Forty-one years ago, Bob Dylan and The Band opened their historic 1974 tour with “Hero Blues,” an unreleased Dylan song that he recorded in 1962 during The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan sessions but left off the album.
The show took place at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois.
Here are versions recorded during The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan sessions:
Take one:
Take two:
Tale four:
Lyrics:
Yes, the gal I got
I swear she’s the screaming end
She wants me to be a hero
So she can tell all her friends
Well, she begged, she cried
She pleaded with me all last night
Well, she begged, she cried
She pleaded with me all last night
She wants me to go out
And find somebody to fight
She reads too many books
She got new movies inside her head
She reads too many books
She got movies inside her head
She wants me to walk out running
She wants me to crawl back dead
You need a different kinda man, babe
One that can grab and hold your heart
Need a different kind of man, babe
One that can hold and grab your heart
You need a different kind of man, babe
You need Napoleon Boneeparte
Well, when I’m dead
No more good times will I crave
When I’m dead
No more good times will I crave
You can stand and shout hero
All over my lonesome grave
In 2012, in order to protect the copyrights on a bunch of Bob Dylan recordings that have not been officially released, Sony released a very limited edition of a multi-disk set called The 50th Anniversary Collection: The Copyright Extension Collection, Volume 1.
Among the gems on the album are many outtakes and alternate takes of songs recorded for The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.
I previously posted clips from the set here and here and here.
Today I’ve got still more.
Enjoy while you can.
Bob Dylan – Corrina, Corrina (Freewheelin’ Alternate Take 1962 – Take 3):
Bob Dylan – That’s Alright Mama (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962 – Take 3):
Bob Dylan – That’s Alright Mama (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962 – Take 5):
Bob Dylan – Milk Cow’s Calf’s Blues (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962 – Take 1):
Bob Dylan – Milk Cow’s Calf’s Blues (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962 – Take 3):
Bob Dylan – Sally Gal (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962 – Take 2):
Bob Dylan – Sally Gal (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962 – Take 3):
Bob Dylan – Sally Gal (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962 – Take 4):
Bob Dylan – Hero Blues (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962 – Take 1):
Bob Dylan – Hero Blues (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962 – Take 2):
—
[I just published my rock ‘n’ roll novel, True Love Scars.” Rolling Stone has a great review of my book in the new issue. Read it here. There’s info about True Love Scars here.]
In 2012, in order to protect the copyrights on a bunch of Bob Dylan recordings that have not been officially released, Sony released a very limited edition of a multi-disk set called The 50th Anniversary Collection: The Copyright Extension Collection, Volume 1.
Among the gems on the album are many outtakes and alternate takes of songs recorded for The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.
Bob Dylan – Hero Blues (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962):
Bob Dylan – Goin’ Down To New Orleans (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962):
Bob Dylan – Milk Cow’s Calf’s Blues (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962):
Bob Dylan – Kingsport Town (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962):
Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan’s Blues (Freewheelin’ Alternate Take 1962):
Bob Dylan – I Shall Be Free (Freewheelin’ Alternate Take 1962):
Bob Dylan – Lonesome Whistle Blues (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962):
Bob Dylan – Worried Blues (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962):
Bob Dylan – Ballad Of Hollis Brown (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962):
Bob Dylan – Baby Please Don’t Go (Freewheelin’ Outtake 1962):
[I just published my rock ‘n’ roll novel, True Love Scars.” Rolling Stone has a great review of my book in the new issue. Read it here. There’s info about True Love Scars here.]
— A Days Of The Crazy-Wild blog post –http://youtu.be/qFr6NqtymcA?list=UU_veq_53r4HVtsFdZT6aDtg
Fifty-one years ago, on May 27, 1963, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, an album that Dylan had worked on, on and off, for over a year, was released.
The recording of the album began on April 24, 1962 and ended on April 24, 1963. There were sessions on eight different days at Columbia Studio A in New York. At least 36 songs were recorded.
Thirteen songs made it onto the album.
Here are some of the outtakes that I like along with some faves from the official release:
“Masters of War” (album version):
“Milk Cow Blues”:
“Hero Blues”:
“Girl From the North Country” (album version):
“Rocks and Gravel”:
“Corrina, Corrina” & “Whatcha Gonna Do” Plus from The Times They Are A-Changin’ sessions, “Eternal Circle” & “Restless Farewell”:
“(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle”:
“A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” (album version):
“Baby Please Don’t Go”:
“Let Me Die In My Footsteps”:
–- A Days of the Crazy-Wild blog post: sounds, visuals and/or news –-
Forty years ago, on January 3, 1974, the “Bob Dylan and The Band 1974 Tour” kicked off at Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois.
Eighteen thousand, five hundred fans were there to see the historic first show.
This was the only full-bore tour Dylan and The Band did together after The Hawks changed their name to The Band and became major stars themselves.
I saw Dylan and The Band when they played the Oakland Coliseum on February 11, 1974. I was about halfway back, a ways up, but for me it was incredible.
It was my first time seeing Dylan, and while the Oakland Coliseum is big, it’s not that big. The sound was good and I was blown away. I’d seen The Band at the Civic Auditorium in San Francisco previously, but to seem them with Dylan — it was on a whole other level.
I know that Dylan has talked about being on autopilot by the time he got to Oakland, but it sounded damn good to me.
Here’s the only video with Bob Dylan and The Band that seems to be available from the first Chicago show. They started off with a blistering version of “Hero Blues.” Dig it!
Here’s The Band playing “Stage Fright” the next night in Chicago:
Bob Dylan and The Band at Capital Center, Landover Maryland on January 15, 1974 — full show:
Bob Dylan playing “Desolation Row” at St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, Missouri, February 4, 1974:
Bob Dylan, “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding),” Oakland Coliseum, February 11, 1974:
Bob Dylan, “Gates Of Eden,” Oakland Coliseum, February 11, 1974 (sound is iffy at first but then it’s pretty great):
Bob Dylan and The Band, “Highway 61,” Oakland Coliseum, February 11, 1974:
Bob Dylan & The Band, “Maggie’s Farm,” Oakland Coliseum, February 11, 1974:
Here’s the setlist played that first night in Chicago (from bjorner.com):
Chicago Stadium
Chicago, Illinois
3 January 1974
1. Hero Blues
2. Lay Lady Lay
3. Tough Mama
4. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (Robbie Robertson)
5. Stage Fright (Robbie Robertson)
6. Share Your Love With Me (Briggs/Malone)
7. It Ain’t Me, Babe
8. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
9. All Along The Watchtower
Holy Cow (Alain Toussaint)
King Harvest (Has Surely Come) (Robbie Robertson)
10. Ballad Of A Thin Man
Up On Cripple Creek (Robbie Robertson)
11. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
12. The Times They Are A-Changin’
13. Song To Woody
14. The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll
15. Nobody ‘Cept You
16. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
Life Is A Carnival (Robbie Robertson – Rick Danko – Levon Helm)
The Shape I’m In (Robbie Robertson)
When You Awake (Richard Manuel – Robbie Robertson)
Rag Mama Rag (Robbie Robertson)
17. Forever Young
18. Something There Is About You
19. Like A Rolling Stone
(encores)
The Weight (Robbie Robertson)
20. Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine)
1-3, 9, 11, 17-20 Bob Dylan (vocal, guitar, harmonica), Robbie Robertson (guitar), Garth Hudson (organ, piano and clavinette), Richard Manual (keyboards), Rick Danko (bass), Levon Helm (drums).
4-5 Bob Dylan (guitar), Robbie Robertson (guitar), Garth Hudson (organ, piano and clavinette), Richard Manual (keyboards), Rick Danko (bass, vocal), Levon Helm (drums).
6 Bob Dylan (harmonica), Robbie Robertson (guitar), Garth Hudson (organ, piano and clavinette), Richard Manual (keyboards), Rick Danko (bass), Levon Helm (drums, vocal).
10 Bob Dylan (piano).
12-16 Bob Dylan (vocal, guitar, harmonica).
-– A Days of the Crazy-Wild blog post: sounds, visuals and/or news –-
