Today we rock out! Hellacopters does a hard, fast and furious version of the Bob Dylan classic, All Along The Watchtower. The clip is taken from the tv-show “Live på spåret” (Live at the track?) from Swedish television.
The Hellacopters – All Along The Watchtower (January, 2021):
Continue reading “Video of the day: Hellacopters – All Along The Watchtower”
Marie she didn’t wake up this morning
She didn’t even try
She just rolled over and went to Heaven
My little boy safe inside
Marie is one of the most harrowing but touching songs ever written; if you’re not affected in some way by this tune upon hearing it, then you have no soul! I’m kind of joking (but not much…)
No other songwriter brings out emotions the way Townes do, and that’s why his songs stand the test of time. It is a late career masterpiece. Townes Van Zandt said the song was inspired by Meryl Streep’s character in the film Ironweed and describes the harrowing plight of a homeless couple who wind up living under a bridge until the woman dies with the protagonist’s unborn child “safe inside her.” Townes Van Zandt performed the song years before he recorded it.
Continue reading “The Saddest Songs: Marie by Townes Van Zandt”
Performed by Bob Dylan at Brixton Academy, London, England – November 21, 2005.
Only first verse.
With an even flow of new Dylan books each year, at least 15 in 2020 and 17 in 2019, it’s hard to keep up.
Being a music fan who loves to visit places relevant to music history, the title of this book stirred some interest.
I’ve visited London many times during the last 30 years and checked off a lot “plaques” (and other spots) on my different bucket lists (music is not my only passion).
So did this book bring anything new to the table? Yes, indeed.
Continue reading “Great new book: Bob Dylan in London: Troubadour Tales”
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_color=”mulled_wine” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-quote-left”]I was in Italy on the same festival that he was on and coming out of my dressing room. Security would not let anyone out of the dressing room, and I said, “Well, why?” And they said, “Because Mr. Dylan is going onstage,” and I’m like, “Well, I don’t care! Let me out of my dressing room!” So I come out of my dressing room and I’m angry because he’s got my band and me and everybody trapped while he takes 50 steps to the stage. So I’m walking along the same path that he is, but on the other side of the room, and I said, “Hey, Robert Dylan!” And he was walking with his bass player and his bass player mouthed to him: “That’s Bettye LaVette!” He walked over to me, took my face in both his hands, kissed me dead on the mouth and walked on the stage. So that’s what we’ve done thus far [Laughs].
–Bettye LaVette (NPR interview, May 2018)[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Bettye LaVette (born Betty Jo Haskins, January 29, 1946) is an American soul singer-songwriter who made her first record at sixteen, but achieved only intermittent fame until 2005, with her album I’ve Got My Own Hell to Raise. Her eclectic musical style combines elements of soul, blues, rock and roll, funk, gospel, and country music.
In 2020, LaVette was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_color=”mulled_wine” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-quote-left”]Well, I thought that the rain would cool things down
But it looks like it don’t
I’d like to get you to change your mind
But it looks like you won’t.[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row]
The song was recorded at Cherokee Studio, Hollywood on January 28, 1985, and included on the album Empire Burlesque – released June 10, 1985.
It has been performed 242 times live, top year was 1986 with 58 performances.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_color=”mulled_wine” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-quote-left”]From now on I’ll be busy
Ain’t going nowhere fast
I’m just glad it’s over
And I’m seeing the real you at last.[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Continue reading “Bob Dylan: 5 live versions of “Seeing the Real You at Last””
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_color=”mulled_wine” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-quote-left”]I’ve been criticised for not putting my best songs on certain albums but it is because I consider that the song isn’t ready yet. It’s not been recorded right. With all of my records, there’s an abundance of material left off – stuff that, for a variety of reasons, doesn’t make the final cut. ..Except on this album, for which we re-cut the song ‘Mississippi.’ We had that on the “Time Out Of Mind” album. It wasn’t recorded very well but thank God, it never got out, so we recorded it again. But something like that would never have happen ten years ago. You’d have probably all heard the lousy version of it and I’d have never re-recorded it. I’m glad for once to have had the opportunity to do so.
~Bob Dylan (Press Conference (French coverage) De la Ville Inter-Continental Roma Hotel, Rome, Italy – 23 July 2001 )[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row]
“Mississippi” is the second song on Bob Dylan’s 2001 album Love and Theft. The song was originally recorded during the Time Out of Mind sessions in January 1997, but was ultimately left off the album; Dylan rerecorded the song for Love and Theft in May 2001.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_color=”mulled_wine” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-quote-left”]Every step of the way
We walk the line
Your days are numbered
So are mine[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Continue reading “Bob Dylan: 7 live versions of “Mississippi””