Corrina, Corrina

Commentary


Corrina, Corrina
is often attributed to Armenter Chatman (also known as Bo Carter), the leader of the legendary Mississippi Sheiks back in the twenties.

Dylan covered his Blood in My Eyes on his stellar World Gone Wrong recording. Big Joe Turner, who gets a name check in Dylan’s song High Water from his 2001 release Love and Theft, had a hit with it in 1956.

Dylan’s lyrics bear little resemblance (outside the chorus) to Chatman’s version (printed below).

Corrine, Corrina, where you been so long
Corrine, Corrina, where you been so long
I ain’t had no lovin’ since you’ve been gone

Corrine, Corrina
Corrine, Corrina
Corrine, Corrina
I love you so

I love Corrina, tell the world I do
I love Corrina, tell the world I do
I pray every night she learns to love me too

Corrine, Corrina
Corrine, Corrina
Corrine, Corrina
I love you so

I left Corrina, way across the sea
I left Corrina, way across the sea
If you see my baby, send her home to me

Corrine, Corrina
Corrine, Corrina
Corrine, Corrina
I love you so

Corrine, Corrina, why don’t you come on home
Corrine, Corrina, why don’t you come on home
I’m mighty tired, bein’ all alone

Corrine, Corrina
Corrine, Corrina
Corrine, Corrina
I love you so

In his version, Dylan borrowed from Robert Johnson songs, specifically Hellhound on my Trail, 32-20 Blues, and Kind-Hearted Woman Blues. Todd Harvey notes that Dylan changed the song structure from the conventional four-line to the six-line blues form.

Corrina is the first song Dylan attempted with a band. It is the only song recorded with electric instruments to make it on the album. (Mixed-Up Confusion was released as a single but not included on the album.) Bruce Langhorne plays the electric guitar part. Langhorne would appear again on Bringing It All Back Home.

Dylan says that he never learned the older version of the song but just used what he had heard on the radio.

It is a nice, understated song that fits in well with the rest of the album.

Check out the versionon Live at Gerdes. The lyrics are substantially different. Maybe a different tuning too.

Corrina with some fancy-ass guitar playing.

Remember the song Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf?


Lyrics

Corrina, Corrina
Gal, where you been so long?
Corrina, Corrina
Gal, where you been so long?
I been worr’in’ ’bout you, baby
Baby, please come home

I got a bird that whistles
I got a bird that sings
I got a bird that whistles
I got a bird that sings
But I ain’ a-got Corrina
Life don’t mean a thing

Corrina, Corrina
Gal, you’re on my mind
Corrina, Corrina
Gal, you’re on my mind
I’m a-thinkin’ ’bout you, baby
I just can’t keep from crying.

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