Bob Dylan Songs?

I have been aware over a few decades that Blues songs have changed hands over many changed hands and have received a home in someone's elses song-lists ie yer Led Zeps etc etc and Bob is still listing "Rollin' and Tumblin'" and "When the Levee Breaks".etc etc under his own name.I don't get it..I know that these songs are old and have been handed down from the early days...My question is why does he have to do that..claim the song as his own? I just don't get it? I Love Bob..but "Why is it so?"..Canned Heat were meticulous in their dues for former artists,living or dead ....

Sometimes it is just easier. Sometimes (but not always) a song is older than the 'known' blues artist ... like "Stagolee" for instance.

Although, as far as I know, When the Levee Breaks WAS written by Kansas City Joe and Memphis Minnie.

If the song is public domain (tricky to know sometimes) and you have re-written it to one degree or another (new lyrics, new twist) you might just call it your own.

Most people feel that Tommy Johnson is the 'author' of Canned Heat, but the unknown Sloppy Henry had recorded it earlier.

Many of Robert Johnson's tunes were written and recorded by earlier blues men like Blind Lemon Jefferson and Son House.

Thus, 'borrowing' went on then, goes on now, and will likely always go on.

Just look at how many people keep asking about where they can get free downloads - while it is not the same as claiming a song to be your own, it is still stealing the material.

Songs become traditional and become common public property. I do songs long past expired copyright that often can't be traced to anyone in terms of authentic authorship. And I have had many of my songs and verses lifted and used by others. Sampling is now a common trait of rap and hip hop and original sources are not noted or mentioned in many cases. I don't know if that is good or bad. I thing in general it is good to breath new life into forgotten songs, and credit should be given whenever possible.

I am familiar with the songs you are discussing and I think Bob Dylan changed a lot of the lyrics in his version. He did keep the same basic melody and hook as the original and should not declare that he wrote the the song. I would think that this was done so that he would collect royalties if anyone covered his version of the song. I am a huge Bob fan but I believe he is fairly liberal in using lines from other artists songs, poems, and even movies. In the blues genre this isn't uncommon as you'll hear the same lines used in many blues songs. I question whether he should take credit for writing those particular songs you mentioned.

I have over 150 Dylan albums & over 50 books -(I say that only to demonstrate what a Dylan admirer I am), and I don't know the answer to your question, but it PISSES ME OFF that he does that. I remember him bad-mouthing Aretha, Ray Charles, and others for selling out/licensing their music for commercials in the liner notes to Biograph. Then he does a Victoria's Secret commercial and licenses "Times They Are A' Changin" to Kaiser Permanente.

To be fair, the songs you mentioned are most likely in the public domain due to having never been copyrighted, or expiration of the copyright. And, as some others mentioned, he has "reworked" the songs to a large degree.

Far worse is the fact that Alan Lomax, who is revered as some sort of demi-god of american music, copyrighted dozens of tunes that he (and his father John) "collected" on field trips paid for with tax dollars.

It goes both ways. Dylan isn't claiming he wrote the songs as far as I know. He is merely presenting his version of them. How many songs has Dylan written for other people without making sure his name is on it. Ballad of easy rider was Dylans words but he didn't want credit for it.