Hitchhiking Highway 61: A Bob Dylan Inspired Podcast22 Jan

Only A Pawn In Their Game

In this episode of Hitchhiking Highway 61, host Kevin Fallon examines Bob Dylan’s 1964 protest song “Only a Pawn in Their Game” from The Times They Are A-Changin’, written in the aftermath of Medgar Evers’s assassination. His murder—and the decades-long fight for justice that followed—would echo through American history and into the music of Dylan. Rather than focusing solely on the man who pulled the trigger, Dylan looks at a broader system of racism, political manipulation, and economic exploitation—arguing that the killer himself was merely a pawn.

But does that argument go too far?

Through close lyrical analysis, historical context, and personal critique, this episode explores Dylan’s controversial framing of moral responsibility, the use of dehumanizing imagery, and the uneasy tension between systemic forces and individual accountability. From the March on Washington to the eventual conviction of Byron De La Beckwith more than 30 years later, we trace how power, propaganda, and poverty intersect—and where Dylan’s message still resonates, and where it falters.

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Episoder(25)

Black Crow Blues

Why does Bob Dylan switch to piano on Black Crow Blues? On this episode, we explore this overlooked song from Another Side of Bob Dylan and how it foreshadows his fearless artistic evolution.

30 Jul 16min

All I Really Want To Do

In this episode of Hitchhiking Highway 61, host Kevin Fallon looks at the first song on Another Side of Bob Dylan, All I Really Want To Do. The song marks a turning point for Dylan as the singer is lo...

3 Jun 14min

Restless Farewell

In this episode of Hitchhiking Highway 61 we explore Restless Farewell by Bob Dylan, where he says goodbye to his folk era on The Times They Are A-Changin'. The song touches on fame, identity, media b...

15 Apr 25min

The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll

In this episode of Hitchhiking Highway 61, we explore The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll and how it reflects the tension between hope and injustice in 1960s America. After performing at the March on...

2 Apr 23min

When The Ship Comes In

In this episode of Hitchhiking Highway 61, we explore “When the Ship Comes In” from The Times They Are a-Changin' by Bob Dylan. First performed with Joan Baez at the March on Washington for Jobs and F...

7 Mar 13min

Boots of Spanish Leather

In this episode of Hitchhiking Highway 61, host Kevin Fallon explores Bob Dylan’s haunting ballad “Boots of Spanish Leather” from The Times They Are A-Changin’, weaving together lyrical analysis, musi...

10 Feb 14min

North Country Blues

In this episode of Hitchhiking Highway 61, we take a deep dive into Bob Dylan’s “North Country Blues,” a haunting narrative about life in a failing mining town and the quiet weight of staying put. Fro...

16 Des 202518min