The Story Behind ‘Wagon Wheel’
It’s funny how some songs take on a life of their own in our own lives. Wagon Wheel for me is one of those songs.
When my kids were younger, they would compete to make a CD compilation of their favorite songs, to see which I would like best. It was through this competition where I found a world of music I never would have discovered.
In that world was Wagon Wheel, which was a good song, but it only became remarkable later.
My youngest son, Danny, learned to play saxophone, then guitar, and then began to write his own songs. Mostly Americana / Folk songs. The running joke was every time he’d write a song with a folksy guitar intro I’d ask, “Wagon Wheel?”
A friend of mine is part of a group of musicians who play together once a month. It’s like a floating crap game, whomever shows up to play, plays. There are no group rehearsals but they are given a playlist in advance.
Because I help them out sometimes (not as a musician) they would play my favorite song once-in-a-while. Sometimes, however, when this song came up, someone would flatly state, “I’m not playing Wagon Wheel again.”
A few weeks ago, on a Sunday afternoon, I was in a bar where a singer performed. I stood with several couples (Debbie & Steve, Peggy & Bob, Bridget & Brian) when the singer sang ‘Wagon Wheel’.
One couple chimed in, “We love this song,” then added, “Bob Dylan.”
Another couple corrected them with, “No, its Darius Rucker.”
I didn’t correct either and just said, “Old Crow Medicine Show.”
You may wonder why three different people would have three different origin stories for the same song, and yet all three were correct.
Here is the interesting history behind Wagon Wheel.
In 1973 Bod Dylan wrote the soundtrack for Sam Peckinpah’s movie ‘Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid’. Within that session Dylan recorded an unreleased demo track of the chorus (‘Rock Me Mama Like a Wagon Wheel…).
Later, Ketch Secor (lead singer of the band ‘Old Crow Medicine Show’) heard the demo, contacted Dylan and asked if he could finish the song. Dylan said yes, and the two ended up sharing a writing credit.
‘Old Crow Medicine Show’ released a version of the complete song, but it wasn’t until Darius Rucker, who transitioned from Rock to Country music, did the song finally find world-wide recognition.
Dylan to Old Crow to Rucker (third base).
Back at the bar the following Sunday, Bob (of Peggy & Bob) told me that he hated the fact that for the rest of his life, whenever he heard Wagon Wheel, his first thought would be, “Hey, that’s Al’s favorite song.”
Later that same day, I yelled across some tables and asked Bob to request Wagon Wheel (as a joke).
Unbeknownst to me, and before Bob could reply, the singer who was just behind me as he crossed the barroom floor said, “There’s no fucking way I’m playing Wagon Wheel” then disappeared into the crowd.
Well, to each their own.
As for me…
So rock me, mama, like a wagon wheel
Rock me, mama, any way you feel
Hey, mama, rock me
