Last week, an intriguing rumour was published in the Isis fan magazine: there’s a new Bootleg Series coming, and Vol. 16 will likely be dedicated to Dylan’s 1983 album Infidels! What a GREAT opportunity to put the spotlight on this intriguing album. Laura and Robert talk about the album’s sound, lyrical themes, and the mystery surrounding Dylan’s decision to leave some of the session’s best songs off the released record.
What are your thoughts on a possible Infidels release? What are you hoping to see, and what other Dylan era deserves the Bootleg Series treatment?
Terry Gans’ new book Surviving In A Ruthless World: Bob Dylan’s Voyage to Infidels is available here.
For more on amazing Bob Dylan songs that didn’t make it onto the record, listen to Episode 3: Outtakes. A while back I also dedicated an episode to my Bootleg Series Wishlist, and at least one item has already been crossed off!
Playlist:
Jokerman
Lord Protect My Child
License To Kill
Tell Me
Edit: It bugged me that I felt like I didn’t articulate my thoughts on the “conversations with women” issue properly here. What I meant to say was that songs like “Don’t Fall Apart On Me Tonight” and “Sweetheart Like You” and “Tell Me” all take the form of a conversation, and especially the latter two feature the singer engaging the woman by asking her questions, but ultimately, since we never get to hear the woman’s side, the singer’s questions function as projections of his own thoughts and anxieties onto the woman. I agree with Terry Gans that Dylan seems more ready to actually hear the woman’s answers in “Tell Me” though.