The Smiley Smile Message Board

Just wanted to start a Bob Dylan thread...Talk about Dylan concerts you've seen, review albums, discuss your favorite songs, rarities, personal stories, news, trivia, anything!

I've been working on a non-hits/more obscure Dylan comp CD for my car. And I'm really enjoying "Lily Of The West". Does anybody know who the musicians were on the recording of this song?

Anybody have any other Dylan stuff you wanna talk about?

I like that all his stuff including box sets is on vinyl. Hm well the 1965-66 period is fantastic especally the shows with Mickey Jones. I like the 69-70 period as well and Nashville Skyline and New Morning are two of my favorite albuns. He had some bad albums between 80-88 but I think his last three are as good as almost any he did. Next to 65-66 my favorite tour or the Rolling Thunder ones from 75-76. Saw him in 1993 during one of his creative draughts. Good show but he didn't know how to work the gravel in his voice yet. Saw him in 2005 and he was much better. Good set, he played paino most of the show, and he sang a lot better. Both were good though. I don't know I am a big fan and have bought multi LP bootleg boxsets including Ten Of Swords which is one of the best boots ever, I don't like him as much as I like say the Beach Boys or Elvis, but he is certainly among the 13 artists I hold highest.

I have seen Dylan twice and both are among the best concerts I've seen!  The second time, in 2004 I believe, he played electric piano for the entire show and I think it really put a new spark in him to be doing something a little different.  He seemed WAY more into it and sang his heart out!!  He even pulled out "Every Grain of Sand" at the show which is easily my favorite of his "religious" period. 

I absolutely love Dylan.  Although there were a few bad albums in the mid 80's, there is at least one song on every Dylan record that make them worth the money.  Searching through his catalouge can be a lot like the BB's at times, searching through the dreck to find the gems!  Even in the 80's though he had some terrific moments.  I LOVE Infidels, Street Legal,  and Oh Mercy!!

He is another that is guilty, like the BB's, of leaving increadible material off of his albums.  The Bootleg Series is a true gift for any Dylan fan. 

I am so glad that he has hit a creative resurgence in the last few years.  The way he uses his old man rough voice is phenominal.  I think he uses his voice now better than he ever has with the exception of the Bringing it All Back Home-Blonde on Blonde era. 

He is a terrific artist!  Good thread!

I basically feel the same way as MBE and CosmicDancer. I'm a little late in coming into Dylan fandom, but I'm hooked now. I saw Dylan in each of the last three years:

2005 - Lanacster, PA (with Willie Nelson, who was great)
2006 - Reading, PA (with Junior Brown and Jimmy Vaughn)
2007 - Hershey, PA (with Jimmy Vaughn again)

When people asked me how I felt about the shows, my response was the same - it was a spiritual experience. They laughed at me, but I was serious. You have this living legend up there on stage at 64-65-66 years of age, rocking like a 20 year old. The setlists were all completely different. Dylan's starting to play some guitar again. And MBE and Cosmic are right, he has LEARNED how to use his weathered voice; you CAN understand the words. My goal is to see him at least once a year.

I think Dylan - along with The Beach Boys, McCartney, Thr Rolling Stones, Simon & Garfunkel, and a few others (Chuck Berry's still out there!) - are breaking new ground. They are raising the stakes. Retirement? Nah. Rocking into their late 60's, maybe 70's? Hopefully. We can't take this period for granted. We are so lucky they are still around and still so vibrant.

recorded June 3 & 5, 1970, Columbia Studio E, NY

Bob Dylan - voc, guitar, harmonica
Al Kooper - keyboards
Charlie Daniels - bass
Ron Cornelius - guitar
Russ Kunkel - drums
Hilda Harris, Albertine Robinson, Maeretha Stewart - backing voc

Thanks for the info, Christian. Is that THE Charlie Daniels? Didn't know he played bass...

Charlie played on a ton of Nashville 1960's sessions. Elvis, Dylan you name it.

A lot to be said about the man and his music.

If you haven't read Chronicles, you will most certainly enjoy this autobio of Dylan (2004).  It is thoroughly readable and often the prose reminds you of his poetry and lyrics.

I saw him once a few years ago with a very tight combo.  I believe it was just after the release of the first of the 3 album "series" culminating in Modern Times.  He and the band actually ROCKED, finishing the final set with Alabama Getaway, a tribute to his old friend Jery Garcia.

......and of course I would have to mention one of my favorite moments,  the commercial he did with Adriana Lima.

donald, I love the Curly Howard avatar with the "distinguished" look...

This was the setlist of Dylan's concert on 8/19/07 in Melbourne, Australia:

1. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
2. Don't Think Twice, It's Alright
3. Watching The River Flow
4. Just Like A Woman
5. Rumblin' And Tumblin'
6. When The Deal Goes Down
7. Highway 61 Revisited
8. Blind Willie McTell
9. My Back Pages
10. Honest With Me
11. Spirit On The Water
12. Stuck Inside Of Mobile
13. Ain't Talkin'
14. Summer Days
15. I Believe In You
 
Encores:
16. Thunder On The Mountain
17. All Along The Watchtower

Amazing! Blind Willie McTell, My Back Pages, and I Believe In You! 

While I virtually hated the Desire LP when I first heard it, it has eventually become one of my favorites. Right now, I find myself listening over and over again to that album. You've just got to love that doleful fiddle, making Sara probably one of the most immediately touching love songs I've ever heard as it adds such a gentle touch of regret to the retrospective lyrical content of the song.

Got Desire out to re-visit....Do you know what's a great track? "One More Cup Of Coffee For The Road". Dylan was was on a definite roll in 1974/75/76.

I read a couple of places that Rick Rubin is and/or is being considered as the producer of Dylan's next studio album, possibly in 2008. Anybody else hear about this? Good or bad choice? Rubin has a good track record; always seems to bring out the best in the artist he's working with.

I think it's entirely unnecessary. Bob has done a great job on his own the past few records. I think doing without outside producers was a great move on his part, having made two of my favorite-sounding albums of his since, well, ever. But up there with the mid-60s and mid-70s classics.

Hey Luther, speaking of the last few records, I've been working on this compilation CD for awhile now, trying to get it just right - sequencing, fast/slow, songs that are performed live, sampling from a lot of different albums, etc. What'd ya think? I don't have to ask you to be honest....

Bob Dylan 1989 - 2006

1. God Knows
2. Someday Baby
3. Where Teardrops Fall
4. Everything Is Broken
5. The Man In The Long Black Coat
6. Cold Irons Bound
7. Love Sick
8. Things Have Changed
9. Born In Time
10. Mississippi
11. Not Dark Yet
12. Trying To Get To Heaven
13. Cat's In The Well
14. Shooting Star (Unplugged version)
15. Summer Days
16. Most Of The Time

Late scratches were "Tweedle Dum And Tweedle Dee", "Under The Red Sky", "Political World", and "High Water (For Charley Patton).

Late additions were "When Teardrops Fall", Most Of The Time" and "Everything Is Broken"



   

AHAHAHHAA. No, you don't.

I just very quickly glanced and must say, I'd have a hard time putting much pre-TOoM music with the past three albums, just due to what strike me as really different sounding recordings. But I'm going to give this tracklist a little thought and maybe a listen, then will comment more directly.

btw, I love High Water, so I'm sad you cut it.

Listen to the "Dylan/Cash Sessions" boot a lot these days - which is good fun, I really love "Nashville Skyline" and Cash is always great to listen to, even when he sings about chickens or fire trucks.

Interesting you would bring up Johnny Cash after I mentioned Rick Rubin in the above post. I love Rubin's work with Johnny Cash on their American Recordings. I kind of agree with Luther's opinion regarding an outside producer, but at the same time, it would be interesting to see what the Bob Dylan-Rick Rubin team could come up with.

Anyway, I miss Johnny Cash, and he and Dylan did have a longtime bond. I always liked Johnny's (w/ June) take of "It Ain't Me Babe". I've been listening a lot to The Highwaymen stuff Johnny did with Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson.

That's good stuff - indeed it's sad that there's only two Highwaymen left now. Have a pretty nice (and lengthy) live recording of them somewhere, can't remember out of my head where that was recorded.

Rick Rubin would be an excellent choice, I agree. The five "American Recordings" albums are brilliant. Rubin has a great track record, and I would definitely love to see him team up with Bob.

B.t.w. does Rubin ever rest? He's always working on some record: Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, Jay-Z - no wonder he has such a long beard; he doesn't even have the time to shave......

That's exactly what I've been listening to! But I don't know where it's from either. I enjoy the banter between the four guys. Humor is something they all shared. They really appeared to be enjoying themselves.

Speaking of The Highwaymen and groups like the Dylan-involved Traveling Wilburys, I think it's time for another one of those groups to form. I'm proposing the following group for a one-off album and concert: Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, and Paul Simon - produced by Rick Rubin. If one of those guys can't make it, replace them with Bruce Springsteen!

Found out that the Highwaymen live recording I have (which is probably the same as yours) is from June 4, 1996 in Los Angeles (Greek Theater). Thirty-three tracks in total. So, I hope this helps.......

Now that would be some supergroup!! Brian and Paul are good friends, so why not? Have you thought of a band name?  ;) McCartney was in The Smoking Mojo Filters with Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller and some guys from Ocean Colour Scene I believe (though that was a one-off thing for the Help! album for charity).

Bob was in The Wilburys.....

Brian was in the greatest supergroup ever: The Beach Boys!!

Paul Simon was in Carly Simon  ::), and Bruce has The E-Street Band.

I got a name for that supergroup;

Bobby D. and the Beachbeatles featuring Simon without Garfunkel.

Or , as an alternative, (given their advancing ages) the Stationary Wilburys.

Nice one, Donald!  :lol

Caught Bob Dylan Live In Newport: 1963-1965 on PBS. Very entertaining. I have seen snippets of these performances on other documentaries, but never the full songs. I was especially impressed with the clarity of the sound.

It was amazing what Dylan could do with just an acoustic guitar and harmonica. I was fortunate enough to see Dylan live the last three summers, and, after watching these Newport performances, I found myself thinking the same things that I think when seeing Brian Wilson - it's hard to believe it's the same guy. In a good way of course...

Am enjoying "Tangled Up In Blue" - all of the versions. They're all great. Blood On The Tracks, Rolling Thunder Revue, Real Live....

Tangled always remind me of On The Road.

I really like the version of "Tangled Up In Blue" on "The Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3, Rare & Unreleased 1961-1991" too.  A superb song.

Are you referring to "On The Road Again" from Bringing It All Back Home? Now that's an album that deserves a thread of its own.

8080, I have to admit I'm not familiar with "Tangled Up In Blue" from Rare & Unreleased 1961 - 1991. Is it live or a studio outtake?

It's a studio outtake. It's from the 'original' sessions (produced by Phil Ramone) for "Blood On The Tracks" at Columbia A&R Studios, NYC, September 12, 1974. He later re-recorded five songs in Minneapolis, and "Tangled Up In Blue" as we know it is one of them.

Personnel for the (stripped down) NYC version:

Bob Dylan -- Guitar, Vocals
Tony Brown -- Bass

Unknown additional acoustic guitar possibly:
Charles Brown, III -- Guitar
Eric Weissberg -- Guitar
Barry Kornfeld -- Guitar

"we drove that car as far as we could...abandoned it out west.........."

if you will................from the scene of Cassidy driving the Hudson till it would go no furher...also a metaphor of Dylan going to California prior to the demise of his marriage............

perhaps I read too much into it.....but poetry seems to have that effect on me......

Is Barry Kornfeld related at all to Artie Kornfeld?

Just started listening to Dylan over the past couple of months. I bought my first two Dylan albums: Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde On Blonde

I figured, since those are considered his best albums, I'd start there. I like that he's playing with a full band. I never really bought his stuff because I don't like folk music even though I love the Byrds, especially their versions of his folk songs.

Good question, but I don't think he is.

Heywood, you picked two of the best to start! Let us know how your listening is progressing. Even though you're not a big folk music fan, The Freewheeling Bob Dylan is a fine "early period" album.

Agreed, when you're picking two of the most highly regarded albums in history, it's not a bad place to start. The recent (2001) Love & Theft is also an amazing album, as are Blood on the Tracks and Bringing it All Back Home. Those five are most likely my favorites. Or thereabouts. (Such lists change.)

I've been waiting for a "Dylan Greatest" list! Perhaps Top 10 albums and Top 10 tracks?

Here's a top 10 Dylan albums list I did on another board relatively recently.

1. Bringing It All Back Home
2. Blonde on Blonde
3. Love & Theft
4. Live 1966 (Bootleg Series)
5. Blood on the Tracks
6. John Wesley Harding
7. Basement Tapes
8. Highway 61 Revisited
9. Modern Times
10. World Gone Wrong

Thanks for the list, Luther. All good choices, with the one surprise being World Gone Wrong. I don't own the record; any chance of a quick thumbnail review?

8080 (or anyone else), I'd be interested in your list(s)....

"World Gone Wrong" was Dylan's second mid-90s collection of traditional blues/folk numbers performed with just an acoustic guitar/harmonica like in the early days...but way darker. I tend to prefer the first collection "Good As I Been To You" (if only for the closer "Froggie Went A-Courtin'"!).

I can't argue with Luther's selections too much, but would definitely find room for "Street Legal" or "Oh Mercy" in place of "World Gone Wrong".

I dislike SL and don't much like OM.

It's tough to rank 'em, it'll change next week:

1. Blood On The Tracks
2. Bringing It All Back Home
3. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
4. Blonde On Blonde
5. Oh, Mercy
6. Highway 61 Revisited
7. Love And Theft
8. Time Out Of Mind
9. Under The Red Sky
10. Real Live

Wow, nine and ten may be Dylan's worst albums ever! I guess it just goes to show how different opinions can be. The top eight are genius, of course.

Most people feel that way about Under The Red Sky, and I don't know why. First, I'm sentimental about it because at the first Dylan concert I ever attended, he played 3-4 songs from the album, I liked them, and figured they were good. I think the title cut, "Cat's In The Well", "Unbelievable", "Born In Time", and 'God Knows" are solid. Dylan made a few videos from the album. Some of the songs are from the Oh Mercy sessions. Have I sold ya yet?

Don't you like Real Live? Eclectic song selection as always. It rocks in places, but what I really like are the acoustic cuts. I think I like "It Ain't Me Babe" and "Girl From The North Country" better than the original versions, and I know some people who dig the Real Live version of "Tangled Up In Blue". What I really like is the way Dylan would build those songs to a climax, with the harmonica wailing and the crowd cheering behind him, encouraging him on. No? 

Sheriff - I'm sold on Dylan and have been for 30 years. I bought both REAL LIVE and UNDER THE RED SKY the day they were released, but have never gotten very excited about either.

The G.E. Smith-led band was Dylan's worst period live for my money; Dylan was really phoning it in and the arrangements were mediocre or worse. Now REAL LIVE is just okay and is, in fact, a better presentation of Dylan than many of the shows during this period. However, there is no comparing it to Dylan & The Hawks in '66, Dylan & the Band in '75, Rolling Thunder or the incredible live work Dylan has done with his band from the late 90s until now. I wish the Bootleg series would include some of his shows from '99 - '02 when he and his band were really on-point.

UNDER THE RED SKY sounds like leftovers to me and poorly produced ones at that. You mention Dylan did a number of these tracks the first time you saw him and I've heard him do much improved versions over the past 10 years. That still doesn't make me want to put on the album. I do like "Unbelievable" and "Born In Time" (and I even get a kick out of Dylan returning to his early 60s surreal talking blues style in "TV Talkin' Song"), but the rest just doesn't sound inspired at all. His best material during this period ended up going on the second Traveling Wilburys album!

Hey, I'm glad you're into these records, but if we're talking Top Ten, ANOTHER SIDE, JOHN WESLEY HARDING, BASEMENT TAPES, NEW MORNING, DESIRE, STREET LEGAL, INFIDELS, MODERN TIMES, heck...even SLOW TRAIN COMING, PLANET WAVES and LIVE AT BUDOKAN would rank higher for me!

Thanks for the response Roger, I respect your opinion(s) and learn from them. I couldn't help but notice Live At Budokan on your list. You know, that album gets hammered too, but there are some bright spots to be found; "Love Minus Zero No Limit", "Mr. Tambourine Man", and "All Along The Watchtower" come to mind....

My Dylan top 10 albums, idiosyncratic as it may be:

1. Blonde on Blonde-one of my top 10 albums by anyone (probably about #7 or #8), a sublime listening experience from beginning to end.
2. Blood on the Tracks
3. Highway 61 Revisited (or)
4. Rolling Thunder Review-Live 1975 (those are interchangeable)
5. Desire
6. Love and Theft
7. Empire Burlesque (not my favorite arrangements, but killer tunes)
8. Bringing it all Back Home (lower than usual, but have come to realize that I prefer "It's Allright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding" and "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" on Before the Flood for the former and the Byrds version of the latter)
9. Before the FLood
10. Infidels

I agree. Great longs, less than great production. It's funny, I liked the album for a long time before I read a bunch of questionable reviews, then I started to hear it in a different way, if that makes sense....

EMPIRE BURLESQUE was an interesting album; not entirely successful, but Dylan sounded engaged. His recent live versions of "Seeing The Real You At Last" always sound great and "Dark Eyes" is probably the best song he wrote in the 80s.

I included BUDOKAN in my list only as a live album I like better than REAL LIVE although many consider the "Vegas-style" arrangements grating. Some of it is still pretty good and the version of "I Want You" on there is mindblowing.

Alright, here's my list, I can say that these are my ten (plus one bonus!) favourite Dylan records (in no particular order, but no live stuff or compilations included):

Bringing It All Back Home (the perfect bridge between early, acoustic Dylan and his 'electric' years)
Blonde On Blonde
Highway 61 Revisited
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Nashville Skyline (the one I play most, easy to digest, especially when compared to "BOB", which is like a full meal!)
John Wesley Harding
Blood On The Tracks
The Basement Tapes (track down the "Tree With Roots" boot if you like this one)
Desire
Oh Mercy
Bonus: Self Portrait (usually gets a lot of stick, but I like it, Bob's own "Smiley Smile" in a way)

"Time Out Of Mind" would be my favourite album of his recent trilogy.

Other albums I listen to on a regular basis: the "Biograph" compilation, "The Bootleg Series 1-3: Rare & Unreleased 1961-1991" and "The Bootleg Series 4, Live 1966" of course, a classic.

Favourite 10 tracks? Tough one. Have to think it over.  ;D

I really like the song the 'The Man In Me' ,which I heard in The Big Lebowski, but I noticed none of you put New Morning on your top ten list, so is it a good album? I also really like 'Lay Lady Lay', but Dylan fans have always had me under the impression its not a good album. I noticed only one of you put it in their top ten. Also, I had no idea is last two albums are considered some his best work ever. I just thought everyone was fawning over him because music sucks so hard today.

Music doesn't suck today unless you're looking in the wrong places: most major labels release nothing but garbage, and obviously commercial radio and video channels suck. But there is plenty of great music. But yes, the past few Dylan albums have been really good. I'd argue that his past five are good, with both acoustic covers albums and then Time Out of Mind, Love & Theft and Modern Times all being really good. L&T, in particular, is brilliant, not just compared to what was out in 2001 but compared to Dylan's work.

As for New Morning, I think it's pretty weak. I don't really think any of that early 70s stuff is worth much, not until BOtT.

Roger Ryan listed New Morning in his Top Ten. I like it, especially in the fall and winter. I consider it the closest thing I have to Bob Dylan Christmas music with "Winterlude", "Three Angels", "Father Of Night", and "Time Passes Slowly".

Just to clarify, "Lay Lady Lay" was a single off of the Nashville Skyline album. And for a couple of years now, it has been at the top of my Dylan Top Ten tracks list. There's something about that steel guitar and Dylan's voice that gets to me everytime.

And, finally, Dylan's last couple of albums have been well received. However, I'm still trying to appreciate Modern Times. The songs are just a little bit too long and repetitive for me. But, someday I'll wake up and "get" it....

Clarification: NEW MORNING is pleasant enough, but it's not actually in my top ten. I was only listing albums that Sheriff John Stone hadn't listed that I thought were better than REAL LIVE and UNDER THE RED SUN!

Here's my real top ten (right now anyway):

1) BLOOD ON THE TRACKS
2) BLONDE ON BLONDE
3) BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME
4) HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED
5) LIVE 1966
6) OH MERCY
7) JOHN WESLEY HARDING
8) LOVE AND THEFT
9) TIME OUT OF MIND
10) FREEWHEELIN' BOB DYLAN

Not very surprising, I guess. Hovering just outside the top ten would be MODERN TIMES, STREET LEGAL, DESIRE, ANOTHER SIDE, NASHVILLE SKYLINE, BASEMENT TAPES, NEW MORNING...and the list goes on!

This is a comp I recently made for the car:

Bob Dylan 1967 - 1977

1. The Mighty Quinn
2. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
3. If Not For You
4. Lay Lady Lay
5. Simple Twist Of Fate (Rolling Thunder Revue)
6. Forever Young (The Last Waltz)
7. Baby Let Me Follow You Down (The Last Waltz)
8. This Wheel's On Fire
9. One More Cup Of Coffee
10. Lily Of The West
11. You're A Big Girl Now
12. Tangled Up In Blue
13. If You See Her Say Her Hello
14. Hurricane
15. I Shall Be Released (The Last Waltz)
16. All Along The Watchtower (Before The Flood)
17. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
18. Father Of Night
19. Shelter From The Storm

Additions? Deletions? Comments?

"Sara" is one of my favorites of this period...

Question for Dylan fans....Was Blood On The Tracks about Bob & Sara's breakup? But the song "Sara", which is a love song, came right AFTER Blood On The Tracks. Anybody have any clarification?

Sheriff, this is what Wikipedia makes of it:

Sara Dylan has inspired several of Bob Dylan's songs, at least two directly. The first was "Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands" (from "Blonde On Blonde"), and the second the eponymous "Sara" (from 1976's "Desire"). This song was an attempt to reconcile with Sara after their estrangement around 1975:

I can still hear the sound of the Methodist bells
I had taken the cure and had just gotten through
staying up for days in the Chelsea Hotel
writing "Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands" for you

Bob Dylan's 1975 album "Blood On The Tracks" is widely viewed as the most potent of Sara's inspirations, as many fans assume the songs refer to her. The album was recorded soon after the couple's initial separation. Bob Dylan biographer Clinton Heylin has argued that Sara Dylan's influence on the lyrical content of the album is often exaggerated. Bob Dylan himself denied at the time of the album's release that "Blood On The Tracks" was autobiographical. However, the couple's son Jakob says: "The songs are my parents talking".

Other Bob Dylan songs believed to be inspired by Sara Dylan include "Abandoned Love," "Down Along The Cove", "Wedding Song", "On A Night Like This", "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight", "To Be Alone With You", "If Not For You", "Where Are You Tonight? (Journey Through Dark Heat)" and "Love Minus Zero/No Limit".

Hope this helps....

Thanks for the info, 8080! A reconciliation song; makes sense. However, it does appear there is still some debate about the content of Blood On The Tracks. I like to read background stuff like that, it adds to my enjoyment of the song(s).

The distance in time between BLOOD ON THE TRACKS and "Sara" from DESIRE is pretty minimal (less than a year); real life isn't so neat that Dylan would have moved on in his feelings a few months after dashing off the BOTT songs. Relationships can be unpredictable as well: note that Dylan and Sara attended the Golden Globes ceremony together in 2000 when he won for "Things Have Changed".

VH1 Classic was showing The Last Waltz (and Don't Look Back) this weekend, so that was a good excuse to watch it - because it was on! Anyway, Dylan's performance of "Baby Let Me Follow Down" is one my all-timers. It's one of Dylan's strongest vocals ever, he's really into it, and The Band is rocking. Then, at the end, Dylan punctuates it with that big "THANK YOU!" Timeless...

My understanding fo the events is that Bob refused to go out and perform unless his appearance was not filmed.  After some pleading he partially relented allowing just 2 of the 4 songs ('Baby Let Me Follow You' down and 'Forever Young') to be filmed.  So we almost did not get to see it.
Levon Helm has complained (and I can understand the complaint) that  Scorsese made The Band look like Robbie Robertson's sidemen.  Manuel and Hudson certainly didn't get much screen time even when they were singing. 
And of course there is the infamous lump of white powder eventually photo-shopped off of N.Y.'s nose for the  DVD.  Still it was a great event and film of a great band.

And, finally, Dylan's last couple of albums have been well received. However, I'm still trying to appreciate Modern Times. The songs are just a little bit too long and repetitive for me. But, someday I'll wake up and "get" it....

The slow songs have a grammaphone simplicity to them that belie how personal they can be. "Workingman Blues" is especially tender, for me, after coming out on the other side of a traumatic event.

The faster songs have a rollickin' country/rockabilly feel that I've never heard Dylan approach, until "Love & Theft." It's kind of cool to have him do that kind of rock 'n' roll with his voice.

"Modern Times" isn't my favorite Dylan album, but I definitely connect with it, and listen to it more than I thought I would.

The Last Waltz deserves a thread just for itself. And, The Band could fill up quite a few pages on a Message Board. Talk about controversy! It's funny, The Last Waltz is so flawed, but I can't stop watching it when it's on. Of course, Dylan's peformance is my favorite (in addition to loving "Baby Let Me Follow You Down, I think "Forever Young" is better than the studio version), but I also enjoy Ronnie Hawkins and Paul Butterfield.

Here's a 7 cd compilation I made of Bob's carreer, to play in my car. There's no duplication of songs and I tried to stay with the official releases (with a few exceptions).

What do you think?
What's missing, what would you add?


Dylan 1961 -2001

CD 1

1. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down - (Bob Dylan)
2. Wade In The Water - (Minnesota Hotel Tape)
3. I Was Young When I Left Home - (Minnesota Hotel Tape)
4. Baby I'm In The Mood For You - (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan outtake)
5. Blowin' In the Wind - (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan)
6. Handsome Molly - (The Gaslight Tapes)
7. Mixed-Up Confusion - (single)
8. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right - (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan)
9. Masters of War - (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan)
10. Playboys And Playgirls - (live in Newport)
11. Boots of Spanish Leather - (The Times They Are A-Changin’)
12. Percy's Song - (The Times They Are A-Changin outtake)
13. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll - (The Times They Are A-Changin )
14. The Times They Are A-Changin - (The Times They Are A-Changin)
15. Lay Down Your Weary Tune - (The Times They Are A-Changin outtake)
16. It Ain't Me, Babe - ( Another Side of Bob Dylan)
17. All I Really Want To Do - (Another Side of Bob Dylan)
18. Gates Of Eden - (Halloween concert)
19. House of The Risin' Sun - (overdub session electric instruments)


CD 2

1. I'll Keep It With Mine - (Bringing It All Back Home acoustic outtake)
2. Subterranean Homesick Blues - (Bringing It All Back Home)
3. She Belongs To Me - (Bringing It All Back Home)
4. Love Minus Zero/No Limit - (Bringing It All Back Home acoustic outtake)
5. Maggie's Farm - (Bringing It All Back Home)
6. Mr. Tambourine Man - (Bringing It All Back Home)
7. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue - (Bringing It All Back Home)
8. To Ramona - (live in Sheffield, England)
9. Like A Rolling Stone - (Highway 61 Revisited)
10. Positively 4th Street - (single)
11. From A Buick 6 - (Highway 61 Revisited)
12. Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? - (single)
13. I Wanna Be Your Lover - (Highway 61 Revisited - outtake)
14. Just Like A Woman - (Blonde On Blonde)
15. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again - (Blonde On Blonde)
16. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - (Blonde On Blonde)
17. I Want You - (Blonde On Blonde)
18. I Don't Believe You - (live in Belfast, Ireland)
19. Visions of Johanna - (live in London, England)


CD 3

1. Million Dollar Bash - (The Basement Tapes )
2. Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) - (The Basement Tapes)
3. All Along The Watchtower - (John Wesley Harding)
4. Dear Landlord - (John Wesley Harding)
5. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight - (John Wesley Harding)
6. Grand Coulee Dam - (live in Carnegie Hall - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie)
7. Lay Lady Lay - (Nashville Skyline)
8. Living The Blues - (Self Portrait)
9. Minstrel Boy - (live at Isle of Wight - with The Band)
10. Pretty Saro - (Self Portrait)
11. Copper Kettle - (Self Portrait)
12. Spanish Is My Lovin’ Tongue - (single)
13. If Dogs Run Free - (New Morning)
14. If Not For You - (New Morning)
15. Time Passes Slowly - (New Morning)
16. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - (Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 )
17. I Shall Be Released - (Greatest Hits, Vol. 2)
18. George Jackson - (single)
19. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door - (Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid
20. Billy - (Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid)
21. Forever Young - (demo - Biograph)
22. You Angel You - (Planet Waves)
23. On a Night Like This - (Planet Waves)
24. Dirge - (Planet Waves)
25. Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine - (live in Los Angeles, with The Band )


CD 4

1. You're A Big Girl Now - (Blood On The Tracks -outtake)
2. Shelter From The Storm - (Jerry Maguire soundtrack)
3. Up To Me - (Blood On The Tracks -outtake)
4. Tangled Up In Blue - (Blood On The Tracks)
5. Rita Mae - (single)
6. Abandoned Love - (Desire outtake)
7. Hurricane - (Desire)
8. Romance In Durango - (live in Quebec, Canada - with Rolling Thunder Revue)
9. Isis - (live in Quebec, Canada - with Rolling Thunder Revue)
10. One More Cup Of Coffee - (live in Budokan Hall, Tokyo)
11. Changing Of The Guards - (Street Legal)
12. Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power) - (Street Legal)
13. I Believe In You - (Slow Train Coming)
14. Gotta Serve Somebody - (Slow Train Coming)
15. Solid Rock - (Saved)


CD 5

1. Caribbean Wind - (Shot Of Love outtake)
2. Every Grain of Sand - (demo - Biograph)
3. Heart Of Mine - (live in New Orleans )
4. Jokerman - (Infidels)
5. Blind Willie McTell - (Infidels outtake - The Bootleg Series, 1961-1991)
6. I And I - (live in Slane Castle, Ireland - Real Live)
7. Tight Connection To My Heart - (Empire Burlesque)
8. Dark Eyes - (Empire Burlesque)
9. Band Of The Hand - (single )
10. The Usual - (single)
11. Night After Night - (Hearts Of Fire soundtrack )
12. Silvio - (Down In The Groove)
13. Pretty Boy Floyd - (A Vison Shared)
14. Man In The Long Black Coat - (Oh Mercy)
15. Everything Is Broken - (Oh Mercy)
16. People Get Ready - (Flashback soundtrack)
17. Born In Time - (Under the Red Sky)
 
Updated cd 6:

1. Nobody's Child (Romanian Angel Appeal)
2. This Old Man (Disney cd)
3. Miss The Mississippi And You (Bromberg session outtake)
4. You Belong To Me (OST Natural Born Killers)
5. Tomorrow Night (Good as I've been to you)
6. Hard Times (Good as I've been to you)
7. Song To Woody (Bobfest outtake)
8. Heartland (Willie Nelson: Across The Borderline)
9. Ballad Of Hollis Brown (Mike Seeger: Third Annual Farewell Reunion)
10. Delia (World Gone Wrong)
11. Blood In My Eyes (World Gone Wrong)
12. Boogie Woogie Country Girl (A Tribute To Doc Pomus)
13. Blue Eyed Jane (Tribute To Jimmie Rodgers)
14. Hard Rain (Great Music Experience)
15. Dignity (Unplugged - Bob Dylan Live 1961-2000)
16. Not Dark Yet (Time Out Of Mind)
17. Love Sick (Time Out Of Mind)
18. To Make You Feel My Love (Time Out Of Mind)

CD 7

1. The Lonesome River (Ralph Stanley's Clinch River Mountain)
2. Cold Irons Bound (Bob Dylan Live 1961-2000)
3. Chimes Of Freedom (The Sixties TV Soundtrack Album)
4. Train Of Love (A Tribute To Johnny Cash)
5. Things Have Changed (OST Wonder Boys)
6. Somebody Touched Me (Bob Dylan Live 1961-2000)
7. High Water (For Charlie Patton) (Love And Theft)
8. Mississippi (Love And Theft)
9. Moonlight (Love And Theft)
10. Red Cadillac And A Black Moustache (Good Rocking Tonight - A Sun Tribute)
11. I Can't Get You Off Of My Mind (Timeless - Tribute To Hank Williams)
12. Return To Me (The Sopranos - OST Salt & Pepper)
13. Waiting For You (OST Ya Ya Sisterhood)
14. Dixie (OST Masked And Anonymous)
15. Cross The Green Mountains (OST Gods And Generals)
16. Thunder on the Mountain (Modern Times)
17. Nettie Moore (Modern Times)
18. Ain't Talkin' (Modern Times)

I thought the Band's performance of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" was stunning.  I don't know how you do it any better than that.

Peerke - That's a fine collection! But I definitely would have included "Bob Dylan's Dream", "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)", "Black Diamond Bay", "The Groom Is Still Waiting At The Altar" and "Most Of The Time". All in all, since I've only added five tracks, it's apparent that I think you hit virtually all the high points.

Great, great comps, peerke! Thanks for sharing them. You're obviously a very knowledgable fan, and some of the tracks you listed I never heard, so I'm in no position to change anything. But that never stopped me before! :police:

I kept thinking of songs that SHOULD be on the list, then would check your list, only to find them there. Anyway, I humbly would add:

"Girl From The North Country" from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan or Real Live or The 30th Anniversary Concert
"Lily Of The West" from Dylan
"Baby Let Me Follow You Down" from The Last Waltz
"Shooting Star" from Unplugged outtake
"Most Of The Time" from Oh Mercy
"Summer Days" from Love And Theft

But don't ask me what I'd take off! Thanks again....

Late entry: I just thought of one from my Dylan "dark horse" album, Under The Red Sky - "God Knows"

The setlist for the first concert of Dylan's 2008 spring/summer tour:

May 16, 2008  Worcester, Massachusetts

1. Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum
2. Girl Of The North Country
3. Watching The River Flow
4. Can't Wait
5. The Levee's Gonna Break
6. Simple Twist Of Fate
7. Rollin' And Tumblin'
8. Tryin' To Get To Heaven
9. John Brown
10. Most Likely You Go Your Way
11. Spirit On The Water
12. Highway 61 Rivisited
13. Workingman Blues #2
14. Summer Days
15. Ballad Of A Thin man

Encore:

16. Thunder On The Mountain
17. Like A Rolling Stone

Looks like Bob traded in "Cats In The Well" and brought back "Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum". Slightly surprised that he's sticking with "Summer Days", although I love the song. A little thin on the "hits", like "Lay Lady Lay", "Tangled Up In Blue", and no "All Along The Watchtower". Still playing a lot from Modern Times - too many?. Snuck in "Trying To Get To Heaven" which I also like. Same band as the few years. Comments?   

I like that he's playing alot from Modern Times - it's a good album. I hate it when artists release good albums then just tour their hits.

"Workingman Blues #2" is a helluva song, when I saw Dylan last year it was easily one of the highlights, I hope he keeps it in the setlist.

Peerke's compilation is fantastic, would be really difficult for me to add anything, except for maybe "Let Me Die In My Footsteps" and some more "Nashville Skyline" cuts ("To Be Alone With You").

Good to see the 'alternate' "You're A Big Girl Now" on it though, which outshines the "Blood On The Tracks" version. 

That song is a monster live!!  I have seen Bob twice and he played it both times.  He really seems to get into that one.  Well, at least as much as Bob visually gets into anything that is.

Yeah, Dylan does get into it doesn't it; you could actually categorize it as dancing! :police:

Seriously, the song does rock, with Tony Garnier on the stand-up bass, and Denny Freeman wailing on guitar. Bob has played it at every concert so far on his 2008 spring/summer tour. Again, I'm a little surprised that it's one of the only songs he plays EVERY NIGHT. I mean, with his catalogue, I just find it interesting that he chose that one. It looks like "Tweedle Dum & Tweedle Dee" is back to stay also. That kinda rocks live, too.

Happy 67th Birthday, Robert Allen Zimmerman! :police:

For those who are interested, Columbia is releasing the next installment of Dylan's "Bootleg Series" on Oct. 7th. This one's called TELL TALE SIGNS and is a double CD set containing demos, outtakes and alternate versions of material from OH MERCY through last year's MODERN TIMES. Go to www.bobdylan.com to download an MP3 of "Dreamin' of You", an unreleased track from TIME OUT OF MIND that is as good, if not better, than some of the material on that fine album (you'll recognize a few lyrics that got parceled out to other tracks).

There's an expensive collector's edition that contains a third CD with more outtakes. I'll probably go for this since the bonus disc doesn't appear to be a throw-together, but an actual continuation of the material found on the first two discs.

This is exciting news because I've been waiting for more unreleased studio work from Dylan and the last twenty years have been pretty strong for him. I'm especially interested in hearing the OH MERCY outtakes of tracks that ended up on UNDER THE RED SUN (I suspect I might like the early versions better).

Thanks! Just downloaded it, very good tune!

Saw a commercial during the Super Bowl featuring Bob Dylan. He was singing a fast version of "Forever Young". For anybody who saw it, do you when this version was recorded?

Not watching and didn't see, but I heard he had just done one with ... maybe will.I.am or someone? I forget. I assume it was that.

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/01/30/bob-dylan-teams-up-with-william-for-pepsi-super-bowl-commercial/

http://www.thedailyswarm.com/watch/bob-dylan-and-williams-pepsi-commercial/

Yep, that's it! Obviously, it gets my vote for the best commercial during the Super Bowl.

I am totally into 'Tell Tale Signs' (2 CD of course) these days. It's by far the best Dylan release of the last, um, 20 years to me (and I do like 'Time Out Of Mind' and 'Modern Times' a lot).

I also got a copy of the 3rd CD (from the TTT limited edition 3CD box) for free. Which is nice.

Yeah, it's always a kick to discover some "new" Dylan material. On Tell Tale Signs, for me it is "Red River Shore". How could Dylan record a song that great - and not release it?

Tell Tale Signs is great. It's almost like a new album even with all the alternate versions of songs we know. THe live stuff, while good, isn't as good for me. But those alternates/outtakes, wow. Fantastic album. If my best songs could compete with his outtakes...

Great news for every Dylan nut:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/26445175/dylan_records_surprise_modern_times_followup

 8)

Excellent news. I really appreciate the bleaker side of Dylan's lyrics these days, Workingman's Blues #2 being my very favorite post-Blood-On-The-Tracks song of his.

I am a huge Dylan fan. I ate up the 3CD Bootleg Series, Vol. 9 the day it came out. All the versions of "Mississippi"... I'm in heaven.

I am only Live at Buddokan and MTV Unplugged away from owning all the official Dylan albums... except of course the countless soundtrack songs.

I saw him at Austin City Limits... I was front row. He played by two favorite songs "Workingman's Blues #2" and "I Shall Be Released". The best night of my life.

I am a big fan of his country & western period between "The Basement Tapes" and Pat Garrett. I also went through a phase of his "born again" period. The harmonica solo in "What Can I Do For You?" is Dylan at his best.

YES! The description sound incredible. I'm thinking this is gonna be the final chapter in his trilogy of kick-a$$ albums.... Love & Theft/Modern Times/"New Album"

Can I extend this to 'quadrilogy' (Time Out of Mind) and throw in the 'Things Have Changed' single too? Thanks.

One of the (many) reasons I love Dylan's late career renaissance is that he pays such meticulate attention to the SOUND of the music. For all the recent talk on the SS boards about brickwalling and overly-compressed records, Dylan's LPs, especially Modern Times have such an incredible depth and richness of sound. Modern Times LP is never far from my turntable simply because it sounds beautiful.

Having said that, I still don't like Workingman's Blues #2. Some good lyrics and i love the sentiment, but the melody, and the piano, sound like they were written in the 80s. And not in a good way. It reminds me of a song that I can't quite place.

This new Dylan album has me really excited. I don't buy many "new" albums anymore, but I can't wait for this. Maybe he'll tour it in the U.S. this summer.

I'm trying very slowly to convert my brother-in-law to Bob Dylan; he hates him. So, just tonight, I was looking for one song, just the right song, to initiate him (I emailed it to him). And I chose "Tangled Up In Blue". After "Lay Lady Lay", it might be my favorite Dylan song. And, unlike some groups, my favorite Dylan songs don't change that much.

I know it's very elementary and simple and probably boring, but I'm curious....What is everybody's favorite Bob Dylan song?

Five songs that come to mind immediately:

- To Ramona
- Workingman's Blues #2
- If Not For You
- If You See Her, Say Hello
- Desolation Row (love his singing here)

Like with my other favorite bands, it's impossible for me to choose a favorite Dylan song. But Visions of Johanna, I Want You, Mississippi, It's All Over Now Baby Blue, the Live 66 version of Like a Rolling Stone, Maggie's Farm...oh hell, there are a million up there.

...

Am I the only one here who can't stand Bob Dylan  ???

In the Bob Dylan thread, probably. Otherwise, no.

I think it's a toss-up between Simple Twist of Fate and Going to Acapulco at this exact moment

Impossible to pick just once, but "Tangled Up in Blue," "Like a Rolling Stone," "Sad Eyed Lady," "Hurricane," "Can You please Crawl Out Your Window" and "Tears of Rage" are my immediate choices

Some of my favourites:

"Love Minus Zero/No Limit"
"Gates Of Eden"
"Desolation Row"
"Visions Of Johanna"
"Changing Of The Guards"
"Lovesick"
"Tangled Up In Blue"
"Series Of Dreams"
"Blind Willie McTell"

Everything on Love & Theft, too, except "Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum," ranks really high on my list. Well, they would if I had a list.

It's great how so many people have totally different favorites; there's hardly any duplicates. That would make Dylan happy, I guess...

For me, there's a couple that haven't changed for awhile:

1. "Lay Lady Lay"
2. "Tangled Up In Blue"
3. "Like A Rolling Stone"

and some specific versions that I like:

4. "It's Alright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding" (30th Anniversary Concert)
5. "Girl From The North Country" (Real Live)
6. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" (Live In Budokan)

and a few newer ones:

7. "Summer Days"
8. "God Knows"
9. "Cold Irons Bound"
10. "Red River Shore" (my new favorite)

Luther, when I first heard "Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum", I didn't care for it. But, Dylan kept playing it, and I kept listening to it. I figured the reason Dylan kept performing it was because he LIKED it, and, maybe because he felt it had some merit, and he wanted it to be heard. It grew on me; it kind of rocks; I like the drums and guitar....

I think the fade-in is what I don't like, odd as that may be as a reason for judgment.

I thought the version from "Before the Flood" was definitive. As well as "Don't Think Twice" from the same show; just terrific acoustic versions that are in my Dylan top 10.

My new favorite is "Cross the Green Mountain," haven't got into "Red River" yet...

Yeah, that's a good one. I hadn't heard it til Tell Tale Signs, even though it was released on some soundtrack.

Yeah, "'Cross the Green Mountain" is on my playlist a lot these days.

Dylan Convert Playlist:
- Like a Rolling Stone
- Workingman's Blues #2
- Forever Young
- Mississippi
- You're a Big Girl Now
- Most of the Time
- Knockin' on Heaven's Door

I know that Time Out of Mind/Love and Theft/Modern Times was suppose to be Dylan's new trilogy like Bringing it All Back Home/Highway 61 Revisited/Blonde on Blonde but I feel that Time Out of Mind, although a masterpiece in its own right, has a different production to the other two... and am guessing the new album.

Another great one; hard to believe it's 20 years old already. I like both the Oh Mercy version and the Tell Tale Sign version; almost like two different songs.

I really can't enjoy Oh Mercy at all, even though I think its songs are pretty good. Another reason I like Telltale Signs, I guess. (It's funny, a friend of mine who is a total raw/rough punk-edged garage rocker LOVES Oh Mercy, production and all. Swears by it. Just goes to show...um...something. I don't know what.)

Yes, Oh Mercy and Time Out Of Mind were successes because the songs were good. However, I know it's a controversial subject, but I'll ask the question: Daniel Lanois - yes or no?

For me, no, although I prefer TOoM to Oh Mercy, so I think that decade did him good. (That or co-producer "Jack Frost" exerted more control?) Oddly, I like Lanois' production on The Joshua Tree.

Yeah, it was Bono who introduced Dylan to Lanois....Being a Doors' fan, and basically liking the organ sound, that spooky and haunting "atmosphere", I like what Lanois did with Dylan. Sometimes I question if it really WAS Dylan, or was he just going along (much like Brian Wilson's solo stuff).

In the end, I guess it was legitimately Dylan, because he's gone through so many phases, why couldn't the Lanois projects just be another one, and, second, Dylan used him twice. If he wasn't happy after Oh Mercy, he wouldn't have gone back again; Dylan's not like that. What would be interesting is if Dylan would re-visit Lanois for a third time.

I think that it would be interesting mostly because when he releases this next album, that's three consecutive self-productions. It feels and sounds to me that he's really found his sound (although obviously what that sentence really means is that I think he's using the sound that I like best, that I think suits him best). So to use someone else now would be an interesting turn. (I think he's the best producer he's ever used, no disrespect to some of the guys who did great work for him before.)

Yes, there's really no reason to change producers now, unless he gets bored.

But of course, if anyone might do it because he gets bored, he's the guy.

I love TooM, but unless Dylan has written a sequel to that album there is no need to re-hire Lanois. Dylan/Jack Frost is a brilliant producer in his own right, starting with Things Have Changed in 2000, and should stick with his own instincts while he's on a hot streak.

I don't like the production on Oh Mercy, so I will say No to Lanois.

Put it this way, if I heard that Lanois was producing the next Dylan album, I would be disappointed at the news.

I'm really psyched for the new Dylan album. I'm looking forward to what the Tex-Mex approach, with accordian, will sound like. So, I started listening to some country Dylan. One of my favorite "western" Dylan songs is "Lily Of The West" (I wonder if he ever played this live?), and, inspired by it, came up with a comp, just for the fun of it, to hold me over until the new album....

Bob Dylan - Lily Of The West

1. Lily Of The West
2. Drifter's Escape
3. One More Cup Of Coffee For The Road
4. All The Tired Horses
5. Billy 1
6. Senor
7. Alberta No. 2
8. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
9. Tonight I'll Be Staying With You
10. Little Sadie
11. Billy 7
12. Wigwam
13. John Wesley Harding
14. Days Of '49
15. Bunkhouse Theme
16. Lily, Rosemary & The Jack Of Hearts
17. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
18. Shenendoah
19. Time Passes Slowly
20. One More Night
21. Down In The Flood
22. River Theme

Any suggestions on how to improve it are welcome! :police:

Man I have to catch up on my Dylan listening. I have the vinyl for the last two bootleg series but have so much backloged I haven't played them yet. They look terrific. I guess I like his pre 78 stuff the best because of the clarity of his voice, but the last three LP's are amazing. The most I ever spent on a single record was Ten Of Swords a classic 10 LP boot. $400 and it's so good I don't regret it. Saw him in 1992 and 2006 and he was much better the second time. It was one of the tours he played piano on. I think in 1992 he hadn't yet learned to work within the limitations of his voice and by the 1996-97 he had. It's kind of like how Brian is much more on pitch since 1998 then he was the twenty years previous.

P.J., care to share anymore on the Austin City Limits show?

Well, like I said he played those two songs. I was really into "Workingman" at the time and had been keeping up with his setlists for that year. You know, to get a feel for what songs he'd possibly play. I remember thinking that "Cat's in the Well" was the for-sure opener and that "Workingman" was taken off his setlist (pretty bummed out for that). I made a CD comp for my girlfriend and a couple of friends for the road trip up to Austin. Man, I was surprised. I kept on calling out for "Workingman's Blues #2". I'd like to think he heard me, and played it (my own little fantasy). He played a great set. His voice was pretty ragged in the beginning for "Rainy Day Women" and "Hard Rain" but by the end we was killing. "It Ain't Me, Babe" was a total transformation. I think I loved that new version over the original! "Nettie Moore" was chilling.

Me and my girlfriend had been standing out in that front row since 9 or 10 in the morning. Dylan's set wasn't until the evening. We were both so tired from standing in all those people. When Dylan came out for his encore she clutched onto my hand. She was ready to go but stayed for me. She knew I wanted to see this encore. He played "I Shall Be Released" for his finale. Being a huge Basement Tapes fan I was floored. According to my cataloging he hadn't played that song in a couple of years I believe. It was a real treat for me. When me and my girlfriend first started dating I was in a band. She came to see me and that was the first song I ever "sang to her". Not a "love song" per say but it's very pretty with a nice sentiment when sung to a woman. She remembered and we danced on tired legs until the crowd dissipated.

It was a very meaningful experience to me and Jessica. I loved that night.

2007-09-16 ACL Setlist:
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35; It Ain't Me, Babe; Watching The River Flow; Spirit On The Water; The Levee's Gonna Break; Tangled Up In Blue; Things Have Changed; Workingman's Blues #2; Highway 61 Revisited; Nettie Moore; Summer Days; Ballad Of A Thin Man.
Encore: Thunder On The Mountain; Like A Rolling Stone; I Shall Be Released.

OH YEAH! This just in...

(http://www.bobdylan.com/sites/www.bobdylan.com/themes/zen/dylan/images/together_through_life-promo.jpg)

Bob Dylan Talks About His New Album with Bill Flanagan (http://"http://www.bobdylan.com/#/conversation")

Man, I am looking forward to this album big time. Love & Theft and Modern Times were such big records for me these past years.

Great, great post, P.J.

Dylan concerts can be meaningful; I know exactly what you mean. Great set list, also. And, I know what you mean about his vocals; he starts out a little rough but improves as the concert progresses. Looking forward to seeing Dylan again, and the new album.

Free download of one of the new songs ("Beyond Here Lies Nothin'") here:

http://www.bobdylan.com/

 8)

Still looking forward but that cover art has to be among the downright worst to ever grace a Dylan record

He just played "Billy" for the first time live on the neverendingtour.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm late to this, but I like Daniel Lanois' production on Oh Mercy. I just dislike highly the sequencing and the choice of songs in some places. Was wondering if John Stone could re-sequence OH MERCY without "What Good am I," "Disease of Content," "What Was It You Wanted" and with "Dignity," "Series of Dreams," "Born in Time" and "God Knows" (the last two from Tell Tale Hearts). Could you do that? Thanks...

I agree with you, both about Lanois' production, and the sequencing. I gave your alternate Oh Mercy a shot:

1. God Knows
2. Dignity
3. Ring Them Bells
4. Political World
5. Where Teardrops Fall
6. Man In The Long Black Coat
7. Born In Time
8. Everything Is Broken
9. Shooting Star
10. Series Of Dreams
11. Most Of The Time

Thanks a bunch!

Anybody listen to Together Through Life yet? Opinions?

I enjoyed it. I love the sound of the band and the recording, so it's another winner on the production/engineering front, in my opinion. My first thoughts on it are that it's hit and miss, song-wise. But of course, first thoughts change and for me historically that is especially true of thoughts on Dylan. But I bought four albums yesterday and it probably isn't my favorite of the four. In fact, it might be third!

Will get it very soon, probably Friday.

i liked it too, it's much better than Modern Times. That record went on forever. And there's a part of me that wishes he'd go back to acoustic Bob...

I like it. It's a very accessible record (his most accessible in years), with a relaxed, loose, Ry Cooder-ish, sunny, sometimes romantic sound. David Hidalgo's accordion sounds great.

But Bob wouldn't be Bob if there wasn't something darker hiding beneath the surface. There's three or four tunes, the bluesier ones, that remind me of "Modern Times".

Favourite songs at the moment: "I Feel A Change Comin' On" and "If You Ever Go To Houston" and "Life Is Hard".

Here's what the Guardian think about it:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/apr/24/bob-dylan-together-review (http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/apr/24/bob-dylan-together-review)

I picked it up the other day, very good album. Man he's still got it.

Together Through Life debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, ahead of Hannah Montana: The Movie. :smokin

Not up to the standards of "Modern Times" or "Love & Theft", but a fine album nonetheless. After subjecting myself to Bob Mould's latest uninspired and slickly-produced retread of an album, I quickly put Dylan's new one back on to remind myself that music can still have a little soul and a ruined voice can be immeasurably better than an auto-tuned one.

Happy Birthday, Robert Allen Zimmerman....May 24, 1941....May you stay forever young.... :police:

Dylan's summer ballpark tour has begun. He's performing "Jolene" as an encore.

Saw The Bob Dylan Show last night in Allentown, PA....

Willie Nelson opened up and played an hour long set of standards, including a couple of Hank Williams' songs. Willie rushed through the set, but the songs weren't rushed. Willie was great, as usual. Two things stood out. First, Willie sounded as if it were 1979 instead of 2009; his voice was strong and clear as a bell. Incredible for a 76 year-old who smokes, er, cigarettes. The second thing was Willie's guitar playing. He was the only guitar player on stage - no Jody Payne who retired, or Willie's son - and Willie carried that band. He played all kinds of riffs on that old guitar, and the sound mix was excellent. And to think Willie had carpal tunnel surgery; amazing. Gotta love Willie...

Then John Mellencamp took the stage. Let me say right now that I will never again speak badly about John Cougar Mellencamp. This was no little ditty about Jack and Diane crap. This was explosive, in-the-gut rock and roll. He basically blew poor Willie off the stage! All those radio hits that you grew to hate - got new life. The crowd was into it, and Mellencamp was all over the stage, invigorating the band. And what a band! Outstanding lead guitarist. Sometimes there were three guitars playing, this was Blue Oyster Cult stuff. I gained new respect for the guy. There was none of that preachy, Farm Aid-ish, I'm from a small town rap. He just came to play some good old rock and roll. Loved it!

After two outstanding sets, Dylan took the stage at about 9:15 wearing a black suit with red stripe, red shirt, and a white hat. He opened (on guitar) with a rollicking "Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat" and we were off. He followed with an interesting take on "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright"; Dylan substituted guitar solos for the harmonica. Bob then took a seat at the keyboard for the remainder of the show. The band played a driving version of "Rollin' And Tumblin'", Denny Freeman and Stu Kimball really sounded good on this one. And then the concert took an interesting turn.

Bob decided to highlight his last three albums and, in turn, he lost the crowd; well, most of them. "Spirit On The Water" was only OK, and yes, "Tweedle Dum And Tweedle Dee", a song which I actually like, returned. You could feel the restlessness in the air. Dylan needed to pull out an ace. Unfortunately, he chose "Workingman Blues#2". It was well performed, but people started for the bathrooms - and the exits. During his next two songs, "Honest With Me" and "If You Ever Go To Houston", he lost more fans, and you could actually hear people talking over the music. I was involved in a friendly game of "Name That Tune" with some people around me. It took a while to identify the songs.

Dylan needed to rally and he did. "Highway 61 Revisited" was a highlight of the evening; Dylan was doing his Ray Manzarek imitation on the organ, reelin' and rockin' to the music, and the band was on fire, especially Denny Freeman and Donnie Herron. I/we were hoping for another classic, and Dylan went into "Ain't Talkin'". Yeah, it's a good song, but tonight it was a big downer. The guy sitting next to me didn't know the song, so I told him, "Well, you got ten minutes of it coming up". He went to get a beer. The final song before the encores, "Thunder On The Mountain", was tremendous. What Dylan did was rearrange the song to sound like "Summer Days", which it replaced in the set. It now swings more than it rocks, but it was very effective.

We had to salvage this set, so we left our seats and went down to stand in front of the stage for the encores. Dylan did a good, slowed-down version of "Like A Rolling Stone" and a cool take of "Jolene". I like "Jolene", but I don't think it's ready for encore status. Bob closed the show with a thunderous "All Along The Watchtower". He was really into it, dancing around behind the keyboard, looking out at the audience, and singing his heart out.

And that is what I will take out of this show. Dylan gave 100%, he sang his guts out. On the later songs, I think he actually sounded better than the records. All of the songs were impeccibly performed; the band was tight. It was a very professional set, not sloppy at all. But it was hard to get around the setlist, or lack of more familiar material. I think the great majority of people attending Dylan's concerts have given up hope for more "oldies", hits, or even songs that they know! But, I can't believe they were satisfied or pleased with the majority of stuff that Dylan is choosing to perform. I'm willing to bet that half of the people there had no idea what songs they heard last night. And, of course, that doesn't phase Bob Dylan in the least. Dylan accomplished his goal. He came to deliver a set of well written, well performed , Bob Dylan songs. And that WAS delivered.

Good review SJS. Thankfullly the crowd I saw Zimmy with last Firday was much more appreciative--even during "If You Ever Get to Houston" people were paying attention. I would've loved to have seen "Workingman's Blues" again, I love that tune. Btw I just remembered a quote from McCartney (who I'm seeing on Friday---excuse me, I'm just excited) where he said that someone came up to Bob and said "Boy I loved Mr. Tambourine Man, the audience loved it too" and he said "right, that's out of the set tomorrow!" You gotta love him for basically picking songs out of the air for his shows...

Also I forgot to mention in my thread that when I saw Bob last week someone got yelled at---and almost thrown out of the show---for dancing during the show. He was blocking most of the old farts (me, 40, and my son, 17, brought the average age down by a good number) who didn't want to stand up! "Rock and roll!"

Thanks, TdHabib. I probably should explain or expand on my take of the audience's reaction to Dylan's setlist. I watched it very closely because it is fascinating to me.

I really believe there are two types of Dylan fans. First, there are the fans who just buy a ticket to see a summer concert, get a deal (three legends for the price of one), enjoy some good live music, and hope to stumble upon some "classic" Dylan, you know, hearing the living legend from the 60's. For the most part, these are the people who sit in the seats. There are exceptions of course (I being one; I like to sit in the seats). I don't think Dylan is playing for these fans.

I mentioned in my above review that I went down to stand in front of the stage for the encores. Totally different crowd, totally different fan, totally different atmosphere. These people were singing and dancing to ALL of the songs, yelling out Dylan's name, and weren't leaving no matter what! I could immediately see that Dylan was playing to THEM. They knew the songs; they "got" the songs. And you know what else I noticed? You know at the end of the show when Dylan and the band line up and "pose" for the ending applause? Well, Dylan was only looking at the people down in front; he wasn't even looking up in the stands. I'm not saying he totally wrote/writes them off, but I truly believe one of the main reasons he's still doing these one-nighters is FOR those people who show up, stand for the whole show, dance and sing, and love the songs whether it's "Like A Rolling Stone" or "Tweedle Dum And Tweedle Dee". I think Dylan still appreciates an audience for his new(er) material, and those are the ones. I think he really needs, not applause or money, but a fan base that is open to what he doing - today.

Dylan's playing at a venue about an hour from me tonight, and I won't be going, unfortunately (have to work, plus no transportation to the concert)...   The ironic thing is that my dad is going to a country music festival at the same venue on Sunday...

Jack Frost's very own Christmas album, "Christmas In The Heart", is on the way:

http://www.bobdylan.com/#/news/christmas-heart-be-released-october-13

 ;D

I know where I'm going directly after work on October 13th. Can't wait! Merry Christmas!

Christmas dislike aside, probably me too.

One of my goals is to get you hooked on some good Christmas music, you Scrooge!. Maybe Zimmie will be a start... :police:

Oh, I already really like the Spector and parts of the BBs and Motown Christmas albums, as well as plenty of sacred Christmas pieces.

And here is a preview of the new Christmas album: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gundu1yLjWY

I've had the new xmas record for a few days and its definitely one of my top 5 Dylan records, no kidding!

Really?  :o  ;D

Well, personally I wouldn't go that far, but it definitely offers a lot of good fun, there's no real point in taking the album seriously as "the new Dylan album", more the result of Bob and his buddies having a good time in the studio recording all these songs. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Let's just say i enjoy listening to it more than most of the others, so, to me, that earns it the top 5 position.

I like it very much, too--more than Together Through Life, in fact. It doesn't sniff my top 5, but it might make my top 15 (which is still pretty good for somebody who has released as many, and as many good, albums as Dylan has).

I see you point, 8o8o, and at first I kinda felt the same way. Then I got to thinking, is Christmas In The Heart so different than World Gone Wrong, Good As I Been To You, or even most of Self Portrait? And they are considered "legitimate" Dylan albums.

True, Christmas In The Heart is not Blonde On Blonde, Blood On The Tracks, or Love And Theft. But I don't see much difference than Together Through Life. Like the last couple of Dylan albums, it has some highs and lows. And, it brings out a couple of emotions in me. As I listen to it, I find myself cringing to some of the slowers cuts, laughing (in a good way) to some of the fun tracks, and even feeling a little moved by one particular track, "Do You Hear What I Hear".

I think the voice is a problem, and this album is not for everyone. I think you have to appreciate Dylan to appreciate the album. You'll either like it or you won't. I like it, but, then again, I like Bob Dylan....

I don't think any--at least any of the good--Dylan albums are more than Dylan and his buddies (or a band, anyway ... I don 't know their social rapport) having a good time in the studio recording all these (those) songs. I don't think he went into the studio to cut Blonde on Blonde, Legendary Album. If he had, it probably would have sucked. But that's why Dylan creates great things. (It's also why he has created some terrible, terrible sh*t.)

....and some new Bob Dylan songs. I don't want to speak for 8o8o, but I think that's what he was getting at. There is a diiference between a band just recording "covers" - and most Christmas albums are covers - and a band CREATING new music through newly written songs. I'm not a musician, but I have to believe the process is different when you're recording standards, and when you're molding, experimenting, and creating new material.

Maybe yes, maybe no. Plenty of brilliant musicians have rarely or never written their own music. It's different, but not inferior. And Dylan comes from the folk tradition where really he was the exception (in bringing his own material), not the rule. I'd guess his heart is every bit in this project--at least it sounds like it.

Of course it deserves its place in Dylan's catalogue, just like any other album would, but I regard it as a sort of sidestep. It's not the greatest Christmas album ever recorded, neither is it the worst. I say enjoy it for what it is (and we all agree there is plenty to enjoy!) or leave it be, but please don't take it too seriously, as some critics and fellow Dylan fans love to do everytime he puts out something new, by analysing every single song, every line, flipping it over, turning it upside down to find any possible links with the work of James Joyce or whatever. They can't do that now, that's why it gets a lot of stick. It seems that with whatever he puts out, it's either "the greatest thing he's ever done" or "a load of crap", there's no middle way.

That's right, but it has been like that since "Modern Times" at least, then again, his voice has always put people off, even in the mid 60s or when he came up with his "Nashville Skyline" voice a couple of years later. Once you can get over it, it's not so bad, for those who can't and need something more smooth there's Andy Williams' or Engelbert Humperdinck's Christmas album. But yes, as with Tom Waits' voice, you either like it, or you don't.

That is indeed what I meant, Sheriff. But Luther's right too of course, you don't go into the studio to create your masterpiece or anything, it happens or it doesn't, but this is different, the songs and lyrics were already there.

The idea to record some Christmas songs may even have its origin in Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour (his radio show), where he played some of these songs, and/or maybe they started doing one or two Christmas songs one day during the "Together Through Life" sessions (December 2008!) and it led to this.

Yes, I thought that, too. Dylan also recorded these little 30 second to 1 minute Christmas "messages" or trivial snippets which are kind of cool. I like to hear him talk.

But, anyway, does anybody want to offer more of a review or detailed opinion of Christmas In The Heart?

Heard the new XMAS album, something very cool and relaxed about it. The perfect Christmas album IMO,  Definitely not everyone's type though, I don't see it doing very well.

Funny, the idea of Bob releasing a Christmas album a few years ago would of been a bad joke.

I really love his new Christmas album, but I can see why people wouldn't like it.  I'm not really a big Dylan fan either, but I think he sounds pretty good on this release.  In fact, if I had to own a modern day Dylan record it would be this one.  Does anyone know if vinyl copies of this will be on sale at his current shows?  I'd rather pick up a copy for a bit cheaper and not worry about the post if I can.  Too bad he's not doing a Christmas tour really, I'd love to hear these songs live.

That would be a interesting change for the "never-ending tour".

Dylan's last date on this current tour is 11/20/09, close to Thanksgiving, so you never know. Wouldn't it be cool if, at the last show, after the final encore, which is usually "All Along The Watchtower", Dylan would uncharacteristicly say, "Have a Merry Christmas everybody", and go into a rousing "Must Be Santa", complete with a hot guitar solo from Charlie Sexton! :police:

I think it's nice when Bob Dylan surprises us, and a small Christmas tour would be nice I think.  Yeah, it might be uncharacteristic of him, but he did release a Christmas album.  Now if only he would play some of it for us. 

I was at the Palladium show on Tuesday. It was the first time I've seen Dylan live and I was really disappointed. I don't like his band, they're just really loud, but then again the sound system at the Palladium sucks. Also, Bob Dylan has a strange way of performing songs, they don't sound anything like the songs he originally recorded. I guess I'm living in the past, because through the entire show I was watching Dylan on stage and thinking "what happened to this guy?"

Anybody catch Dylan on the recent PBS telecast of Music From The Civil Rights Movement from The White House. Bob sang "The Times They Are A-Changin'" with a small band while playing acoustic guitar. I thought he sounded quite good, singing in a mellow, almost tender voice. Played some interesting guitar, didn't miss a word...

It's bizarre to see that this topic was last posted in more than seven and a half years ago!!!

This is a cover of "Like A Rolling Stone" by Dutch talent Jett Rebel. I hope the link works. With a bit of luck someone will transfer it to YouTube soon...

https://dewerelddraaitdoor.bnnvara.nl/media/377923

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jett_Rebel

Here's the new arrangement  for 'Thunder on the Mountain', Dylan uses during his US Fall tour: https://youtu.be/CZN3SEgPtg8 (https://youtu.be/CZN3SEgPtg8)

Sounds familiar to Beach Boys fans, doesn't it.

(Whistles 'Shut Down, Part II' while leaving.)
 

Yes it is wild that there hasn’t been an up to date Dylan thread here, although there are a number on SS who have said that they don’t care for him.
I just finished reading Bob Dylan - A Spiritual Life. It focuses mainly on the period starting in the late 70s when he “found religion” (although spiritual/religious references can be found in his earliest songs).
I didn’t listen to his songs from the late ‘70s to mid 80s because music critics said the music wasn’t any good. Turns out those critics simply couldn’t stand the thought of Dylan expressing his strong beliefs in song. When will I learn not to listen to “experts” but find out for myself if there’s something to like.

The new “bootleg”series (no 13) just came out and focuses on this period. I heard a few tracks from these and liked them, so today I bought the 2 CD set. I listened to the first CD today and really enjoyed it. Guess it helps that I am not turned off by people singing religious/Spiritual songs, whether they be Christian, Jewish, Hindu , etc. everybody’s got to find their own way.
At least I know one person on SS who likes this period in Dylan’s musical career - Watamushi (as indicated by his present avatar).

Oh, on that Rolling Thunder Video, while listening to Shut Down Part II: that song works very well with Elvis’ Little Sister.  :)

Although most of the stuff on the new cd is from soundboard cassettes, some of these songs sound much more energized in the live versions. I think it would be hard to improve upon Slow Train Coming as an album, but Saved always felt comparatively lifeless to me. I was lucky to see Bob twice in 1980 - January and November in Seattle at the Paramount. The first show was very moving, just the idea of Bob dropping all the older material, doing a complete concert of just his new songs. It was very passionate, with, of course, a few catcalls from the nonbelievers in the crowd. The November show was, musically, the best show I've ever seen him do. There were still plenty of the new gospel songs in the show, but he'd also brought back a lot of the older songs, and a few covers. Bob and the musicians just seemed to really be enjoying what they were doing that night.
BTW, love the avatar.

Yeah, I dig Dylan in that period. Slow Train Coming and Shot of Love are one of (a lot of) fave Dylan albums of mine. I have only listened to Saved once and didn't like it very much, but I feel I need to give it another listens.

My favorite tracks from the era are: Gotta Serve Somebody, Precious Angel, I Believe in You, Do Right to Me Baby, Heart of Mine, Property of Jesus, Every Grain of Sand, You Changed My Life.

I'm not a Christian, but I always enjoy gospel-influenced stuff from anyone-Brian(He Come Down, That Same Song), Dylan, Paul Simon (Love Me Like a Rock, Gone at Last) , Paul McCartney(That Day is Done from Flowers in the Dirt is one of my favorite and I think there's gospel influence, but it isn't quite obvious), etc. I don't know much about the culture of Christians or the historical background behind gospel music, but I can't help loving a certain sense of magnificence in this kind of music.

And yeah, I need to give the BS13 a chance, but there's been so much on my wish list lately. I listened to the samples on spotify yesterday, and they sounded quite good though.

I only have the 2 cd version; hoping our local library gets the big box, cause I can't afford it. And there's nothing wrong with non Christians listening to gospel. I'm not a Hindu, but I love George Harrison's religious songs.

I can't afford it either, but my local library wouldn't get it, so I'll be waiting till the price goes lower so that I can buy it.  I'd go with 2 Cd version before that, though.

Some of the stuff that didn't make it to the 2 cd version is turning up on Spotify and youtube. I'll take it anyway I can get it.

I generally don’t get Concert  box sets - I usually can’t afford them and I am not interested to hear the same or nearly the same set list every night.
But f I had the funds I’d probably consider this one. What I like about Dylan is how he changes up songs. I’ve heard several completely different takes on In the Garden, plus 2 totally different versions of Solid Rock, to give 2 examples. He follows his muse with great results.

In contrast, the BBs have done things the same way over the years. Darlin in 1969 sounds the same as in the 80s. One of the few songs they fooled around with was Help Me Rhonda.

I totally get what you’re saying regarding The Beach Boys....because much of their sound does seem to have stayed the same. But I think us hardcore fans deserve a nice 2 disc album that features some of the crazier and good renditions The Beach Boys have done throughout the years.

Take the Lei’d In Hawaii takes we just got with the Wild Honey set. They sound completely different from anything we’ve heard from them since and it’s still great. Or that crazy rock version of ‘Lookin At Tomorrow’ HeyJude posted recently. It’s really rare, but they have some some really out-there renditions of their songs that should deserve to be on a compilation album.

It can work both ways. They can get positive reviews for trying new versions of old songs; or people can complain that "they changed my favorite song!" I think the BB's were more open to new arrangements in the 70's. By the 80's, they were back to doing the songs as close to the records as possible.
Some Bob fans loved his new arrangements of songs; some didn't. I recall there being some talk of people walking out during his 78 world tour because he wasn't playing them the way they were on the records. The following year, even more people were booing or walking out because he wasn't doing those old songs. Sometimes you just can't win.

The AXS network will be showing The Last Waltz tonight at 8:00 pm and 10:15 pm Central time tonight and at 11:00 am tomorrow morning.

So there's no excuse for missing it. Brilliant film----very funny at times and incredibly musical!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WoI95PTizs

Saw it at the time. I was jigging around in my seat so much when this song was playing that my better half moved to another row. :lol

Listened to some Dylan stuff over the past few days.

Heard Oh Mercy after reading his account of getting it recorded in his Chronicles Volume I. A whole chapter devoted to the recording process where things didn't seem to be working at first - Dylan, Lanois and the musicians didn't seem to be on the same page. Dylan left town for a while, cleared his head and at his return things fell into place and a well received album was the result.
I read that the musicians were told to go to some recording sessions. One of them, Mason Ruffner, walked into the room and freaked out when he saw that he would be recording with Dylan.

My favorite on that album is Ring Them Bells.

Listened to the first 2 discs (of 3) of Bootlegs 1-3. Absolutely loved it and it had some surprises - an acoustic version of Subterranean Homesick Blues, a piano (demo?) Of Like a Rolling Stone, in waltz time. Also Tangled Up in Blue with some different lyrics on one of the verses, having him going somewhere else other then fishing outside of Delacroix.
About Like a Rolling Stone, on the deluxe set of Bootlegs Vol 12 there's a full disc devoted to the development of that song.

He shows up in other places. I watched the documentary I Am Not Your Negro a couple of days ago. It showed him singing Only a Pawn in Their Game on the occasion of Civil Rights leader Medgar Evers' assassination. The film also showed Dylan in Washington DC in August 1963 (when Martin Luther King made his immortal I Have A Dream speech).

Today I listened to part of a show Dylan did down here in May 1976 with the Rolling Thunder Revue. Would like to listen to all at once but it's hard to get that much uninterrupted time (concert is over 3 1/2 hours long).

I'm very much a novice in regards to Bob Dylan but the process of learning has so far been a good experience.

And you like Fats, so it's all good!

Yes indeedy.
Antoine Domino has been, is, and will always be a treasure.
A great singer/musician and an even greater human being.

Agreed.  8)

Came across live version of 'I Want You' from 1981 tour on a Dylan forum. This sounds fantastic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loGGv2bX-QE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loGGv2bX-QE)

I must confess that the studio version of I Want You is not one of my favorite Dylan songs. But this version is great. Sounds like he really wants her!

(The middle portion of the video is of my city, New Orleans)

It was apparently performed in your city, according to Dylan fans on said forum.

Just finished reading "The Monk's Record Player: Thomas Merton, Bob Dylan, and the Perilous Summer of 1966."
 Had to read it as I'm a fan of Merton and Dylan. Primarily a bio of Merton, a Catholic Trappist monk in Kentucky, it describes how, during a turbulent time in his life, he came to listen to the record Highway 61 Revisited and was blown away. He asked a friend to send some more albums - he was able to borrow a record player to listen to them. Dylan's poetry moved him tremendously and he tried to meet him but was unsuccessful (he did meet Joan Baez a couple of times). His last record purchase was John Wesley Harding.
The book shows the parallel events taking place with the two, how Dylan's poetry influenced Mertons (and in a way you can say that he "went electric", leaving fans scratching their heads in dismay). It's not a long book but I found it very engaging.

I've ranked all of Dylan's albums through Desire. Only omitting Before The Flood and greatest hits compilations. This ranking reflects my personal preference. No attempt to be objective! None at all. Feel free to express your disbelief.

1. Another Side of Bob Dylan
2. Blood on the Tracks
3. The Times They Are A'Changin'
4. Bringing It All Back Home
5. Highway 61 Revisited
6. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
7. New Morning
8. Desire
9. Planet Waves
10. Bob Dylan
11. John Wesley Harding
12. Blonde on Blonde
13. Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
14. Dylan
15. Nashville Skyline
16. The Basement Tapes
17. Self Portrait

Wasn't able to catch him when he was in our general vicinity, but have been intrigued about how he honors singers/songwriters in the various places he performs.
Heard a very interesting take on James Brown's It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World at his concert in Augusta, Georgia; and Johnny Mercer's Moon River in Savannah.

Trying to get the time to listen to, first, Blood on the Tracks, and then, the newly released More Blood on the Tracks. Anybody hear this yet?

Read an article today. Author wanted to know the appeal of the song "Cottonfields" to Dylan. Dylan had praised the song in his Nobel Prize speech.
Also mentions the BBs and that they had an international hit with this song.

https://bob-dylan.org.uk/archives/9763

Poor old Bob is getting a bit of a lambasting in another topic so being a gallant SOB I shall rush to his rescue. :lol

My one Dylan purchase ever was this single in 1965. "Gates of Eden" wasn't my cup of tea (most Dylan isn't) but the A-side still sounds stunning!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwOfCgkyEj0

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Like_a_Rolling_Stone

This lullaby came to mind during today's evening walk. I like the sentiment. I remember hearing this album on breakfast radio before heading off to work in early 1974, the year I chose to move to the Netherlands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frj2CLGldC4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forever_Young_(Bob_Dylan_song) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forever_Young_(Bob_Dylan_song))

I love that album. Pretty underrated I think. Some of the songs foreshadow the confessional direction he would take with Blood on the Tracks (Going, Going, Gone, Dirge, Wedding Song). Yet while Blood has always felt a bit too FM-friendly to me in places, the sound of Waves is just excellent, with The Band's homespun rawness in full display.

Checked again in 8 yrs Highway 61 Revisited & again disliked it big time. I believe in Mick Jagger's music taste who stated that "Desolation Row" is his favorite BD song. It's nice but samey, must be shorter at least by 90%. Still find BD's voice really ear-attacking. Shoulda purposely change voice, adopt different voice. Singing is akin to, in a way, acting.

Agreed about The Band's contribution. It takes the album to another level. "Going, Going, Gone" has some wonderfully spooky guitar from Robbie. It's just supremely irritating that the album version is nowhere to be found online. :-\ 

I actually love Dylan's voice on High 61 Revisited. Nobody could've sang Ballad of a Thin Man quite like that. Perfect intonation on the "...do you, Mr. Jones?" part.

I'm warming to this topic.  ;D

Astonishing, for a self-confessed hater of most live stuff, this is probably my favourite version of "Ballad". What an atmosphere, nicely helped along by what Greil Marcus calls "the otherworldly tentacles of [Garth] Hudson's organ". Electric in every sense! ::)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63ucJmVonAc

It may turn up yet. Dylan's VEVO channel recently added about 70 of Bob's studio tracks to youtube.
Planet Waves was the first new Dylan album I ever bought - on cassette! And I still have it! It doesn't sound too bad for a 45 year old tape. I think it's a great album - and might be one of the better albums for someone you are trying to introduce to the Bobster. It doesn't have any of those Desolation Row/Lowlands type of songs that go on forever - verse, verse, verse, verse, verse, verse, verse, verse, harmonica solo, verse, harmonica solo.  :lol I think it's some of the best singing he's ever done, and of course The Band just instinctively bring out the best in his songs.

Speaking of Planet Waves, what are the chances Dylan heard The Fourmost's "I'm In Love"? Whenever I listen to "You Angel You', I think of this https://youtu.be/PoAr8Dcm-5M?t=59 (https://youtu.be/PoAr8Dcm-5M?t=59). It's quite possible I am the only one. :lol

So far I'm one of the vast majority. ;D But I'll give them both another listen later--I may be missing something vital. ;)

Here's "You Angel You" for those who are interested:

https://vimeo.com/312355743

He may have heard it but I doubt it was an inspiration or source material, personally. Dylan ripped off a lot of songs over the years (and I don't say that critically) but his source material wasn't almost always an old folk ballad or a country blues song.

JK, thanks for posting "You Angel You". I'm really only referring to the "If this is love, (then) give me more, (and) more, (and) more..." gambit. It is first heard in "You Angel You" at the 1:00 mark and in "I'm In Love" at 0:58.


You are probably right on both counts. "I'm In Love" was a hit in the UK and I believe it was released, and also covered, in the US. That said, they may have both been influenced by an earlier usage or just independently written (without influence).

The Beatles' "I Should Have Known Better" is a possible candidate:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5en2JMLA8Z0

Whoa, I had never made that connection! You know, John Lennon wrote both songs. George Martin produced both.

Embellishing on this, I see "Hello Little Girl", The Fourmost's first hit (the one before "I'm In Love"), is said to have been John Lennon's first compositlon, back in 1957:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_CagR2GPqw

That link doesn't work for me in the US, so here's another one for anyone else who's interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psjPQT0cywU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psjPQT0cywU)

Hey, it's even got the climactic "love, love, love" at 0:48 and "mind, mind, mind" at 1:13. Looks like we've stumbled upon an early, favored songwriting device of Lennon's. One which The Fourmost took ample advantage of.