Dylan

[super nintendo chalmers]

This version of Desolation Row from Unplugged is just kicking my ass. The vocal stuff he does here is un-fucking-real.

[Yeddie Yedder]

I used to have that disc...SO GOOD

[BigRedLedbetter]

This version of Desolation Row from Unplugged is just kicking my ass. The vocal stuff he does here is un-fucking-real.

[LetMeSleep]

This version of Desolation Row from Unplugged is just kicking my ass. The vocal stuff he does here is un-fucking-real.

Wasn't that session was produced by BO'b? Still some great versions. The version of I Want You is gorgeous.

[Kevin Davis]

Brendan played Hammond organ on the Unplugged session, but I don't think he produced it -- presumably the Unplugged show's producers handled much of what would fall to a normal producer during these sessions (the producer credit is actually to Jeff Rosen, but to my knowledge he isn't an audio guy, more of a business exec. type).

Brendan did, however, produce the 1994 studio session that yielded "Dignity," from Greatest Hits 3, where he took Dylan's 1989 recording of the song, kept the vocal track, and recorded everything else entirely new. It's a great track, but a lot of Dylan fans who had been familiar with the 1989 "Oh Mercy" outtake really, really hated the O'Brien version, and spoke of him even less favorably than RM does now.

The version of "With God On Our Side" from the Unplugged is a great example of Dylan taking a crap song and giving it new life in concert. Lovely version.

[BigRedLedbetter]

The version of "With God On Our Side" from the Unplugged is a great example of Dylan taking a crap song and giving it new life in concert. Lovely version.

With God On Our Side is far from a crap song. Agree to disagree there. Yes that version is excellent.

[Kevin Davis]

The version of "With God On Our Side" from the Unplugged is a great example of Dylan taking a crap song and giving it new life in concert. Lovely version.

With God On Our Side is far from a crap song. Agree to disagree there. Yes that version is excellent.

The sentiment of the song is well-taken, and timeless. But it's an overly pious, self-satisfied, clumsily written, monotonous drone of a song, where the point of the song is clear from the beginning despite the fact that Dylan insists on re-iterating it eight more times, none of which elucidate his point any further. Some of the later versions mix in a wisdom and a sadness absent from the original, and they're also -- presumably because Dylan forgets some of the verses -- shorter.

[LetMeSleep]

It was written by a 21/22 year old. Sure that's not how we view art and it doesn't contain a clever aboutturn like Hattie Carroll.

Re: O'Brien and Unplugged. I thought he had a bigger say in the arrangements for Unplugged than just an organ player. Not sure where I got that impression.

[Kevin Davis]

I'm listening to the complete "Basement Tapes" set right now -- this guy was just a machine in those days, even the little minute-and-a-half long snippet-sketches on this set are riveting. A shit-ton of cash well spent.

[Kevin Davis]

http://thousandhighways.blogspot.com/?m=1

I have been pretty obsessed with this blog -- great comps, all available in lossless format, usually in pretty great sound quality. A real labor of love. I've been collecting Dylan for years and have found a lot of treasure here.

[oasisfan35]

The next volume of Bob Dylan's archival series is coming soon. Bob Dylan - The Cutting Edge 1965-1966: The Bootleg Series Vol. 12 is due on November 6 via Legacy Recordings and Columbia Records.

There will be three different versions of the release, which focuses on the years Dylan transformed from a folkie to a rocker by going electric. The Bootleg Series Vol. 12 will be available as a two-disc collection of "highlights," a six-disc deluxe edition and an 18-disc collector's edition. The tracks come from the period Bob recorded Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde.

The 18-disc collector's edition is said to "include every note recorded during the 1965-1966 sessions, every alternate take and alternate lyric." 5,000 copies of the limited-edition release will be available. EW.com notes, "The Cutting Edge 1965-1966: The Bootleg Series Vol. 12 will come with a book including rare photographs, memorabilia, and essays written for the project by author Bill Flanagan and historian Sean Wilentz."

The 6-disc deluxe edition contains many outtakes from the '65 & '66 sessions which haven't previously been released. There's even a disc featuring 20 different versions of "Like A Rolling Stone." Dylan's new collection gives a great look at a master at work.

The Best of The Cutting Edge 1965 & 1966: The Bootleg Series Vol. 12 Track List

Spoiler: show

Disc 1:

1. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) acoustic, incomplete
2. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" - Take 2 (1/13/1965) acoustic
3. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" - Take 3 remake (1/13/1965) acoustic
4. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" - Take 1 remake (1/14/1965) electric
5. "I'll Keep It with Mine" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) piano demo, previously released on Biograph, 1985
6. "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic, previously released on The Bootleg Series, Vol. 7, 2005
7. "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) acoustic, incomplete
8. "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" - Take 2 (1/13/1965) acoustic
9. "She Belongs to Me" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic
10. "She Belongs to Me" - Take 2 Remake (1/13/1965) acoustic
11. "She Belongs to Me" - Take 1 Remake (1/14/1965) electric
12. "Subterranean Homesick Blues" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic, previously released on The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1–3, 1991
13. "Subterranean Homesick Blues"- Take 1 remake (1/14/1965) electric
14. "Outlaw Blues" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic
15. "Outlaw Blues" - Take 2 Remake (1/13/1965) electric
16. "On the Road Again" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic
17. "On the Road Again" - Take 4 (1/14/1965) electric
18. "On the Road Again"- Take 1 remake (1/15/1965) electric
19. "On the Road Again" - Take 7 remake (1/15/1965) electric
20. "Farewell, Angelina" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic, previously released The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1–3, 1991
21. "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic
22. "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" - Take 2 (1/15/1965) electric
23. "You Don't Have to Do That" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic, incomplete

Disc 2:

1. "Tombstone Blues" - Take 1 (7/29/1965) alternate take
2. "Positively 4th Street" - Take 5 (7/29/1965) alternate take
3. "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window"- Take 1 (7/30/1965) alternate take
4. "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" - Take 3 (8/2/1965) rehearsal
5. "Highway 61 Revisited" - Take 3 (8/2/1965) alternate take
6. "Queen Jane Approximately" - Take 5 (8/2/1965) alternate take
7. "Visions of Johanna" - Take 5 (11/30/1965) rehearsal
8. "She's Your Lover Now" - Take 6 (1/21/1966) rehearsal
9. "Lunatic Princess" - Take 1 (1/27/1966)
10. "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" - Take 8 (2/14/1966) alternate take
11. "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)" - Take 19 (1/25/1966) alternate take
12. "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again" - Take 13 (2/17/1966) alternate take
13. "Absolutely Sweet Marie" - Take 1 (3/7/1966) alternate take
14. "Just Like a Woman" - Take 4 (3/8/1966) alternate take
15. "Pledging My Time" - Take 1 (3/8/1966) alternate take
16. "I Want You" - Take 4 (3/10/1966) alternate take
17. "Highway 61 Revisited" – Take 7 (8/2/1965) false start

All tracks previously unreleased except Disc 1, track 2, Biograph; Disc 1, track 8, The Bootleg Series, Volume 1–3.

The Cutting Edge 1965–1966: The Bootleg Series Vol. 12 (6CD Deluxe Edition) Track List

Spoiler: show

Disc 1:

1. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) acoustic, incomplete
2. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" - Take 2 (1/13/1965) acoustic
3. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" - Take 3 remake (1/13/1965) acoustic
4. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" - Take 1 remake (1/14/1965) electric
5. "I'll Keep It with Mine" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) piano demo, previously released on Biograph, 1985
6. "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic, previously released on The Bootleg Series, Vol. 7, 2005
7. "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) acoustic, incomplete
8. "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" - Take 2 (1/13/1965) acoustic
9. "She Belongs to Me" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic
10. "She Belongs to Me" - Take 2 Remake (1/13/1965) acoustic
11. "She Belongs to Me" - Take 1 Remake (1/14/1965) electric
12. "Subterranean Homesick Blues" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic, previously released on The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1–3, 1991
13. "Subterranean Homesick Blues" - Take 1 remake (1/14/1965) electric
14. "Outlaw Blues" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic
15. "Outlaw Blues" - Take 2 Remake (1/13/1965) electric
16. "On the Road Again" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic
17. "On the Road Again" - Take 4 (1/14/1965) electric
18. "On the Road Again" - Take 1 remake (1/15/1965) electric
19. "On the Road Again" - Take 7 remake (1/15/1965) electric
20. "Farewell, Angelina" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic, previously released The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1–3, 1991
21. "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic
22. "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" - Take 2 (1/15/1965) electric
23. "You Don't Have to Do That" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic, incomplete

Disc 2:

1. "California" - Take 1 (1/13/1965) solo acoustic
2. "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" - Take 1 (1/15/1965) acoustic, demo
3. "Mr. Tambourine Man" - Takes 1 - 2 (1/15/1965) incomplete, with band
4. "Mr. Tambourine Man" - Take 3 (1/15/1965) incomplete, with band
5. "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" - Take 1 (6/15/1965)
6. "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" - Take 8 (6/15/1965)
7. "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" - Take 3 (7/29/1965)
8. "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" - Take 3 remake (7/29/65)
9. "Sitting on a Barbed Wire Fence" - Take 2 (6/15/1965)
10. "Tombstone Blues" - Take 1 (7/29/1965)
11. "Tombstone Blues" - Take 9 (7/29/1965) previously released on The Bootleg Series, Vol. 7, 2005
12. "Positively 4th Street" - Takes 1–3 (7/29/1965)
13. "Positively 4th Street" - Take 4 (7/29/1965)
14. "Positively 4th Street" - Take 5 (7/29/1965)
15. "Desolation Row" - Take 1 (8/4/1965)
16. "Desolation Row" - Take 2 (8/4/1965) piano demo
17. "Desolation Row" - Take 5 remake (8/2/1965)
18. "From a Buick 6" - Take 1 (7/30/1965)
19. "From a Buick 6" - Take 4 (7/30/1965) released in error on first pressing of Highway 61 Revisited, 1965

Disc 3:

1. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Take 1–3 (6/15/1965)
2. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Take 4 (6/15/1965)
3. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Take 5 (6/15/1965)
4. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Rehearsal (6/16/1965)
5. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Take 1 (6/16/1965)
6. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Takes 2-3 (6/16/1965)
7. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Take 4 (6/16/1965) released on Highway 61 Revisited, 1965
8. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Take 5 (6/16/1965)
9. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Take 6 (6/16/1965)
10. "Like a Rolling Stone" -Take 8 (6/16/1965)
11. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Takes 9-10 (6/16/1965)
12. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Take 11 (6/16/1965)
13. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Take 12 (6/16/1965)
14. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Take 13 (6/16/1965)
15. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Take 14 (6/16/1965)
16. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Take 15 (6/16/1965)
17. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Master take - lead guitar isolated track
18. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Master take - vocal and guitar isolated track
19. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Mast take - drums and organ isolated track
20. "Like a Rolling Stone" - Master take - piano and bass isolated track

Disc 4:

1. "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window" - Take 1 (7/30/1965)
2. "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window" - Take 17 (7/30/1965 released in error on the first pressing of "Positively 4th Street" single
3. "Highway 61 Revisited" - Take 3 (8/2/1965)
4. "Highway 61 Revisited" - Take 5 (8/2/1965)
5. "Highway 61 Revisited" - Take 7 (8/2/1965)
6. "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" - Take 1 (8/2/1965)
7. "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" - Take 3 (8/2/1965)
8. "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" - Take 13 (8/2/1965)
9. "Queen Jane Approximately" - Take 2 (8/2/1965)
10. "Queen Jane Approximately" - Take 5 (8/2/1965)
11. "Ballad of a Thin Man" - Take 2 (8/2/1965) incomplete
12. "Medicine Sunday" - Take 1 (10/5/1965)
13. "Jet Pilot" - Take 1 (10/5/1965) Previously released on Biograph, 1985
14. "I Wanna Be Your Lover" - Take 1 (10/5/1965)
15. "I Wanna Be Your Lover" - Take 6 (10/5/1965)
16. "Unknown Instrumental" - Take 2 (10/5/1965)
17. "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window" - Takes 5-6 (11/30/1965)
18. "Visions of Johanna" - Take 1 (11/30/1965)
19. "Visions of Johanna" - Take 5 (11/30/1965)

Disc 5:

1. "Visions of Johanna" - Take 7 (11/30/1965)
2. "Visions of Johanna" - Take 8 (11/30/1965) previously released on The Bootleg Series, Vol. 7, 2005
3. "Visions of Johanna" - Take 14 (11/30/1965)
4. "She's Your Lover Now" - Take 1 (1/21/1966)
5. "She's Your Lover Now" - Take 6 (1/21/1966)
6. "She's Your Lover Now" - Take 15 (1/21/1966) previously released on The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1–3, 1991
7. "She's Your Lover Now" - Take 16 (1/21/1966) solo piano
8. "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)" - Take 2 (1/25/1966)
9. "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)" - Take 4 (1/25/1966)
10. "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)" - Take 19 (1/25/1966)
11. "Lunatic Princess" - Take 1 (1/27/1966)
12. "Fourth Time Around" - Take 11 (2/14/1966)
13. "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" - Take 3 (2/14/1966)
14. "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" - Take 8 (2/14/1966)

Disc 6:

1. "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again" - Take 1 (2/17/1966)
2. "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again" - Rehearsal (2/17/1966)
3. "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again" - Take 5 (2/17/1966) previously released on The Bootleg Series, Vol. 7, 2005
4. "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again" - Take 13 (2/17/1966)
5. "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again" - Take 14 (2/17/1966)
6. "Absolutely Sweet Marie" - Take 1 (3/7/1966)
7. "Just Like a Woman" - Take 1 (3/8/1966)
8. "Just Like a Woman" - Take 4 (3/8/1966)
9. "Just Like a Woman" - Take 8 (3/8/1966)
10. "Pledging My Time" - Take 1 (3/8/1966)
11. "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)" - Take 1 (3/9/1966)
12. "Temporary Like Achilles" - Take 3 (3/9/1966)
13. "Obviously 5 Believers" - Take 3 (3/10/1966)
14. "I Want You" - Take 4 (3/10/1966)
15. "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" - Take 1 - (2/16/1966)

[LetMeSleep]

Good lord.

[Kevin Davis]

The 2CD version will be great.

[William Bloke]

I could happily listen to the entire "Like a Rolling Stone" disc a few times I'd say.

But yeah

Good lord.

[super nintendo chalmers]

http://www.npr.org/2015/10/23/451169307 ... ies-vol-12

You can listen to some of the set now on NPR.

Visions of Johanna is fucking breakneck.
Who's holdin the diet pills?

[Kevin Davis]

It's going to be a stellar set.

[McParadigm]

If you brought the bass up a bit and had some present, gentle percussion, that Desolation Row is probably how Nina Simone would have done it.

[Kevin Davis]

Listening to the 2CD "Cutting Edge" set now. Take 8 of "Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat" is a riot. Really happy with this so far.

[LetMeSleep]

Listening to the 2CD "Cutting Edge" set now. Take 8 of "Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat" is a riot. Really happy with this so far.

Have you plowed through all 16 discs yet?

[Kevin Davis]

I think there are 18, and no. I just ordered the 2CD "best of" compilation volume -- I probably could have sprung for the 6CD version but funds are limited and I had some other stuff I wanted to get too. So far I think I prefer this programming style (this plays like a proper album, where the complete set is totally chronological and therefore sees sometimes upwards of 10-15 takes of the same song sequenced together), though with so much material I wish they'd resisted the urge to include the previously released takes of "I'll Keep It With Mine" and "Farewell Angelina" on the redux version, especially when omitting them would have made room for the solo piano version of "She's Your Lover Now." But overall it's an outstanding set. I am sure I will acquire the full set by other means at some point, from which I will probably make another 2CD mix or so, and keep the rest on the shelf for reference as one would an enyclopedia.