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)

Definitely Dylan Live - 20 October 2019

This week’s Definitely Dylan Live is big, melodious, and contagious, as we’re tackling Bob Dylan’s choruses! Laura and Robert discuss which Dylan albums are full of catchy choruses, and which (surprisingly?) don’t have any choruses at all!

The list of albums that was mentioned in the episode can be found here - let us know where you disagree, and please help us complete the list by finding the choruses on Dylan’s songs that appear on compilations etc.

What do you think why some of Dylan albums have more choruses than others? Do you prefer songs with big choruses or are you not too fussed about them?

Don’t forget to find the show on Twitter and Instagram, as well as over on Facebook, and join the mailing list if you haven’t already!

Playlist:

1. Blowin’ In The Wind (snippet)

2. Blowin’ In The Wind (snippet, live at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz, CA, 16 March, 2000)

3. The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll (live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY, 25 October, 1963)

4. Mr. Tambourine Man (Live at BBC Studios, London, UK, 1 June, 1965)

5. Precious Angel (Live at Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada, April 1980)

6. License To Kill

7. Brownsville Girl (snippet)

8. Workingman’s Blues #2

PS: We had a little confusion at the very beginning of the episode, which has been edited out of the website version, hence the slight chaos at the very top of the hour!

Definitely Dylan Live - 13 October 2019

A new drummer and a new guitarist, Dylan on guitar, Lenny Bruce, and mannequins in formal wear! Bob Dylan kicked off the autumn leg of his tour this past Friday, and there have been quite a few surprises! So this week on Definitely Dylan Live, Laura and Robert discuss some of the recent changes, the return of Lenny Bruce, and of course play some tunes!

If you’re interested in checking out the recent, truly truly gorgeous version of Lenny Bruce, you can listen to it here. In the words of the person standing next to the taper, “wow!”. One thing that wasn’t mentioned on air is that Dylan has also changed some of the lyrics to the song, for example the first verse, which now includes the words “Never did make it to the Promised Land, never made it out of Babylon”.

You can also check out the new arrangement of Not Dark Yet here. It’s incredibly powerful!

Here’s a picture of the mannequins that are surrounding the band on stage.

Let us know what you make of the recent changes, and tell us whether you’d like to hear a Definitely Dylan Live about Dylan’s choruses!

If you enjoy the show, please don’t forget to tell your friends about it and spread the word!

Playlist:

1. Beyond Here Lies Nothing

2. Lenny Bruce (Live at Earl's Court, London, June 27, 1981)

3. Not Dark Yet

4. In The Summertime (Live at The Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA, October 21, 1981)

Definitely Dylan Live - 6 October 2019

Absolutely, Obviously, Most Likely, Positively, Approximately - this week’s Definitely Dylan Live is all about Bob Dylan’s adverbs! For a brief moment in the “groovy” mid-sixties, Dylan loved to add adverbs to his song titles, and this hour is dedicated to those songs, as Laura and Robert speculate what the adverbs might mean or whether they are completely random.

Are there any post-1966 songs that should be added to the list? What do you think the meaning behind those adverbs is? Let us know in the comments!

Playlist:

1. Absolutely Sweet Marie (Take 1, Alternate Take)

2. Most Likely You Go Your Way And I'll Go Mine (Before The Flood)

3. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues [Alternate Version]

4. Positively Van Gogh (Denver Hotel Tape)

5. Positively 4th Street (Live at the Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA - December 4, 1965)

6. Obviously 5 Believers