Mr. Tambourine Man

2025-10-23T00:32:53Z

123.243.139.136: /* Weekly charts */

{{Short description|1965 song by Bob Dylan}}
{{About|the song|the album|Mr. Tambourine Man (album){{!}}''Mr. Tambourine Man'' (album)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Mr. Tambourine Man
| cover = Mr. Tambourine Man sheet music.jpg
| cover_size = 170px
| caption = Cover of the [[M. Witmark & Sons]] sheet music
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = [[Bob Dylan]]
| album = [[Bringing It All Back Home]]
| released = {{Start date|1965|03|22}}
| recorded = January 15, 1965
| studio = [[CBS 30th Street Studio|Columbia]], New York City
| genre = [[Folk music|Folk]]<ref name="Molanphy 2021">{{Cite podcast|url=https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2021/07/bruce-springsteen-billboard-chart-records-slate-music-podcast|title= Tramps Like Us Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date= July 16, 2021|access-date= February 17, 2024}}</ref>
| length = 5:32
| label = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
| writer = [[Bob Dylan]]
| producer = [[Tom Wilson (producer)|Tom Wilson]]
| misc = {{Audio sample
| type = single
| file = Bob Dylan-Tambourine-1965.ogg
}}
}}
"'''Mr. Tambourine Man'''" is a song written by [[Bob Dylan]], released as the first track of the acoustic side of his March 1965 album ''[[Bringing It All Back Home]]''. The song's popularity led to Dylan recording it live many times, and it has been included in multiple compilation albums. It has been translated into other languages and has been used or referenced in television shows, films, and books.

The song has been performed and recorded by many artists, including [[the Byrds]], [[Judy Collins]], [[Melanie Safka|Melanie]], [[Odetta]], [[Alvin and the Chipmunks]], and [[Stevie Wonder]] among others. The Byrds' version was released in April 1965 as their first [[Single (music)|single]] on [[Columbia Records]], reaching number 1 on both the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart and the [[UK Singles Chart]], as well as being the title track of their debut album, ''[[Mr. Tambourine Man (album)|Mr. Tambourine Man]]''. The Byrds' recording of the song was influential in popularizing the musical subgenres of [[folk rock]] and [[jangle pop]], leading many contemporary bands to mimic its fusion of jangly guitars and intellectual lyrics in the wake of the single's success. Dylan himself was partly influenced to record with [[electric instrument]]ation after hearing the Byrds' reworking of his song during one of their rehearsals at [[Pacific Jazz Records|World Pacific Studios]] in late 1964.

Dylan's song has four verses, of which the Byrds only used the second for their recording. Dylan's and the Byrds' versions have appeared on various lists ranking the greatest songs of all time, including an appearance by both on ''[[Rolling Stone]]''{{'}}s list of the [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time|500 best songs ever]]. Both versions received [[Grammy Hall of Fame Award]]s.

The song has a bright, expansive melody and has become famous for its surrealistic imagery, influenced by artists as diverse as French poet [[Arthur Rimbaud]] and Italian filmmaker [[Federico Fellini]]. The lyrics call on the title character to play a song and the narrator will follow. Interpretations of the lyrics have included a [[paean]] to drugs such as [[Lysergic acid diethylamide|LSD]], a call to the singer's [[muse]], a reflection of the audience's demands on the singer, and religious interpretations.

==Composition==
"Mr. Tambourine Man" was written and composed in early 1964, at the same approximate time as "[[Chimes of Freedom (song)|Chimes of Freedom]]", which Dylan recorded later that spring for his album ''[[Another Side of Bob Dylan]]''.<ref name=heylin>{{harvnb|Heylin|2009|pp=181–186}}</ref><ref name=rough>{{harvnb|Williamson|2006|pp=223–224}}</ref> Dylan began writing and composing "Mr. Tambourine Man" in February 1964, after attending [[Mardi Gras]] in [[New Orleans]] during a cross-country road trip with several friends, and completed it sometime between the middle of March and late April of that year after he had returned to New York.<ref name=heylin/> Nigel Williamson has suggested in ''The Rough Guide to Bob Dylan'' that the influence of Mardi Gras can be heard in the swirling and fanciful imagery of the song's lyrics.<ref>{{harvnb|Williamson|2006|p=268}}</ref> Journalist [[Al Aronowitz]] has stated that Dylan completed the song at his home, but [[folk music|folk singer]] [[Judy Collins]], who later recorded the song, has stated that Dylan completed the song at her home.<ref name=heylin/> Dylan premiered the song the following month at a May 17 concert at London's [[Royal Festival Hall]].<ref name=heylin/>

==Recording==
During the sessions for ''[[Another Side of Bob Dylan]]'', in June 1964, with [[Tom Wilson (record producer)|Tom Wilson]] producing, Dylan recorded "Mr. Tambourine Man" with [[Ramblin' Jack Elliott]] singing harmony. As Elliott was slightly off key, that recording was not used.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jan/24/ramblin-jack-elliott-roger-mcguinn|title=Ramblin' Jack Elliott: folk pioneer|work=theguardian.com|first=Roger|last=McGuinn|date=January 24, 2010}}</ref><ref name=heylin/><ref>{{harvnb|Heylin|1995|p=29}}</ref> Later that month he recorded a publisher demo of the song at Witmark Music.<ref>{{harvnb|Heylin|1995|pp=20, 29}}</ref> More than six months passed before Dylan re-recorded the song, again with Wilson in the producer's chair, during the final ''Bringing It All Back Home'' session on January 15, 1965, the same day that "[[Gates of Eden (song)|Gates of Eden]]", "[[It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)]]", and "[[It's All Over Now, Baby Blue]]" were recorded.<ref name=heylin/><ref>{{harvnb|Heylin|2002|pp=104–106}}</ref> It was long thought that the four songs were each recorded in one long take.<ref name=albums>{{harvnb|Varesi|2002|pp=51–53}}</ref> However, in the biography ''Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades'', Clinton Heylin relates that the song required six attempts, possibly because of difficulties in working out the playoffs between Dylan's [[steel-string acoustic guitar|acoustic guitar]] and [[Bruce Langhorne]]'s electric lead.<ref name=heylin/> Alternate takes released on Dylan's [[The Bootleg Series Vol. 12: The Cutting Edge 1965–1966|''Cutting Edge'']] collection also reveal that early takes include drummer [[Bobby Gregg]] playing a tambourine-heavy [[2/4 time|{{music|time|2|4}}]] rhythm, but Dylan found this too distracting and opted to continue recording with Langhorne alone. The final take was selected for the album, which was released on March 22, 1965.<ref name=heylin/><ref name=albums/>

In his book ''Keys to the Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia'', Oliver Trager describes "Mr. Tambourine Man" as having a bright, expansive melody,<ref name=keys>{{harvnb|Trager|2004|pp=438–441}}</ref> with Langhorne's electric guitar accompaniment, which provides a [[countermelody]] to the vocals, being the only instrumentation besides Dylan's acoustic guitar and [[harmonica]].<ref name=gill>{{harvnb|Gill|1998|pp=74–75}}</ref> Author [[Wilfrid Mellers]] has written that although the song is in the [[key (music)|key]] of [[D major]], it is [[harmony|harmonized]] as if it were in a [[Lydian mode|Lydian]] [[G major]], giving the song a tonal ambiguity that enhances the dreamy quality of the melody.<ref name=mellers>{{harvnb|Mellers|1984|pp=136–138}}</ref> Unusually, rather than beginning with the first verse, the song begins with an iteration of the chorus:<ref name=keys/>

:''Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,''
:''I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.''
:''Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,''
:''In the jingle-jangle morning I'll come following you.''<ref>{{harvnb|Dylan|2006|pp=152–153}}</ref>

==Interpretations==
William Ruhlmann, writing for the [[AllMusic]] web site, has suggested the following outline of the song's lyrics: "The time seems to be early morning following a night when the narrator has not slept. Still unable to sleep, though amazed by his weariness, he is available and open to Mr. Tambourine Man's song, and says he will follow him. In the course of four verses studded with internal rhymes, he expounds on this situation, his meaning often heavily embroidered with imagery, though the desire to be freed by the tambourine man's song remains clear."<ref name=allmusic1>{{harvnb|Ruhlmann}}</ref>

While there has been speculation that the song is about drugs, particularly with lines such as "take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship" and "the smoke rings of my mind",<ref name=heylin/><ref name=rough/><ref name=gill/> Dylan has denied the song is about drugs.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7Y07CgAAQBAJ&pg=PT92|page=92|title=The Mammoth Book of Bob Dylan|first=Sean|last=Egan|publisher=Hachette UK|date=May 12, 2011|isbn=9781849017633}}</ref> Though he was smoking [[Cannabis (drug)|marijuana]] at the time the song was written, Dylan was not introduced to [[LSD]] until a few months later.<ref name=heylin/><ref name=rough/><ref name=prophet>{{harvnb|Rogovoy|2009|pp=81–82}}</ref> Outside of drug speculation, the song has been interpreted as a call to the singer's spirit or [[muse]], or as a search for transcendence.<ref name=rough/><ref name=prophet/><ref name=hinchey>{{harvnb|Hinchey|2002|pp=94–99}}</ref><ref name=williams1>{{harvnb|Williams|1990|pp=128–133}}</ref><ref name=shelton>{{harvnb|Shelton|1997|pp=274–275}}</ref> In particular, biographer John Hinchey has suggested in his book ''Like a Complete Unknown'' that the singer is praying to his muse for inspiration; Hinchey notes that ironically the song itself is evidence the muse has already provided the sought-after inspiration.<ref name=hinchey/> The figure of Mr. Tambourine Man has sometimes been interpreted as a symbol for [[Jesus]] or the [[Pied Piper of Hamelin]].<ref name=allmusic1/> The song may also reference [[gospel music]] themes, with Mr. Tambourine Man being the bringer of religious salvation.<ref name=shelton/>

Dylan has cited the influence of [[Federico Fellini]]'s movie ''[[La Strada]]'' on the song,<ref name=keys/><ref name=sounes>{{harvnb|Sounes|2001|p=182}}</ref> while other commentators have found echoes of the poetry of [[Arthur Rimbaud]].<ref name=heylin/><ref>Tamarin, Jean, "Bringing It All Back Home", in {{harvnb|Dettmar|2009|p=135}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Heylin|2002|p=151}}</ref> Author [[Howard Sounes]] has identified the lyrics "in the jingle jangle morning I'll come following you" as having been taken from a [[Lord Buckley]] recording.<ref name=sounes/> [[Bruce Langhorne]], who performs guitar on the track, has been cited by Dylan as the inspiration for the tambourine man image in the song.<ref name=keys/> Langhorne used to play a giant, four-inch-deep "[[tambourine]]" (actually a Turkish [[frame drum]]), and had brought the instrument to a previous Dylan recording session.<ref name=heylin/><ref name=gill/><ref>{{harvnb|Unterberger (1)}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Unterberger (2)}}</ref>

==Other Dylan releases==
[[File:Bob Dylan 1996.jpg|thumb|left|[[Bob Dylan]] has often played "Mr. Tambourine Man" in live concerts.]]

The ''Bringing it All Back Home'' version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" was included on ''[[Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits]]'' in 1967 and several later Dylan compilation albums, including ''[[Biograph (album)|Biograph]]'', ''[[Masterpieces (Bob Dylan album)|Masterpieces]]'', and ''[[The Essential Bob Dylan]]''.<ref name=allmusic1/><ref>{{harvnb|Erlewine (1)}}</ref> The two June 1964 recordings, one with Ramblin' Jack Elliott and the other at Witmark Music, have been released on ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 7: No Direction Home]]'' and ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 9 – The Witmark Demos: 1962–1964|The Bootleg Series Vol. 9: The Witmark Demos 1962–1964]]'', respectively.<ref name=allmusic1/><ref>{{harvnb|The Witmark Demos}}</ref> Outtakes from the January 15, 1965, recording session were released on ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 12: The Cutting Edge 1965–1966]]'' in 2015.

The song has been in Dylan's live concert repertoire since it was written,<ref name=keys/> usually as a solo acoustic song, and live performances have appeared on various concert albums and DVDs. An early performance, perhaps the song's live debut, recorded at London's Royal Festival Hall
on May 17, 1964, appeared on ''Live 1962-1966: Rare Performances From The Copyright Collections'', while another early performance, recorded during a songs workshop at the Newport Folk Festival on July 24, 1964, was included in both [[Murray Lerner]]'s film ''[[The Other Side of the Mirror (film)|The Other Side of the Mirror]]''<ref name="harvnb|Deming 1">{{harvnb|Deming (1)}}</ref> and the DVD release of [[Martin Scorsese]]'s documentary ''[[No Direction Home]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Sutton}}</ref> A live performance at New York's [[Avery Fisher Hall|Philharmonic Hall]] dating from October 31, 1964, appeared on ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 6: Bob Dylan Live 1964, Concert at Philharmonic Hall]]''.<ref name=allmusic1/> During his appearance at the [[Newport Folk Festival]] on July 25, 1965, after he was heckled by acoustic [[folk music]] fans during his electric set, Dylan returned to play acoustic versions of "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "[[It's All Over Now, Baby Blue]]";<ref>{{harvnb|Williams|1990|pp=156–163}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Santelli|2005|pp=49–50}}</ref> this performance of "Mr. Tambourine Man" was included in ''[[The Other Side of the Mirror (film)|The Other Side of the Mirror]]''.<ref name="harvnb|Deming 1"/>

A live version from Dylan's famous May 17, 1966, concert in [[Manchester, England]] (popularly but mistakenly known as the Royal Albert Hall Concert) was included on ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Unterberger (3)}}</ref> Dylan's August 31, 1969, performance of the song at the [[Isle of Wight Festival 1969|Isle of Wight Festival]] appeared on ''Isle of Wight Live'', part of the 4-CD deluxe edition of ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969–1971)]]''. Dylan played the song as part of his evening set at the 1971, [[Concert for Bangladesh]], organized by [[George Harrison]] and [[Ravi Shankar]], featuring Harrison on electric guitar, [[Leon Russell]] on bass, and [[Ringo Starr]] on tambourine. That performance was included on ''[[The Concert for Bangladesh (album)|The Concert For Bangladesh]]'' album, although it was excluded from the film of the concert.<ref>{{harvnb|Ginell}}</ref> Another live version, from the [[Rolling Thunder Revue]] tour of 1975, was included on ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue]]'' and ''[[Bob Dylan – The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings|The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings]]'', while electric band versions from 1978 and 1981 appeared, respectively, on ''[[Bob Dylan at Budokan]]'' and the Deluxe Edition of ''[[The Bootleg Series Vol. 13: Trouble No More 1979–1981]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Erlewine (2)}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Erlewine (3)}}</ref>

In November 2016, all Dylan's recorded live performances of the song from 1966 were released in the boxed set ''[[The 1966 Live Recordings]]'', with the May 26, 1966, performance released separately on the album ''The Real Royal Albert Hall 1966 Concert''.

=={{Anchor|The Byrds}} The Byrds' version==
{{Infobox song
| name = Mr. Tambourine Man
| image = Mr tambourine man the byrds original US single side-A.png
| alt = side-A vinyl label
| caption = Side A of the original US single
| type = single
| artist = [[the Byrds]]
| album = [[Mr. Tambourine Man (album)|Mr. Tambourine Man]]
| B-side = [[I Knew I'd Want You]]
| released = {{Start date|1965|04|12}}
| recorded = January 20, 1965
| studio = [[CBS Columbia Square|Columbia]], Hollywood
| genre = *[[Folk rock]]
*[[jangle pop]]<ref name="Paste 2009">{{cite web |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2009/12/jangle-bell-rock-a-chronological-non-holiday-antho.html |title=Jangle Bell Rock: A Chronological (Non-Holiday) Anthology… from The Beatles and Byrds to R.E.M. and Beyond |last=LaBate |first=Steve |publisher=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]] |date=December 18, 2009 |access-date=July 24, 2016}}</ref>
| length = {{Duration|2:18}}
| label = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
| writer = [[Bob Dylan]]
| producer = [[Terry Melcher]]
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = [[All I Really Want to Do#Byrds|All I Really Want to Do]]
| next_year = 1965
| misc = {{Audio sample
| type = single
| file = Byrds_Mr_Tambourine_Man.ogg
}}
}}

===Release===
"Mr. Tambourine Man" was the debut single by the American [[Rock music|rock]] band [[the Byrds]] and was released on April 12, 1965 by Columbia Records,<ref>{{harvnb|Eder|1990}}</ref> less than a month after Dylan's original. The song was also the title track of [[Mr. Tambourine Man (album)|the band's debut album]], which was released on June 21, 1965.<ref>{{harvnb|Rogan|1998|p=545}}</ref> The Byrds' version is abridged and in a different key from Dylan's original.

The single's success initiated the folk rock boom of 1965 and 1966, with a number of American and British acts imitating the band's hybrid of a rock beat, [[Jangle pop|jangly guitar playing]], and poetic or socially conscious lyrics.<ref name=allmusic1/><ref name=folkrock>{{harvnb|Folk-Rock}}</ref> The single was the "first folk rock smash hit",<ref>{{harvnb|Rogan|1996}}</ref><ref name=allbyrds>{{harvnb|Unterberger (4)}}</ref> and gave rise to the term "folk rock" in the U.S [[Music journalism|music press]] to describe the band's sound.<ref>{{harvnb|Rogan|1998|pp=81–83}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Unterberger|2002|p=133}}</ref>

This hybrid had its antecedents in the [[American folk music revival|American folk revival]] of the early 1960s,<ref>{{harvnb|1962-66: American Folk-Rock vs. The British Invasion}}</ref> [[the Animals]]' rock-oriented recording of the [[folk song]] "[[The House of the Rising Sun]]",<ref>{{harvnb|Unterberger|2002|pp=93–96}}</ref> the folk influences present in the songwriting of [[the Beatles]],<ref>{{harvnb|Unterberger|2002|p=88}}</ref> and the [[twelve-string guitar]] jangle of [[The Searchers (band)|the Searchers]] and the Beatles' [[George Harrison]].<ref>{{harvnb|Wadhams|2001|p=194}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Eder}}</ref> However, the success of the Byrds' debut created a template for folk rock that proved successful for many acts during the mid-1960s.<ref name=allmusic1/><ref name=unterberger>{{harvnb|Unterberger (5)}}</ref>

===Conception===
Most of the members of the Byrds had a background in folk music,<ref name=allbyrds/> since [[Roger McGuinn|Jim McGuinn]], [[Gene Clark]], and [[David Crosby]] had all worked as folk singers during the early 1960s.<ref name=hjort1>{{harvnb|Hjort|2008|p=11}}</ref><ref name=hjort2>{{harvnb|Hjort|2008|pp=14–21}}</ref> They had all spent time, independently of each other, in various folk groups, including [[the New Christy Minstrels]], [[the Limeliters]], [[Chad Mitchell Trio|the Chad Mitchell Trio]], and [[Les Baxter|Les Baxter's Balladeers]].<ref name=hjort1/><ref>{{harvnb|Russel}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Musicians Associated With The Byrds: The New Christy Minstrels}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|David Crosby}}</ref>

In early 1964, McGuinn, Clark, and Crosby formed the Jet Set and started developing a fusion of folk-based lyrics and melodies, with [[arrangement]]s in the style of the Beatles.<ref name=hjort2/><ref>{{harvnb|Rogan|1998|pp=31, 35–36}}</ref> In August 1964, the band's manager [[Jim Dickson (producer)|Jim Dickson]] acquired an [[acetate disc]] of "Mr. Tambourine Man" from Dylan's [[Music publisher (popular music)|publisher]], featuring a performance by Dylan and Ramblin' Jack Elliott.<ref name=heylin/><ref name=hjort2/>{{sfn|Gilliland|1969|loc=show 33, track 2}}<ref name="timeless2">{{harvnb|Rogan|1998|pp=49–63}}</ref> Although the band members were initially unimpressed with the song, after McGuinn changed the [[time signature]] from Dylan's [[2/4 time|{{music|time|2|4}}]] configuration to [[4/4 time|{{music|time|4|4}}]] time, they began rehearsing and [[Demo (music)|demoing]] it.<ref name=professor>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of7GzEuHc2w|title= Roger McGuinn interview in LEGENDARY BAND TELLS Why Bob Dylan GAVE His Only #1 SONG to Them in the 60s|date= June 11, 2021|publisher= Professor of Rock|access-date=June 22, 2021}}</ref><ref name=creswell>{{harvnb|Creswell|2006|p=59}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Fricke|2001}}</ref> In an attempt to make it sound more like the Beatles, the band and Dickson elected to give the song a full, electric [[Rock music|rock]] band treatment, effectively creating the musical subgenre of folk rock.<ref name=allbyrds/><ref name="timeless2"/><ref name=creswell/> To further bolster the group's confidence in the song, Dickson invited Dylan to a band rehearsal at [[Pacific Jazz Records|World Pacific Studios]] to hear their rendition.<ref name=timeless3>{{harvnb|Rogan|1998|pp=54–56}}</ref><ref name=professor/> Dylan was impressed, enthusiastically commenting, "Wow, you can dance to that!" His endorsement erased any lingering doubts the band had about the song.<ref name=timeless3/>

{{Listen |filename=Byrds_-_Mr_Tambourine_Man_Demo.ogg |title=Mr. Tambourine Man (1964 demo) |description=An excerpt from a 1964 [[Demo (music)|demo]] recording of "Mr. Tambourine Man" by the Byrds, highlighting [[Michael Clarke (musician)|Michael Clarke]]'s martial, [[marching band]]-style drumming.}}
During this period, drummer [[Michael Clarke (musician)|Michael Clarke]] and bass player [[Chris Hillman]] joined,<ref name=hjort2/> and the band changed their name to the Byrds over [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving]] 1964.<ref name="timeless2"/> Band biographer [[Johnny Rogan]] has remarked that the two surviving demos of "Mr. Tambourine Man" dating from this period feature an incongruous [[marching band]] drum part from Clarke, but overall the arrangement is very close to the later single version.<ref>{{harvnb|Rogan|1998|p=52}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|McGuinn}}</ref>

===Production===
The master take of "Mr. Tambourine Man" was recorded on January 20, 1965, at Columbia Studios in Hollywood, before the release of Dylan's own version.<ref>{{harvnb|Hjort|2008|p=24}}</ref> The song's jangling, melodic guitar playing (performed by McGuinn on a [[Twelve-string guitar|12-string]] [[Rickenbacker]] guitar) was immediately influential and has remained so to the present day.<ref name="timeless2"/> The group's complex [[vocal harmony]] work, as featured on "Mr. Tambourine Man", became another major characteristic of their sound.<ref>{{harvnb|Mr. Tambourine Man}}</ref> Due to producer [[Terry Melcher]]'s{{sfn|Gilliland|1969|loc=show 33, track 2}} initial lack of confidence in the Byrds' musicianship, as a result of them not having gelled musically yet,<ref>{{cite book|author=Einarson, John.|pages=72–75|year=2005|title=Mr. Tambourine Man: The Life and Legacy of the Byrds' Gene Clark|publisher=Backbeat Books|isbn=0-87930-793-5}}</ref> McGuinn was the only Byrd to play on both "Mr. Tambourine Man" and its [[A-Side and B-Side|B-side]], "[[I Knew I'd Want You]]".<ref name="timeless2"/> Rather than using band members, Melcher hired [[The Wrecking Crew (music)|the Wrecking Crew]], a collection of top L.A. [[session musician]]s (listed [[Mr. Tambourine Man (album)|here]]), who (with McGuinn on guitar) provided the backing track over which McGuinn, Crosby, and Clark sang.<ref>{{harvnb|Fricke|1996}}</ref> By the time that sessions for their debut album began in March 1965, Melcher was satisfied that the band was competent enough to record its own musical backing.<ref name=allbyrds/> Much of the track's arrangement and final [[mixdown]] was modeled after [[Brian Wilson]]'s production work for [[the Beach Boys]]' "[[Don't Worry Baby]]".<ref>{{cite book |last=Beckwith |first=Harry |title=The Invisible Touch: The Four Keys to Modern Marketing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D9x11iryNAUC&pg=PT55 |date=January 15, 2001 |publisher=Grand Central Publishing |isbn=978-0-7595-2094-3 |pages=55– }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Howard |first=David N. |title=Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qXhwR_2Ka2UC&pg=PA61 |year=2004 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=978-0-634-05560-7 |pages=61– }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Dillon |first=Mark |title=Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs That Tell Their Story |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QAP0yVAVq3YC&pg=PT83 |date=January 1, 2012 |publisher=ECW Press |isbn=978-1-77090-198-8 |pages=83– }}</ref>

The Byrds' recording of the song opens with a distinctive, [[Johann Sebastian Bach|Bach]]-inspired guitar [[Introduction (music)|introduction]] played by McGuinn and then, like Dylan's version, goes into the song's [[Refrain|chorus]].<ref name="timeless2"/> Although Dylan's version contains four verses, the Byrds perform only the song's second verse and two repeats of the chorus, followed by a variation on the song's introduction, which then [[Fade (audio engineering)|fades out]].<ref name=allmusic1/> The Byrds' arrangement of the song had been shortened during the band's rehearsals, at the suggestion of Jim Dickson, in order to accommodate commercial [[radio]] stations, which were reluctant to play songs that were more than two-and-a-half minutes long.<ref name="timeless2"/><ref name=creswell/> As a result, while Dylan's version is five-and-a-half minutes long, the Byrds' version runs just short of two-and-a-half minutes.<ref name=allmusic1/> The [[lead vocal]] on the Byrds' recording of "Mr. Tambourine Man" was sung by McGuinn, who attempted to modify his singing style to fill what he perceived as a gap in the popular music scene of the day, somewhere between the vocal sound of [[John Lennon]] and Bob Dylan.<ref name="timeless2"/> The song also took on a spiritual aspect for McGuinn during the recording sessions, as he told Rogan in 1997: "I was singing to God and I was saying that God was the Tambourine Man and I was saying to him, 'Hey, God, take me for a trip and I'll follow you.' It was a prayer of submission."<ref name="timeless2"/>

===Reception===
The single reached number 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and number 1 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the first recording of a Dylan song to reach number 1 on any [[pop music]] chart.<ref>{{harvnb|The Byrds: Billboard Singles}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Warwick|2004|p=6}}</ref><ref>Shumway, David R., "Bob Dylan as a Cultural Icon", in {{harvnb|Dettmar|2009|p=114}}</ref> In 2009, the band's bassist Chris Hillman gave [[Bob Eubanks]], a DJ on [[KRLA]] and later the host of ''[[The Newlywed Game]]'', credit for originally breaking the song on the radio in L.A.<ref>{{cite AV media|people=Hillman, Chris|date=October 16, 2009|title=Guitarist Chris Hillman at the Library of Congress|medium=Videotape|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcEjCnMlxfY|access-date=May 10, 2021|time=31:26 minutes in|location=Library of Congress|publisher=YouTube}}</ref>

Upon release, ''[[Record World]]'' picked it as its "Sleeper of the Week" and called it a "funky and slow treatment of the Bob Dylan tune that has a lot to say. Moody and different treatment from a group going places."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Sleeper of the Week|magazine=Record World|date=April 24, 1965|page=1|accessdate=2023-07-21|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/60s/65/RW-1965-04-24.pdf}}</ref> Band biographer Christopher Hjort has remarked that it is surprising that neither ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' or ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]'' magazines reviewed the single, considering the efforts Columbia put into promoting the record.<ref>{{harvnb|Hjort|2008|p=29}}</ref> In the UK, ''[[Record Mirror]]'' described the single as, "A Bob Dylan song of uncommon charm. Group is American, folksy and five-strong. Busy mandolin-style [''sic''] backing. Song is the big selling point, for sure."<ref name=hjort3>{{harvnb|Hjort|2008|p=36}}</ref> In his review for ''Music Echo'', critic Brian Harvey described it as "a folksy, guitar twangy, medium tempo swinger. It's a busy number with lots of echo. Lead voice tells the story and has vocal group backing in the attractive chorus. The melody sticks even after one play."<ref name=hjort3/>

Critic William Ruhlmann has argued that in the wake of "Mr. Tambourine Man", the influence of the Byrds could be heard in recordings by a number of other Los Angeles-based acts, including [[the Turtles]], [[the Leaves]], [[Barry McGuire]], and [[Sonny & Cher]].<ref name=allmusic1/> In addition, author and music historian [[Richie Unterberger]] sees the influence of the Byrds in recordings by [[the Lovin' Spoonful]], [[the Mamas & the Papas]], [[Simon & Garfunkel]], and [[Love (band)|Love]],<ref name=unterberger/><ref>{{harvnb|Unterberger (6)}}</ref> while author John Einarson has said that both [[the Grass Roots]] and [[We Five]] enjoyed commercial success by emulating the Byrds' folk rock sound.<ref>{{harvnb|Einarson|2005|p=62}}</ref> Unterberger also feels that, by late 1965, the Beatles were assimilating the sound of the Byrds into their ''[[Rubber Soul]]'' album, most notably on the songs "[[Nowhere Man (song)|Nowhere Man]]" and "[[If I Needed Someone]]".<ref>{{harvnb|Unterberger (7)}}</ref> Both Unterberger and author Peter Lavezzoli have commented that Dylan himself decided to record with [[electric instrument]]ation on his 1965 album ''Bringing It All Back Home'' in part due to the influence of the Byrds' rock adaptation of "Mr. Tambourine Man".<ref>{{cite book|author=Unterberger, Richie.|page=[https://archive.org/details/turnturnturn00rich/page/66 66]|year=2002|title=Turn! Turn! Turn!: The '60s Folk-Rock Revolution|publisher=Backbeat Books|isbn=0-87930-703-X|url=https://archive.org/details/turnturnturn00rich/page/66}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Lavezzoli|first=Peter|page=162|year=2007|title=The Dawn of Indian music in the West|publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-8264-2819-6}}</ref>

As the 1960s came to a close, folk rock changed and evolved away from the jangly template pioneered by the Byrds,<ref name=folkrock/> but, Unterberger argues, the band's influence could still be heard in the music of [[Fairport Convention]].<ref>{{harvnb|Unterberger (8)}}</ref> Since the 1960s, the Byrds' jangly, folk rock sound has continued to influence popular music, with authors such as Chris Smith, Johnny Rogan, and Mark Deming, noting the band's influence on various acts including [[Big Star]], [[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]], [[R.E.M.]], [[the Long Ryders]], [[the Smiths]], [[the Bangles]], [[the Stone Roses]], [[Teenage Fanclub]], and [[the La's]].<ref>{{harvnb|Smith|2009|p=32}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Johnny Rogan|date=1998|title= The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited (2nd ed.)|publisher= Rogan House| isbn= 0-9529540-1-X|page=417}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Deming (2)}}</ref>

In addition to appearing on the Byrds' debut album, "Mr. Tambourine Man" is included on several Byrds' compilation and live albums, including ''[[The Byrds Greatest Hits]]'', ''[[Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971]]'', ''[[The Very Best of The Byrds]]'', ''[[The Essential Byrds]]'', ''[[The Byrds Play Dylan]]'', and the live disc of The Byrds' ''[[Untitled (The Byrds album)|(Untitled)]]'' album.<ref name=allmusic2>{{harvnb|Mr. Tambourine Man: The Byrds}}</ref> The Byrds' version of the song appears on compilation albums that include hit songs by multiple artists.<ref name=allmusic2/> Two earlier demo recordings of "Mr. Tambourine Man", dating from the World Pacific rehearsal sessions, can be heard on the Byrds' archival albums ''[[Preflyte]]'', ''[[In the Beginning (The Byrds album)|In the Beginning]]'', and ''[[Preflyte|The Preflyte Sessions]]''.<ref>{{cite book|author=Johnny Rogan|date=1998|title= The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited (2nd ed.)|publisher= Rogan House| isbn= 0-9529540-1-X|pages=549}}</ref>

=== Personnel ===

According to Christopher Hjort:{{sfn|Hjort|2008|p=24}}

'''The Byrds'''
*[[Roger McGuinn]]{{snd}}lead vocal, [[Twelve-string guitar|twelve-string electric guitar]]
*[[Gene Clark]]{{snd}}harmony vocal
*[[David Crosby]]{{snd}}harmony vocal

'''Additional musicians'''
*[[Hal Blaine]]{{snd}}drums
*[[Jerry Cole]]{{snd}}guitar
*[[Larry Knechtel]]{{snd}}bass guitar
*[[Bill Pitman]]{{snd}}guitar

'''Note'''
*On the final recording, [[Leon Russell]]'s [[electric piano]] contribution was mixed out, and Hjort writes that Cole and Pitman's guitars are "barely audible".{{sfn|Hjort|2008|p=24}} [[Jim Dickson (producer)|Jim Dickson]], the Byrds' manager, suggests that Clark's harmony vocal was mixed out and is only faintly audible due to [[Bleed (audio)|bleed]].{{sfn|Rogan|1998|p=63}}

==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Weekly chart performance for the Byrds' cover
!Chart (1965)
!Peak<br />position
|-
|Canada ''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'' Top Singles<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5667&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5667.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5667|title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=June 14, 1965 |access-date=July 9, 2018}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|2
|-
{{single chart|Ireland2|1|song=Mr Tambourine Man|access-date=June 6, 2018}}
|-
|Finland ([[The Official Finnish Charts|''Soumen Virallinen'']])<ref>{{cite book |last=Nyman |first=Jake |title=Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja |publisher=Tammi |year=2005 |isbn=951-31-2503-3 |edition=1st |location=Helsinki |page=101|language=fi}}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"|10
|-
|South Africa ([[Springbok Radio]])<ref>{{cite web |title=SA Charts 1965–March 1989|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(B).html |access-date=September 1, 2018}}</ref>
|align="center"|1
|-
|UK (''[[Record Retailer]]'')<ref>{{cite web |title=Official Charts Company |url=http://Officialcharts.com |access-date=July 16, 2018}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]]<ref>''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990'' - {{ISBN|0-89820-089-X}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|US [[Cash Box (magazine)|''Cash Box'']] Top 100<ref>[http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/19650703.html Cash Box Top 100 Singles, 1965]</ref>
|align="center"|1
|-
|New Zealand
|align="center"|1
|-
|Australia
|align="center"|4
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Year-end chart performance for the Byrds' cover
!Chart (1965)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank
|-
|South Africa <ref>{{cite web|title=Top 20 Hit Singles of 1965|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/sahits_1965.html|access-date=September 2, 2018}}</ref>
|align="center"|14
|-
|US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>[http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1965.htm Musicoutfitters.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|25
|-
|US ''Cash Box'' <ref>{{cite web |url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/1965YESP.html |title=Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 25, 1965 |access-date=September 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510074501/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/1965YESP.html |archive-date=May 10, 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|26
|}
{{col-end}}

==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "Mr. Tambourine Man"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Bob Dylan|title=Mr Tambourine Man|award=Gold|source=radioscope|certyear=2025|id=2025-05-08|access-date=September 26, 2025|note=Bob Dylan version}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Bob Dylan|title=Mr Tambourine Man|award=Silver|relyear=2011|certyear=2023|id=18731-497-1|access-date=February 17, 2023|note=Bob Dylan version}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Byrds|title=Mr Tambourine Man|award=Silver|relyear=2004|certyear=2023|id=18731-2168-1|access-date=March 17, 2023|note=The Byrds version}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

==Other recordings==
[[File:Judy Collins Hootenanny 1963.jpg|thumb|upright|Pictured in 1963, [[Folk music|folk]] singer [[Judy Collins]] covered "Mr. Tambourine Man" in 1965.]]

"Mr. Tambourine Man" has been performed and recorded by many artists and in different languages over the years, including at least thirteen versions recorded in 1965 alone.<ref name=keys/> [[The Brothers Four]] recorded a commercial version before [[the Byrds]], but were unable to release it due to licensing issues.<ref>{{cite web |first=Cecil |last=Adams |url=https://www.straightdope.com/21341473/must-you-get-permission-to-record-someone-else-s-song |title=Must you get permission to record someone else's song? |publisher=[[The Straight Dope]] |date=April 21, 1978 |access-date=May 18, 2024}}</ref>{{Disputed inline|Release (not recording) details from Billboard (plus a bit more) for Major Early Releases (i.e., Odetta, The Brothers Four, Bob Dylan, The Byrds)|date=May 2024}} [[Odetta]] included her version of the song on her album ''[[Odetta Sings Dylan]]'', released early March 1965.<ref>Cashbox February 27, 1965, p. 8</ref><ref>''Billboard'', March 6, 1965, p. 38.</ref> Notable recordings of the song have been made by [[Judy Collins]], [[Stevie Wonder]], [[The Four Seasons (band)|the Four Seasons]], [[The Barbarians (band)|the Barbarians]], and [[Chad and Jeremy]].<ref name=allmusic1/> Other artists who have recorded the song include [[Alvin and the Chipmunks]] (1965),<ref>{{Citation|title=Mr. Tamborine Man| date=March 16, 2023 |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=7XgDnov4olw|language=en|access-date=May 16, 2024}}</ref> [[Glen Campbell]] (1965), [[the Beau Brummels]] (1966), [[the Lettermen]] (1966), [[Kenny Rankin]] (1967), [[Melanie Safka|Melanie]] (1968), [[Joni Mitchell]] (1970),<ref>{{Citation|title=Joni Mitchell: Mr Tambourine Man, 1970.10.18| date=December 21, 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B8ypFs2dKo|language=en|access-date=April 9, 2021}}</ref> [[Gene Clark]] (1984) and [[Crowded House]] (1989).<ref>Trager 2004, p. 438</ref> [[William Shatner]] recorded a [[spoken-word]] cover of the song for his 1968 album ''[[The Transformed Man]]''.<ref name=keys/>

A reunited line-up of the Byrds, featuring [[Roger McGuinn]], Chris Hillman, and David Crosby, performed "Mr. Tambourine Man" with Dylan at a [[Roy Orbison]] tribute concert on February 24, 1990. This live performance of the song was included on the 1990 [[box set]] ''[[The Byrds (box set)|The Byrds]]''.<ref name="timeless3a">{{cite book |author=Johnny Rogan |date=1998 |title=The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited (2nd ed.) |publisher=Rogan House |isbn=0-9529540-1-X |page=440}}</ref> At the October 1992 Bob Dylan 30th anniversary tribute concert at [[Madison Square Garden]], McGuinn performed the song, backed by [[Tom Petty]], [[Mike Campbell (musician)|Mike Campbell]], and [[Benmont Tench]], among others.<ref name="keys" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Adams |first=Gregory |date=September 7, 2012 |url=http://exclaim.ca/News/flowers_of_hell_reveal_odes_details_share_joy_division_cover |title=Flowers Of Hell Reveal Odes Details |work=[[Exclaim!]] |access-date=September 9, 2012}}</ref>

[[Timothée Chalamet]] sings it in the Dylan biopic [[A Complete Unknown]].

==Legacy==
The Byrds' version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" was listed as the number 79 song on ''[[Rolling Stone]]''{{'}}s list of the [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time|500 Greatest Songs of All Time]], and Dylan's version was ranked number 106.<ref name=rs>{{harvnb|The Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time}}</ref> It is one of three songs to place twice, along with "[[Walk This Way]]" by both [[Aerosmith]] and [[Run-DMC]] with [[Joe Perry (musician)|Perry]] and [[Steven Tyler|Tyler]], and "[[Blue Suede Shoes]]" by both [[Carl Perkins]] and [[Elvis Presley]].<ref name=rs/> The Byrds' version was honored with a [[Grammy Hall of Fame Award]] in 1998, and Dylan's version was honored with the same award in 2002.<ref>{{harvnb|Grammy Hall of Fame Award}}</ref>

In 1989 ''Rolling Stone'' ranked the Byrds' version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" as the number 86 single of the prior 25 years.<ref>{{harvnb|Rolling Stone: The 100 Best Singles of the Last 25 Years}}</ref> That same year, music critic [[Dave Marsh]] listed it as number 207 in his list of the top 1001 singles ever made.<ref>{{harvnb|Marsh|1999|p=145}}</ref> In 1999, [[National Public Radio]] in the United States listed this version as one of the 300 most important American records of the 20th century.<ref>{{harvnb|The Original NPR 300}}</ref> In the UK, music critic [[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]] listed the Byrds' version as the number 1 single of all time.<ref>{{cite book|first=Colin |last=Larkin|date=2000|title=Virgin All-time Top 1000 Albums|publisher= Virgin Books| isbn= 0-7535-0493-6}}</ref> Other UK publishers that have listed this song as one of the top songs or singles include ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'', ''[[New Musical Express]]'', and ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Mojo: The 100 Greatest Singles of All Time}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|NME’s 100 Greatest Singles of All Time}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Sounds All Time Top 100 Albums & Singles}}</ref> Australian music critic [[Toby Creswell]] included the song in his book ''1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time and the Artists, Stories and Secrets Behind Them''.<ref name=creswell/>

In a 2005 readers' poll reported in ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'', Dylan's version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" was listed as the number four all-time greatest Bob Dylan song, and a similar poll of artists ranked the song number 14.<ref>{{harvnb|Mojo: 100 Greatest Dylan Songs}}</ref> In 2002, ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]'' listed it as the number 15 all-time Dylan song.<ref>{{harvnb|Uncut: Top 40 Dylan Tracks}}</ref>

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* {{cite web|title=Dangerous Minds|first=Todd|last=McCarthy|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117904345.html?categoryid=31&cs=1|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=August 9, 1995|access-date=July 19, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621160632/http://variety.com/review/VE1117904345.html?categoryid=31&cs=1|archive-date=June 21, 2009}}
* {{cite web|first=Roger|last=McGuinn|title=Byrds FAQ List: What songs did the Byrds make popular?|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/jimmy/mcguinn/ByrdsFAQ.html#songs|work=Ibiblio.org|access-date=August 21, 2010}}
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* {{cite web|title=Mojo: 100 Greatest Dylan Songs|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/mojo_p4.htm#Bob%20Dylan%20Songs|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120525184126/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/mojo_p4.htm#Bob%20Dylan%20Songs|url-status=usurped|archive-date=May 25, 2012|work=Rock List Music|access-date=May 9, 2010|ref={{SfnRef|Mojo: 100 Greatest Dylan Songs}}}}
* {{cite web|title=Mojo: The 100 Greatest Singles of All Time|work=Rock List Music|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/mojo_p2.htm#singles|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120908114215/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/mojo_p2.htm#singles|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 8, 2012|access-date=May 9, 2010|ref={{SfnRef|Mojo: The 100 Greatest Singles of All Time}}}}
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* {{cite web|title=Mr. Tambourine Man: The Byrds|url={{AllMusic|class=song|id=t6103202|pure_url=yes}}|work=AllMusic|access-date=July 17, 2009|ref={{SfnRef|Mr. Tambourine Man: The Byrds}}}}
* {{cite web|title=Musicians Associated With The Byrds: The New Christy Minstrels|work=ByrdWatcher: A Field Guide to the Byrds of Los Angeles|url=http://ebni.com/byrds/relassociates12.html#new|access-date=October 25, 2009|ref={{SfnRef|Musicians Associated With The Byrds: The New Christy Minstrels}}|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028024421/http://ebni.com/byrds/relassociates12.html#new|archive-date=October 28, 2010}}
* {{cite web|title=NME's 100 Greatest Singles of All Time|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_singles.htm#100%20Greatest%20Singles|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110526195319/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_singles.htm#100%20Greatest%20Singles|url-status=usurped|archive-date=May 26, 2011|work=Rock List Music|access-date=July 17, 2009|ref={{SfnRef|NME’s 100 Greatest Singles of All Time}}}}
* {{cite web|title=The Original NPR 300|url=https://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/300.html|work=[[National Public Radio]]|access-date=July 17, 2009|ref={{SfnRef|The Original NPR 300}}}}
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* {{cite web|first=Richie|last=Unterberger|title=Bruce Langhorne (1)|url=http://www.richieunterberger.com/langhorne.html|work=Richieunterberger.com|access-date=July 13, 2009|ref={{SfnRef|Unterberger (1)}}}}
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* {{cite web|first=Richie|last=Unterberger|title=Love|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4792|pure_url=yes}}|work=AllMusic|access-date=November 3, 2009|ref={{SfnRef|Unterberger (6)}}}}
* {{cite web|first=Richie|last=Unterberger|title=Rubber Soul|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1515|pure_url=yes}}|work=AllMusic|access-date=November 3, 2009|ref={{SfnRef|Unterberger (7)}}}}
* {{cite web|title=The Witmark Demos|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1968516|pure_url=yes}}|publisher=AllMusic.com|access-date=September 5, 2010|ref={{SfnRef|The Witmark Demos}}}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
* [http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/mr-tambourine-man Lyrics]

{{Navboxes
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| titlestyle = background: khaki
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{{Bob Dylan}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mr. Tambourine Man}}
[[Category:Songs about musicians]]
[[Category:Songs about musical instruments]]
[[Category:1965 singles]]
[[Category:1965 songs]]
[[Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles]]
[[Category:Bob Dylan songs]]
[[Category:Cashbox number-one singles]]
[[Category:Columbia Records singles]]
[[Category:Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients]]
[[Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Terry Melcher]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Tom Wilson (record producer)]]
[[Category:Songs written by Bob Dylan]]
[[Category:The Byrds songs]]
[[Category:Glen Campbell songs]]
[[Category:UK singles chart number-one singles]]
[[Category:Number-one singles in South Africa]]
[[Category:Jangle pop songs]]

Vero - Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

Mr. Tambourine Man