On This Day: Bob Dylan’s Releases His First Single “Mixed-Up Confusion”

Shortly after releasing his eponymous debut in 1962, Bob Dylan returned to the studio to record another batch of songs for his next album. Early on during the Freehwheelin’ sessions, Dylan recorded “Corrina Corrina, which made the album cut, along with “Rocks and Gravel,” a cover of Elvis Presley‘s 1956 debut single “That’s All Right.”

In the studio, Dylan took another crack at a more rock and roll sound with the rockabilly slanted “Mixed-Up Confusion,” which was released as his first single on December 14, 1962, as the A-side to “Corrina, Corrina.”

Though recorded for his second album, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, in 1963, “Mixed-Up Confusion’—featuring a backing band of guitarists Bruce Langhorne and George Barnes, bassist Gene Ramey, pianist Dick Wellstood, and drummer Herb Lovelle—never made the album cut nor touch the charts for Dylan.

Taxi Cab Songwriter

A year earlier, Dylan had signed with Columbia and released his eponymous debut in ’62. Perhaps referencing the hard-to-please people in the music industry, whoever his mixed feelings were about, the words began flooding out while he was supposedly in a taxi cab on his way on his way to a recording session at Columbia in New York City.

In the song, Dylan talks about having the trials of trying to make too many people happy. He’s also looking for a woman with a mixed-up head just like his.

I got mixed up confusion
Man, it’s a-killin’ me
Well, there’s too many people
And they’re all too hard to please

Well, my hat’s in my hand
Babe, I’m walkin’ down the line
An’ I’m lookin’ for a woman
Whose head’s mixed up like mine

[RELATED: How Bob Dylan and George Harrison ‘Helped’ Olivia Newton-John Land Her First Hit]

1978 Release

Though the song went out as a single, it took 14 takes and three sessions to get it down since Dylan’s backing “rock” band was made up of more jazz musicians.

On the 1978 compilation, Masterpieces, Dylan released an overdubbed version of “Mixed-Up Confusion.” The song was released again, in its original form, on the box set Biograph in 1985.

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images