Bob Dylan / 3:10
Musicians (New York)
Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar
David Bromberg: guitar
Al Kooper: piano
Musicians (Nashville)
Charlie McCoy: bass (?)
Kenny Buttrey: drums (?)
(For details on orchestra musicians, see entry for “All the Tired Horses,” page 326. Note there is only brass on this song; there are no strings or chorus.)
Recording Studios
Columbia Recording Studios / Studio A, New York: March 4, 1970; Columbia Recording Studios, Nashville: March 17, 1970 (?)
Technical Team
Producer: Bob Johnston
Sound Engineer (New York): Don Puluse
Sound Engineer (Nashville): Neil Wilburn
A wigwam is a round, domed dwelling built by certain Native American tribes, especially in the Northeast United States (Mi’kmaq and Algonquin). Bob Dylan used the name, which evokes the history of Native Americans in the United States, to write one of the most distinctive songs on Self Portrait. Indeed, “Wigwam” has no lyrics. Throughout the more than three minutes of the song, Dylan merely sings “la la la.” The melody is no less beautiful for the lack of text, and the orchestration, which has been called mariachi-like and Western, is among the most successful of the double album.
“Wigwam” was recorded on March 4, 1970, at Columbia Studio A in New York City, under the working title “New Song.” Dylan provided vocals and acoustic guitar. David Bromberg was on lead guitar and Al Kooper on piano. It is possible that Stu Woods and Alvin Rogers later added a bass line (not very audible) and drum by overdub (in New York), but the early version released on The Bootleg Series Volume 10: Another Self Portrait (1969–1971) does not have either. Most likely, Charlie McCoy and Kenny Buttrey added drums in Nashville. On March 17, at Columbia in Nashville, the brass overdubs were added, with the orchestra conducted by Bill Walker. Unfortunately, the studio record sheets are imprecise.
“Wigwam” was released as a single with “Copper Kettle (The Pale Moonlight)” on the B-side. The single had relative success. The song entered the top 10 in many European countries (France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Switzerland), Singapore, and Malaysia. In Canada, the song was a top 40 hit. In the United States, the tune only reached number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 13 on the Billboard Top 40 Easy Listening charts.