29. Goodbye Jimmy Reed with Erin Callahan

Welcome to Songs of Experience: A Bob Dylan Podcast, where we explore the man and the music one song at a time. In this episode, Henry welcomes back his bestie Erin Callahan to talk about Goodbye Jimmy Reed and the finale of the Long Hot Summer 2026 in Nashville!

Goodbye Jimmy Reed

Written by: Bob Dylan

I live on a street named after a Saint
Women in the churches wear powder and paint
Where the Jews and the Catholics and the Muslims all pray
I can tell a Proddy from a mile away
Goodbye Jimmy Reed - Jimmy Reed indeed
Give me that old time religion, it’s just what I need

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory
Go tell it on the Mountain, go tell the real story
Tell it in that straight forward puritanical tone
In the mystic hours when a person’s alone
Goodbye Jimmy Reed - Godspeed
Thump on the bible - proclaim the creed

You won’t amount to much the people all said
‘Cause I didn’t play guitar behind my head
Never pandered never acted proud
Never took off my shoes and threw them into the crowd
Goodbye Jimmy Reed - goodbye and goodnight
I’ll put a jewel in your crown - I’ll put out the light

They threw everything at me, everything in the book
Had nothing to fight with but a butcher’s hook
They have no pity - they don’t lend a hand
And I can’t sing a song that I don’t understand
Goodbye Jimmy Reed - goodbye and good luck
Can’t play the record ‘cause my needle got stuck

Transparent woman in a transparent dress
It suits you well - I must confess
I’ll break open your grapes I’ll suck out the juice
I need you like my head needs a noose
Goodbye Jimmy Reed, goodbye and so long
I thought I could resist her but I was so wrong

G-d be with you, brother dear
If you don’t mind me asking, what brings you here?
Oh, nothing much, I’m just looking for the man
I came to see where he’s lying in this lost land
Goodbye Jimmy Reed and with everything within ya
Can’t you hear me calling from down in Virginia

Check out Erin's new book! https://bookshop.org/p/books/bob-dylan-in-the-1980s-a-reconsideration-erin-c-callahan/1f54f866c253f95d

And her fabulous podcast: https://infinitygoesupontrial.substack.com/

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