There is some confusion as to whether Bob Dylan’s January 15, 1965 session at Columbia Studio A in New York was the last for Bringing It All Back Home.
Two writers who had access to Columbia’s archives — Clinton Heylin and Michael Krogsgaard — have documented three sessions that took place on January 13, 14 and 15.
However the Bootleg Series Vol. 7 album, No Direction Home: the Soundtrack, includes a recording of “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” that is dated January 16, 1965.
Of course Columbia’s record keeping regarding the Dylan sessions is, as Dylan might put it, “mixed up confusion,” so perhaps that recording was from one of the other sessions.
However photographer Daniel Kraemer writes in “Bob Dylan: A Portrait of the Artist’s Early Years” that he attended “the next to last session” where he says Dylan recorded “Mr. Tambourine Man,” It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding” and “Gates of Eden,” so that had to be the January 15 session. (If you have info on whether there was a January 16 session, please let me know.)
In any case, the January 15 session was momentous. Dylan recorded killer takes of “Maggie’s Farm,” “On the Road Again,” “It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding,” “Gates of Eden” “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” all of which were used for Bringing It all Back Home.
In his book, “Like A Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads,” Greil Marcus writes about side two of Bringing It All Back Home: There was no laughter on the other side of the album. There, except for ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ and ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,’ where single backing instruments were so subtle they seemed more like emanations from the songs than pieces added to them, this was Bob Dylan as he had always been, alone, with his guitar and harmonica. The side comprised four long songs, all of which promised they would never get near Top 40 radio — and they were so self-evidently full of meaning, so strking, so important, so elegant and so beautiful that their quiet drowned out the noise of the songs on the other side. Bob Dlan may haave meant to draw a line, but it was in a furrow already plowed, and flowers grew over it. The faster he moved, the more his trap held.”
(Check out my other posts on the Bringing It All Back Home sessions: January 13, 1965 and January 14, 1965.)
Below I have included all of the recordings made on January 15, 1965 that are on the album, plus various outtakes and live recordings of those songs.
“Maggie’s Farm” (released on Bringing It All Back Home):
“On The Road Again” (released on Bringing It All Back Home):
“It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding” (released on Bringing It All Back Home):
“It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding,” 1965 (BBC Studios):
“It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding,” October 31, 1964 “Halloween” show at New York’s Philharmonic Hall. (Bootleg Series Vol. 6):
“It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding,” May 7, 1965 Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England:
“Gates Of Eden” (released on Bringing It All Back Home):
“Gates Of Eden”, May 7, 1965, Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England:
“Gates Of Eden,” October 31, 1964 “Halloween” show at New York’s Philharmonic Hall. (Bootleg Series Vol. 6):
“Mr. Tambourine Man,” (released on Bringing It All Back Home):
“Mr. Tambourine Man,” June 9,1964, with Ramblin’ Jack Elliot on harmonies (outtake):
“Mr. Tambourine Man,” July 26, 1964 (Newport Folk Festival):
“Mr. Tambourine Man,” May 17, 1964 (Royal Festival Hall, England):
“It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” (released on Bringing It All Back Home):
“It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” January 16 (?), 1965 (outtake):
“If You Gotta Go, Go Now” #1 (Original Mono Mix):
“If You Gota Go, Go Now” #1 (Mono Acetate Mix):
“If You Gotta Go, Go Now” #2 (Mono Mix w/intro):
“If You Gotta Go, Go Now” #2 (Stereo Mix w/out intro):
From the www.bojrner.com website:
Studio A
Columbia Recording Studios
New York City, New York
January 15, 1965
The 3rd and last Bringing It All Back Home recording session, produced by Tom Wilson.
1. Maggie’s Farm
2. On The Road Again
3. On The Road Again
4. On The Road Again
5. On The Road Again
6. On The Road Again
7. On The Road Again
8. On The Road Again
9. On The Road Again
10. On The Road Again
11. On The Road Again
12. On The Road Again
13. On The Road Again
14. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
15. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
16. Gates Of Eden
17. Mr. Tambourine Man
18. Mr. Tambourine Man
19. Mr. Tambourine Man
20. Mr. Tambourine Man
21. Mr. Tambourine Man
22. Mr. Tambourine Man
23. It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
24. If You Gotta Go, Go Now
25. If You Gotta Go, Go Now
26. If You Gotta Go, Go Now
27. If You Gotta Go, Go Now
1-13, 24-27 Bob Dylan (guitar, harmonica, vocal), Al Gorgoni (guitar), Kenneth Rankin (guitar), Bruce Langhorne (guitar), Joseph
Macho Jr. (bass), William E. Lee (bass), Bobby Gregg (drums), Frank Owens (piano).
14-23 Bob Dylan (guitar, harmonica, vocal).
For more info, head to www.bojrner.com.
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