Talking Folklore Center

    "Talking Folklore Center", was written by Bob Dylan on 19 March 1962, as an homage to the Folklore Center's proprietor, Izzy Young. It is a humorous talking blues about Dylan's arrival in NYC, and how he stumbled onto the Folklore Center in Greenwich Village: "On MacDougal Street I saw a cubby hole / I went in to get out of the cold / Found out after I entered / The place was called the Folklore Center / ---Owned by Izzy Young---he's always in back---of the center."
    There is no known recording of that song by Bob Dylan, but it can be heard by Eric Bibb at the beginning of the documentary Talking Folklore Center. Thank you to François Guillez for that information.

    Published in 1962, the item below is a single sheet folded to make four pages, with cover illustration of a young, corduroy-capped Dylan playing harmonica. This is first separate printing of a song by Bob Dylan. Depending on exactly when in 1962 this was published, it may also be his first appearance in print.
    The sheet music received no distribution of any kind, it was only available at the Folklore Center for .25 cents. Image and information sweetbooks.com.