This. Bob always got major props from me for not slavishly re-creating his recorded works (or trying to — see McCartney, Paul). Among other things, of course. But I've seen too many NET shows where his phrasing was utterly random and/or where he found one vocal trick (remember the "upsinging" era?) and applied it to every song, to consider him a first-class jazz-style vocal improviser. This reminds me of those absurd "Bob Dylan — Jazzman?" discussions during the 2000 tour, just because that version of "Tryin' to Get to Heaven" added a few extra chords beyond his standard folk/blues/country toolkit.
100 percent, it's a put on, just like when the two ladies look directly into the camera, Bob being Bob
Thanks. It is just me then! I was streaming from my phone via Bluetooth to my Naim unit last night and it was all mono, no stereo separation at all. I thought it was strange. I don't know what setting to adjust, don't usually have this problem with that method.
I downloaded the audio in flac from mediafire a couple of days ago. The Bennyboy remaster. Great quality. I've been playing it at least five times already.
So I ended up watching it 5 times and it was totally worth the price I paid. First, I experienced it with 2 Dylan fans, with my parents in Palm Springs, with my wife at home and a couple times by myself at home. The performance was so good that my parents and wife couldn't keep their eyes off of it. I'm currently listening to the wonderful audio and I really want this as Bob's next official LP. It's that good.
To be fair, I don't know how people can be so certain it's All Along the Watchtower that's playing over the credits, given that Hurricane has a very similar (the same?) chord progression and rhythm.
I've only listened once, but this is really terrific stuff. I would love to see him perform these types of arrangements live. I've soured on his performances since the late 90s and have found him pretty dull (especially the Sinatra show). His voice hasn't had this much range in years. The time off from touring and probably the studio-like setting for this performance really allowed him to try to sing. I haven't had the chance to see the video, but I hope to get to that soon.
Or that it is a riff worked out in the filming sessions. That is my guess. I bet take two was different. It is too bad the film credits cut that music so abruptly. If you can manage a quick fade just before the cut-off, it is more satisfying.
Perhaps he is referring to something like this? I like it when Dylan mixes things up to fit a specific context. Baby Let Me Follow You down fit his electric set perfectly in 1966. One Too Many Mornings and Girl From the North Country remakes work well in the context of what he was doing in 1969. I even like the 1980s rock sound of the classic songs on Real Live. But Masters of War at the Grammys is the worst thing I have ever heard in my life.
A legendary moment! Millions of people watching (a likely drunk) Bob in a high profile performance giving a confusing speech and crazy performance of "Masters of War." This is one of the main reasons for the "unintelligible" opinion so many have.
It was a major statement while the initial bombing by the USA in the opening of war in Iraq from January 17, 1991 to Febrary 21, 1991 was happening, Bob performed it on February 20, 1991 on major network television. It is nigh impossible to identify another artist, especially a major artist, who would confront his government in such a direct and open manner. People need a sense of history.
Reportedly Dylan had a high fever and was hopped up on cold medicine. I taped to VHS during the broadcast. They showed a video montage that included the Hard Rain version of Shelter From The Storm. The next day I went to Musicland and bought Blood on the Tracks. I found that version of Shelter somewhat different.
I don’t see how that context has any relevance to the quality of this performance. If anything, his statement would likely have been much more powerful had anyone in the audience been able to actually understand what he was singing about.
Right. It is historical revisionism to paint that performance as anything brave. If he had performed it acoustically--where the words were understandable--it would have been devastating, and remembered as the greatest moment in Bob's career. He had the opportunity, but he blew it. When I realized what song he was performing, and thought what the performance could have been, it felt like I was watching a champion prizefighter take a dive.
It's the price he pays I suppose for preferring spontaneity and trying to capture the moment, rather than carefully rehearsed reliable performance. Kind-of the opposite of Paul Simon. I didn't have any problem recognising the song though! Tim
Dylan's 1991 Grammy acceptance speech isn't confusing at all, if you are familiar with Dylan's Jewish upbringing: Well, alright. Yeah, well, my daddy, he didn't leave too much, you know, he was a very simple man and he didn't leave me a lot, but what he did tell me was this, he did say, son, he said ... he said so many thing, you know. He said you know it's possible to become so defiled in this world that your own mother and father will abandon you and if that happens, God will always believe in your own ability to mend your own ways. (Bob Dylan, Grammy acceptance speech, 1991) This speech includes an allusion to Psalms 27:10 – "When my father and mother abandon me, God will gather me up." But Dylan's choice of words points to the commentary on the above verse by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (his teachings in Germany in the mid 19th century were an important influence on the development of Orthodox Judaism): "Even if I were so depraved that my own mother and father would abandon me to my own devices, God would still gather me up and believe in my ability to mend my ways." It's important to note that both Hirsch and Dylan reversed the "father and mother" of the original verse to "mother and father". Furthermore Dylan's use of the phrase "believe in your own ability to mend your own ways" directly parallels Hirsch's "believe in my ability to mend my ways". Dylan most likely saw the quote in the Metsudah Siddur, a prayerbook popular among returnees to Orthodox Judaism. What makes this speech especially poignant is the fact that Dylan's mother was in the audience at the show. In regard to the musical performance you have to remember that the show took place during the Gulf War and the performers had been asked to refrain from overtly political messages during their performances. Dylan was the only one who had the guts to confront the situation head on when he performed his punk blues version of "Masters Of War". Dylan's speech and his musical performance at the 1991 Grammy show were two of the greatest things on US live television in the 1990s.
