Did John Steinbeck steal from the Book of Genesis when he wrote East of Eden? Was it plagiarism when the Coen brothers made O Brother, Where Art Thou?, having shaped the story around Homer’s Odyssey? And was it stealing when Darius Rucker covered “Wagon Wheel”? Or, for that matter, was it plagiarism when Bob Dylan recorded a demo using lyrics and tropes from decades-old blues songs?

The song “Wagon Wheel” became a huge hit when I was still in my early teens and despised country music—for no real reason. It seemed like every radio station played it, and when they weren’t, my mother was humming it. Darius Rucker, the frontman of Hootie and the Blowfish, sings this version of “Wagon Wheel,” which I thought—until recently—was the original. Back in 2013, when Rucker released the song on his album True Believers, many listeners didn’t know of the 2004 version by Old Crow Medicine Show (OCMS), and even fewer knew of the 1970s bootlegged demo by Bob Dylan. So, I assumed the song was a Rucker original.

As a huge Dylan fan, I was shocked—and honestly a bit ashamed—that I didn’t know he wrote the original chorus that later inspired OCMS to write the verses for their 2004 version. After the initial surprise, I realized I shouldn’t have been shocked. Dylan’s influence is everywhere in music.

From Jimi Hendrix’s cover of “All Along the Watchtower” (originally from Dylan’s John Wesley Harding) to Adele’s “Make You Feel My Love” (from Dylan’s Time Out of Mind), his reach is vast. I’m more surprised at myself for still being surprised when I uncover Dylan’s fingerprints on familiar music.

The story of “Wagon Wheel” echoes the history of “House of the Risin’ Sun,” popularized by The Animals. While “House of the Risin’ Sun” (spelled “Rising” in some versions) comes from traditional Southern folk music and has no singular author, Dylan’s 1962 rendition on his debut album inspired The Animals’ famous 1964 version—which became a major hit.

We see a similar pattern with “Wagon Wheel.” In the early 1970s, Dylan worked with director Sam Peckinpah to write the soundtrack for the 1973 film Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid. Dylan also played a side character named Alias (a fittingly Dylanesque name).From that soundtrack came “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,” which was famously covered by Guns N’ Roses in 1991.

But one song, unofficially titled “Rock Me, Mama,” didn’t make the final cut and was never completed. And anyone familiar with “Wagon Wheel” can spot the connection: the chorus—“Rock me, mama like a wagon wheel / Rock me, mama any way you feel”—comes straight from Dylan’s bootlegged demo.

OCMS later wrote the verses and completed the song, creating the version Rucker eventually covered. Aside from the chorus and overall rhythm, there’s little else directly borrowed from Dylan. Still, OCMS credits him as a co-writer.

So what does all of this mean? Like “House of the Risin’ Sun,” “Wagon Wheel” (or “Rock Me, Mama”) has roots that go deeper than Dylan—raising questions about plagiarism and creative ownership. Dylan, an avid listener of American folk and blues, borrowed heavily from his musical ancestors.

References to a “wagon wheel” appear in blues songs from the 1930s to 1950s, by artists like Curtis Jones and Lil’ Son Jackson. Dylan himself credited Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s 1944 “Rock Me Mama” as the source of that phrase. Crudup was likely influenced by Big Bill Broonzy’s “Rockin’ Chair Blues,” which dates back to the 1920s and includes phrases like “rock me, baby” and “rock me, darlin’.”

While the melodies from these earlier songs didn’t make their way into Dylan’s version or OCMS’s, the lyrical lineage is evident. But this begs the question: who’s the real writer?

If Broonzy inspired Crudup, who in turn influenced Dylan—who then inspired OCMS—who can truly claim authorship? I’d argue, as the credits reflect, that Dylan and OCMS are the rightful co-creators of “Wagon Wheel.” Dylan wasn’t covering a song; he was crafting a new one, drawing from a well of folk phrases and themes.

OCMS took Dylan’s unfinished lyrics and melody and built a complete, original song. Rucker never claimed the song as his own. Still, given that his version is the most widely known, and many people don’t realize he’s not the writer, it raises a question of public perception. Should he be more explicit about the song’s origins? Or is it up to listeners to dig into the history themselves?

The Coen brothers openly stated that O Brother, Where Art Thou? was based on The Odyssey. Steinbeck titled East of Eden to deliberately evoke Genesis, leaving a clear trail of creative influence. Creative ownership is rarely black-and-white.

What one person calls homage, another may call theft. And while courts may settle legal disputes, it’s up to the audience—especially in our information-rich age—to recognize the layers of history and inspiration behind the art we love.