Last Update: 04/05/2026 at 2:50 PM EST
Dylan And Cash Shape Wanted Man
Coverage from Untold Dylan, DANCESWITHCORN, and others
Articles
7
Latest Article
11/28
Active Days
3433
Executive Summary
Dylan and Cash crafted Wanted Man from prison imagery and tour-place lists, revealing how the song evolved before San Quentin premiere.
- Dylan wrote Wanted Man with Johnny Cash in Nashville in February 1969
- The song was premiered by Cash at San Quentin prison on 24 February 1969
- Early takes and manuscript pages show multiple alternate verses and place-name lists
- Draft lines point to Reno, Colorado, Tennessee, and a prison can image
- The lyric may have been shaped by Cashs 1968-69 tour itinerary
- The song echoes Folsom Prison Blues and other outlaw prison themes
- Later versions and covers by Nick Cave highlight the songs lasting influence
Quick Facts
- What: They created and reworked Wanted Man
- Where: Nashville and San Quentin State Prison
- Why: To build a prison themed song from place names and outlaw imagery
- Who: Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and later Nick Cave
- When: February 1969, with later covers in 1985 and 2002
Coverage Timeline: 3433 Days
Featured Article
In February 1969, Bob Dylan wrote the song Wanted Man at Johnny Cash's home before Cash introduced it at San Quentin prison.
Additional Articles
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On 1969-02-24 in San Quentin, Johnny Cash premiered Bob Dylan and Johnny Cashs song Wanted Man during a prison concert later issued on Johnny Cash at San Quentin.
On 18 February 1969 in Nashville, Bob Dylan wrote and demoed Wanted Man with Johnny Cash ahead of Cash's San Quentin prison concert.
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The article recounts Nick Cave's 1985 'Wanted Man' reinterpretation and his 2002 Los Angeles recording with Johnny Cash, highlighting Bob Dylan's retrospective approval.
Bob Dylan's 1969 song 'Wanted Man' is analyzed here for its place-name lyrics, Nashville studio context, and links to other songs and cultural references.
In this Untold Dylan essay, Jochen analyzes Bob Dylan's Wanted Man by focusing on Johnny Cash's late-1960s California prison performances and their altered lyrics.
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In this Dances With Corn about-page essay, the author reflects on Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash’s Wanted Man and its enduring role in the author’s life.