Bob Dylan: "Good As I Been To You" Song-By-Song Discussion

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by RayS, Apr 30, 2018.

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  1. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower Thread Starter

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    The Bromberg session version hasn't been released and hasn't circulated, so we're all in the same boat there (except for the chosen few who judge these things, I assume). I really love Dylan's performance on this song - a shame that its inclusion in the setlist was so fleeting.
     
  2. lschwart

    lschwart Senior Member

    Location:
    Richmond, VA
    We'll look forward to the future Bootleg Series release....or maybe a visit to Tulsa.

    L.
     
    RayS likes this.
  3. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower Thread Starter

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    "Annie's Song", on the list of Bromberg sessions songs, is one of the most intriguing still-in-the-vault titles this side of "The Rainbow Connection".

    If this is not simply a misreporting of "Annie's Going to Sing Her Song" (which appeared on "Another Self Portrait" but was sit in the vault in 1992)



    then it's a Dylan-covers-Denver moment.

    John Denver - Annie's Song (Audio)
     
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  4. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower Thread Starter

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    And now on to the 2 Bromberg sessions tracks that have been released.

    "Duncan and Brady"

    This track kicked off the 3rd disc of the deluxe edition of "Tell Tale Signs". Premiered in concert at the end of 1999, "Duncan and Brady" became a set list regular (81 performances), opening shows in 2000-20002.

    Dublin 2000:


    The first recorded version, by Wilmer Watts and the Lonely Eagles (1929), is clearly not the influential version for Dylan (Wilmer Watts and The Lonely Eagles - Been On The Job Too Long )

    Lead Belly is always a likely candidate for an influential Dylan version, but .... nope (Duncan and Brady Leadbelly )

    The apparent winner: Dylan's old pal Dave Van Ronk (Dave Van Ronk - "Duncan and Brady" )

    But wait! The Johnson Mountain Boys version has the same lyrics as the Van Ronk version, and the arrangement bears a strong resemblance to Dylan's live version (Johnson Mountain Boys - Duncan and Brady )
     
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  5. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower Thread Starter

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    A second Bromberg sessions track was released on "Tell Tale Signs":

    "Miss the Mississippi"

    Dylan has never performed the song in concert, so unfortunately there is no YouTube link for a performance of his.

    While this song has been covered a great many times since the 1930s, I think the influential version goes back to Jimmie Rodgers' 1932 version. The song was written by someone named Bill Halley (not Bill Haley Internet posters!) There may be a version that predates Rodgers', but comparing his version to Dylan's I think it is clear Bob was working from Jimmie's version.



    IMO, "Duncan and Brady" and "Miss the Mississippi" are both strong Dylan performances, lending hope that the Bromberg sessions are a vault treasure trove just a tick below the solo "GAIBTY" recordings. The three circulating unreleased tracks, which we'll get to next, don't necessarily support that though, IMO.
     
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  6. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower Thread Starter

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    The first of the three circulating, but unreleased, Bromberg sessions tracks:

    "Polly Vaughn"



    "Polly Vaughn" is an Irish traditional. The odd tale of a man (Jimmy Randle) who goes out hunting and accidentally kills his love (Polly Vaughn), who he mistakes for a swan. Her ghost comes back to reassure Jimmy of his innocence, and then also pays a visit to her uncle during Jimmy's trial. And there the song ends, apparently.

    There are a great many versions of this song, often under variant titles.

    Peter, Paul and Mary's version: Peter, Paul, and Mary - Polly Von

    Bluegrass style, by The Dillards: The Dillards - Polly Vaughn

    Dylan's version follows the Dillards' version fairly closely.

    My two cents: This is the kind of folk song that "A Mighty Wind" made fun of. It would take a miraculous effort for Dylan to infuse enough into this song to justify dusting it off. Your mileage may very well vary.
     
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  7. All Down The Line

    All Down The Line The Under Asst East Coast White Label Promo Man

    Location:
    Australia
    Underated lp and for me superior to the follow up acoustic covers lp.
     
  8. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower Thread Starter

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    "Kaatskill Serenade"



    This is a David Bromberg song, dating from 1976.

    Bromberg's version: David Bromberg - Kaatskill Serenade

    I feel like this song would have worked better with a starker arrangement, and perhaps Dylan (in general) felt the same way, resulting in the idea of interjecting solo performances into the lineup of full band performances.
     
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  9. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower Thread Starter

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    On to the last of the circulating Bromberg sessions tracks, and the finale of this here thread.

    "Sloppy Drunk"



    It's not hard to find Dylan's source for this one - it's from the same Bromberg album as "Kattskill Serenade" ("How Late'll Ya Play 'Til?")

    Although it likely derives from it, Bromberg's song is not the same as the blues standard alternately known as "Sloppy Drunk Blues" and "Sloppy Drunk", which is sometimes credited to Jimmy Rogers (the bluesman, not the singing brakeman, who spelled it Jimmie Rodgers).

    Here is Lucille Bogan's version from the early 1930s: Lucille Bogan - Sloppy Drunk Blues

    There are even more Bromberg titles on the list of performances. Did Dylan have that much admiration for his producer's work? Did Bromberg envision a "Dylan Does Bromberg" album? Did the numbers come up spontaneously as the two men discussed songs to perform? We may never know, or the Bromberg interview to promote "Copyright Extension Collection 2042" might tell us.
     
  10. I cant even remember when i listened to this album. Due to seeing this thread i am playing it now. Its a really nice album. I am sure i will be playing it far more often now. Thanks
     
    RayS likes this.
  11. All Down The Line

    All Down The Line The Under Asst East Coast White Label Promo Man

    Location:
    Australia
    Wonderful CD, i was intrigued at the time that Bob was doing some "roots" covers and had no problems with it.
    My favourite is Black Jack Davey but there are lots of goodies and to me this beats World Gone Wrong.
     
    Fishoutofwater likes this.
  12. I too like Black Jack Davey. I am sorry i have not given the album more air time. I will give World Gone Wrong later. I like that album
     
  13. munjeet

    munjeet Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore
    As a native Baltimorean, it’s my firm belief that Susan & Miss Mary Jane don’t know each other. It’s entirely possible that they live within a mile or two of one another, though, with their paths never to cross, even as Miss Mary Jane takes her buggy ‘round town. So it goes in this strange & stratified place, the streets of Baltimore.

    Thanks RayS for a great thread!
     
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  14. Jim Walker

    Jim Walker Senior Member

    Location:
    southeast porttown
    Two great records that I've gotten a lot of listening time from.
    Both equally satisfying while the second one gets a little more
    play. The cover of World Gone Wrong is one of my favorites.
     
  15. I love that cover too. Its cool
     
  16. DmitriKaramazov

    DmitriKaramazov Senior Member

    Well, this is one truly amazing album cover!!!
     
    RayS likes this.
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