Bob Dylan released "Maggie's Farm" as a single on June 4th 1965. It was the follow up to "Subterranean Homesick Blues"--Dylan's breakout 'electric' single from the Bringing It All Back Home album. "Maggie's Farm" sees a continuation of the full-band sound that many fans of the singer-songwriter's earlier folk records rejected wholeheartedly.

"Maggie's Farm" was perhaps even more obnoxious than "Subterranean", in that, Dylan's lyrics openly attack the folk establishment that had nurtured him. At least that's how many critics interpreted it at the time.

The 1965 Newport Folk Festival was the first time Dylan performed live with a backing band. "Maggie's Farm" was the first song he played during this infamous set. Allegedly, folk legend Pete Seeger was so irate backstage that he had to be restrained from using an axe to cut the cord on the show.

Dylan had refrained from performing "Maggie's Farm" during his UK tour in May 1965. He had reportedly rehearsed the song before a BBC performance, but decided not to play it during the recording.

Solomon Burke had released a version of "Maggie's Farm" a couple of months earlier which peaked at #2 on the R&B Charts.

Since it's release, "Maggie's Farm" has been covered by many artists including The Grateful Dead, David Bowie and Rage Against The Machine.

Dylan performed the song during the 2012 Grammy awards. He was supported on stage by Mumford & Sons and The Avett Brothers.