365 Days of Dylan, Day 24: Desolation Row

365 Days of Dylan, Day 24: Desolation Row.

"Desolation Row" closes Dylan's masterpiece Highway 61 Revisited (1965). Lyrics.

Noteable covers include recordings by My Chemical Romance, The Grateful Dead and Chris Smither.

"Desolation Row," Live from Desert Trip, October 2016.

From the Bootleg Series, Volume 4, Live 1966.

        

         

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365 Days of Dylan, Day 15: With God On Our Side

365 Days of Dylan, Day 15: With God On Our Side, originally from The Times They are a Changin'. 

Is this song prayer, poem, history lesson or protest? Yes. 

Another of Dylan's many covered songs. Hope you enjoy the selections on this playlist. 

"Oh my name it ain't nothin'. My age it means less. The country I come from is called the Midwest."

With God On Our Side, complete lyrics

"If God's on our side, he'll stop the next war." 

From the BBC Tonight Show

Live at Town Hall, 1963

Joan Baez live in 1966

A great version by Dylan and Baez from The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6, Bob Dylan Live 1964.

The beautiful, plantive growl of Gurf Morlix.

Ramblin' Jack Elliott

Let's close with Odetta and 

The Neville Brothers from the spectacular 1989 album Yellow Moon.

Versions of "With God on Our Side by Dylan also appear on his MTV Unplugged release and Bob Dylan Live at Carnegie Hall 1963. 

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365 Days of Dylan, Day 12: When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky

365 Days of Dylan, Day 12: When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky from Empire Burlesque.

I like the alternate take from Dylan's Bootleg Series, Volumes 1-3, Rare and Unreleased, 1963-1991. This version has a cleaner, more straightforward sound. It starts slow and picks up with a cheerful energy.

Then there's Jeff Healey's burning cover, featured in the movie Roadhouse, that starts out sounding more than a little like "All Along the Watchtower."

More performances of "When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky" from YouTube.

Jeff Healey's version from Roadhouse.

When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky lyrics. 

           

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365 Days of Dylan, Day 11: My Back Pages

365 Days of Dylan, Day 11: "My Back Pages," from Another Side of Bob Dylan. This song has one of my favorite lines from any of Dylan's songs (that's saying a lot) that I often repeat:

"Well, I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now."

This is melancholy, introspective Dylan, singing and slinging wisdom beyond his then young years.

 Makes me consider that:

• I'm always a student. The more I learn, the more I have to learn.
• I hope to continue to grow, but never completely grow up.
• I strive to remain open.

Also reminds me of something Jonathan, my son, told me when he was three or four years old:

"Dad, when you get little like me, we can go to kiddie camp (preschool) together and play all day."

"I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now."

"My Back Pages" lyrics.

Again, another amazing cover by The Byrds. They really had that Dylan thing down, didn't they?

Bob Dylan on tour.

           

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What's your favorite Dylan song?

365 Days of Dylan, Day 10: You Ain't Goin' Nowhere

365 Days of Dylan, Day 10: "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" from The Basement Tapes.

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere lyrics.

Tell you how old I am, when I was a kid, the J.C. Penney in the Richmond (Indiana) Square Mall sold albums, as in vinyl. They had a nice selection between the boys' clothing and furniture departments. It seemed like The Basement Tapes was always on prominent display on an end cap.

As a boy, browsing the records, I'd stop to stare at the cover of The Basement Tapes. Lots of stories under those hats and behind those beards. And what's the deal with that little RCA-looking dog?

If you like Dylan covers and alternate takes, "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" does not disappoint.

The version on The Basement Tapes Sampler: The Bootleg Series, Volume 11 begins, "Now look here dear Sue, you best feed the cats. The cats need feeding and you're the one to do it."

But who feeds the dog? You know, the one on the album cover. And is this the "dog that talks?" Still so many questions.

I've listened to the The Byrds and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's version of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" as much as Dylan's original or any others.

Then there's Joan Baez sweet-sounding cover from Baez Sings Dylan.

And Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova from I'm Not There (Music from the Motion Picture).

I really like Oscar Isaac's cover that I discovered while working on this post.

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