Bob Dylan is, always has been, and always will be in every single song in some way, shape, or form. This might be a hot take, but his influence mirrors that of William Shakespeare. However, that is an intellectual discussion for another time. Though, beyond being the pinnacle of modern songwriting, Dylan’s influence has also landed him a bit of cash incidentally. And in this particular instance, it’s thanks to Darius Rucker and Hootie & The Blowfish.
Darius Rucker has always been a longtime fan of Bob Dylan. Notably, Rucker covered OCMS’ “Wagon Wheel,” which was previously owned and partially written by Dylan. He obtained that intellectual property legally. Although, when it comes to the song, “Only Wanna Be with You,” that is not the case in the slightest.
Videos by American Songwriter
Darius Rucker & His Deep Affection for Dylan’s ‘Blood On The Tracks’
In a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone, Darius Rucker divulged just how much Bob Dylan influenced his music, and like the majority of Dylan fans, one of Rucker’s favorite albums is Bob Dylan’s, Blood On The Tracks. The songs on the album that Rucker took a particular liking to were “Idiot Wind” and “Tangled Up In Blue.” Matter of fact, both these songs’ lyrics wound up in “Only Wanna Be With You.”
In the song, Rucker and the band deliberately lifted a line from Dylan’s “Idiot Wind,” and made a singular edit to it. The line in question, They say I shot a man named Grey and took his wife to Italy / She inherited a million bucks and when she died it came to me / I can’t help it if I’m lucky’ was just so vivid. Of course, this is a huge no-no in the music industry, but Rucker was not intending to try and profit off Dylan’s genius.
He told Rolling Stone, “That was a straight tribute to my love of Dylan.” Regarding the copyright infringement, Rucker continued, “It never got to the point where we were sued” and “When we first did that song we sent it to the publishing company and everything was fine.”
“We played it for years and had a really big hit with it” and “Then they wanted some money, and they got it. We weren’t trying to rip anybody off. It was like, ‘If you think that’s the case, sure,’” concluded Darius Rucker. An exact dollar amount was never disclosed, but for Darius Rucker, it was never about the money. Instead, it was about paying homage to the bard, Bob Dylan.
Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for Hootie & the Blowfish
Most Viewed
-
Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for ABA -
Portrait of the American-based rock band Foreigner as they pose backsatge at the Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois, November 8, 1981. Pictured are, from left, Dennis Elliot, Lou Gramm, Rick Wills, and Mick Jones. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) -
Bob Dylan seen here performing on stage at The Picnic concert at Blackbushe Aerodrome 15th July 1978. (Photo by Staff/Mirrorpix/Getty Images) -
Duane Allman & Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers on October 16, 1970 in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
30th January 1969: British rock group the Beatles performing their last live public concert on the rooftop of the Apple Organization building for director Michael Lindsey-Hogg's film documentary, 'Let It Be,' on Savile Row, London, England. Drummer Ringo Starr sits behind his kit. Singer/songwriters Paul McCartney and John Lennon perform at their microphones, and guitarist George Harrison (1943 – 2001) stands behind them. Lennon's wife Yoko Ono sits at right. (Photo by Express/Express/Getty Images) -
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images -
Dolly Parton on the set of the Oprah Winfrey Show in Chicago, Illinois, February 2, 1987. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)
