Bob Dylan / 2:05
Musicians
Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar, harmonica
Charlie McCoy: bass
Kenneth Buttrey: drums
Recording Studio
Columbia Recording Studios, Nashville: November 29, 1967
Technical Team
Producer: Bob Johnston
Sound Engineer: Charlie Bragg
Once again Bob Dylan was inspired by the Bible. The title of this song seems to be derived from the book of Proverbs, 13:17: “A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.” In the first verse, Dylan cites Elijah, the prophet of Israel and the messenger of the Messiah. The last line, “If ye cannot bring good news, then don’t bring any” is straightforward for Christians—the “good news” is the coming of Christ. Conversely, the one bringing bad news may appear demonic. The ancient Greek playwrite Sophocles wrote in Antigone, “No one likes a messenger who comes bearing unwelcome news.” Two thousand years later, Shakespeare took up this concept of the bringer of bad tidings in Henry IV and Antony and Cleopatra.
Who is the “wicked messenger”? In the song, the wicked messenger could be Dylan himself (“With a mind that multiplied the smallest matter”), but more surely all poets (and alleged poets) who, by opportunism, refuse to tell the truth.
On the instrumental level, “The Wicked Messenger” is undoubtedly the most interesting song on the album John Wesley Harding. Charlie McCoy provides a repetitive, descending bass riff, music to the ears of any fan of the six-string guitar. Dylan sings this blues-rock tune masterfully and simultaneously executes a harmonic descent on his Martin. Bob Johnston did not think much of overdubs. Dylan is brilliantly backed by Buttrey and McCoy. This piece is even more interesting because this blues tune works perfectly with the inspired lyrics from the Bible. Only Bob Dylan would dare such an adaptation. The exact number of takes necessary to record this tune is unknown, but it had to have taken more than one, given the difficulty of Dylan’s part, which includes singing, gimmicks, rhythm, and harmonica (in D).
Dylan performed the song live for the first time in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 12, 1987. The rock treatment he imposed on his song, with the help of the Grateful Dead, has inspired him to continue to experiment.