The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll

In interviews Dylan often states that he is not political or concerned with politics. He often states that a song is not about anything in particular and he counsels people not to read too much into his lyrics. For me that is part of Dylan’s charm, his evasiveness, his ever-changing face. Dylan is no one’s poster boy or a mouth piece for a generation but his lyrics sometimes offer up a scathing assessment of hypocrisy. Maybe this is where Dylan draws the line between opinion and commentary, Dylan is merely reflecting events through the eyes of a dispassionate observer. His observations on hypocrisy and social injustice are bound to from time to time hit upon topics such as politics or inequality but Dylan insists he is not passing comment or judgement. I do not want to play Dylanologist but I want to suggest that maybe, just maybe on the odd occasion his lyrics suggest a detached rage, he is disgusted with the whole human race and what humankind is capable of and even from a very young age he has the resigned air of someone who is losing faith in people. I think there are suggestions of this in The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll, so I have shared the lyrics below.

William Zanzinger killed poor Hattie Carroll

With a cane that he twirled around his diamond ringed finger

At a Baltimore hotel society gath’rin’

And the cops were called in and his weapon took from him

As they rode him in custody down to the station

And booked William Zanzinger for first-degree murder

But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears

Take the rag away from your face

Now ain’t the time for your tears.
William Zanzinger who had twenty-four years

Owns a tobacco farm of six hundred acres

With rich wealthy parents who provide and protect him

And high office relations in the politics of Maryland

Reacted to his deed with a shrug of his shoulders

And swear words and sneering and his tongue it was a’ snarling

And in a matter of minutes on bail was out walking

But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears

Take the rag away from your face

Now ain’t the time for your tears.
Hattie Carroll was a maid in the kitchen

She was fifty-one years old and gave birth to ten children

Who carried the dishes and took out the garbage

And never sat once at the head of the table

And didn’t even talk to the people at the table

Who just cleaned up all the food from the table

And emptied the ashtrays on the whole lower level

Got killed by a blow, lay slain by a cane

That sailed through the air and came down through the room

Doomed and determined to destroy all the gentle

And she never done nothin’ to William Zanzinger

And you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears

Take the rag away from your face

Now ain’t the time for your tears.
In the courtroom of honor, the judge pounded his gavel

To show that all’s equal and that the courts are on the level

And that the strings in the books ain’t pulled and persuaded

And that even the nobles get properly handled

Once that the cops have chased after and caught ’em

And that ladder of law has no top and no bottom

Stared at the person who killed for no reason

Who just happened to be feelin’ that way without warnin’

And he spoke through his cloak, most deep and distinguished

And handed out strongly, for penalty and repentance

William Zanzinger with a six-month sentence

Ah, but you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears

Bury the rag deep in your face

For now’s the time for your tears.