| "Rita May" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Bob Dylan | ||||
| from the album Masterpieces | ||||
| A-side | " Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" | |||
| B-side | "Rita May" | |||
| Released | November 30, 1976 | |||
| Recorded | July 30, 1975 | |||
| Studio | Columbia Recording Studio E, New York City | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Length | 3:14 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | music: Bob Dylan; lyrics: Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan | |||
| Producer(s) | Don DeVito | |||
| Bob Dylan discography [1] singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Rita May" (sometimes spelled as "Rita Mae") is a song by Bob Dylan, originally recorded during the sessions for the album Desire, but released only as the B-side of a single and on the compilation album, Masterpieces. [2] The song is based on the 1957 rockabilly song " Bertha Lou". Some listeners believe that the lyrics of the song refer to writer Rita Mae Brown, who had complained of the lack of opportunities for casual lesbian sex. [3]
Live version
Dylan rehearsed the song in New York City before the first leg of the Rolling Thunder Revue in 1975, a performance that was officially released on the Bob Dylan – The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings box set released in 2019. [4] The only time Dylan played the song live, however, came on the second leg of the Rolling Thunder Revue in New Orleans, Louisiana on May 3, 1976. [5]
Notable cover
"Rita May" was covered by Jerry Lee Lewis on his 1979 self-titled album. [6]
Other songs with the same title
Eric Clapton wrote a song titled "Rita Mae" which appears on his 1981 album Another Ticket and was also released as a single, reaching No. 18 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
Personnel
Original Dylan version
- Bob Dylan – guitar, vocal, harmonica
- Emmylou Harris – vocal
- Rob Stoner – bass
- Howard Wyeth – drums
- Scarlet Rivera – violin
- Sheena Seidenberg – tambourine, congas
- Don DeVito – Producer
References
- ^ Williams, Paul (2004) [1990]. Bob Dylan, Performing Artist: The Early Years, 1960–1973. Omnibus Press. p. 289. ISBN 978-1-84449-095-0.
- ^ Still on the Road: Bob Dylan Recording Sessions
- ^ The Bob Dylan Who's Who
- ^ "Bob Dylan – The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
- ^ "Setlists | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
- ^ "Cover versions of Rita May by Jerry Lee Lewis | SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
