Bob Dylan was famously called ‘Judas’ by a member of the crowd during a performance in Manchester, England, in 1966, and his response to the heckle has gone down in music history
Music enthusiasts are reminiscing about the times Bob Dylan faced hostile crowds around the globe.
During a gig in Manchester, England, a heckler in the audience branded the legendary singer-songwriter “Judas”, prompting an iconic four-word response that has become etched in music folklore.
A clip of the memorable moment, shared on Reddit’s r/BobDylan thread, captures Dylan’s calm demeanor as he smokes and preps to take the stage, before fielding the verbal jab.
Fans on the platform praised Dylan’s comeback as the “coolest anyone has ever been”. The controversy surrounding Dylan’s shift to electric instruments had been brewing within the folk music community.
The release of his fifth album, Bringing It All Back Home, confirmed his new direction, featuring a rock band – a move that polarized his fan base.
This creative decision came to a head at the Newport Folk Festival, an event recently immortalized in the film A Complete Unknown starring Timothée Chalamet. Dylan’s electric set at the predominantly acoustic folk festival sparked outrage, which trailed him into his 1966 UK tour.
Impressed fans have been reliving a classic moment in music history, flooding online forums with praise for Dylan’s iconic response to being called ‘Judas’ during a performance. One user wrote: “I swear this must the coolest anyone has ever been, ever.”
Another added: “If not, it’s really close.” A third shared: “As someone who grew up on the Ramones, the Pistols, the Dead Boys, etc., I can honestly say that nothing has ever been more punk than this. Dylan’s reaction. The performance. It’s all just perfection.”
After being branded ‘Judas,’ Dylan hit back with a cool “I don’t believe you.” He followed the retort with a pointed “you’re a liar” before tearing into ‘Like a Rolling Stone.
Yet, music lovers and history buffs argue that other memorable instances from the gig have been eclipsed by this infamous exchange.
A fan noted: “The whole show is fantastic with everything leading up to the Judas moment. The ‘where’s your silver’ shout and the slow clapping followed by Dylan’s trick spouting gobbledygook into the mic for 30+ seconds to get them to quiet down only to clearly say ‘…if you only wouldn’t clap so hard’ tend to be overshadowed by ‘Judas.'”.
Another expressed confusion over the hostile audience response, stating: “I had this show on cd and I never could understand why the crowd was so mad he wasn’t playing acoustic when they were just playing an amazing show.”
Reflecting on the cultural backdrop, one user elucidated the sharp shift in Dylan’s musical direction: “There was a real purist orthodoxy to folk music at the time, and Bob (who was the new savior for the movement) turned his back on them in their minds when he started playing ‘pop music.'”
The “Judas” incident can be heard on an official release from Colombia records, the Dylan release titled “The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The ‘Royal Albert Hall’ Concert”.
Some have called the show one of the “absolutely pivotal” moments in rock and roll history. One wrote: “There are a few absolutely pivotal moments in pop culture. Woodstock, Beatles on Ed Sullivan. This is one of them.” Another added: “One of the greatest moments in art and culture ever captured on film.”