A Very Merry Definitely Dylan Christmas Special

For this special Christmas episode, Robert and I have invited some friends: Ren Harvieu and Felix Holt, both fantastic singer songwriters, help us all get into the festive spirit. Together we talk about Bob Dylan’s Christmas in the Heart, whether Dylan was ever able to relate to Scrooge, and why it’s ok to get sad over the holidays.

Ren Harvieu has a brilliant album out called Revel in the Drama, which you should definitely check out if you haven’t already. You can listen to Felix Holt here.

If you’d like to revisit Ren’s beautiful cover of “Just Like a Woman” live on Definitely Dylan, you can listen to it here.

Fred Bals’ article that I mention can be found here.

Thank you for listening to Definitely Dylan this year, and if you like, can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon.

Playlist:

1. Must Be Santa

2. Do You Hear What I Hear

3. The Christmas Blues

4. Little Drummer Boy

5. O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)

6. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

I Flew to America to See Bob Dylan - Here are My Thoughts!

The pandemic forced Bob Dylan to take a two year break from performing live. Now he’s back and he’s embarked on the Rough and Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour.

I was lucky to be able to fly from London to Washington, DC to catch the last show of the year on 2nd December, 2021.

In this episode, I’m giving you my thoughts on the performances, the setlist, and how this tour relates to the latest album and Shadow Kingdom.

You can listen to the whole concert here.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.

For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/.

Talkin' Springtime in New York

After a little break, Definitely Dylan Radio is back to finally discuss the latest instalment in Bob Dylan’s Bootleg Series, Springtime in New York (1980-1985)! Laura and Robert talk about talk about how this collection spotlights Dylan as a singer, why Clydie King’s importance cannot be overstated, and wonder what it even means to be “emotionally yours”??

You can also listen to Definitely Dylan Radio on Spotify.

You can now support Definitely Dylan on Patreon.

Music for this episode is “Coming From The Heart (The Road Is Long)”, written by Bob Dylan and Helena Springs (1978), performed by The Definitely Dylan Bootleg Band (Robert Chaney, lead vocal, piano; Andrew Harwood, lead guitar, bass; Felix Holt, acoustic guitar, backing vocals; Greg Bishop, drums, percussion, backing vocals; Laura Tenschert, backing vocals.

Shadow Kingdom: A Midsummer Night's Dream

In this episode, Laura considers Shadow Kingdom, the exclusive broadcast event, directed by Alma Har’el: where is stands in the context of Bob Dylan’s career and what it tells us about the artist at 80 years old. We’ll touch on Dylan’s relationship with the past, the language of dreams, and we’ll find out what all of this has to do with Shakespeare.

You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.

For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/.

Alma Har’el talking about dreams is from this i-D video.

Music: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Midsummer night's dream overture

Bob Dylan’s Nobel lecture

In Anticipation of Shadow Kingdom!

This week, in anticipation of Bob Dylan’s virtual concert experience, Shadow Kingdom, Laura and Robert are thinking about past instances in which we got to enjoy Dylan onstage from the comfort of our homes: we’re talking Dylan’s live album!

Join us on Patreon tonight after Shadow Kingdom airs, where Robert and I will do a live stream to discuss our impressions with you! I’ll be sharing the link over there as soon as Shadow Kingdom finishes (since we don’t know the exact duration).

A few notes: I meant to mention that Columbia also recorded Dylan’s concert at Carnegie Hall on 26 October 1963, but it got shelved until six songs from Dylan’s set that night were released as an EP in 2005.

We forgot to answer these burning questions in the episode, but “Watching the River Flow” was last played live as “recently” as 2014, and no, Dylan didn’t perform “Lay Lady Lay” on the Johnny Cash Show.

Oh, and apparently the new Definitely Dylan rule is that “Girl From the North Country” gets either played or mentioned in every episode!!

Playlist:

1. Lay Lady Lay (Before The Flood)

2. Girl From The North Country (Real Live)

3. Is Your Love In Vain? (Live at Budokan)

4. Slow Train (Dylan and the Dead)