The song evolved over the course of six takes in New York, 13 in the first Nashville session, and then one on March 10, the take used for the album. Dylan, who gets credit on the liner notes as lead guitarist, opens the song playing lead (on the center-right stereo channel), but Robertson handles the solos with a "searing" performance (on the left stereo channel). A year after the recording, "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" became the fifth single released from "Blonde on Blonde", making it to number 81 on the "Billboard" Hot 100.