Bob Dylan: "Trouble No More 1979 - 1981" - The Bootleg Series Vol. 13

We better stop right there buddy I dont think anyone wants to see us go into theological debates. And its against the rules. Ill agree to disagree with you

 

I was able to capture the 15 streaming songs on my computer and I listened to them on the way to work today.

Solid Rock. I love this song and have listened to many of the boot versions, but I never heard the background singers so involved before. Damn. One or two of them actually seem to be growling at a few points. Their unabashed fervor is clearly pushing Bob forward - and the vocal he gives is proof that he's digging the challenge. Simply amazing!

(Someone mentions Keltner's little drum rolls in Change My Way Of Thinking. I love them also. But he doesn't do it on every verse in the song and from night to night on tour he did the rolls in different verses.)

 

The real thing at Justin's in 1979-1980 was that every week a tenor sax legend named J.R. Monterose played there for free. He had played with Mingus and many other jazz greats. J.R. never became widely known because he was a very modest, soft spoken man.

 

I like that word - dispensationalism! John Lennon should have woven it into his list of "-isms" in "Give Peace a Chance"

 

Yes! I know his playing on Mingus' Pithecanthropus Erectus. Shame I missed him at Justin's by a year!

L.

 

J.R. Monterose played regularly in Albany all through the early 1980's. We had become friends. But I forget what year he stopped playing due to health. I did a 6 hour broadcast of J.R. for his 60th birthday in 1987. He was close friends with pianist Tommy Flanagan, and they would invite me to record session rehearsals. Fun times. There are still people talking about J.R. in Albany, though he died nearly 25 years ago.

I wonder how many other serious Dylan listeners are also serious jazz listeners. To me, they go hand in hand. To me, Dylan is a spontaneous singer and musician, in ways that most jazz artists are not, though I would not call him an improviser.

 

This is an excellent (if brief) refutation of common misconceptions about biblical prophecy. I’m impressed!

 

Also because it immediately led to the calling of Uncle

 

And shenanigans.

 

Now Jeremiah, HE was a prophet.

Jeremiah preached repentance
To those that would turn from Hell
But the critics all gave him such bad reviews
Put him down at the bottom of a well
kept on talking, anyway
As the people were put into chains
Wasn't nobody there to say "Bon voyage"
or shatter any bottles of champagne.
Yonder comes sin

And then there was this other guy whose proclamations "involved a calling to repentance, and an exhortation. Perhaps it also involved a prediction of consequences for ignoring the message or for misdeeds."

Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’

"Years ago they used to say I was a prophet. I'd say 'No, I'm not a prophet". They'd say "Yes, you are a prophet". 'No, it's not me.' They used to convince me I was a prophet. Now I come out and say 'Jesus is the answer'. They say 'Bob Dylan? He's no prophet."

What a simultaneous burden and temptation to live with, huh? And when he finally gave in to the "prophet temptation" the critics all gave him such bad reviews.

 

Same goes for the notion that Dylan had ever written any 'drug' songs...

 

I thought Jeremiah was a bullfrog

 

Much to digest in that relatively modest number of tracks in the sampler, preview. To me it seems like a fascinating selection of interesting tracks. The late 60's and early 70's years were well-supported by ASP Deluxe and it"s apparemt the late 70's early 80's are with this expansive Gospel Years set.

I'm wondering what approaches to listening to this material fans will have re: playlists and the like.

The current hour-plus-long audio stream has me wanting to hear the other 80+ tracks now too.

I'm a little curious as to what perhaps at the time might have been some other less obvious (gospel, Gospel) influences Dylan had in how he and the band approached and arranged and performed some of the material now collected in this set.

The previews alone are seeming to me to proclaim as to be of their own strong merit and bearing fruit from the success of exploring a cballenging new direction with an impressive array of performances, in an 'era' nearly bookended between a pair of albums both before and after it, that for me already hold an exalted place in His Bobness's catalogue - first BOTT/Desire then Infidels, and his 80's masterpiece EB ).

 

Dead Man Dead Man and When You Gonna Wake Up make for a lively pair! Ooooh I can't stand it...

If the sampler for npr is an accurate indicator this bootleg series feels like it somehow gets more and more carefully and considerately curated even as it becomes more 'ambitious' with one more exclamatory 're-examination' of a less appreciated time in his work.

Fwiw I can do without hearing the 'extra' solo screeching in the background of Solid Rock, yet still it seems of the piece in an energetic and inspired performance all the same.

 

You're freaking killing me man. You've actually got me considering cancelling my ImportCds order and re-ordering from BobDylan.com. Is San Diego '79 really worth an extra sixty bucks? Keeping my fingers crossed that it will see release do the road in some other format (digital or vinyl), but I'm not holding my breath.

 

Wish the title of the set was Yonder Comes Sin rather than Trouble No More. Love the short backing vocal sections of Yonder. City of Gold got me thinking of House of the Rising Sun.

 

I have loved the various lists of info that posters have shared - especially the notes about possible upcoming Bootleg Series sets - so I thought others might be interested in this. I have put the tracks in chronological order (disc-track#), with a little more info than was offered on the website, along with a few notes from bjorner's website (which may or may not be correct in these cases). (Obsessive Alert: I checked set lists so songs from the same dates are in the order they were played, truly chrono!)

BOB DYLAN – TROUBLE IN MIND
GOSPEL SONGS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

1978 Tour
3-01 – Slow Train (October 5, 1978, Largo, Maryland, soundcheck)
3-03 – Help Me Understand (October 5, 1978, Largo, Maryland, soundcheck(?))
3-02 – Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others) (December 7, 1978; Greensboro, NC, soundcheck)

Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, Alabama
Slow Train Coming Sessions (April 30 to May 4, 1979)
3-08 – Trouble in Mind (April 30, 1979, studio outtake) (only song attempted that day, as per bjorner)
3-07 – Ain't No Man Righteous, No Not One (May 1, 1979, studio outtake)
3-09 – Ye Shall Be Changed (May 2, 1979, studio outtake) (previously released on The Bootleg Series (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991, Volume 3)
3-05 – Gotta Serve Somebody (May 4, 1979, studio outtake)
3-06 – When He Returns (May 4, 1979, studio outtake)

Tour Rehearsals
3-11 – Stand by Faith (September 26, 1979, rehearsal(?))
3-04 – Gonna Change My Way of Thinking (October 2, 1979, rehearsal)
4-01 – Slow Train (October 2, 1979, rehearsal)
4-02 – Gotta Serve Somebody (October 9, 1979, rehearsal)

First Gospel Tour
November 1 to December 9, 1979
2-05 – Saving Grace (Live, San Francisco, California, November 6, 1979)
2-09 – Pressing On (Live, San Francisco, California, November 6, 1979)
1-02 – Gotta Serve Somebody (Live, San Francisco, California, November 15, 1979)
1-07 – Precious Angel (Live, San Francisco, California, November 16, 1979)
1-01 – Slow Train (Live, San Francisco, California, November 16, 1979)
2-04 – Ain't No Man Righteous, No Not One (Live, San Francisco, California, November 16, 1979) (live debut)
1-08 – Covenant Woman (Live, Santa Monica, California, November 20, 1979)
2-06 – Blessed Is the Name (Live, Santa Monica, California, November 20, 1979)
1-11 – Solid Rock (Live, San Diego, California, November 27, 1979)
1-12 – What Can I Do for You? (Live, San Diego, California, November 27, 1979)
1-05 – When He Returns (Live, Albuquerque, New Mexico, December 5, 1979)

Second Gospel Tour
January 11 to February 9, 1980
4-05 – Radio Spot (January 1980, Portland, Oregon)
1-13 – Saved (Live, Portland, Oregon, January 12, 1980)
1-06 – Man Gave Names to All the Animals (Live, Portland, Oregon, January 16, 1980)
1-14 – In the Garden (Live, Kansas City, Missouri, January 27, 1980)
1-10 – Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others) (Live, Kansas City, Missouri, January 28, 1980)
1-09 – Gonna Change My Way of Thinking (Live, Memphis, Tennessee, January 31, 1980)

Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, Alabama
Saved Sessions (February 11-15, 1980)
3-10 – Covenant Woman (February 11, 1980, studio outtake) (only song attempted that day, as per bjorner)
3-16 – Pressing On (February 13, 1980, studio outtake)

Third Gospel Tour
April 17 to May 21, 1980
5-01 – Gotta Serve Somebody (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 18, 1980)
5-02 – I Believe In You (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 18, 1980)
5-04 – When You Gonna Wake Up? (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 18, 1980)
5-06 – Ain't Gonna Go To Hell For Anybody (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 18, 1980) (these were the first four songs of the show)
6-01 – Slow Train (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 18, 1980)
6-04 – Saving Grace (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 18, 1980) (played back-to-back)
6-09 – Pressing On (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 18, 1980)
5-03 – Covenant Woman (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 19, 1980)
5-07 – Cover Down, Pray Through (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 19, 1980)
5-08 – Man Gave Names To All The Animals (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 19, 1980)
5-09 – Precious Angel (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 19, 1980) (last three played consecutively)
6-05 – What Can I Do For You? (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 19, 1980)
6-07 – Band Introductions (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 19, 1980)
6-08 – Are You Ready? (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 19, 1980)
3-12 – I Will Love Him (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 19, 1980) (last two were the encore; live debut of I Will Love Him)
5-05 – When He Returns (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 20, 1980)
6-02 – Do Right To Me Baby (Do Unto Others) (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 20, 1980)
6-03 – Solid Rock (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 20, 1980)
6-06 – In The Garden (Live, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 20, 1980)
2-02 – Ain't Gonna Go to Hell for Anybody (Live, Montreal, Québec, Canada, April 24, 1980)
2-08 – Are You Ready? (Live, Buffalo, New York, April 30, 1980)
4-06 – Cover Down, Pray Through (Live, Buffalo, New York, May 1, 1980)
1-03 – I Believe in You (Live, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 16, 1980)

Studio Sessions
4-10 – Caribbean Wind (September 23, 1980, rehearsal)
4-15 – Every Grain of Sand (September 26, 1980, studio outtake)
4-03 – Making a Liar Out of Me (September 26, 1980, studio outtake)
4-04 – Yonder Comes Sin (October 1, 1980, studio outtake)
4-07 – Rise Again (October 16, 1980, studio outtake(?))

A Musical Retrospective Tour
November 9 to December 4, 1980
2-15 – Caribbean Wind (Live, San Francisco, California, November 12, 1980) (only known performance)
2-14 – The Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar (Live, San Francisco, California, November 13, 1980) (live debut, with Carlos Santana)
3-14 – City of Gold (Live, San Francisco, California, November 22, 1980)
4-08 – Ain't Gonna Go to Hell for Anybody (Live, Salem, Oregon, December 2, 1980) (Bob: “This is a new thing I been trying to make something of, called I Ain't Gonna Go To Hell For Anybody. I sure hope not.”)

Clover Recorders, Los Angeles, California
Shot of Love Sessions (March 26 to Late May 1981)
4-12 – Shot of Love (March 25, 1981, studio outtake) (bjorner has March 26 as first date of these sessions and April 23 as the first attempt at SOL)
4-11 – You Changed My Life (April 23, 1981, studio outtake)
4-14 – Dead Man, Dead Man (April 24, 1981, studio outtake) (bjorner does not have this song on this date; he has April 23, 27-30, etc.)
4-09 – The Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar (May 1, 1981, studio outtake) (bjorner does not have this song on this date, he has “early May” but that song was released on Biograph, so it's not that one)
4-13 – Watered-Down Love (May 15, 1981, studio outtake)

1981 US Summer Tour
June 10-14, 1981
2-12 – Watered-Down Love (Live, Clarkston, Michigan, June 12, 1981)

1981 Europe Summer Tour
June 21 to July 25, 1981
2-11 – Dead Man, Dead Man (Live, Toulouse, France, June 21, 1981)
7-01 – Gotta Serve Somebody (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
7-02 – I Believe In You (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
7-03 – Like A Rolling Stone (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
7-04 – Man Gave Names To All The Animals (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
7-05 – Maggie's Farm (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
7-06 – I Don't Believe You (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
7-07 – Dead Man, Dead Man (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
7-08 – Girl From The North Country (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
7-09 – Ballad Of A Thin Man (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-01 – Slow Train (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-02 – Let's Begin (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-03 – Lenny Bruce (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-04 – Mr. Tambourine Man (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-05 – Solid Rock (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-06 – Just Like A Woman (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-07 – Watered-Down Love (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-08 – Forever Young (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-09 – When You Gonna Wake Up (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-10 – In The Garden (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-11 – Band Introductions (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-12 – Blowin' In The Wind (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-13 – It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
8-14 – Knockin' On Heaven's Door (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)
2-01 – Slow Train (Live, Earl's Court, London, June 29, 1981)
1-04 – When You Gonna Wake Up? (Live, Drammen, Norway, July 9, 1981)
2-03 – Gotta Serve Somebody (Live, Bad Segeberg, West Germany, July 15, 1981)
3-13 – Jesus Is the One (Live, Loreley, West Germany, July 17, 1981)
2-10 – Shot of Love (Live, Avignon, France, July 25, 1981) (bjorner says partly released on video John Hammond: From Bessie Smith To Bruce Springsteen, CBS Music Video, September 1990)

1981 US and Canada Fall Tour
October 16 to November 21, 1981
2-13 – In the Summertime (Live, Boston, Massachusetts, October 21, 1981)
2-07 – Solid Rock (Live, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 23, 1981)
3-15 – Thief on the Cross (Live, New Orleans, Louisiana, November 10, 1981) (bjorner says “only known performance”)
2-16 – Every Grain of Sand (Live, Lakeland, Florida, November 21, 1981) (bjorner says “live debut”)

 

<- not here


<-just ain't right

 

Yeah that Dead Man, Dead Man is more than a little special. Never a song I had swung towards before. So how pleasant a surprise to hear this raw take. Equal parts The Specials and Bo Diddley. Almost prototype Foot of Pride. Especially the woozy harmonica. Ragged glory. Praise be! In terms of re-evaluations this box is going to redefine re-evaluations.
Just hope all the wonderful differently themed stuff from 81 makes it onto an 81-87 volume at some point.

 

Interesting perspective, thanks.

I hadn't realized that the first night in Toronto (the 17th) is going completely unused (barring possible inclusion on the DVD - do we have dates for those?)

"Help Me Understand" was not performed during the the Largo '78 CONCERT, so it very, very likely comes from the soundcheck.

 

I must say I often find inspiration for my own writing from this forum. And - not that the world really needs another Dylan book or essay - it might be interesting to investigate the psychological motivations of this gospel period. Everything he went through before age 30, always changing & searching for truths, the iconoclastic streak & willingness to shed fans at any whim, personal problems of the mid 70s, the lethargy evident on Street-Legal. It all led to this era, one of the most inspired of his career.

 

No, we arent suppose to be discussing religion here. And that is the reason I stopped. If the fella wants to go into another forum and discuss it or if he wants to email then we can do that. Its not about uncle or shenanigans. Its not a proper topic to be discussed in depth here.

 

Has this release been limited to gospel songs, i.e. not songs from the period that aren't considered gospel (Lenny Bruce, Angelina)?

 

Pretty much. I have to wonder if there will be a chronologically overlapping volume covering such material.