Bob Dylan: The Bootleg Series

Thanks---I should have looked it up by now: YouTube's got several posts of his version, live and on Biograph---wiki sez:
"Percy's Song" is a song written by Bob Dylan. It was recording during the October 1963 sessions for Dylan's third album, The Times They Are A-Changin', but not included on it.

Folk star Joan Baez performed "Percy's Song" in the 1967 documentary film Dont Look Back,[1] which made the song known to the general public. The British folk rock group Fairport Convention recorded "Percy's Song" on their third album, released in 1969, Unhalfbricking. Then Arlo Guthrie recorded it for his 1970 album Washington County; this version achieved some progressive rock radio airplay in the United States.

Dylan's recording was not officially released until 1985 when it appeared in the Biograph box set. In the notes to that collection, Dylan credits Paul Clayton for the song's "beautiful melody line."[2][3][4] Clayton had played "The Wind and the Rain" to him, a variant of "The Twa Sisters", Child ballad 10.[5]

Dylan wrote the song from the point of view of a narrating character.[2] The song relates the story of a fatal car crash and a subsequent manslaughter conviction and 99-year sentence in Joliet Prison that is handed down to the driver (a friend of the first-person narrator). The narrator goes to ask the sentencing judge to commute his friend's sentence which he considers too harsh, but the sentence stands. The story of the hard-hearted judge is reminiscent of the Child ballad "Geordie".[6]
I took it that the narrator, who had no good answer for the judge, incl. a protest, really no answer at all, was limited to concern for his friend: the judge's statement of facts in the case, and his own professional POV, aren't challenged. So listeners are left to think and feel what we will, as with "Blowin' In The Wind" and a lotta other songs later on.

the Unhalfbricking version is one of my fave things ever, the band at the height of their powers

Oh yeah!
xpost So, clearly I need to listen to Paul Clayton: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Clayton_(singer) That article mentions record co. suit re "Don't Think Twice," which I knew got its tune from a certain folk song, but didn't know that Dylan got it via Clayton's adaptation, incl. some of the words:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Think_Twice,_It%27s_All_Right

At least he mentioned Clayton re "Percy's Song," also other acknowledgements of Rick Von Schmidt, and Patrick Sky (I think), maybe not Dave Von Ronk, although, in No Direction Home, DVR tells the story of how, after Dylan recorded the Dave take on "House of the Rising Sun" first, so when the arranger did it, people would say, "Hey, doing that Dylan song, huh?" then The Animals had the hit, and Van Ronk said Dylan reported that people were saying, "Hey, doing that Animals song, huh?" And in the movie, DVR enjoys this poetic justice.

Also maybe some stuff from Len Chandler (fond, vivid memories of whom incl. in Chronicles), according to this fansite, though I haven't checked the links: http://www.bobdylanroots.com/chandler.html
Intriguing bio, one of those guys who impressed, then slipped through the cracks of music histories:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Chandler

Just a few choice items he found, along with whatever he got from Paul Nelson's record collection, which he stole, as also told in No Direction Home, so we thank ye, Paul.

Anyone allergic to Empire Burlesque’s production sound (…I know you’re out there) has gotta hear the “Tight Connection” on this set (Disc 5, Track 4). So great!

Yeah, it's nice - I just wish they remixed the whole album! (The other newly mixed cuts are alternate takes...good takes, to be fair, but I still prefer the master takes on the original album.)

Yes, it's interesting that the bulk of Disc 5 is "sort of" an alternate version of the album, but they don't fully commit to that concept.

I have no problem with Empire Burlesque's production.

I like the bootleg sound.

I'm listening to BOB DYLAN: 1970, with special guest GEORGE HARRISON, at last.

Do you like it?

It seems to me rather like 'outtakes from amid which ANOTHER SELF PORTRAIT was selected'.

I like it, naturally.

I haven't even reached George Harrison yet as I keep playing just the earlier tracks!

I didn't realize that an edited version of "Death Is Not the End" appears on Down in the Groove (I've only listened to that album like once). The edit is good, but the full version is much better!

I also think "New Danville Girl" is superior to the Knocked Out Louded version of "Brownsville Girl" (both performance- and production-wise). The production on the 80s albums never really bothered me, but I sure appreciate hearing these outtakes.

Yeah, the production on "Brownsville Girl" is too bombastic with the blaring horns, an extra heap of cavernous echo and backup singers mixed way up. It's also Dylan's vocal - it's just better on "New Danville Girl."

Song-wise from the EB sessions, I wish he had released this:

Side A:
1. Tight Connection to My Heart
2. Seeing the Real You at Last
3. I'll Remember You
4. New Danville Girl

Side B:
5. Trust Yourself
6. Emotionally Yours
7. When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky [alternate from Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3]
8. Something's Burning Baby
9. Dark Eyes

And then he should've just ditched Knocked Out Loaded. He HATED that album, even while he was making it. If he wanted to be practical, he should have shelved the material, put out Live 1966 to keep up with his contractual obligation (or Live 1963: Carnegie Hall, that would've been shrewd given the burgeoning "folk" revival that was about to peak in popularity with Suzanne Vega and Tracy Chapman), and then used the outtakes to properly fulfill his obligations to that shitty Hearts of Fire movie, where he was supposed to contribute 4 new songs. (He only managed 2 + 1 cover, which was probably embarrassing, especially since the cover was better than the originals. "Driftin' Too Far from Shore" and "Maybe Someday" would have easily covered the deficit.)

If we’re really dreaming, I’ll take a resurfaced “Caribbean Wind” over “Emotionally Yours”!

Hah, I've already slotted that on the Shot of Love of my fantasy release world. On my iTunes, he takes a page out of Neil Young's playbook and uses the sole live performance as THE one for the album rather than any of the inferior outtakes. FWIW, I have that album as:

1. Shot of Love
2. Caribbean Wind (live)
3. Property of Jesus
4. Lenny Bruce
5. The Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar
6. Dead Man, Dead Man
7. In the Summertime
8. Angelina [from Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3]
9. Every Grain of Sand

Also, I don't necessarily love every track. There just aren't enough top-drawer cuts, so I just pick out what's left from the usable batch of recordings the way any producer would, and in those cases, I might lean on other people's favorites. For example, Xgau thinks "Property of Jesus" and "Lenny Bruce" are the highlights (and Sinéad O'Connor liked the former enough to cover it). And with "Emotionally Yours," the O'Jays and Bettye Lavette both covered it pretty well - in some way, I think Empire Burlesque holds up best as a standards album. Like, these aren't great Dylan recordings, but he's still good enough to write stuff like an old school Tin Pan Alley writer, songs that could be really good for someone else.

I think “Property of Jesus” is fire, but “Lenny Bruce” is dire (…guess I’ll never make “Dean”)

"Lenny Bruce" is nice musically...but the lyrics are indeed dire. Dylan must have a soft spot for it - he revived it on his 2019 tour, playing it at every show.

my god you people are serious

I never did get any Golden Globe award!

So does no-one like 1970, with special guest George Harrison?

Yeah, I liked it. "Yesterday", I mean!

Remarkable.

Hi pinefox, I mean to buy it at some point (3-CD, or listed that way, for $17.99 on Amazon, digital is much more, when it's usually the other way around). Customers on there often complain about how uneven it is, that the George tracks are mostly meh, but what I want it for are those country chestnuts, hopefully good enough to add to my future folder/playlist, Plaid Wine, Cow Pie: Dylan Sings Country and Roots,along with compatibles (mostly covers, a few originals, like "Apple Suckling Tree," and maybe "Down Along The Cove"), from Bootleg Series I already have: The Basement Tapes Complete(sic), Another Self Portrait, Travelin' Through, also maybe a couple of things from Dylan, at least "A Fool Such As I."

I feel bad for those who paid hundreds of dollars for the initial (and very limited) press run of 1970 only to have the Dylan camp change their mind and repress it as a cheap, mass market release. But to be fair, if it wasn't for that initial demand, the Dylan camp would not have made it more available.

I think a lot of it is disposable, but the actual Harrison session is a pleasant listen. I had the bootleg and didn't bother to listen it again after I got it in a trade years ago. The CD-R still plays, but I noticed they cut out quite a bit of chatter for the official release. Nothing earth-shaking but it kind of added to the charming, casual ambience. Sound quality is a definite upgrade, so I actually re-compiled the bootleg using the official sources from 1970 and Another Self Portrait.

Otherwise, the only other thing I kept from 1970 is the "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" outtake with that new arrangement (the one with the back-up singers). FWIW, Jeff Gold of Record Mecca allegedly found a 1970 acetate with yet another different arrangement of the same song, this time a "gospel" arrangement, and it may be better, but for whatever reason it doesn't look like it was released here.

This latest issue of xpost Flaggin' Down The Double Ees, which always includes downloads of Dylan shows, old and new (free: a couple times a month, paid: more), also tells the story, via various sources, of Dylan half-assing "Dark Eyes," then getting it together w Patti Smith, and then---well, it's a lovely story indeed, I think, even though haven't yet checked the linked musical results:https://dylanlive.substack.com/p/dark-eyes

The Harrison tracks on 1970 do not seem to be outstanding, considering it's Dylan and Harrison playing.

My 2nd CD doesn't play the first few tracks well, which is naturally frustrating.

'working on a guru' on ANOTHER SELF PORTRAIT surely the Dylan / Harrison highlight?

I adore 'sign on the window' but after numerous runs at it on 1970 I don't desperately need to hear it more times.

I find it curious how Dylan, in the studio, with tape running, repeatedly plays ... his own older songs, that have already been released. Not many artists do that?

I listen to the 2CD (NOT 5CD!) version of SPRINGTIME IN NEW YORK.

What tracks from this do you like, and recommend that I listen out for especially?

The two highlights for me are "Blind Willie McTell" (Infidels outtake) and "New Danville Girl" (Empire Burlesque outtake). Both have already circulated, but the sound quality here is a huge upgrade - the former corrects a cough left in the original rough mix (the source of the bootleg) and the latter is first-generation whereas the bootleg sounded like it came from a cassette.

I would almost add "Someone's Got a Hold of My Heart" (Infidels outtake) except I don't like the new mix - they mixed up a guitar part that feels wrong for this performance. The Genuine Bootleg Series (easily found) has a better mix and sounds like it used a clean DAT copy (other bootlegs sound like off-pitch cassettes). A shame they didn't use the same mix for the official release because IMHO it's the best version of this sound and should have made the album.

"Too Late" (acoustic version – Infidels outtake) is excellent, radically different than the final version we know as "Foot of Pride." I prefer "Foot of Pride" but the early version is so different (and still good), it was worth releasing and putting on the 2CD set.

Nice to finally have a Dylan recording of "Let's Keep It Between Us" (rehearsal) officially released. It's very close to the recording Bonnie Raitt originally put out - same arrangement - so not a revelation, but nice to have.

"Jokerman" (Infidels alternate take) is my favorite of the alternates. In some ways the vocal is arguably more appealing, but it wouldn't have fit the album as well.

"License to Kill" (live on Late Night with David Letterman, March 22, 1984) is great - they left it off the 2CD set but the video is easily found if you search on Google. The best of the three Letterman numbers, but they should have put them all out.

"Tight Connection to My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love)" (Empire Burlesque alternate mix) is excellent. All the new mixes of the Empire Burlesque songs are good, but this is the only new mix that uses the master take.

* IMHO it's the best version of this song

Thanks Birdistheword for your comments on tracks from the 2CD set.

The song 'let's keep it between us' is new to me but seems a really interesting piece of songwriting.

Dylan sent that to Bonnie Raitt, never did release his own version 'til now: it seemed like it might have been written with her in mind, and hearing how closely she followed his demo---while still sounding entirely Raitt--reinforces the way it seems tailormade for her.
Just now occurred to me that "(Let's Give Them) Something to Talk About"---by Shirley Eikhard; wonder what her other stuff is like---something of a breakthrough hit for Raitt, 20 years after she started making records, is also a turn-around sequel: "No, let's don't keep it between us, not any more." 90s-bold!

But "Let's Keep It" is sexy, a little angry,maybe been burned by gossip before, but fuck it, this is too good for those nosy bastards, let's curl up in here again. An 80s song, while the blaring digital drums and AIDS headlines and rumor-fearmongers parade by outside.

(Although of course, even if he did write it for her, could have been 10 years earlier, before anybody heard of AIDS: after hearing her s/t debut, produced in Minnesota by his early colleague Willie Murphy.)

xp Yeah, even on Dylan's rehearsal, it feels atypical as a Dylan song. Even if it wasn't written with her in mind, I can see Dylan finishing it and thinking "this isn't a good fit for me, but it could be great for Raitt." It's definitely one of the better tracks on a pretty good Bonnie Raitt album

My sis boght me the vinyl edition. Beautiful.

Cool. Is it The Green Light or this Dylan collection?

Come to think of it, song's origins might also have to do w Dylan's second marriage, unpublicized and then some 'til Howard Sounes followed Mr. D.'s paper trail Down The Highway (also found hospital records re motorcycle accident, which some said was other).

Listening online to the 8-disc set of TROUBLE NO MORE, I marvel at the amount Dylan talks in 'introducing the band' at the end of a concert. Very near the end of the last disc he says "I hope you heard something you came out to hear ... if not, we'll be here tomorrow night, and the night after, and the night after ... sure you'll hear something you didn't want to". (Think that's what he says.)

These Gospel tours seem to be famed for only including the Gospel era songs, but then again, the last disc (is this the latest, 1981?) includes lots of old 1960s songs - he had thawed and reintegrated them. I must say, though, I *like* the way he just plays his new material, concert after concert, so many versions of 'slow train' alone.

I note also that despite not sharing the religious beliefs expressed by the songs, I enjoy the tracks. The lack of shared beliefs doesn't seem to impede enjoyment at all. It's partly just about enjoying the music, maybe partly about enjoying how incredibly dedicated Dylan is to this project that he writes 40-odd songs about the same thing; and maybe partly about feeling freer to enjoy something when I have no intellectual investment in the words.

Meanwhile, I ask:

1: Does anyone know if Dylan has had any involvement with THE BOOTLEG SERIES? My assumption has always been: No. But that's the kind of thing he always wants us to believe?

2: Aren't they running out of things to release now? I can only think of:
- ANOTHER SIDE OF BOB DYLAN - oddly this has hardly been covered
- Never Ending Tour?
- GOOD AS I BEEN TO YOU era - this would be pretty raw, slim pickings?
- maybe outtakes from whatever comes *after* TELL TALE SIGNS, eg ... um, TOGETHER THROUGH LIFE, TEMPEST, ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS? Not sure I see that happening.

yknow pinefox, I'm glad you popped up talking about this collection! I would like to hear some of his rants from these tours, which have been described as conveyed with bug-eyed rage… are there any as such on the set? yesterday I listened to Bob @ Budokan, which doesn't seem that bad…

Does anyone know if Dylan has had any involvement with THE BOOTLEG SERIES?

Why wouldn’t he? I’m sure Jeff Rosen etc. aren’t working in a vacuum

Meanwhile, I ask:

1: Does anyone know if Dylan has had any involvement with THE BOOTLEG SERIES? My assumption has always been: No. But that's the kind of thing he always wants us to believe?

I've read he's barely involved. Also, he has no control over his catalog moving forward since he sold everything.

Producer Steve Berkowitz on Bob Dylan's involvement in the Bootleg Series: "I don't know how the final decisions are made. The final decisions come back from Jeff Rosen and the Dylan office. Bob Dylan's contract says that he can decide whatever he wants. ... Bob Dylan runs this."

that being said, I imagine Bob keeps the bootleg series at an arm's length to some extent. maybe he vetoes things from time to time.

but now he's given up control right? or at least that's what i assume, or could you write veto power into that contract?

oh i think he still has some say in what actually comes out? i don't know how all that stuff works.

2028 = Christmas album box set

hell yeah

as Tyler has noted previously, the Isle Of Wight set is still unreleased

Street Legal Complete 5 CD box