So, that poem purportedly written by Bob Dylan at camp in the ’50s that’s supposed to fetch at least $10,000 at auction next month? If you press “play” on the above YouTube embed you’ll find out that a variation on those words has been put to song–and not by the teenaged Dylan, but by the Canadian country singer Hank Snow, from whom those words were appropriated. “Little Buddy” appeared on a 78 in the late ’40s, then was included on Snow’s 1958 album When Tragedy Struck, which also included such mood-lifters as “Don’t Make Me Go To Bed And I’ll Be Good,” “Nobody’s Child,” and “I’m Just Here To Get My Baby Out of Jail.” Christie’s had this to say:

“Additional information has come to our attention about the handwritten poem submitted by Bob Dylan to his camp newspaper, written when he was 16, entitled ‘Little Buddy.’ The words are in fact a revised version of lyrics of a Hank Snow song.”

“This still remains among the earliest known handwritten lyrics of Bob Dylan and Christie’s is pleased to offer them in our Pop Culture auction on June 23.”

And the asking price is still $10,000. I wonder if the camp, which was going to use the proceeds from the sale to fund new cabins, will offer to split its rewards with Snow’s estate?

Dylan “poem” was actually Hank Snow song [Reuters]
HANK SNOW- LITTLE BUDDY [YouTube]
Earlier: Is Bob Dylan’s Poem About A Dead Dog Worth Five Figures?