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

Ah. True, not so many bible quotes in "Making A Liar" -- but infused with religious fervor (and frustration) nonetheless...

 

I purchased the European copie (vinyl edition) and on the Record 2 the labels on Sides C and D are swapped

 

The Madame Butterfly line, which I never had any idea until now what it meant, that basically means he's Madame Butterfly, becoming Christian for her, and when he writes "she lulled me to sleep", what he means is that Helena Springs was a Christian, so he became a Christian, but he never could learn to drink that blood. Fascinating. This feels like an update on the Paul Williams book, except that there's probably a reason Bob liked that book, because it was what he would have liked to believe, that he'd gotten over the whole idea of woman as eternal muse and source of salvation. It's kind of a shame though, the overstated righteousness now seems like a con job to get a woman to marry him, did he con himself in the process?

I wonder why Bob has always maintained that he remains a Christian to this day? Whenever I've heard him sing songs like Pass Me Not Oh Gentle Saviour I never really felt like here's a guy sincerely expressing his faith but rather here's a guy who loves country gospel music. There's always this doubt in my mind that maybe he's just defensive and doesn't want to admit that he went off the rails like everyone was accusing him of doing. Or not what would I know.

This thread, and particular RayS contribution has been utterly enlightening. I love this stuff.

 

Thanks for your kind words.

I can't see Dylan continuing to perform "In The Garden" in 1986, and as the show closer no less, along with the "Jesus is my hero" introduction, just to prove a point that he hadn't made a mistake in his conversion. The man can be obstinate, but that would be downright crazy. As far as performing the old spirituals during the NET, well, if he could perform "Gospel Plow" in 1961 and pull it off, sure, he could have been singing them just because he liked them.

 

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

 

Some of the 79 BobTalk would make great ringtones.

"Rock-n-roll... I knew all about how to rock-n-roll when you was in diapers."

01 diapers

 

Yeah good point. Anyway, "never could learn to drink that blood and call it wine" I should probably take literally, he could never learn to be a non believer no matter how hard he tried, maybe something similar to Lou Reed's memorable disavowal of his earlier days which I won't quote, or Neil Young's going full conservative all in that same time period.

Bob must be a fun guy to hang out with:

Me: Bob, I got a million things to do, I'm so inspired
Bob: You do the work of the devil!

 

The playlist you can get started on, for me, because I'm lazy, is all officially released Dylan, chronological order, studio album as released> bootleg series outtakes>live performances (bootleg/official live albums). if anybody has this, or it's easily found online, either PM it to me or quote this message.

 

That George was such a joker!

 

I'm so glad they decided to include 2 full concerts, 3 counting San Diego. All in all, another great set. I've finished all 8 discs (and look forward to replaying them!) I've just got San Diego to go (I'll be playing it on the way to see Dylan!) I feel like the first 4 discs are necessary to show the scope and variety of arrangements and songs, and in some sense are the main attraction to the box. But then, having the concerts in full allows you to feel the flow of the show. Especially Earl's Court, with all the older material. This stuff allows for more relaxed and casual listening.

 

Personally, I think Bob hasn't changed hid mind so much as he wanted to go back to being his old inscrutable mysterious self, in public anyway, and move away from his temporary bout of emotional transparency after his religious conversion. It's probably very hard for a person that famous to maintain a level of vulnerability for very long, especially if he wanted to maintain a public performance career such as he has. I can't remember the source of this quote, but I remember reading an interview in which he was asked about whether he still held the beliefs he was promoting during the "gospel" period. He replied enigmatically that he "believed the songs."

 

Re: “Someone’s Got a Hold of My Heart” under discussion by Sean and Ray, in the last verse Bob sings:

“I hear the hot-blooded singer
On the bandstand croon
September Song, Memphis in June......”

So I guess Bob has to release one more Sinatra album that includes “September Song”?



— David

 

Waychong Bob with the Hearbreakers perform In the Garden was a great experience. That gig had a few others like Roger Mcguinn opening and performing some Byrds classics with the band and not the least Bob making a rare reading of Tomorrow is a long time. I hope the bootleg series one day touches some of the stuff from this era.

 

Personally I have since long given up trying to understand Dylans moves and phases. That goes also for his lyrics. After reading lot s of stuff about it-not least Song and dance man by Michael Gray I am convinced that Dylan is an extremely literate person and that he picks his inspiration from all over the place. Just like other truly great writers his stuff carries an incredible deapht, wisdom and of course openess for different interprations. Just like all true art. Instead I nowadays sort of goes with the flow when it comes to Dylan,maybe listen more with my heart and emotions than trying to intellectualise or even understand. This way of enjoying Dylans work is -for me-extremely rewarding. That goes for his so called Christian stuff as well. There are so many questions of morality,responsibility,humanity and faith that-besides of the great music also makes me think of myself. Just like art is supposed to work.
With that said I don t knock the dylanogists or all of you who goes to long extent trying to understand. It s just different way of approaching Dylan's work

 

In other words, not exactly!

 

Before The Cutting Edge came out in 2015, I listened to nothing but Bob's folk years (1961-1964) for several weeks. I compiled a fairly massive playlist of everything I had -- minus some duplications -- in chronological order, from every official source I had. It ended up being nearly 200 tracks. I know it only covers a sliver of his career, but you can start here:

Purify Yourself for Bob Dylan's Bootleg Series Vol. 12 HERE

 

I am amongst those who cannot or would not afford the big boxset.
Well, let me tell you: the 2 disc set is great, from beginning to end, and I am rounding it out on a track-by-track basis with online retailers.
So far, I have 5 tracks from the 4th disc:

• Slow Train (Rehearsal with horns)
  
• Gotta Serve Somebody (Rehearsal with horns)
  
• Making a Liar Out of Me (Rehearsal)
  
• Rise Again (Rehearsal)
  
• Caribbean Wind (Rehearsal with pedal steel)

Any other incredibly great cut I should not be without?

 

1996 Newsweek. David Gates asked Dylan what he believed.
"I find the religiosity and philosophy in the music. I don't find it anywhere else. Songs like 'Let Me Rest on a Peaceful Mountain' or 'I Saw the Light' — that's my religion. I don't adhere to rabbis, preachers, evangelists, all of that. I've learned more from the songs than I've learned from any of this kind of entity. The songs are my lexicon. I believe the songs."

1997
"Those old songs are my lexicon and prayer book. All my beliefs come out of those old songs, literally, anything from 'Let Me Rest on that Peaceful Mountain' to 'Keep on the Sunny Side.' You can find all my philosophy in those old songs. I believe in a God of time and space, but if people ask me about that, my impulse is to point them back toward those songs. I believe in Hank Williams singing 'I Saw the Light.' I've seen the light, too”.

Not original links but: Kees de Graaf keesdegraaf.com - What does Bob Dylan really believe?

 

This thread is hillarious in the ways folks try and and twist Bob into something he isnt or is.

 

It's called art appreciation. Trying to trace the song back to the experiences and influences which created it, is a thread which goes back as long as man has tried to express himself. Sometimes you'll be wide off the mark. Sometimes you won't. But it doesn't make the endeavour any less worthwhile. If anything it just reinforces the cycle and enriches both our sense of history and the imprint left to sustain the story and the debate.

 

I'm quite partial to the 3 tracks from '78 at the start of disc 3.

 

People have been trying to do that for decades. Bob confounds them all.

 

Well, there are many great moments, but (apart from Carribean Wind (pedal steel) which you already have) my three ”desert island gems” would probably be:

* Pressing On (Saved Outtake)

* Every Grain of Sand (Rehearsal)

* Girl From the North Country (from Earl’s Court)

Cheers,
Fred

 

I'm very partial to all the tracks on the first ten CD's

Fred, if I can advise you. In your shoes, I would shake off any doubts about the cost of the full set, save up money (buy a few less CD's over the next few months) and make it one of your main year-long purchases. I feel it's pretty essential. The live discs should be heard as a whole - to fully appreciate the total performances.

 

For me the alternative (and hugely superior to the released) studio take of 'Covenant Woman' and the totally different studio take of 'Dead Man Dead Man' with the harmonica are the highlights of the set in terms of studio material.