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

Some like myself are spiritual but no longer subscribe to a particular organized religion but still indentify with the intense passion of the music, the rock and roll by Dylan.

You can enjoy music a novel or a film even you don’t believe in the subject matter.

 

I saw Dylan on his gospel tour in Akron Ohio on May 18th 1980 and it was one of the best shows I have ever seen, it was like a "Old Fashioned Revival Camp Meeting", the band was rocking, the back up singers added a Pentecostal flavor to the concert, it was like you could smell the sawdust from a tent meeting. The passion and conviction he sung with made you realize, he truly had a "born again" experience. As a believer myself, I was excited to hear the songs live after hearing the Slow Train Coming album the previous year. Nothing came close in gospel music to Bob Dylan as a songwriter, the songs were direct, while Contemporary Christian music of that time was trying to lean toward secular music, Dylan was getting away from the secular and was aiming toward the original black church, the blues, americana, you can tell he was tapping into the roots of gospel music, which as you know, influenced everything else.

I remember feeling the tension as he refused to perform the hits, you could cut it with a knife, some people were yelling for the songs from the audience and he responded with:
"All right, well, others do these songs for you. I know a lot of country and western people they do that. They sing ah, sing ah, what is it? “You can put your shoes into my bed anytime”. And then they turn around and sing “Oh Lord, just a closer walk with thee”. Well, I can’t do that, That’s right, you cannot serve two masters. You gotta hate one and love the other. You can’t drink out of two cups".

I could not believed what I had just witnessed, he had no problem with the tension, the cat calls or the struggle, his singing was impassioned and he was determined to get out his message.

My take on the box set, it is very good, some of it is stunning in how good it is, but there were missed opportunities, I am not a big fan of the sermons in the DVD and I feel it hurts the pacing of the DVD, Dylan's performance was so much better in the recently upgraded Toronto video circulating on the internet, why wasn't that considered for this box? He looked uncomfortable in parts of the "Trouble No More" DVD, like the camera man was too close to his face and it bothered him, I know the footage wasn't as clear or as close in the Toronto performance, but it was fantastic!!!

I had read that Dylan always wanted to have a remixed version of the "Saved" album, whereas the Slow Train album had a much better mix, I am sure he longed to see that same type of mix for those songs that he performed live for a period of time. I am glad that finally got his desire to release the Toronto concert, I just wish it was complete.

Years later, I saw Dylan live again and the passion was gone and the lyrics were unintelligible. But I continued to follow his music and through out the years his lyrics has maintained some biblical influence.

One big disappointment I have is I bought the Deluxe Set on Amazon, and now I read in this thread about the wonderful San Diego Concert addition from those who order from the Dylan website, I can't buy it again just for those 2 discs, too much money.

 

I can't tell you how much I love that version!! That pushed my to buy the 3 "Born Again" albums in 1986, and I've loved them ever since!!

 

There's, of course, a traditional reason for the bluntness of the lyrics. No other approach will do with a subject of this kind. Here's one of the great poetic expressions of the theme (neat trick writing elaborate poetry about discovering the necessity of not writing elaborate poetry when it comes to religious expression):

JORDAN. (II)

When first my lines of heav'nly joyes made mention,
Such was their lustre, they did so excell,
That I sought out quaint words, and trim invention ;
My thoughts began to burnish, sprout, and swell,
Curling with metaphors a plain intention,
Decking the sense, as if it were to sell.

Thousands of notions in my brain did runne,
Off'ring their service, if I were not sped :
I often blotted what I had begunne ;
This was not quick enough, and that was dead.
Nothing could seem too rich to clothe the sunne,
Much lesse those joyes which trample on his head.

As flames do work and winde, when they ascend,
So did I weave my self into the sense.
But while I bustled, I might heare a friend
Whisper, How wide is all this long pretence !
There is in love a sweetnesse readie penn'd :
Copie out only that, and save expense.

George Herbert (1593-1633)

L.

 

I am so excited (and ready) for my BD.com order to arrive. I always feel slighted when release date comes and goes and my package is never there. I wish they would honor the people who order from their sight and have the packages shipped out so most of us would receive it on (or maybe a day before) release day.

 

I have to agree with RayS. That's a a weak three-song run. Perhaps the weakest three song run in the history of the Bootleg Series. It's followed ny the fine but unfinished "Thief on the Cross".

 

While most of you are digging into this set, I'm... going through the sacraments.

I know I'm not as into this era as a lot of you, and if I had to say why, it could be that my introduction to it wasn't the best. I got the trilogy with the Complete Collection (which was also where I first many more albums.) I think I was digesting too much too quickly, and after going through Desire and Street Legal, I should have paused. My mistake, and a lesson learned now. I don't simply rush into listening to something because I bought or downloaded it. New music needs to be heard properly, even if it means waiting a few days, or even a few weeks. Marathon-ing music only works for me if there is already a sense of familiarity.

As such, this evening, because the time felt right, I began my re-introduction to the Gospel Years. And so it began with a 23 song playlist based on and featuring Slow Train Coming. My first observation is that I clearly listen more to Bob singing Slow Train with the Dead because I forgot he sings the refrain differently on the original! It's a really good album. I don't think I ever appreciated Precious Angel enough until today! The playlist moved on to some covers of titles Dylan didn't release himself (at the time....) the highlight being Jah Malla doing Ain't No Man Righteous. Then the short Helena Springs tape. Next were two '79 songs played live, Ain't No Man Righteous and Blessed Be The Name. Mmm, that live energy is great. Hearing those two makes for a nice tease in anticipation of this set. Then the two STC numbers from Dylan & The Dead. And to cap off the proceedings, Dylan and Mavis Staples re-doing Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking.

Sure I've played it all before, but it's like I'm REALLY hearing it for the first time (and wow, I really missed out on Precious Angel!). I'm changing my way of thinking.

"I said, “You know they refused Jesus, too”
He said, “You’re not Him""

When I was walking home, thinking about my review, I had some intention of fitting that old line in, but however I was going to use it escapes me now!

 

Having only listened to the iTunes samples, these are the tracks that interest me from the deluxe set:

Ain't Gonna Go to Hell 12/2/80
Ain't No Man Righteous - take 6
Caribbean Wind - rehearsal
Covenant Woman - Toronto
Cover Down, Pray Through - Toronto
Dead Man - London
Do Right to Me - Toronto soundcheck
Every Grain of Sand - rehearsal
Gonna Change My Way of Thinking - horns
Gotta Serve Somebody - horns
Making a Liar out of Me
Rise Again
Slow Train - horns
Thief on the Cross
Trouble in Mind
When He Returns - Toronto
When You Gonna Wake Up - London
Yonder Comes Sin

 

A confession: I never really listened to "Lenny Bruce" until last night. I THOUGHT I knew what the song sounded like, but it was entirely different from that. I'd been skipping it on all my listens since I got Shot of Love in '04, I guess. It's a nice, puzzling little song, although "on-the-nose" seems to be the apt designation du jour. To me, it reinforces the extent to which Shot of Love really isn't very much a gospel album. I know it gets lumped in the era, but it's really its whole own thing, as I've pointed out before.

 

I saw Dylan T Petty and the Heartbreakers doin In the Garden back in the eighties. That was truly great

 

Another aspect of Dylans so-called born-again period is that I never think he has left that period within himself. I think Dylan very much so is a stern believer in God and divinity. There are lot s and lot s of biblical context in his work up to this day. It s just that he doesn t preach anymore. Don t think Dylan would have approved this release unless he wanted this work out. Perhaps maybe even more in the troubled times we live ce in now.

 

Does that guy that only refers to Bob Dylan by his Hebrew name still post on here? I'm interested to hear his thoughts on this period.

 

I’m enjoying the deluxe set even though it’s not my favorite Dylan era. Slow Train does hold a special place in my heart as it was the first Dylan album I bought on or near the date of its release and I almost wore out side 1 at the time. What an odd pairing — Dylan, Knopfler, Wexler. However, I must now confess that having had to listen to four live versions of Man Gave Names To All The Animals has me considering an exorcism.

 

I don't think he's here anymore. He's posting quite frequently in a Facebook group I follow. He's not a fan of this period. An example:
"Do I still study and listen to Shabtai Zisel? I have since 1961. But 1979-1981 are reflexions of a pulsating aura of a daemonic re/incarnation of Shabbateanism. In 2017, a clarification (not word games) from Shabtai Zisel / 'Bob Dylan' for the words and travesties of 1979-1981 are needed."

 

Hmmmm: "... a pulsating aura of a daemonic re/incarnation of Shabbateanism...". I really don't know what that means. But the next time one of my kids needs a note for being absent from grade school, that is what I am going to tell her teacher.

 

Finished reading the liner notes to the 2-CD set. Does anyone think Bob himself even reads them? I get the impression that Bob does not.

I also think that Bob has removed himself from the the inner workings of these Bootleg Series items (that is, Jeff Rosen has full permission to do whatever he wants), and Bob allows these sets to be produced without any input from him. I know Bob was involved with Biograph. And maybe he was involved with some of the early Bootleg Series. But since then ....

Anyone else have any thoughts as to Bob's involvement?

 

Most of what he wrote here was incomprehensible, never mind offensive. May he remain on Facebook.

 

I don t think anything in the series is made without Bobs approval. A lifelong studying of Dylan has led me to believe he has a lot more control over these things that one might guess. For instance-the idea of letting an actor deliver the sermons in the film apparently was an idea from Bob
Another example-ain my country Sweden there is a few art galleries specialing in Dylan's art. Much to their surprise Dylan unannounced walked into the gallery, chatted a bit and checked out how the paintings were hanging
So I'm defitively sure he reads the liner notes

 

That's a red hot studio alt take of Groom's Still Waiting at the Alter. Same structure and spirit as the re-issued album version but raised intensity and passion.

 

You make a good point that occurred to me recently. There seems to have been a slight change in the last few BS installments where they have put the more tantalising tracks on the deluxe edition as an incentive.

For example, I didn't feel the need to get the Tell Tale Signs deluxe but I had to get the Cutting Edge deluxe at least for the solo version of She's Your Lover Now.

I keep telling myself that if the next installment is Blood On the Tracks era that I probably only need a 2 disc version but I have learned by now not to make that assumption!

 

Thankfully, "Making a Liar Out of Me" is on the sampler that's available on Spotify and Apple Music (and other streaming services, I guess). So is the rehearsal version of "Caribbean Wind" and a few other highlights from the deluxe edition.

 

Well I have now played it all and I absolutely loved it. It was largely what I imagined a gospel bootleg series would be in that it would focus on the live performances but would draw on some of the rundown rehearsals and outtakes.

I wondered as I listened how much of this set I would listen to in one sitting in the future when I am running through all my bootleg series sets. I think I will definitely play the first four discs and will play the the live albums separately whenever I get the urge.

I was a little disappointed that San Diego didn't feature the sermons. I could understand why they were not on the main set but as an exclusive release for a limited number of fans I think this should have included the sermons. I still enjoyed it and do not regret ordering through the website.

As I have mentioned before, the omission of Saved from Toronto seems like an error but it was great to hear this concert with improved sound.

What's great about Earls Court (as with all his retrospective tours) is how the older songs change their meaning in the context of his enthusiasms of the time.

The dvd is enjoyable but seems like a wasted opportunity. A full release of Toronto on dvd or a documentary of the whole period would have been preferable.

So I give this release a definite thumbs up. What occurs to me when I listen to it (as with all the bootleg series releases) is how lucky us Bob fans are to be getting annual box sets of unreleased material. Wouldn't it be great if other artists took advice from Jeff Rosen? I am particularly thinking of the boxset of mostly released material that Queen are trying to get fans to buy.

 

For those eventually not familiar I recommend one great album Gotta serve somebody-the gospel songs of Bob Dylan. Released on 2003 this album have some top Gospel artist make their own renditions of Dylans gospel songs. However the final track is Dylan himself in a duet with Mavis Staples belt through Gonna change my way of thinking
Great stuff that shows the quality of Dylans gospel stuff in another light

 

Yes, that's a great album. Regina McCrary leads the Chicago Mass Choir and Jim Keltner and Fred Tackett (parts of Dylan's touring band in 1979-81) make cameo appearances.

 

I can almost bet he had a say in whether to leave in the sermonizing. Or at least a second party from Bobs camp who is in contact with him probably gives Bob a quick outline as to the questions the producers of these sets have.

I cannot see the contents mammoth The Cutting Edge box set not being addressed to Bob at least for a half hour of his time. Same with this. The sermonizing thing was probably their biggest question to Bob. Team Bootleg Series: " Do you want it left in or edited out, Mr Dylan?" Bobs camp: "Edit those out and send us a copy of the project when its done before it goes official. You know the routine." *click*

Im sure Bobs people are keenly aware of Bobs wishes. Thats what they get paid to do. To take the hassle of the "Dylan Legacy" off his shoulders. Bob is an old man now. He probably has time for few things: Touring, writing songs, exploring new sound schemes with his band and connecting with his family as best he can. Bootleg Series details are not high on his list or probably even in the game plan other than a cursory overview of the general idea for said Bootleg Series set.

And those folks who are Bobs hired hands to do the indepth scrutinizing? You can bet they are beyond f'ing it up. Theyd be ditched without even hearing from Bob if they werent.