The widow of Bob Dylan's "Hurricane" co-writer sued for a share of his $300 million song sale and lost twice

Jacques Levy, a theater director, co-wrote "Hurricane," "Isis" and eight other songs on Dylan's 1976 album Desire. He died in 2004^†. In December 2020 Dylan sold his entire songwriting catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group for a price reported above $300 million. In January 2021 Levy's widow and executrix, Claudia Levy, sued Dylan and Universal in New York State Supreme Court. Variety reported the claim at $7.25 million; another account gave $1.75 million plus punitive damages. She said the 1975 agreement gave Levy a 35 percent share of the songs' income. Dylan's lawyers called the suit an "opportunistic attempt" at an "unjustified windfall." The 1975 contract called Levy an "Employee" 84 times and made the songs the "sole property" of Dylan's company "everywhere and forever." On 30 July 2021 Justice Barry R. Ostrager dismissed the case, finding the deal was work for hire. Levy's estate keeps its royalties from licensing but has no claim on the sale price. Claudia Levy called the ruling "the ultimate attempt to rewrite Levy out of Dylan's history." On 5 April 2022 the Appellate Division unanimously affirmed. In 2026 Universal owns the songs and the Levy estate collects royalties only.