This album marks the change in Dylan's creative energy. Since the tour in 1966 and his "motorbike accident", he had withdrawn from the public, had not toured, and his recorded work had been sporadic and often bizarre. There were occasional songs that worked, but on the whole what he produced was not the material that had made him the voice of a generation, nor the stuff that would later gain him the Nobel Prize for Literature. With a change in record companies, Dylan seemed invigorated. He got together with the Band who had toured with him in 1966, and who had worked with him on the recordings that would soon emerge as The Basement Tapes. They made an album, Planet Waves, and then toured to promote it. The album was weak, and as the tour progressed, apart from "Forever Young", Dylan and The Band concentrated on their older material.
This is a very strong recording. The tour was a huge success, and this album shows why. Dylan is clearly energised and in command. And The Band are playing at their peak. When it was released there was some discussion and disappointment that one and a half sides were just The Band doing their own material, but they are a great band, and their own songs are classics, so there's no complaints from me.
As with most things Dylan, there were and still are divided opinions on the album. My own view is that this is the first official release of Dylan live, the first album in which The Band are not just acknowledged, but given their own space, a key album which marks a change in Dylan's attitude and energy, has some great songs well played, and is amongst the strongest and most resonant of Dylan's electric rock performances, so as well as being an important historical record, it is a damn great listening experience.
The album reached no 3 in the US charts, and no 8 in the UK charts.
Wikipedia
This is a very strong recording. The tour was a huge success, and this album shows why. Dylan is clearly energised and in command. And The Band are playing at their peak. When it was released there was some discussion and disappointment that one and a half sides were just The Band doing their own material, but they are a great band, and their own songs are classics, so there's no complaints from me.
The album reached no 3 in the US charts, and no 8 in the UK charts.
| Released | June 20, 1974 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | February 13–14, 1974, in Los Angeles, except track 4: January 30, 1974, in New York |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 92:38 |
| Label | Asylum |
| Producer | Bob Dylan and The Band |
Sides one and four are performances by Bob Dylan backed by the Band; side two and tracks four through six on side three are by the Band; tracks one through three on side three by Dylan alone. "Blowin' in the Wind" is a splice of two separate performances.
All tracks are written by Bob Dylan except where noted; all dates from Los Angeles except where noted
| No. | Title | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine" | 02-14 (evening) | 4:15 |
| 2. | "Lay Lady Lay" | 02-13 | 3:14 |
| 3. | "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" | 02-13 | 3:27 |
| 4. | "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" | 01-30 New York City | 3:51 |
| 5. | "It Ain't Me Babe" | 02-14 (evening) | 3:40 |
| 6. | "Ballad of a Thin Man" | 02-14 (afternoon) | 3:41 |
| Total length: | 22:08 | ||
| No. | Title | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Up on Cripple Creek" (Robbie Robertson) | 02-14 (evening) | 5:25 |
| 2. | "I Shall Be Released" | 02-14 (afternoon) | 3:50 |
| 3. | "Endless Highway" (Robertson) | 02-14 (evening) | 5:10 |
| 4. | "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (Robertson) | 02-14 (evening) | 4:24 |
| 5. | "Stage Fright" (Robertson) | 02-14 (evening) | 4:45 |
| Total length: | 23:34 | ||
| No. | Title | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" | 02-14 (evening) | 4:36 |
| 2. | "Just Like a Woman" | 02-14 (evening) | 5:06 |
| 3. | "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" | 02-14 (evening) | 5:48 |
| 4. | "The Shape I'm In" (Robertson) | 02-14 (afternoon) | 4:01 |
| 5. | "When You Awake" (Richard Manuel, Robertson) | 02-14 (evening) | 3:13 |
| 6. | "The Weight" (Robertson) | 02-13 | 4:47 |
| Total length: | 27:31 | ||
| No. | Title | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "All Along the Watchtower" | 02-14 (afternoon) | 3:07 |
| 2. | "Highway 61 Revisited" | 02-14 (evening) | 4:27 |
| 3. | "Like a Rolling Stone" | 02-13 | 7:09 |
| 4. | "Blowin' in the Wind" | 02-13 + 02-14 (afternoon) | 4:30 |
| Total length: | 19:13 | ||
- Bob Dylan – vocals, guitars, harmonica, piano
- Robbie Robertson – electric guitar, backing vocals
- Garth Hudson – organ, piano, clavinet
- Levon Helm – vocals, drums
- Richard Manuel – vocals, piano, electric piano, organ, drums
- Rick Danko – vocals, bass guitar
Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 8
 |
| Blood On The Tracks (Jan 1975) |
While Blonde On Blonde was the first Dylan album I got into and fell in love with, it was an album I heard a few years after it had been released, so I wasn't there at the moment of release. But for Blood On The Tracks I was there. And I remember everything about it. After years of listening to crap by Dylan, to put on this album and from the first moment hear something quite wonderful.... Man, that was a beautiful moment. And so exciting. There were people who were still uncertain about the album's worth, and were hedging their bets. But I can tell you, in my house, and in my circle of friends, we were fit to burst with the excitement. We discussed this album over and over: long nights of listening to the album, and talking endlessly about what he meant there, and there. And often not talking at all, just taking a drag, closing our eyes, and listening. Dylan was the voice of a generation; but it was the previous generation - our parents or elder brothers. But here, now, and for the first time in our generation, he was speaking live to us. To US, man. This was OUR Dylan album. We knew it was brilliant. And we loved him, and we loved the album.
This is one of Dylan's greatest albums, and one of the greatest albums ever made. It reached no 1 in the US, and no 4 in the UK.
Rolling Stone;
Wikipedia
This is one of Dylan's greatest albums, and one of the greatest albums ever made. It reached no 1 in the US, and no 4 in the UK.
Rolling Stone;
| Released | January 20, 1975 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | September 16–19 and December 27–30, 1974 |
| Studio |
|
| Genre | Folk rock |
| Length | 51:46 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Producer |
|
All tracks are written by Bob Dylan
| No. | Title | Recorded | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Tangled Up in Blue" | December 30, 1974, in Minneapolis | 5:42 |
| 2. | "Simple Twist of Fate" | September 19, 1974, in New York City | 4:19 |
| 3. | "You're a Big Girl Now" | December 27, 1974, in Minneapolis | 4:36 |
| 4. | "Idiot Wind" | December 27, 1974, in Minneapolis | 7:48 |
| 5. | "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" | September 17, 1974, in New York City | 2:55 |
| No. | Title | Recorded | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Meet Me in the Morning" | September 16, 1974, in New York City | 4:22 |
| 2. | "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" | December 30, 1974, in Minneapolis | 8:51 |
| 3. | "If You See Her, Say Hello" | December 30, 1974, in Minneapolis | 4:49 |
| 4. | "Shelter from the Storm" | September 17, 1974, in New York City | 5:02 |
| 5. | "Buckets of Rain" | September 19, 1974, in New York City | 3:22 |
- Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar (1–10), harmonica (1–5, 7, 9), Hammond organ (4), mandolin (8), production
- Chris Weber – guitar (1, 3, 4, 7), 12-string guitar (8)[M]
- Gregg Inhofer – keyboards (1), piano (3, 4), Hammond organ (7, 8)[M]
- Billy Peterson – bass guitar (1, 4, 7)[M]
- Bill Berg – drums (1, 3, 4, 7, 8)[M]
- Tony Brown – bass guitar (2, 5, 6, 9, 10)[NY]
- Kevin Odegard – guitar (1)[M]
- Eric Weissberg – guitar (6)[NY]
- Charles Brown III – guitar (6)[NY]
- Buddy Cage – pedal steel guitar (6)[NY]
- Thomas McFaul – keyboards (6)[NY]
- Richard Crooks – drums (6)[NY]
- Peter Ostroushko – mandolin (8)[M]
Wikipedia
AllMusic: 10
Score: 10
 |
| The Basement Tapes (June 1975) |
Hot on the heels of the success of the reformed relationship with the Band, the tour, and the Blood On The Tracks album, Dylan agreed to a release of some of the songs he had recorded with the Band back in 1967, and which had been leaked over the years in bootlegs, most notably the Great White Wonder bootleg in 1969. Robbie Robertson took charge, selected the songs, including those which involved him but not Dylan, did some overdubs, and even recorded new songs with the Band.
There was immense interest in the album in 1975, but some doubts and uncertainties on hearing it. This was old music. It was not where Dylan was at today, and none of the songs were comparable in quality to either Blood or to Dylan's classic Sixties songs. True, they were not weird and throwaway as was most of the stuff during Dylan's lean period, but they were neither quite the stuff we were somehow hoping for. They sounded, well, more like songs by the Band than songs by Dylan. However, among the OK stuff, there were little gems, such as "Goin' to Acapulco" and "Tears of Rage", and perhaps if the album had been a single inside of a double, there would have been more focus and energy. The jury is still out on this album, but - despite petty controversy over exactly when some of the songs were recorded and which have been overdubbed - it is generally regarded more highly now than when it was released because some of the disconnect between what Dylan was doing in 1975 and this recording from his past appearing at that time, along with the disappointment that the songs were not as great in reality as the rumours would have them, is no longer present. At this distance people see the album as what Dylan was doing in 1967 rather than what he was doing in 1975, and there is no confusion.
There are some decent enough albeit lower importance Dylan songs that make the album a pleasant listen. The decision (presumably by Robertson) to insert a number of very trivial Band tracks in between the Dylan songs is unhelpful and indeed a little irritating. I like the Band, and I like the blend of Band and Dylan material on the live album. But not here. It's not bad album, but it's not essential, and is more interesting because of its story than because of its contents.
Wikipedia
There are some decent enough albeit lower importance Dylan songs that make the album a pleasant listen. The decision (presumably by Robertson) to insert a number of very trivial Band tracks in between the Dylan songs is unhelpful and indeed a little irritating. I like the Band, and I like the blend of Band and Dylan material on the live album. But not here. It's not bad album, but it's not essential, and is more interesting because of its story than because of its contents.
| Released | June 26, 1975 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | June–September 1967 (Dylan and the Band)
|
| Genre | |
| Length | 76:41 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Producer | Bob Dylan, The Band |
All tracks are written by Bob Dylan, except where noted. Tracks marked # have no involvement by Dylan.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Odds and Ends" | 1:47 | |
| 2. | "Orange Juice Blues (Blues for Breakfast)" # | Richard Manuel | 3:39 |
| 3. | "Million Dollar Bash" | 2:32 | |
| 4. | "Yazoo Street Scandal" # | Robbie Robertson | 3:29 |
| 5. | "Goin' to Acapulco" | 5:27 | |
| 6. | "Katie's Been Gone" # | Manuel, Robertson | 2:46 |
| Total length: | 19:40 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lo and Behold!" | 2:46 | |
| 2. | "Bessie Smith" # | Rick Danko, Robertson | 4:18 |
| 3. | "Clothes Line Saga" | 2:58 | |
| 4. | "Apple Suckling Tree" | 2:48 | |
| 5. | "Please, Mrs. Henry" | 2:33 | |
| 6. | "Tears of Rage" | Dylan, Manuel | 4:15 |
| Total length: | 19:38 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Too Much of Nothing" | 3:04 | |
| 2. | "Yea! Heavy and a Bottle of Bread" | 2:15 | |
| 3. | "Ain't No More Cane" # | Traditional | 3:58 |
| 4. | "Crash on the Levee (Down in the Flood)" | 2:04 | |
| 5. | "Ruben Remus" # | Manuel, Robertson | 3:16 |
| 6. | "Tiny Montgomery" | 2:47 | |
| Total length: | 17:24 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" | 2:42 | |
| 2. | "Don't Ya Tell Henry" # | 3:13 | |
| 3. | "Nothing Was Delivered" | 4:23 | |
| 4. | "Open the Door, Homer" | 2:49 | |
| 5. | "Long Distance Operator" # | 3:39 | |
| 6. | "This Wheel's on Fire" | Danko, Dylan | 3:52 |
| Total length: | 20:38 | ||
- Bob Dylan – acoustic guitar, piano, vocals
- Rick Danko – bass guitar, mandolin, backing vocals
- Levon Helm – drums, mandolin, bass guitar, vocals
- Garth Hudson – Lowrey organ, clavinet, accordion, tenor saxophone, piano
- Richard Manuel – piano, drums, harmonica, vocals
- Robbie Robertson – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, backing vocals
Wikipedia
AllMusic: 10
Score: 5
It is as it says on the lid - all the recordings that were made with the Band during Dylan's dubious period. There are nearly 150 tracks, and, as to be expected, and as it typical of most of the Official Bootleg series, there is a lot of rubbish included. There's way too much material here for anyone but the most obsessed Dylan fan or academic to wade through. Also released was a two CD version called Basement Tapes Raw, and a one CD version called Basement Tapes Sampler.
Wikipedia
| Released | November 4, 2014 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | June–October 1967 |
| Studio | "Big Pink," West Saugerties, New York |
| Genre | |
| Length | 6:33:49 |
| Label | Columbia |
All songs written by Bob Dylan except where noted; traditional songs arranged by Dylan.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Edge of the Ocean" | 2:21 | |
| 2. | "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" | Clarence Williams | 1:35 |
| 3. | "Roll on Train" | 2:00 | |
| 4. | "Mr. Blue" | DeWayne Blackwell | 1:52 |
| 5. | "Belshazzar" | Johnny Cash | 3:22 |
| 6. | "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" | Charlie Feathers, Stanley Kesler | 3:19 |
| 7. | "You Win Again" | Hank Williams | 2:43 |
| 8. | "Still in Town" | Hank Cochran, Harlan Howard | 3:04 |
| 9. | "Waltzing with Sin" | Sonny Burns, Red Hayes | 2:49 |
| 10. | "Big River" (Take 1) | Cash | 0:43 |
| 11. | "Big River" (Take 2) | Cash | 2:23 |
| 12. | "Folsom Prison Blues" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | Cash | 2:46 |
| 13. | "Bells of Rhymney" | Idris Davies, Peter Seeger | 3:16 |
| 14. | "Spanish is the Loving Tongue" | Charles Badger Clark | 3:53 |
| 15. | "Under Control" | 2:50 | |
| 16. | "Ol' Roison the Beau" | Traditional | 4:55 |
| 17. | "I'm Guilty of Loving You" | Jerry Butler, Billy Butler (misattributed to Dylan) | 1:09 |
| 18. | "Cool Water" | Bob Nolan | 3:04 |
| 19. | "The Auld Triangle" | Dick Shannon (misattributed to Brendan Behan) | 5:47 |
| 20. | "Po' Lazarus" | Traditional | 1:00 |
| 21. | "I'm a Fool for You" (Take 1) | 1:06 | |
| 22. | "I'm a Fool for You" (Take 2) | 2:34 | |
| Total length: | 58:31 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Johnny Todd" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | Traditional | 2:05 |
| 2. | "Tupelo" | John Lee Hooker | 2:22 |
| 3. | "Kickin' My Dog Around" | Traditional | 2:43 |
| 4. | "See You Later Allen Ginsberg" (Take 1) | 0:30 | |
| 5. | "See You Later Allen Ginsberg" (Take 2) | 0:51 | |
| 6. | "Tiny Montgomery" (Originally released in 1975 on The Basement Tapes; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:57 | |
| 7. | "Big Dog" | 0:24 | |
| 8. | "I'm Your Teenage Prayer" | 3:52 | |
| 9. | "Four Strong Winds" | Ian Tyson | 3:42 |
| 10. | "The French Girl" (Take 1) | Tyson, Sylvia Tyson | 2:12 |
| 11. | "The French Girl" (Take 2) | Tyson, Tyson | 3:00 |
| 12. | "Joshua Gone Barbados" | Eric Von Schmidt | 2:46 |
| 13. | "I'm in the Mood" | Bernard Besman, Hooker | 1:58 |
| 14. | "Baby Ain't That Fine" | Dallas Frazier | 2:11 |
| 15. | "Rock, Salt and Nails" | Bruce Phillips | 4:37 |
| 16. | "A Fool Such As I" (a 1969 re-recorded version was released in 1973 on Dylan) | William Marvin Trader | 2:57 |
| 17. | "Song for Canada" | Peter Gzowski, Tyson | 4:31 |
| 18. | "People Get Ready" | Curtis Mayfield | 3:15 |
| 19. | "I Don't Hurt Anymore" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | Donald Robertson, Walter Rollins | 2:15 |
| 20. | "Be Careful of Stones That You Throw" | Benjamin Lee Blankenship[a 3] | 3:04 |
| 21. | "One Man's Loss" | 3:52 | |
| 22. | "Lock Your Door" | 0:23 | |
| 23. | "Baby, Won't You Be My Baby" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:53 | |
| 24. | "Try Me Little Girl" | 1:38 | |
| 25. | "I Can't Make It Alone" | 3:34 | |
| 26. | "Don't You Try Me Now" | 3:12 | |
| Total length: | 67:44 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Young But Daily Growing" | Traditional | 5:40 |
| 2. | "Bonnie Ship the Diamond" | Traditional | 3:21 |
| 3. | "The Hills of Mexico" | Traditional | 3:05 |
| 4. | "Down on Me" | Traditional | 0:43 |
| 5. | "One for the Road" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 4:50 | |
| 6. | "I'm Alright" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 1:46 | |
| 7. | "Million Dollar Bash" (Take 1; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:52 | |
| 8. | "Million Dollar Bash" (Take 2 – Originally released in 1975 on The Basement Tapes) | 2:35 | |
| 9. | "Yea! Heavy and a Bottle of Bread" (Take 1) | 1:50 | |
| 10. | "Yea! Heavy and a Bottle of Bread" (Take 2 – Originally released in 1975 on The Basement Tapes; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:16 | |
| 11. | "I'm Not There" (Originally released in 2007 on I'm Not There; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 5:13 | |
| 12. | "Please Mrs. Henry" (Originally released in 1975 on The Basement Tapes; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:34 | |
| 13. | "Crash on the Levee (Down in the Flood)" (Take 1) | 2:11 | |
| 14. | "Crash on the Levee" (Take 2 – Originally released in 1975 on The Basement Tapes; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:06 | |
| 15. | "Lo and Behold!" (Take 1; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:54 | |
| 16. | "Lo and Behold!" (Take 2 – Originally released in 1975 on The Basement Tapes) | 2:50 | |
| 17. | "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" (Take 1; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:48 | |
| 18. | "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" (Take 2 – Originally released with overdubs in 1975 on The Basement Tapes; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:46 | |
| 19. | "I Shall Be Released" (Take 1) | 4:04 | |
| 20. | "I Shall Be Released" (Take 2 – Originally released in 1991 on The Bootleg Series Vol. 1–3; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 3:58 | |
| 21. | "This Wheel's on Fire" (Originally released with overdubs in 1975 on The Basement Tapes) | Dylan, Rick Danko | 3:54 |
| 22. | "Too Much of Nothing" (Take 1 – Originally released with overdubs in 1975 on The Basement Tapes) | 3:03 | |
| 23. | "Too Much of Nothing" (Take 2; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:51 | |
| Total length: | 70:10 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Tears of Rage" (Take 1) | Dylan, Richard Manuel | 4:04 |
| 2. | "Tears of Rage" (Take 2) | Dylan, Manuel | 2:31 |
| 3. | "Tears of Rage" (Take 3 – Originally released in 1975 on The Basement Tapes; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | Dylan, Manuel | 4:15 |
| 4. | "Quinn the Eskimo" (Take 1) | 2:03 | |
| 5. | "Quinn the Eskimo" (Take 2 – Originally released in 1985 on Biograph; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:16 | |
| 6. | "Open the Door Homer" (Take 1 – Originally released in 1975 on The Basement Tapes; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:53 | |
| 7. | "Open the Door Homer" (Take 2) | 0:58 | |
| 8. | "Open the Door Homer" (Take 3) | 3:14 | |
| 9. | "Nothing Was Delivered" (Take 1 – Originally released in 1975 on The Basement Tapes; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 4:26 | |
| 10. | "Nothing Was Delivered" (Take 2) | 3:44 | |
| 11. | "Nothing Was Delivered" (Take 3) | 0:33 | |
| 12. | "All American Boy" | Bobby Bare | 3:59 |
| 13. | "Sign on the Cross" (Take 3; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 7:21 | |
| 14. | "Odds and Ends" (Take 1; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 1:48 | |
| 15. | "Odds and Ends" (Take 2 – Originally released in 1975 on The Basement Tapes) | 1:49 | |
| 16. | "Get Your Rocks Off" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 3:46 | |
| 17. | "Clothes Line Saga (Answer to Ode)" (Originally released in 1975 on The Basement Tapes; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:59 | |
| 18. | "Apple Suckling Tree" (Take 1) | 2:41 | |
| 19. | "Apple Suckling Tree" (Take 2 – Originally released in 1975 on The Basement Tapes; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:50 | |
| 20. | "Don't Ya Tell Henry" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:31 | |
| 21. | "Bourbon Street" | 5:05 | |
| Total length: | 65:46 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Blowin' in the Wind" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 6:36 | |
| 2. | "One Too Many Mornings" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 3:23 | |
| 3. | "A Satisfied Mind" | Red Hayes, Jack Rhodes | 2:01 |
| 4. | "It Ain't Me, Babe" | 3:32 | |
| 5. | "Ain't No More Cane" (Take 1) | Traditional | 2:41 |
| 6. | "Ain't No More Cane" (Take 2; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | Traditional | 1:58 |
| 7. | "My Woman She's A-Leavin'" | 2:30 | |
| 8. | "Santa-Fe" (Originally released in 1991 on The Bootleg Series Vol. 1–3; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:08 | |
| 9. | "Mary Lou, I Love You Too" | 2:30 | |
| 10. | "Dress it Up, Better Have it All" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 2:53 | |
| 11. | "Minstrel Boy" (Originally released in 2013 on The Bootleg Series Vol. 10; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 1:40 | |
| 12. | "Silent Weekend" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 3:01 | |
| 13. | "What's it Gonna Be When it Comes Up" | 3:04 | |
| 14. | "900 Miles from My Home" (Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | Traditional | 2:14 |
| 15. | "Wildwood Flower" | A. P. Carter | 2:11 |
| 16. | "One Kind Favor" (Often credited elsewhere as See That My Grave Is Kept Clean) | Traditional | 3:33 |
| 17. | "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" | Traditional | 1:39 |
| 18. | "It's the Flight of the Bumblebee" | 2:09 | |
| 19. | "Wild Wolf" | 3:35 | |
| 20. | "Goin' to Acapulco" (Originally released with overdubs in 1975 on The Basement Tapes; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 5:37 | |
| 21. | "Gonna Get You Now" | 1:31 | |
| 22. | "If I Were a Carpenter" | James Timothy Hardin | 2:23 |
| 23. | "Confidential" | Dorina Morgan | 1:37 |
| 24. | "All You Have to Do Is Dream" (Take 1) | 3:56 | |
| 25. | "All You Have to Do Is Dream" (Take 2; Included on The Basement Tapes Raw) | 3:20 | |
| Total length: | 71:42 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "2 Dollars and 99 Cents" | 2:35 | |
| 2. | "Jelly Bean" | 2:58 | |
| 3. | "Any Time" | 3:17 | |
| 4. | "Down by the Station" | 1:29 | |
| 5. | "Hallelujah, I've Just Been Moved" | Traditional | 3:04 |
| 6. | "That's the Breaks" | 4:18 | |
| 7. | "Pretty Mary" | 3:12 | |
| 8. | "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" | Carter | 2:09 |
| 9. | "King of France" | 3:53 | |
| 10. | "She's On My Mind Again" | 4:18 | |
| 11. | "Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad" | Traditional | 3:21 |
| 12. | "On a Rainy Afternoon" | 2:53 | |
| 13. | "I Can't Come in with a Broken Heart" | 2:42 | |
| 14. | "Next Time on the Highway" | 2:20 | |
| 15. | "Northern Claim" | 2:05 | |
| 16. | "Love Is Only Mine" | 1:50 | |
| 17. | "Silhouettes" | Bob Crewe, Frank Slay Jr. | 1:52 |
| 18. | "Bring it on Home" | 3:07 | |
| 19. | "Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies" | Traditional | 2:09 |
| 20. | "The Spanish Song" (Take 1) | 2:47 | |
| 21. | "The Spanish Song" (Take 2) | 2:16 | |
| 22. | "900 Miles from My Home/Confidential" (Hidden track) | Traditional/Dorina Morgan | 2:27 |
| Total length: | 61:02 | ||
Wikipedia
AllMusic: 10
Score: 4
 |
| Desire (Jan 1976) |
After the confusion and (relative) disappointment of The Basement Tapes it was a huge relief to get back to a contemporary Dylan full of energy and fire, and ready to take on the world. I liked this album from the start, but also felt it was a step down from Blood On The Tracks and other major albums. It's second tier, along with albums like John Wesley Harding. Of course, Dylan's second tier is still significant. I like the energy here, the pop-friendly aspect, the straight-forward nature of the songs. This is not Nobel Prize, spokesman of a generation, Dylan, this is pop-rock artist Dylan delivering an excellent album. The violin of Scarlet Rivera really lifts the album - giving it colour and fire. I guess co-writer Jacques Levy is the one who grounded the songs, and made them more commercial and less mysterious and interesting. I wonder what the album would have been like if Dylan hadn't used him.
| Released | January 5, 1976 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | July 28–31, August 11 and October 24, 1975 |
| Genre | Folk rock |
| Length | 56:13 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Producer | Don DeVito |
All tracks written by Bob Dylan and Jacques Levy, except as noted.
| No. | Title | Recorded | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hurricane" | October 24, 1975 | 8:33 |
| 2. | "Isis" | July 31, 1975 | 6:58 |
| 3. | "Mozambique" | July 30, 1975 | 3:00 |
| 4. | "One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)" (Dylan) | July 30, 1975 | 3:43 |
| 5. | "Oh, Sister" | July 30, 1975 | 4:05 |
| Total length: | 26:19 | ||
| No. | Title | Recorded | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Joey" | July 30, 1975 (overdubs August 1975) | 11:05 |
| 2. | "Romance in Durango" | July 28, 1975 | 5:50 |
| 3. | "Black Diamond Bay" | July 30, 1975 | 7:30 |
| 4. | "Sara" (Dylan) | July 31, 1975 | 5:29 |
| Total length: | 29:54 | ||
- Bob Dylan – vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, piano on "Isis"
- Scarlet Rivera – violin
- Emmylou Harris – background vocals
- Rob Stoner – bass guitar, background vocals
- Howard Wyeth – drums, piano
- Mike Lawrence — trumpet on “Romance In Durango”
- Dominic Cortese – accordion, mandolin on "Joey"
- Vinnie Bell – bouzouki on "Joey"
- Luther Rix – congas on "Hurricane"
- Ronee Blakley – background vocals on "Hurricane"
- Steven Soles – background vocals on "Hurricane"
- Eric Clapton – guitar on "Romance In Durango"
AllMusic: 9
Score: 7-8
 |
| Hard Rain (Sept 1976) |
I don't recall this album at all. I recall the Rolling Thunder Revue, the infamous shambolic tour from which this recording was taken, but not the actual album. I think this is the first time I have heard this. On listening to it, I can understand why it passed me by. It's an album to ignore.
Dylan is pushing it a bit. Shouting rather than singing. And the music rolls on in a messy, noisy manner. There's little about this to encourage repeat listens. But Dylan often repays listening carefully and keeping one's mind open, however I have returned to this in 2023, and am not liking it any more than I did in 2017.
The album reached no 17 in the US and 3 in the UK.
Wikipedia
Dylan is pushing it a bit. Shouting rather than singing. And the music rolls on in a messy, noisy manner. There's little about this to encourage repeat listens. But Dylan often repays listening carefully and keeping one's mind open, however I have returned to this in 2023, and am not liking it any more than I did in 2017.
The album reached no 17 in the US and 3 in the UK.
| Released | September 13, 1976 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | May 16 and 23, 1976 |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 51:06 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Producer | Don DeVito and Bob Dylan |
All tracks are written by Bob Dylan, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Maggie's Farm" | 5:23 | |
| 2. | "One Too Many Mornings" | 3:47 | |
| 3. | "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" | 6:01 | |
| 4. | "Oh, Sister" | Dylan, Jacques Levy | 5:08 |
| 5. | "Lay Lady Lay" | 4:47 | |
| Total length: | 25:06 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Shelter from the Storm" | 5:29 |
| 2. | "You're a Big Girl Now" | 7:01 |
| 3. | "I Threw It All Away" | 3:18 |
| 4. | "Idiot Wind" | 10:21 |
| Total length: | 26:09 | |
- Bob Dylan - vocals, guitar, production
- Gary Burke - drums
- T-Bone Burnett - guitar, piano
- David Mansfield - guitar
- Scarlet Rivera - strings
- Mick Ronson - guitar on "Maggie's Farm"
- Steven Soles - guitar, background vocals
- Rob Stoner - bass, background vocals
- Joan Baez - guitar, background vocals [6]
- Howard Wyeth - drums, piano
Wikipedia
AllMusic: 4
Score: 3-4
 |
| Live 1975 The Rolling Thunder Revue (2002) |
This an alternative, later (2002), release in the Bootleg Series of the performances on the first leg of the Rolling Thunder Revue. It's not much of an improvement, but it is an improvement. If you want a record of the Rolling Thunder Revue, this is the one to listen to. There's a comfy, slightly nostalgic feel to it, though there are odd deliveries of notable songs which don't work for me. Each to their own, and some may find the deliveries to be interesting in themselves merely because they are odd. Whatever, this is not classic Dylan, and is merely a curiosity in the same vein as Self Portrait.
Wikipedia
| Released | November 26, 2002 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | November 19–21 and December 4, 1975 |
| Genre | Folk rock, rock and roll |
| Length | 101:48 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Producer | Steve Berkowitz and Jeff Rosen |
All songs written by Bob Dylan, except where noted. All songs recorded live in concert.
| No. | Title | Place and date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" | Montreal Forum, Canada, December 4, 1975 | 3:55 |
| 2. | "It Ain't Me Babe" | Harvard Square Theatre, Cambridge, Massachusetts, November 20, 1975 | 5:25 |
| 3. | "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" | Montreal Forum, Canada, December 4, 1975 | 5:16 |
| 4. | "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" | Boston Music Hall, November 21, 1975 (second show) | 5:25 |
| 5. | "Romance in Durango" (Bob Dylan, Jacques Levy) | Harvard Square Theatre, Cambridge, Massachusetts, November 20, 1975 | 5:22 |
| 6. | "Isis" (Bob Dylan, Jacques Levy) | Boston Music Hall, November 21, 1975 (second show) | 5:11 |
| 7. | "Mr. Tambourine Man" | Boston Music Hall, November 21, 1975 (first show) | 5:39 |
| 8. | "Simple Twist of Fate" | Harvard Square Theatre, Cambridge, Massachusetts, November 20, 1975 | 4:17 |
| 9. | "Blowin' in the Wind" | Boston Music Hall, November 21, 1975 (second show) | 2:43 |
| 10. | "Mama, You Been on My Mind" | Harvard Square Theatre, Cambridge, Massachusetts, November 20, 1975 | 3:11 |
| 11. | "I Shall Be Released" | Boston Music Hall, November 21, 1975 (first show) | 4:33 |
| Total length: | 50:57 | ||
| No. | Title | Place and date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" | Montreal Forum, Canada, December 4, 1975 | 4:34 |
| 2. | "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" | Montreal Forum, Canada, December 4, 1975 | 3:13 |
| 3. | "Tangled Up in Blue" | Boston Music Hall, November 21, 1975 (second show) | 4:41 |
| 4. | "The Water Is Wide" (traditional) | Boston Music Hall, November 21, 1975 (second show) | 5:16 |
| 5. | "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" | Boston Music Hall, November 21, 1975 (second show) | 3:12 |
| 6. | "Oh, Sister" (Bob Dylan, Jacques Levy) | Boston Music Hall, November 21, 1975 (second show) | 4:04 |
| 7. | "Hurricane" (Bob Dylan, Jacques Levy) | Memorial Auditorium, Worcester, MA, November 19, 1975 | 8:15 |
| 8. | "One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)" | Boston Music Hall, November 21, 1975 (second show) | 4:14 |
| 9. | "Sara" | Boston Music Hall, November 21, 1975 (second show) | 4:29 |
| 10. | "Just Like a Woman" | Boston Music Hall, November 21, 1975 (second show) | 4:31 |
| 11. | "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" | Harvard Square Theatre, Cambridge, Massachusetts, November 20, 1975 | 4:22 |
| Total length: | 50:51 | ||
- Bob Dylan — vocals, electric and acoustic guitar, harmonica
- Joan Baez — vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion on "Blowin' in the Wind", "Mama, You Been on My Mind", "I Shall Be Released", and "The Water Is Wide"
- Ronee Blakley — vocals
- T-Bone Burnett — electric guitar, piano
- David Mansfield — dobro, mandolin, violin, steel guitar
- Roger McGuinn — electric guitar, vocals on "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
- Bob Neuwirth — acoustic guitar, vocals
- Scarlet Rivera — violin
- Luther Rix — percussion, conga, drums
- Mick Ronson — electric guitar
- Steven Soles — acoustic guitar and electric guitar, vocals
- Rob Stoner — bass
- Howie Wyeth — drums, piano
Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 5
 |
| Street-Legal (June 1978) |
This studio album can be seen as a companion to the live 1979 Budokan album - they have a similar sound and feel, and use the same musicians. This is a big band sound with sax and backing singers. It has a big fat production, which most critics hated, finding it muddy or simply too slick or commercial. A number of critics found it Dylan's worse album - which makes me wonder how closely they were listening during Dylan's lean period when he released delights such as Self Portrait and Dylan. This is not my favourite Dylan album, and there's little here to excite or interest, but it's quite listenable and holds a warmth I find comforting and attractive. Songs you can hum along to while nodding and swaying sleepily to the tunes. I also hold a fond nostalgia for this album, as this was out at the time I saw him at Blackbushe.
I've come back to this, and I'm seeing it as part of Dylan's 70s revival before he got into releasing the religious albums. It has a similar sound and feel to Blood On The Tracks and Desire, though is the lesser of that trilogy. Being the lesser album of Dylan's second great period is, to be fair, a considerable achievement. It's an attractive, listenable album of good quality songs which repay repeated listening.
Wikipedia
I've come back to this, and I'm seeing it as part of Dylan's 70s revival before he got into releasing the religious albums. It has a similar sound and feel to Blood On The Tracks and Desire, though is the lesser of that trilogy. Being the lesser album of Dylan's second great period is, to be fair, a considerable achievement. It's an attractive, listenable album of good quality songs which repay repeated listening.
| Released | June 15, 1978 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | April 25 – May 1, 1978 |
| Studio | Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, California |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 49:56 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Producer | Don DeVito |
All tracks are written by Bob Dylan.
| No. | Title | Recorded | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Changing of the Guards" | April 27, 1978 | 6:41 |
| 2. | "New Pony" | May 1, 1978 | 4:28 |
| 3. | "No Time to Think" | April 27, 1978 | 8:19 |
| 4. | "Baby, Stop Crying" | April 28, 1978 | 5:19 |
| Total length: | 25:10 | ||
| No. | Title | Recorded | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Is Your Love in Vain?" | April 28, 1978 | 4:30 |
| 2. | "Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)" | April 28, 1978 | 5:42 |
| 3. | "True Love Tends to Forget" | April 27, 1978 | 4:14 |
| 4. | "We Better Talk This Over" | April 26, 1978 | 4:04 |
| 5. | "Where Are You Tonight? (Journey Through Dark Heat)" | April 27, 1978 | 6:16 |
| Total length: | 24:46 | ||
- Bob Dylan – vocals, rhythm guitar
- Steve Douglas – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
- David Mansfield – violin, mandolin
- Alan Pasqua – keyboards
- Billy Cross – electric guitar
- Steven Soles – rhythm guitar, background vocals
- Jerry Scheff – bass guitar
- Ian Wallace – drums
- Bobbye Hall – percussion
- Carolyn Dennis, JoAnn Harris, Helena Springs – backing vocals
Wikipedia
AllMusic: 7
Score: 6
I had this album at the time, played it a lot, and loved it. Listening to it now, and I wonder how I could have possibly ever have liked it. I think I must have liked it at the time because it reminded me of his performance at Blackbushe. Hmmm. While initially I felt uncomfortable by these versions of his classic songs, by the end I had been somewhat won over, and I had a sense of why I liked the album back in the late Seventies. The album contains his very best version of "Forever Young", and fascinating versions of other songs. In general there's a weary, late night feel to the album's atmosphere. A spacey sound, wandering away into the night. It's quite a soulful sound. Considering what was about to happen in Dylan's life, the vibe here might be a indicator of his emotional, spiritual and intellectual state. The version here of "Blowin In The Wind" isn't angry, it isn't a rallying cry, it's slightly nostalgic, sad, very weary, and almost lost and without hope or faith. It's a requiem. Quite chilling really. Perhaps what Dylan needs is a new faith in his life.....
The album reached no 13 in the US and 4 in the UK.
Wikipedia
The album reached no 13 in the US and 4 in the UK.
| Released | August 21, 1978 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | February 28 and March 1, 1978 |
| Venue | Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 99:41 |
| Label | CBS/Sony |
| Producer | Don DeVito |
All tracks are written by Bob Dylan; except where indicated
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mr. Tambourine Man" | 4:54 |
| 2. | "Shelter from the Storm" | 4:30 |
| 3. | "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" | 3:52 |
| 4. | "Ballad of a Thin Man" | 4:47 |
| 5. | "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" | 4:55 |
| Total length: | 22:58 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Maggie's Farm" | 5:06 |
| 2. | "One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)" | 3:19 |
| 3. | "Like a Rolling Stone" | 6:31 |
| 4. | "I Shall Be Released" | 4:12 |
| 5. | "Is Your Love in Vain?" | 4:02 |
| 6. | "Going, Going, Gone" | 4:22 |
| Total length: | 27:32 | |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Blowin' in the Wind" | 4:25 | |
| 2. | "Just Like a Woman" | 5:03 | |
| 3. | "Oh, Sister" | Bob Dylan, Jacques Levy | 4:44 |
| 4. | "Simple Twist of Fate" | 4:15 | |
| 5. | "All Along the Watchtower" | 3:20 | |
| 6. | "I Want You" | 2:34 | |
| Total length: | 24:21 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "All I Really Want to Do" | 3:37 |
| 2. | "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" | 4:00 |
| 3. | "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" | 6:04 |
| 4. | "Forever Young" | 5:38 |
| 5. | "The Times They Are a-Changin'" | 5:31 |
| Total length: | 24:50 | |
- Bob Dylan — vocals, guitar, harmonica
- Steve Douglas — saxophone, flute, recorder
- Steven Soles — acoustic guitar, backing vocals
- David Mansfield — pedal steel guitar, violin, mandolin, dobro, guitar
- Billy Cross — lead guitar
- Alan Pasqua — keyboards
- Rob Stoner — bass, backing vocals
- Ian Wallace — drums
- Bobbye Hall — percussion
- Ed Rash — tambourine
- Debi Dye, Jo Ann Harris, Helena Springs —backing vocals
Wikipedia
AllMusic: 4
Score: 4-5
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