Dylan Poem = Snow Song?

05/21/09 1:17pm

Is Bob Dylan a plagiarizer?

A poem that was thought to have been written by the legendary singer/songwriter at age 16 was supposed to be auctioned by Christie's next month. But then it was discovered "Little Buddy" was "a revised version of lyrics of a Hank Snow song," according to the auction house.

Dylan was still Bobby Zimmerman when he submitted the poem to the Herzl Camp newspaper in Webster, Wisc. in 1957. Newspaper editor Lisa Heilicher kept the poem and recently decided to sell it to help support the summer camp's $8-million U.S. capital campaign.

"Little Buddy" was originally expected to sell for between $10,000 and $15,000, but the fact that it's not all Dylan's own work may drop the price at the June 23 auction in New York City.

Dylan, who turns 68 on Sunday, hasn't commented on the poem.

Other Dylan items will be auctioned off by Christie's, including his working lyrics for the early tune "With God On Our Side" and his 1958 high school yearbook with student inscriptions.

Dylan's 33rd studio album, Together Through Life, was released on April 28.

Here's Snow's song:

Here's Dylan's poem:

Broken hearted and so sad
Big blue eyes all covered with tears
Was a picture of sorrow to see

Kneeling close to the side
Of his pal and only pride
A little lad, these words he told me

He was such a lovely doggy
And to me he was such fun
But today as we played by the way

A drunken man got mad at him
Because he barked in joy
He beat him and he’s dying here today

Will you call the doctor please
And tell him if he comes right now
He’ll save my precious doggy here he lay

Then he left the fluffy head
But his little dog was dead
Just a shiver and he slowly passed away

He didn’t know his dog had died
So I told him as he cried
Come with me son we’ll get that doctor right away

But when I returned
He had his little pal upon his knee
And the teardrops, they were blinding his big blue eyes

Your too late sir my doggy’s dead
And no one can save him now
But I’ll meet my precious buddy up in the sky

By a tiny narrow grave
Where the willows sadly wave
Are the words so clear you’re sure to find

Little Buddy Rest In Peace
God Will Watch You Thru The Years
Cause I Told You In My Dreams That You
Were Mine

Dylan, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson are touring American minor league ball parks together this summer. Buy some peanuts and Cracker Jacks at these shows:

July 1 Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheater (no Mellencamp)
July 2 Sauget, IL @ GCS Ballpark
July 4 South Bend, IN @ Coveleski Regional Stadium
July 5 Rothbury, MI @ Rothbury Festival
July 8 Louisville, KY @ Louisville Slugger Field
July 10 Dayton, OH @ Fifth Third Field
July 11 Eastlake, OH @ Classic Park
July 13 Washington, PA @ Consol Energy Park
July 14 Allentown, PA @ Coca-Cola Park
July 15 New Britain, CT @ New Britain Stadium
July 17 Essex Junction, VT @ Champlain Valley Exposition Center
July 19 Syracuse, NY @ Alliance Bank Stadium
July 21 Pawtucket, RI @ McCoy Stadium
July 23 Lakewood, NJ @ FirstEnergy Park
July 24 Aberdeen, MD @ Ripken Stadium
July 25 Norfolk, VA @ Harbor Park
July 28 Durham, NC @ Durham Bulls Athletic Park
July 29 Seiverville, TN @ Smokies Park
July 30 Alpharetta, GA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
July 31 Orange Beach, AL @ The Amphitheater at The Wharf
Aug. 2 Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Aug. 4 Round Rock, TX @ The Dell Diamond
Aug. 5 Corpus Christi, TX @ Whataburger Field
Aug. 7 Grand Prairie, TX @ QuikTrip Park
Aug. 9 Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
Aug. 11 Glendale, AZ @ Camelback Ranch
Aug. 12 Las Vegas, NV @ Cashman Field
Aug. 14 Fresno, CA @ Chukchansi Park
Aug. 15 Stockton, CA @ Banner Island Ballpark