The song "Hurricane" was released as a single by Bob Dylan in 1975 and in 1976 on the album "Desire". This was one of many attempts by famous people to free the boxer, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter.
The lyrics, written by Bob Dylan and Jacques Levy, are a form of protest against the jail term handed down to boxer Hurricane Carter. This song was mainly aimed at the government and the state of New Jerseys" court system. This was also aimed at the way "black" people were often accused of crime back then. This was evident in some parts of the song, such as; .
While Arthur Dexter Bradley's still in the robbery game .
And the cops are puttin' the screws to him, lookin' for somebody to blame. .
"Remember that murder that happened in a bar?".
"Remember you said you saw the getaway car?".
"You think you'd like to play ball with the law?".
"Think it might-a been that fighter that you saw runnin' that night?".
"Don't forget that you are white.".
.
And; .
All of Rubin's cards were marked in advance.
The trial was a pig-circus, he never had a chance.
The judge made Rubin's witnesses drunkards from the slums.
To the white folks who watched he was a revolutionary bum.
And to the black folks he was just a crazy nigger.
No one doubted that he pulled the trigger. .
And though they could not produce the gun,.
The D.A. said he was the one who did the deed.
And the all-white jury agreed.
Rubin Carter was falsely tried.
The crime was murder "one," guess who testified?.
Bello and Bradley and they both baldly lied.
And the newspapers, they all went along for the ride.
How can the life of such a man.
Be in the palm of some fool's hand?.
To see him obviously framed.
Couldn't help but make me feel ashamed to live in a land.
Where justice is a game.
This message is clear throughout the whole song.
It is ironic that neither Dylan's song nor the efforts of any of the other celebrities got Carter released from his wrongful imprisonment. It was a foolish mistake on the part of the New Jersey authorities that ultimately lead to the restoration of Carter's freedom.
