Bob Dylan: The Bootleg Series

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUT7N8RYgSI

Yeah, I love outtakes like this - I feel like every great artist has them, and they generally show why they're a cut above most. It's a good song and a lesser artist probably would've put it out or just polished it up if they managed to come up with this, but Dylan kept working at it and came up with a truly great track in "Foot of Pride."

Anyway, it does sound like an early run-through, like Dylan's got a complete draft of the words down but wants to try it over some basic music. There's a bit of a "Like a Rolling Stone" vibe and the acoustic guitar part recalls the basic riff from the Beatles "I've Got a Feeling."

yeah, it's odd hearing those lyric delivered without the anger of "Foot of Pride."

I was listening to "Pretty Saro" the other day and his vocals are just stunning, I don't know if I've ever heard him sing so beautifully.

Pretty Saro gets me every time.

Complete Masked & Anonymous sessions or GTFO

They’ve already covered TOOM outtakes on Tell Tale Signs, but I would love to hear a better master of the album.
in terms of the TOOM sessions, tell tale signs was just the tip of the iceberg apparently

The multi-tracks alone for TOOM are interesting because they had a shitload of people playing on that record. Jim Dickinson talked about this and kind of complained how much of that was lost (i.e. there are two drummers but that's not even discernible on the final mixes). He derided the finished mixes as "monitor mixes" which shouldn't be taken too literally - given how meticulous Lanois and Howard can be, if something's muted or buried, it's done so for a reason. But it does suggest that something like a 5.1 mix could be interesting, and I think contractually that would have to come from Lanois. I don't think Lanois would ever remix his stereo mixes, but I can see him doing 5.1 and adding more stuff back in due to the wider soundscape. Then again, how many people have 5.1 setups?

And yes, "Pretty Saro" was genuinely a lost classic - no one knew about it as it was never bootlegged. It's probably better than anything Dylan's released from that era, which may not be saying much, but it was a truly great discovery.

I think it was Duke Robilard that complained about most of his bits on TOOM were reduced to whatever bled into Dylan's mic. He also did a cover of "Love Sick" arranged the way it was on an earlier, to him superior take.

ooh it’s would be first in line if there’s that kinda stuff on offer. I love that record so hard and I respect the seductive production job but I’d love to peer deeper into the mire. I can’t think of a Bootleg Series retreading the same ground so maybe TTS was intended to close that door.

*I not “it’s”, jeeze

The only thing nobody's asked for:

all the takes from UNDER THE RED SKY!

Lost solos from "Slash" and Reg Dwight!

The Bootleg Series Vol. 17: Wiggle 'Til You Vomit Fire, 1989-1991

Loool!

Wow, never heard this “Pretty Saro” until you guys just mentioned it.

:)

Another Self Portrait is so good

"too late" is fascinating wow

Dylan promised to write about the UTRS sessions in the next memoir.

Still waiting.

The only thing nobody's asked for:

all the takes from UNDER THE RED SKY!

Lost solos from "Slash" and Reg Dwight!

There are two outtakes that would be worth releasing, and they were already bootlegged in good sound: "Handy Dandy" built almost entirely around Stevie Ray Vaughan's joyous bottleneck playing (probably one of the last things Vaughan recorded in the studio) and the original, more ominous "TV Talkin' Song" with a darker set of lyrics. They're not lost masterpieces, but they would've been good improvements on the album (which to me only works as a set of novelty songs - that kind of makes sense when you hear it back-to-back with the second Traveling Wilburys album, which isn't exactly great either). It's a shame they didn't release those two on Tell Tale Signs. They certainly could've done it on the overpriced three-CD deluxe edition as that third disc had room to spare. It's hard to imagine another good and feasible Bootleg Series installment where their inclusion would make sense.

In fairness, there's two other outtakes that may be worth releasing, but I doubt they are: a lost song called "Shirley Temple Don't Live Here Anymore" and a supposedly unfinished song that eventually became "Heartland." The former was performed in concert later on by producer Don Was's own group, Was (Not Was), but rewritten as "Mr. Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." The latter was supposedly given by Don Was to Willie Nelson during the Across the Borderline sessions (which Was produced) and Nelson not only finished the song but had Dylan sing with him on the final recording. FWIW, that Willie Nelson album is a good one, a commendable way of finishing his contract at Columbia.

maybe you could do a bootleg series with oh mercy > under the red sky > bromberg sessions > supper club stuff.

That was essentially Tell Tale Signs though. They didn't have anything from the UTRS sessions, but they did include two songs that were used on the album (albeit as outtakes from the Oh Mercy sessions). I guess you could do Tell Tale Signs Vol. 2 but some of the interviews they did at the time implied it wasn't something they'd want to do - that is, disc one to them had all the prime stuff most people would want, and from there it was diminishing returns (in their view).

The Supper Club stuff should just get their own DVD/Blu-ray release anyway. It was all filmed, and they could put all four hour-long concerts out on one or two Blu-ray discs. (Probably one if it's a 50 GB disc.)

I'm pretty skeptical of the Bromberg sessions - I actually know someone in Chicago who has them all and won't share, but the stuff that was leaked sounds too slick to me. You can hear a few on the super deluxe Tell Tale Signs, but I think Dylan's instincts were right to push them aside in favor of new, stripped down recordings of just him and an acoustic.

guess that i think of Tell Tale Signs as the continuation of the original Bootleg Series Vol 1-3, in that its more of a sampler of eras that could be explored further. That seems to be what they're thinking for the proposed time out of mind set.

I like those bromberg recordings that have made it out into the world — i'd love to hear 'em all.

maybe you could do a bootleg series with oh mercy > under the red sky > bromberg sessions > supper club stuff.

They should probably get their own complete release someday. I imagine Dylan has paid attention to what's happened with Miles Davis and knows his catalog could be subjected to the same posthumous treatment - a new archival release almost every year (though in Miles case, that has now slowed dramatically for lots of reasons). Anyway, a complete Bromberg set (two discs) would be a tidy and logical release. The guy who has them definitely loves them so I'm sure plenty of other Dylan fans will.

i don't think there's a pro toad's place tape, but who know?

bromberg tapes might not necessarily be a lost masterpiece, but I feel like they'd at least be good. tell this guy to stop being a hoarder and send them my way!

FWIW, it looks like Amazon probably has the tracklist for the two-CD version of Springtime in New York: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 16 (1980-1985). It's listed under the mp3/download version, 25 tracks in total:

1 Angelina (Shot of Love Outtake)
2 Need a Woman (Rehearsal)
3 Let's Keep It Between Us (Rehearsal)
4 Price of Love (Shot of Love Outtake)
5 Don't Ever Take Yourself Away (Shot of Love Outtake)
6 Fur Slippers (Shot of Love Outtake)
7 Yes Sir, No Sir (Shot of Love Outtake)
8 Jokerman (Infidels Alternate Take)
9 Lord Protect My Child (Infidels Outtake)
10 Blind Willie McTell (Take 5 - Infidels Outtake)
11 Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight (Version 2) (Infidels Alternate Take)
12 Neighborhood Bully (Infidels Alternate Take)
13 Too Late (Band Version) (Infidels Outtake)

Disc 2
1 Foot of Pride (Infidels Outtake)
2 Sweetheart Like You (Infidels Alternate Take)
3 Someone's Got a Hold of My Heart (Infidels Outtake)
4 I and I (Infidels Alternate Take)
5 Tell Me (Infidels Outtake)
6 Enough is Enough (Live from Slane Castle, Ireland)
7 Tight Connection to My Heart (Has Anyone Seen My Love) (Empire Burlesque Alternate Mix)
8 Seeing the Real You at Last (Empire Burlesque Alternate Take)
9 Emotionally Yours (Empire Burlesque Alternate Take)
10 Clean Cut Kid (Empire Burlesque Alternate Take)
11 New Danville Girl (Empire Burlesque Outtake)
12 Dark Eyes (Empire Burlesque Alternate Take)

Shame that the live "License to Kill" from Late Night was left off the two-disc version. I might have liked the alternate of "I'll Remember You" too since I'm hoping this box set - along with the alternate "When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky" from the first Bootleg Series release - will salvage Empire Burlesque.

Dirty Projectors did a great cover of Dark Eyes which introduced me to the song a few years ago. A beauty!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGY5yKHMjng

is Fur Slippers a cover?

never cared for Dark Eyes, trying too hard and doesn't sound like 80s Dylan to me, would have fit better on something like TooM but would sound weak there too

may have to do with the released take which is unlistenable to me, as if Dylan really doesn't want to sing it

"Fur Slippers" was a trunk song (supposedly dating back to the early '60s) that first surfaced in a version by BB King recorded for a TV mini-series about the early days of Rock'n'Roll.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iate0xqor2k

Although I see in the IMDB credits for the film (Billy Porter as Little Richard!) that the song is credited to Dylan and Tim Drummond, so probably not from the '60s as was reported at the time.

that's a great B B King recording!

"Fur Slippers" was a trunk song

slightly off topic, but can one of you true heads tell me if there are any tracks/versions on "Greatest Hits Vol. II" (the 2LP) that aren't available elsewhere?

I think they’re all on Side Tracks.

yeah, but which ones? I believe "Tomorrow Is A Long Time" is one of them,but what else?

I ask b/c I actually have a copy of the 2LP at the moment and am def not buying Side Tracks anytime soon

(btw my version is the early one with 'She Belongs To Me'

ah here we go

The final package included one previously uncollected single, "Watching the River Flow", an outtake from the same sessions, "When I Paint My Masterpiece"; one song from Dylan's April 12, 1963 Town Hall concert, "Tomorrow Is a Long Time", and three songs from the September sessions, "I Shall Be Released", "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere", and "Down in the Flood". The remaining tracks were drawn from existing releases.

That version of You Ain't Going' Nowhere with Happy Traum is really sweet.

xp sorry, guess I misunderstood yr question

np, WIkipedia tells all

also worth noting the the version of 'Quinn The Eskimo' on this set is the live Isle Of Wight version that was also on Self-Portrait

FWIW "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" actually sounds better on the leaked mono recording of the same 1963 Town Hall show. It's possible the bootleg is even closer to the first-generation source than the Greatest Hits Vol. 2 master (where it's essentially a dub, now audibly worn in spots). I really wish they officially released that and the 1963 Carnegie Hall set in full as one of the Bootleg Series volumes - Sony/Dylan's camp considered it but opted for the 1964 set, which is nowhere near as good.

Just dropped:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llFXxE0I3aM

The widely bootlegged version popular with collectors, except in a new mix - drier with no echo on Dylan's vocal and the cough in the intro has been fixed

Maybe they threw the cough onto “Suze.”

I’ve been on the fence now about whether to order this, for obvious reasons (and as someone grimly pointed out, the set’s title is now… unfortunate). But after a few days, I feel like maybe I should proceed with business as usual, rather than stay in a state of agonized suspense. I wouldn’t blame any fans who decide otherwise, though.

Unless you were planning to order one of the high-demand collectibles like the Third Man vinyl (which may be a moot point if it's already sold out), just hold off until they get their hearing and the courts determine whether the case should go to trial. I doubt the sets will sell out before then, and then you can just play it by ear from there. That's probably what I'm doing.

Makes sense

It's funny how "Blind Willie McTell" was the lost grail, but now (to my ears) we've got "Dignity" and "Highlands" and "Murder Most Foul" and other epics that at least match it.

I never quite got the hype around "BWM" – I do like this new version, though.

It's funny how "Blind Willie McTell" was the lost grail, but now (to my ears) we've got "Dignity" and "Highlands" and "Murder Most Foul" and other epics that at least match it.

I'm a fan of all four, but I know the latter two have detractors ("Highlands" has been called self-parody by at least a few Dylan-loving critics - Bill Wyman of the Chicago Reader and Salon, and I think Tim Riley as well).

"Blind Willie McTell" never quite had the definitive recording, but it follows the approach Dylan had the most success with (and would have when he had a later-career resurgence), which was tap into old forgotten American songs and refashion them into new songs. No big deal to him because it was a common practice (see Woody Guthrie), but Dylan was much more impressive with it because he drew from a wide, wide array of songs (whereas Guthrie would even reuse quite a few of the same tunes and arrangements):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzcpUdBw7gs

So that's kind of the musical hook, but that puts more emphasis on the words - if it's a great original song, it would have to be the lyrics that make it, and on paper, I do see why it's been celebrated. I don't want to say "Dignity" is worse because it's one of his masterpieces from that era too - just one great verse after another - but "Blind Willie McTell" really gets under the skin. The Band's version is pretty good, and Dylan pretty much used their arrangement when he brought it into his setlists, but I don't think Greil Marcus is wrong when he says Chrissie Hynde's version may be definitive - it could be the best version I've heard by anyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRLTaRFvzwE

I think I posted this in another thread, but do you guys know this outtake To Fall in Love With You? I only recently learned about it – pretty remarkable...