Tobias Levander has dug out these possible sources to some of the lines in Waitin' for You.
1. I LOST MY GAL AT THE BOATMAN'S BALL:
This song was written by Dan Emmett, the composer of "Dixie". It was
performed at the first full-scale minstrel show held in New York in 1843.
The third verse may be a possible source to the line: "You're dancing with whom they
tell you to, or you don't dance at all" in Highwater ("Love &
Theft").
It ia also interesting to note that Dylan gets inspiration from an old minstrel show
classic, which is the topic of Eric Lott's book "Love & Theft".
1. De boatman dance, de boatman sing, de boatman up to evrything, and when
de boatman get on de shore, he spends his cash and he work no more.
Dance de boatman dance, oh, dance de boatman dance, oh, dance all
night till de brad daylight, and take de gals home in de mornin'.
2. De boatman is a thrifty man, dere's none can do as de boatman can, I
never see a pretty gal in my life, but dat she was a boatman's wife.
Dance de boatman dance, oh, dance de boatman dance, oh, dance all
night till de brad daylight, and take de gals home in de mornin'.
3. Now when you go to de boatman's ball, you dance with your wife or not at all.
Sky-blue jacket and tarpaulin hat, look out, boys, for de nine-tail cat.
Chorus: Dance de boatman dance, oh, dance de boatman dance, oh, dance all
night till de brad daylight, and take de gals home in de mornin'.
4. Oh, when de boatman blows his horn, look out, old man, your hog is gone.
He catch your sheep, he catch your shoat, den put 'em in a bag and tote 'em to de boat.
Chorus: Dance de boatman dance, oh, dance de boatman dance, oh, dance all
night till de brad daylight, and take de gals home in de mornin'.
Hi ho, de boatman row, floatin' down de river on de Ohio.
2. AMONG THE GOOD AND THE TRUE:
(American Civil War Ballad, written by J. H McNaughton ca 1865)
My brave lad sleeps in his faded coat of blue;
In a lonely grave unknown lies the heart that beat so true
He sank faint and hungry among the famish'd brave
And they laid him sad and lonely within his nameless grave
No more the bugle calls the weary one,
Rest, noble spirit,
In thy grave unknown! I'll find you and know you,
Among the good and true,
When a robe of white is giv'n for the faded coat of blue
He cried, "Give me water and just a little crumb,
And my mother she will bless you thro' all the years to come;
Oh! tell my sweet sister, so gentle, good and true,
That I'll meet her up in heaven, in my faded coat of blue."
No more the bugle calls the weary one,
Rest, noble spirit,
In thy grave unknown! I'll find you and know you,
Among the good and true,
When a robe of white is giv'n for the faded coat of blue
Long, long years have vanished, and though he comes no more,
Yet my heart will startling beat with each footfall at my door;
I gaze o'er the hill where he waved a last adieu,
But no gallant lad I see, in his faded coat of blue.
No more the bugle calls the weary one,
Rest, noble spirit,
In thy grave unknown! I'll find you and know you,
Among the good and true,
When a robe of white is giv'n for the faded coat of blue
No more the bugle calls the weary one,
Rest, noble spirit,
In thy grave unknown! I'll find you and know you,
Among the good and true,
When a robe of white is giv'n for the faded coat of blue
(Old Irish Tune)
He was stranded in some tiny town on fair Prince Edward's Isle
Waitin' for a ship to come and find him.
A friendly face, a one-horse place, some coffee, and a tiny trace
of fiddling in the distance far behind him.
A dime across the counter then a shy "hello", a brand new friend
A walk along the street in wintry weather.
A yellow light, an open door, a welcome friend, there's room for more
And soon they're standing there inside together.
He said: "I've heard that tune before somewhere but I can't remember when.
Was it written on some friendly shore, did I hear it in the wind?
Was it written in the sky above? I think I heard it from someone I loved,
But I never heard it sound so sweet since then.
Soon his feet begin to tap, a little boy says: "I'll take your hat,"
he's caught up in the magic of her smile
And leaps the heart within him when 'twas off across the floor he sent
His clumsy body, graceful as a child.
He said: "There's magic in the fiddler's arm, there's magic in this
town.
There's magic in the dancers' feet and the way they put them down."
People smiling everywhere with boots and ribbons, locks of hair
With laughter, oh blue suits and Easter gowns.
The sailor's gone, the room is bare, the old piano's sittin' there
And someone's hat's left standing on the rack.
The empty chair, the wooden floor that feels the touch of shoes no more
Is waiting for the dancers to come back.
And the fiddle's in the closet of some daughter of the town.
The strings are broke, the bow is bare, and the case is buttoned down.
But sometimes on December nights when the air is cold and the wind is right
There's a melody that echoes across the town...
4. THE NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND HEARTS AND EYES:
Written 1962 by Ben Weisman / Dottie Wayne / Marilyn Garrett (recorded by Bobby Vee)
They say your a run around lover
Though you say it isn't so
But if you put me down for another
I'll know, believe me, I'll know
`Cause the night has a thousand eyes
And a thousand eyes can't help but see
If you aren't true to me
So remember when you tell those little white lies
that the night has a thousand eyes
One of those days your ganna be sorry
`Cause your game I'm ganna play
And you'll find out with out really tryin'
Each time that my kisses stray
That the night has a thousand eyes
And a thousand eyes will see me through
And no matter what I do
I could never disguise all those little white lies
`Cause the night has a thousand eyes
So remember when you tell those little white lies
that the night has a thousand eyes
Written in 1891 by Francis William Bourdillon (1852-1921)
The night has a thousand eyes,
And the day but one;
Yet the light of a bright world dies
When day is done.
The mind has a thousand eyes,
And the heart but one;
Yet the light of a whole life dies
When love is done.
5. IT'S BEEN SO LONG
(Written and recorded by Webb Pierce, probably during the 50s)
It's been so long since we said goodbye
I guess that's the reason why I sit and cry
I miss you, baby, ev'ry day and night
It's been so long since I held you tight
6. HOPE MAY VANISH BUT IT NEVER DIES
(Percy Byshess Shelley, 1822)
Life may change, but it may fly not;
Hope may vanish, but can die not;
Truth be veiled, but still it burneth;
Love repulsed, - but it returneth!