<P> Ever since its release the song has been influential to people's views on society, with critics noting the general yet universal lyrics as contributing to the song's lasting message of change . Dylan has occasionally performed it in concert . The song has been covered by many different artists, including Nina Simone, the Byrds, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Simon & Garfunkel, the Beach Boys, Joan Baez, Phil Collins, Billy Joel, and Bruce Springsteen . The song was ranked number 59 on Rolling Stone's 2004 list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". </P> <P> Dylan appears to have written the song in September and October 1963 . He recorded it as a Witmark publishing demo at that time, a version that was later released on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1--3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961--1991 . The song was then recorded at the Columbia studios in New York on October 23 and 24; the latter session yielded the version that became the title song of Dylan's third album . The a - in the song title is an archaic intensifying prefix, as in the British songs "A-Hunting We Will Go" and "Here We Come a-Wassailing", from the 18th and 19th century . </P> <P> Dylan recalled writing the song as a deliberate attempt to create an anthem of change for the moment . In 1985, he told Cameron Crowe, "This was definitely a song with a purpose . It was influenced of course by the Irish and Scottish ballads ...' Come All Ye Bold Highway Men',' Come All Ye Tender Hearted Maidens' . I wanted to write a big song, with short concise verses that piled up on each other in a hypnotic way . The civil rights movement and the folk music movement were pretty close for a while and allied together at that time ." </P> <P> Dylan biographer Clinton Heylin recounts how Tony Glover stopped by Dylan's apartment in September 1963, picked up a page of the song Dylan was working on and read a line from it: "Come senators, congressmen, please heed the call ." "Turning to Dylan, Glover said,' What is this shit, man?' Dylan shrugged his shoulders and replied,' Well, you know, it seems to be what the people want to hear ."' </P>

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