Definitely Dylan Live - 8 December 2019

For this week’s Definitely Dylan Live, Laura and Robert are once again playing some Dylan gems for your listening pleasure. Featured in the hour is the first EVER performance of It Ain’t Me Babe! Furthermore, the pair bring you up to speed with news from the Dylan world, and discuss their recent obsession with the song Dignity.

As promised, here is a link to the version of Dignity from the MTV Unplugged Rehearsals, and here is the version from Porto, which is wonderful and well worth checking out. You can also find all other performances of the song from 2019 (along with other recent highlights) on the NotDarkYet website.

I’d also strongly encourage you to give Yes Please by Ren Harvieu a listen because she’s not only got an incredible voice, but she’s also a terrific writer.

And because you were surely dying to know: the Royal Festival Hall in London was opened on 3 May 1951.

What do you make of the rumours regarding a new album of original songs?

Playlist:

1. It Ain’t Me Babe (live at the Royal Festival Hall, London, 17 May, 1964)

2. Dignity (MTV Unplugged)

3. Going Going Gone (live at Budokan)

4. Why Try To Change Me Now

5. Silver Bells

Definitely Dylan Live - 1 December 2019

On this week’s Definitely Dylan Live, Laura and Robert play and discuss some songs that have been on their mind lately. This includes some performances that are related to the recent Bootleg Series release, Travelin’ Thru, some stunning live versions, as well as an early take of a Blonde On Blonde song that shines a light on Dylan’s songwriting process.

Playlist:

1. Grand Coulee Dam - Bob Dylan and the Band (live at the Woody Guthrie Tribute, 20 January, 1968)

2. Oh, Sister (live from Hard Rain)

3. One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) (Take 15, Complete)

4. New Morning (With Horn Section Overdubs) [New Morning sessions]

5. Bring Me a Little Water [New Morning sessions]

6. Winter Wonderland

Definitely Dylan Live - 24 November 2019

This week on Definitely Dylan Live we’re finally diving into the Bootleg Series 15: Travelin' Thru, 1967 - 1969. Laura and Robert discuss the contents of the set, the highlights and the oddballs, and of course play some tunes from it!

Correction: I think we got the title of the box set wrong and called it “1967-1970” (instead of “1967-1969”), but then we ironically overlooked that the sessions with Earl Scruggs were in fact from May 1970 and not 1969 (so there’s a year between the Johnny Cash Show appearance and the Scruggs sessions, which could account for the change in his voice). Two mistakes on our part (but also, can we agree that if material from 1970 is included, it should be called “1967-1970”??)

Correction 2: Rosanne Cash is the eldest daughter of country musician Johnny Cash and Vivian Liberto Cash Distin, Johnny Cash's first wife. We erroneously said her mother was June Carter Cash.

Playlist:

1. As I Went Out One Morning (Take 1)

2. Western Road (Take 1)

3. I Still Miss Someone (Take 5) - with Johnny Cash

4. Living The Blues [Mono] [Live]

5. Folsom Prison Blues (Outtake)

6. To Be Alone With You [Mono] - with Earl Scruggs

Definitely Dylan Live - 17 November 2019

Definitely Dylan is back after a two week break, and no, we’re not talking about the new Bootleg Series just yet, because first we need to tell you about seeing Bob Dylan live in Baltimore, MD this past week! Laura and Robert talk about the setlist, the arrangements, and why this current tour, in their eyes, constitutes a career renaissance for Dylan.

Here’s yet another link to a current live performance of Not Dark Yet, this one from Palo Alto on the current tour. What Dylan does here with the vocals is sublime and will knock you off your feet.

Playlist:

1. Can’t Wait

2. Make You Feel My Love (Live at the UNO Arena, New Orleans, LA 3 February, 1999)

3. Soon After Midnight

4. It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (Live at Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA - November 21, 1975 - Evening show)

Definitely Dylan Live - 27 October 2019

This week Laura and Robert discuss the Dylan songs that have been on their minds in the past week. One of them is of course the recently released version of Wanted Man from the upcoming Bootleg Series, featuring Johnny Cash (and a bit but not enough June Carter), as well as Dylan covering Johnny Cash. The hour also includes a look back at the last Bootleg Series, as well as some very rare and very beautiful live performances, and some 80s Dylan!

You can find the episodes on More Blood, More Tracks here and here, and the episode on the Emotional World of Blood On The Tracks here.

The episode about Laura’s Bootleg Series Wishlist can be found here.

If you’re interested in watching the Dylan performance of Train of Love, you can do that here. And if you’re interested in other instances where Bob Dylan has performed cover songs, you might want to check out Episode 10.

And lastly, the incredible live performance of One More Cup Of Coffee (The Valley Below) that was mentioned in the episode can be found here.

If you enjoy the show, please spread the word by sharing the episode! Thanks!

Playlist:

1. Wanted Man - Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash

2. Train of Love (Johnny Cash tribute, 1999)

3. Call Letter Blues (Take 1)

4. Weeping Willow (live Supper Club, NYC, 17 November, 1993)

5. When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky

6. The Roving Blade (live Belfast, Northern Ireland, 19 June, 1998)