maid in the kitchen

She was fifty-one years old and gave birth to ten children

Who carried the dishes and took out the garbage

And never sat once at the head of the table

And didn’t even talk to the people at the table

Who just cleaned up all the food from the table

And emptied the ashtrays on a whole other level

Got killed by a blow, lay slain by a cane

That sailed through the air and came down through the room

Doomed and determined to destroy all the gentle

And she never done nothin' to William Zanzinger

And you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears

Take the rag away from your face

Now ain't the time for your tears [2]

Black Empowerment

The song tells about the killer of a black barmaid named Hattie Carrol who was killed by a wealthy white man, William Zanzinger. [3]

The 51-year-old barmaid was killed by a 24-year-old, white young man from a wealthy tobacco farming family in Charles County, Maryland, and was sentenced to six months in jail after being convicted of assault.

The song’s lyrics comments about racism in the 1960s. When the killing incident of Carroll happened in 1963, Charles County was strictly segregated by race in public facilities, including the county fair, until in 1967, the schools of Charles County were not integrated. [4]

The incident took place at a Baltimore hotel society gathering, Zanzinger killed Carroll with a cane twirling around his diamond ring finger. [5]

References

  1. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll. wikipedia.org. Retrieved January 28, 2021
  2. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll Bob Dylan. genius.com. Retrieved January 28, 2021
  3. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll Bob Dylan. genius.com. Retrieved January 28, 2021
  4. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll. wikipedia.org. Retrieved January 28, 2021
  5. Dylan, Bob. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll. bobdylan.com. Retrieved January 28, 2021