View source for Don't Think Twice, It's All Right

{{Short description|1963 single by Bob Dylan}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
| cover      = Don't Think Twice, It's All Right Dylan label.jpg
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Bob Dylan]]
| album      = [[The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan]]
| A-side     = [[Blowin' in the Wind]]
| released   = {{Start date|1963|08}}
| recorded   =
| studio     =
| genre      = [[Country folk]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://societyofrock.com/kesha-bares-all-in-stellar-stripped-down-take-on-bob-dylans-dont-think-twice-its-alright/|title=Kesha Bares All In Stellar, Stripped Down Take On Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice It's Alright"|date=April 13, 2016|access-date=August 7, 2019|archive-date=August 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807220349/https://societyofrock.com/kesha-bares-all-in-stellar-stripped-down-take-on-bob-dylans-dont-think-twice-its-alright/|url-status=live}} ["Written in 1962, Bob Dylan’s country folk classic “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright” gets to the heart of the human condition and more than half a century later, is still one that really hits home..."]</ref>
| length     = 3:40
| label      = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
| writer     = [[Bob Dylan]]
| producer   = [[John Hammond (producer)|John Hammond]]
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title =
| next_year  =
}}
"'''Don't Think Twice, It's All Right'''" is a song written by [[Bob Dylan]] in 1962 and released the following year on his album ''[[The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan]]'' and as the [[B-side]] of the single "[[Blowin' in the Wind]]". The song has been covered by several other artists, including [[Waylon Jennings]] in 1964, [[Susan Tedeschi]], [[Melanie Safka]], [[Gerard Quintana]] and Jordi Batiste in [[catalan language|Catalan]], [[Emilie-Claire Barlow]] in her 2010 album ''[[The Beat Goes On (Emilie-Claire Barlow album)|The Beat Goes On]]'' and [[Peter, Paul and Mary]], who released it as a single, which reached the Top 10 of the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].

==Composition==
In the liner notes to the original release, [[Nat Hentoff]] calls the song "a statement that maybe you can say to make yourself feel better&nbsp;... as if you were talking to yourself". It was written around the time that [[Suze Rotolo]] indefinitely prolonged her stay in Italy. The beginning of the melody is based on the public domain traditional song "Who's Gonna Buy Your Chickens When I'm Gone",<ref name=allmusic>{{cite web|title=Don't Think Twice, It's All Right|author=Ruhlmann, W.|url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/dont-think-twice-its-all-right-mt0028726329 | website=AllMusic | access-date=2012-08-23}}</ref><ref>Bob Spitz, ''Dylan: A Biography,'' London: W. W. Norton & Co., 1991, p. 200.</ref> which was taught to Dylan by folksinger [[Paul Clayton (folksinger)|Paul Clayton]], who had used it in his song "Who's Gonna Buy You Ribbons When I'm Gone?"

As well as the beginning of the melody, a couple of lines of lyrics were taken from Clayton's "Who's Gonna Buy You Ribbons When I'm Gone?", which was recorded in 1960, two years before Dylan wrote "Don't Think Twice". Lines taken word-for-word or slightly altered from the Clayton song are, "T'ain't no use to sit and wonder why, darlin'" and "So I'm walkin' down that long, lonesome road." On the first release of the song, instead of "So I'm walkin' down that long, lonesome road babe, where I'm bound, I can't tell" Dylan sings "So long, honey babe, where I'm bound, I can't tell". The lyrics were changed when Dylan performed live versions of the song and on cover versions recorded by other artists.

==Releases==
In addition to its original release, the song has appeared on several of Dylan's greatest hits compilations, including ''[[Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II]]'' (1971), ''[[The Best of Bob Dylan (1997 album)|The Best of Bob Dylan]]'' (1997), and ''[[The Essential Bob Dylan]]'' (2000). Another version of the song, recorded as a demo for Dylan's music publisher [[M. Witmark & Sons]] in 1963, was included on two releases in Columbia's ''[[Bob Dylan discography#The Bootleg Series|Bootleg Series]]'': ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 7: No Direction Home: The Soundtrack|Vol. 7: No Direction Home: The Soundtrack]]'' (2005) and ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 9: The Witmark Demos: 1962–1964|Vol. 9 – The Witmark Demos: 1962–1964]]'' (2010). In addition, live versions have been released on ''[[Before the Flood (album)|Before the Flood]]'' (1974; recorded February 14, 1974), as a [[reggae rock]] version<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/reggae-rock-songs/|title=Top 10 Reggae Rock Songs|first=Bryan|last=Wawzenek|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=7 March 2014|access-date=12 June 2022|archive-date=12 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220612070328/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/reggae-rock-songs/|url-status=live}}</ref> on ''[[Bob Dylan at Budokan]]'' (1978; recorded February 28, 1978), ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 6: Bob Dylan Live 1964, Concert at Philharmonic Hall]]'' (2004; recorded October 31, 1964), ''[[Live at The Gaslight 1962]]'' (2005; recorded October 15, 1962), and ''Live 1962-1966: Rare Performances from the Copyright Collections'' (2018; recorded April 12, 1963).

==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Bob Dylan|title=Don't Think Twice It's All Right|award=Silver|relyear=2004|certyear=2023|id=19250-497-1|access-date=August 25, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

==Cover versions==
{{Infobox song
| name       = Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
| cover      = Don't Think Twice, It's All Right cover.jpg
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Peter, Paul and Mary]]
| album      = [[In the Wind]]
| B-side     = Autumn to May
| released   = 1963
| recorded   = 1963
| studio     =
| genre      = [[Folk rock]]
| length     = 3:16
| label      = [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]
| writer     = [[Bob Dylan]]
| producer   = [[Albert Grossman]]
| prev_title = [[Blowin' in the Wind]]
| prev_year  = 1963
| next_title = [[Skewball|Stewball]]
| next_year  = 1963
}}
In 1963, the popular folk trio [[Peter, Paul and Mary]] recorded the song. Dylan's manager [[Albert Grossman]] also managed Peter, Paul and Mary and started offering Dylan's songs to other artists to record.<ref name=band>{{cite book|title=The Band: Pioneers of Americana Music|author=Harris, Craig|pages=14–15|year=2014|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=9780810889057}}</ref> "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" was one of three Dylan songs Peter, Paul and Mary picked up that way for their third album ''[[In the Wind]]'', "[[Blowin' in the Wind]]" and "Quit Your Lowdown Ways" being the others.<ref name=band/> Released as a single, it reached number nine on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and number two on its Easy Listening charts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Peter, Paul & Mary: Hot 100|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/peter-paul-mary/chart-history/hsi/|accessdate=2021-09-30|publisher=Billboard|archive-date=2022-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122004721/https://www.billboard.com/artist/peter-paul-mary/chart-history/hsi/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Peter, Paul & Mary: Adult Contemporary|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/peter-paul-mary/chart-history/asi/|accessdate=2021-09-30|publisher=Billboard|archive-date=2022-01-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220116111336/https://www.billboard.com/artist/peter-paul-mary/chart-history/asi/|url-status=live}}</ref> It was this version that popularized the song.<ref>{{cite book|title=Flashbacks: Eyewitness Accounts of the Rock Revolution, 1964-1974|page=224|author=Lydon, Michael|year=2003|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9780415966443}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Reunion Pleases Peter, Paul, Mary|author=Fine, Marshall|newspaper=Iowa City Press Citizen|date=October 20, 1980|page=3D|accessdate=2021-10-01|via=newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86303911/iowa-city-press-citizen/|archive-date=2021-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001153537/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86303911/iowa-city-press-citizen/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Cash Box]]'' described it as "an infectious medium-paced country-styled folk item with a haunting, extremely pretty melody" that seemed destined to replicate the success the trio had with "Blowin' in the Wind".<ref name=cb>{{cite magazine |title=CashBox Record Reviews |date=September 7, 1963 |page=10 |access-date=2022-01-12 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1963/CB-1963-09-07.pdf |magazine=Cash Box |archive-date=2022-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201124439/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1963/CB-1963-09-07.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> AllMusic critic William Ruhlman described the Peter, Paul and Mary version as an "understated rendition" of the song.<ref name=allmusic/> Radio personality Bob Leszczak describes this version as being done "in typical fashion".<ref>{{cite book|title=Who Did It First?: Great Pop Cover Songs and Their Original Artists|page=60|author=Leszczak, Bob|year=2014|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=9781442230682}}</ref>

[[The Four Seasons (band)|The Four Seasons]] released a cover of the song as a single in 1965 (with the title "Don't Think Twice") under the pseudonym [[the Wonder Who?]] Their "joke" version reached number 12 on the Hot 100,<ref>{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=238}}</ref> and eventually sold one million copies.

In 1968, [[Burl Ives]] covered the song on his album ''[[The Times They Are a-Changin' (Burl Ives album)|The Times They Are a-Changin']]''. Billy Strings has also done an acoustic cover.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR-T2qTLF6o&list=RDLR-T2qTLF6o&start_radio=1 Don't Think Twice - Billy Strings] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250221214159/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR-T2qTLF6o&list=RDLR-T2qTLF6o&start_radio=1 |date=2025-02-21 }} YouTube.</ref>

Several country music artists have also covered this song. In 1965, [[Johnny Cash]] recorded a version of this song on his ''[[Orange Blossom Special (album)|Orange Blossom Special]]'' album. In 1970, [[Waylon Jennings]] released his ''[[Don't Think Twice (album)|Don't Think Twice]]'' album with this song as the first track on the album. [[Elvis Presley]] recorded the song as an in-studio jam with his band in Nashville in May 1971, and a shortened version first appeared on his [[Elvis (1973 album)|self-titled 1973 album]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Don't Think Twice, It's All Right|url=https://www.elvisthemusic.com/track/dont-think-twice-its-all-right/|accessdate=2025-01-31|publisher=Elvis The Music|archive-date=2024-10-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241003174313/https://www.elvisthemusic.com/track/dont-think-twice-its-all-right/|url-status=live}}</ref> The full version remained unreleased until the 1995 release of the box set ''[[Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Jam Edit)|url=https://www.elvisthemusic.com/track/dont-think-twice-its-all-right-jam-edit/|accessdate=2024-01-30|publisher=Elvis The Music|archive-date=2024-01-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240130191429/https://www.elvisthemusic.com/track/dont-think-twice-its-all-right-jam-edit/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1971, [[Jerry Reed]] released an up-tempo version on his album, ''[[When You're Hot, You're Hot]]''. In 1978, Doc & Merle Watson covered this song on their album ''[[Look Away!]]'' [[Dolly Parton]] covered this song on her 44th studio album ''[[Blue Smoke (album)|Blue Smoke]]'' in 2014 and has since been a popular bluegrass song during her concerts. [[Willie Nelson]] and [[Merle Haggard]] covered this song in their sixth and final recorded collaboration ''[[Django and Jimmie]]'' in 2016. In 1965 Australian folk/pop outfit [[The Seekers]] also recorded a version of "Don't Think Twice" and released it on their album ''A World Of Our Own''.

Before he became famous, [[Post Malone]] uploaded a cover version to YouTube in 2013 under his birth name, performed in an earnest folk style unlike his later work. The video was widely viewed in 2015 after his "[[White Iverson]]" video went viral on SoundCloud.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.complex.com/music/2015/05/post-malone-covers-bob-dylan-dont-think-twice-its-all-right |title=Video Surfaces of Post Malone Covering Bob Dylan's 'Don't Think Twice, It's All Right' |date=May 12, 2015 |last=Servantes |first=Ian |magazine=Complex |access-date=June 3, 2022}}</ref> [[Lana Del Rey]] performed the song on her ''[[Norman Fucking Rockwell!]]'' tour in 2019, joined by [[The Walkmen|Walkmen]] singer [[Hamilton Leithauser]] in Nashville, Tennessee.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Shaffer|first=Claire|date=2019-11-20|title=Lana Del Rey, Hamilton Leithauser Cover Bob Dylan in Nashville|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lana-del-rey-hamilton-leithauser-bob-dylan-915303/|access-date=2021-03-22|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-06-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210619113944/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lana-del-rey-hamilton-leithauser-bob-dylan-915303/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
The song was used on the television series ''[[Mad Men]]'', ''[[Friday Night Lights (TV series)|Friday Night Lights]]'', and ''[[Men of a Certain Age]]''.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/25/arts/television/25mad.html| title = Back to the Office, Vices in Tow | access-date = 2009-07-10 | newspaper = The New York Times | date = 2008-07-25 | first=Alessandra | last=Stanley}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/091222&sportCat=nfl | title = TMQ's "Twelve Days of Christmas" | access-date = 2010-01-14 | work = ESPN | date = 2009-12-22 | archive-date = 2016-11-01 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161101164822/http://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/091222&sportCat=nfl | url-status = live }}</ref> It was used in [[Nancy Savoca]]'s 1991 film ''[[Dogfight (film)|Dogfight]]'', starring [[River Phoenix]] and [[Lili Taylor]]; the 2011 film ''[[The Help (film)|The Help]]''; the October 30, 2016 episode of the AMC television series ''[[The Walking Dead (TV series)|The Walking Dead]]''; the January 22, 2019 episode of the NBC television series ''[[This Is Us (season 3)]]'' (episode 11, "Songbird Road Part 1"); the 2019 film ''[[The Kitchen (2019 film)|The Kitchen]]'' (during a funeral scene, the cover version is sung by the artist [[Melanie (singer)|Melanie]]); the January 7, 2020 episode of the series ''[[Emergence (TV series)|Emergence]]'' (season 1, episode 10, "15 Years"); and the February 16, 2021 episode of the NBC television series ''[[This Is Us (season 5)]]'' (episode 8, "In The Room"), which featured a cover version sung by [[John Martyn]]. It was also featured in the BBC Scottish sitcom series, [[Still Game|''Still Game'']] in the final episode, "Over the Hill" which was played in the final scenes of the show. The song is also heard over the end scenes of the December 16, 2021 episode of the HBO MAX miniseries ''[[Station Eleven]]'' (season 1, episode 1, "Wheel of Fire"). A cover version by [[Peter, Paul & Mary]] played over the end credits of the April 5, 2023 episode of the AppleTV+ series ''[[Ted Lasso]]'' (season 3, episode 4, "Big Week".). A Burl Ives' cover was used in the final episode ("[[The Hook (Poker Face)|The Hook]]") of season one of [[Poker Face (TV series)|''Poker Face'']].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mullin |first=Kyle |title="Poker Face" Music Supervisor Thomas Golubić Speaks on the Series' Music |url=https://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/poker_face_music_supervisor_thomas_golubi_speaks_on_the_series_music |access-date=2023-04-18 |website=www.undertheradarmag.com |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Bob Dylan songs based on earlier tunes]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Navboxes
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[[Category:1962 songs]]
[[Category:1963 singles]]
[[Category:1965 singles]]
[[Category:Songs written by Bob Dylan]]
[[Category:Bob Dylan songs]]
[[Category:Peter, Paul and Mary songs]]
[[Category:Dick and Dee Dee songs]]
[[Category:Elvis Presley songs]]
[[Category:The Four Seasons (band) songs]]
[[Category:Burl Ives songs]]
[[Category:Doc Watson songs]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by John Hammond (record producer)]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Albert Grossman]]
[[Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles]]
[[Category:Columbia Records singles]]
[[Category:Warner Records singles]]
[[Category:Esther & Abi Ofarim songs]]
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