He takes whatever thing he’s singing and makes it his. There’s not many people who can do that. Even something like an Elvis tune. You know, once Elvis done a tune, it’s pretty much done. But Willie is the only one in my recollection that has even taken something associated with Elvis and made it his. He just puts his sorta trip on it…
–> Bob Dylan (April 1993)
Happy 88th Birthday Willie Nelson
Continue reading “Bob Dylan: Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground (Willie Nelson)”
What was it you wanted
Tell me again so I’ll know
What’s happening in there
What’s going on in your show
What was it you wanted
Could you say it again
I’ll be back in a minute
You can get it together by then
What Was It You Wanted was recorded March 21, 1989 @ The Studio, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Dylan had performed it 22 times live, first on Jan 12, 1990 (New Haven, Connecticut) and last time on April 6, 1995 (Edinburgh, Scotland).
Top year was 1990 with 20 performances.
What was it you wanted
You can tell me I’m back
We can start it all over
Get it back on the track
You got why attention
Go ahead speak
What was it you wanted
When you were kissing my cheek
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”
John Wesley Harding is Bob Dylan’s eight album, it was released on December 27, 1967 by Columbia Records. Produced by Bob Johnston, the album marked Dylan’s return to acoustic music and traditional roots, after three albums of electric rock music. John Wesley Harding shares many stylistic threads with, and was recorded around the same time as, the prolific series of home recording sessions with the Band, partly released in 1975 as The Basement Tapes.
John Wesley Harding was exceptionally well received by critics and enjoyed solid sales, reaching #2 on the US charts and topping the UK charts. The commercial performance was considered remarkable considering that Dylan had kept Columbia from releasing the album with much promotion or publicity.Less than three months after its release, John Wesley Harding was certified gold by the RIAA. “All Along the Watchtower” became one of his most popular songs after it was recorded by Jimi Hendrix the following year.
In 2003, the album was ranked number 301 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Many Dylan albums have lent themselves to loads of covers over the years, many quite different from the originals. John Wesley Harding was one of the easiest album to find good covers from.
… and here are our chosen 12 from Bob Dylan’s John Wesley Harding: Continue reading “Full Dylan album covered: John Wesley Harding”
“Oh Mercy (1989) is a collection of 10 songs, best listened to at night, if you’re inclined to take that gypsy caravan down into a mythic Louisiana bayou, a world conjured up by Bob Dylan and producer Daniel Lanois. Virtually every song is a highlight, from “Political World” (which sounds just as immediate today) to the bittersweet “Shooting Star.” It’s quite an ethereal voyage from beginning to end and should withstand the test of time.”
– Josh Downham (user review, Amazon)
It is a great collection of songs and there are many artists that have tried their luck in singing them, none as good as Dylan’s original versions (as usual) but there are some good ones out there. I have tried to collect some of the best.
My favourites are Ron Sexsmith, Gordon Lightfoot, Tom Jones and Willie Nelson.
and now Oh Mercy:
My rules:
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Some great music was released in 1982, here are my 20 chosen songs.
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A song written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen, which first appeared on Springsteen’s 1982 solo album Nebraska. Springsteen has often played the song in a full band arrangement in concert.
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Well, they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night
Now they blew up his house, too