Bob Dylan released his first single, “Mixed-Up Confusion”, today in 1962. His self-titled debut album was released in 1962 but no singles were issued off that album. Dylan allegedly wrote the song in a cab on the way to the studio. The song was an odd choice to be Dylan’s first single and its failure to chart reflected that. Dylan has distanced himself from the whole affair over the years, largely pinning the blame on producer John Hammond.

Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with the song, it’s just a strange thing for the newly crowned King of Folk to put out as his first single. It would be another three years before Dylan famously “went electric” at the Newport Folk Festival, but here his backing band was plugged in on his first single. “Mixed-Up Confusion” was recorded during early sessions for the all acoustic album “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” which was released in May of 1963. All very strange.

I cannot find the original single and there are quite a few different versions out there now. If anyone has the original please post it in the comments.