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

I generally find the "standard" songs are losing a little steam by April 1980 compared to November/December 1979, but the three new songs - "CD/PT, "Ain't Gonna Go To Hell For Anybody" and "I Will Love Him" are all favorites of mine and the personal highlights of the Toronto run for me. "CD/PT" may be THE shining moment for the backup singers.

 

The Toronto mix is cleaner and it has a studio sound, but I think that strangely the 1979 cassette mix is warmer than the perfect Toronto mix. At least I prefer the cassette mix.

 

My personal feeling is I find something in both that I like, so I'm happy to have examples of both approaches. If you gave me only one option, though, I would go cassette mix, which I'm sure puts me (us) in the minority. Maybe it derives from decades of hearing these shows on audience tapes?

 

Hey, no problem. I've never seen anything confrontational in your posts and I certainly didn't take yours quoted above as such. I guess it's just a matter of being slogged in the head with a message that was hoisted upon me some 35-40 years ago wears thin at some point. But I could listen to a 4-hour version of a snarling, vitriolic Idiot Wind and then play it again, so I suppose it's all relative. Couple that with the juvenile simplicity of Man Gave Names to All the Animals and some of this is just tired. That said, I think that there are some great performances on this release, but as a cohesive unit, it doesn't work for me. Which is fine, because I listen to about 30-40% of what I own (across all genres and artists) because I love that portion. The rest is worthless to me.

Put another way, I prefer my Dylan to be a searching Dylan, not a resolved Dylan.

 

I saw this at a theater last night. It wasn't advertised (except on the "Upcoming Features" section of their website), and was sparsely attended (maybe 15 people). But everyone applauded at the end, including a 20-year old who only started exploring Dylan when he won the Nobel Prize. Never in a million years would I have thought of such a scenario for a Born Again Bob doc. $12 and an hour well spent.

 

I first heard "Aint Gonna Go to hell For Anybody" during this tour when I was 12. It's the only track I remember from the show. Been waiting almost 40 years to hear it again and I still love it. Hearing it now, I think the Wilburys would have done a fine version of it.

 

I understand that completely. Although I don't feel that way about this material myself, I can certainly understand that a little of this sort of thing will go a long, long way for many listeners! I asked mostly because I usually find you comments on music very interesting, so I wanted to know if there was something specifically musical that was annoying you.

L.

 

Normally, I try to avoid the old, "Dylan can't sing" mantra and I really like his voice from '62-'75. But by '79, it was starting to trend badly, so there is something of that also. But the bands are great.

 

Having taken a short hiatus from the collection (about a month), I really enjoyed listening to it this sunny, San Francisco afternoon with fresh ears, without the filter that comes with first listen. I immersed myself in the music and musicianship, and Earls Court sounded just fine to me, free of initial expectations. Enjoying the rarities CDs (3 and 4) more than before--real energy to some of the out-takes, and "Ain't Gonna Go To Hell" on disc 4 really jumps out.

 

I understand why they included the 1981 concert (though it has not truly grabbed me yet) and I love having the outtakes and live versions of various SoL songs, but a good part of me wishes this set - still at the same # of discs, of course - had been limited to 1979 and 1980 - the Gospel Only Period.

 

I hear echos of Budokan in some of the old songs in London. I miss the crowd response/atmosphere in these soundboard recordings. I also thought that "like so many times before" in Knocking on Heaven's Door did not start until the Petty tour.

 

I never forgot hearing "Ain't Gonna Go to Hell for Anybody" in Worcester 1980. I "only" had to wait until the mid 90s to hear it again when I found it on a boot in a store in the village.

 

Got around to listening to a chunk of this.
I had high hopes but this probably my least favorite bootleg series.
I started my deep love of Dylan as an artist with Infidels, which is basically in the same wheelhouse as this.
Going by the lack of interest in this thread, maybe I am not alone?

Anyway, it seems like lots of dupes of live material which was the last thing I was looking for.
Sadly, it seems they were looking to fill multiple cds for their outrageous asking price.

One of my favorite bootleg tracks of all time is Heart of Mine.
The listing I have is from "Between Saved and Shot of Love".
Not only is that excellent version not on any of the 8-9 cds, the song isn't represented at all?!?

But, hey, let's have a 6th version of live Slow Train.

 

"....lack of interest in this thread..."

359 pages isn't what I would describe as a "lack of interest"

Re Heart of Mine it's on Shot of Love and there's a live version on Biograph so it's not as if it's hard to fine nor is it, as far as I can tell, a gospel song.

 

Right, but it could be interpreted as a confession of sin (in thought) after introspective self-examination..."Heart of mine, so full of guile"...And he's having a talk with his conscience, admonishing himself.

 

I find myself spending more time with this than any other of the bootleg series. Dylan's passion is unmatched, and the band is just incredible. And the tunes aren't ones I've listened too as much over the years, they are fresher to me (plus he keeps changing them so much they don't get old.).

Earl's Court didn't hit me at first. But I am coming around to enjoying most of the "classic" songs in these incarnations (Tambourine Man is still a struggle) and the new stuff, outside Lenny Bruce, is very fun and convincing.

So much more varied than 66.

 

I thought he sounded much better in 79/80 than 74. He sang with more power and conviction.

 

I haven't seen nor heard much live stuff from '74 for direct comparison, but there's a live version of Idiot Wind from '76 that can probably be found at the usual place that certainly isn't in any way lacking in power and conviction.

 

Definitely - 76 was great year for his singing, too. I was just comparing to 79/80 to 74 - you mentioned the years 62-75. I thought that he sang with power and conviction throughout most tours during the 60's, too. 74 tour is a bit lacking, compared.

 

Voice a bit thin - I would say.



peace and love✌Dave

 

I've been on here lots of years. I never had to dig 4 or 5 pages for discussion on a Bootleg Series the first few months of release.

I guess it makes sense what you are saying re: Heart of Mine but I want "The Gospel Years" not "The Gospel Songs".

And I still contend the bootleg Heart of Mine is better or as good as any of the performances on this set, even better then the released version on Biograph.
I would love to know what show that was and what other material was played.
Is it sour grapes for me, well, yep.

 

The version on Biograph is from New Orleans, Saenger Theatre 11/10/81. Same show as "Thief on the Cross" on disc 3 of BS13 and the "Dead Man Dead Man" b-side. It's been widely bootlegged in outstanding sound. The setlist (courtesy of Olof):

1981 US and Canada Fall Tour

1. Gotta Serve Somebody
2. I Believe In You
3. Like A Rolling Stone
4. I Want You
5. Man Gave Names To All The Animals
6. Maggie's Farm
7. Girl From The North Country
8. Ballad Of A Thin Man
9. Heart Of Mine
10. Simple Twist Of Fate
11. All Along The Watchtower
12. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
13. Forever Young
14. Gamblin' Man (trad.)
15. The Times They Are A-Changin'
16. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
17. Watered-Down Love
18. Shot Of Love
19. Masters Of War
20. Just Like A Woman
21. Thief On The Cross
22. Dead Man, Dead Man
23. When You Gonna Wake Up
24. In The Garden
25. Blowin' In The Wind
26. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
27. It Ain't Me, Babe
28. Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Is the version you're referring to the studio outtake (available on Genuine Bootleg Series Take Two)?

 

I love the Biograph version but I was talking about this one...
If I am permitted to post the youtube link:



Starts at 56:05

More info:

Bob Dylan – Between Saved and Shot (1999)

 

I have always found the gospel phase something I binge on and then put away for quite a while. It all just gets a bit much after a time.
Considering this is basically what Bob has done, I feel Im in pretty good company

 

I came back to the set this week after a month's hiatus. It sounded great to my re-freshened ears. Toronto disc one is particularly fantastic.

I shall probably put it away again for a month or so soon!