About the song; an old folk tune, in the early 60’s it had been a staple of Dave Van Ronk’s live show in NYC for years. Van Ronk tells the story that Bob Dylan “stole” it and recorded it on his first album. So Van Ronk stopped playing it live because people started assuming he had taken it from Dylan. He got a measure of revenge when Dylan told him he decided to stop playing it because people assumed the same thing about him vis a vis The Animals big hit.
Wasn't he also in Welcome Back Kotter?
I saw a follow up that mentioned Wallingford, Ct.
I think most of the Hilton family might have been in Kotter. Besides Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, I believe Conrad and Paris were important characters too.
You can look and hear for yourself if you so choose. Don't take anyone's word for it.
