Prepare to hear Bob Dylan again, for the first time
Whenever I ask someone, “Do you like Bob Dylan?” I usually follow that question, if the answer is affirmative, with, “But have you asked Bob Dylan into your heart?” This almost always gets a laugh and either the person will back away nervously saying something like, “I don’t know about that, but I don’t deny that he’s a good songwriter if you can overlook his voice,” or, in those rare cases, I’ll get a knowing glance that tells me all I need to know.
That one knowing look will tell me that they know the album “Time Out of Mind.” They might even know the lovely song, “Dark Eyes” from the mostly horrendous album, “Empire Burlesque.”
Well, if you didn’t nervously leave this page by this point, you may be one of the chosen ones, destined to greet this news with joy…
Pitchfork: Columbia Records has announced the latest installment of the long-running Bootleg Series. Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait is out August 27, and it collects rarities and unreleased tracks from 1969-1971. It features work Dylan did surrounding the release of 1970’s Self Portrait and New Morning. The deluxe edition also includes his entire 1969 Isle of Wight concert with the Band.
Available now for pre-order.
iTunes: http://smarturl.it/BDX_iTunes
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/BDX_amz
Here’s a preview of the album:
Dylan says, of the original “Self Portrait” album,
I said, ‘Well, f*&% it. I wish these people would just forget about me. I wanna do something they can’t possibly like, they can’t relate to,” he told Rolling Stone in 1984. “They’ll see it, and they’ll listen, and they’ll say, ‘Well, let’s go on to the next person. He ain’t sayin’ it no more. He ain’t givin’ us what we want,’ you know? They’ll go on to somebody else.'”
However, as Dylan lovers know, even this statement can’t be taken at face value. The stripped down tracks have an incredible sound that even Dylan seems to think are worthy of revisiting. We’ll update this post as more samples become available. Be sure to check back for updates. Meanwhile, here’s a sample of tracks from the original “Self Portrait” album along with some other rarely heard gems:
The Bootleg Series, Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969-1971) [Disc One]:
01 Went To See The Gypsy (demo)
02 In Search Of Little Sadie (without overdubs, Self Portrait)
03 Pretty Saro (unreleased, Self Portrait)
04 Alberta #3 (alternate version, Self Portrait)
05 Spanish Is The Loving Tongue (unreleased, Self Portrait)
06 Annie’s Going To Sing Her Song (unreleased, Self Portrait)
07 Time Passes Slowly #1 (alternate version, New Morning)
08 Only A Hobo (unreleased, Greatest Hits II)
09 Minstrel Boy (unreleased, The Basement Tapes)
10 I Threw It All Away (alternate version, Nashville Skyline)
11 Railroad Bill (unreleased, Self Portrait)
12 Thirsty Boots (unreleased, Self Portrait)
13 This Evening So Soon (unreleased, Self Portrait)
14 These Hands (unreleased, Self Portrait)
15 Little Sadie (without overdubs, Self Portrait)
16 House Carpenter (unreleased, Self Portrait)
17 All The Tired Horses (without overdubs, Self Portrait)
The Bootleg Series, Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969-1971) [Disc Two]:
01 If Not For You (alternate version, New Morning)
02 Wallflower (alternate version, 1971)
03 Wigwam (original version without overdubs, Self Portrait)
04 Days Of ’49 (original version without overdubs, Self Portrait)
05 Working On A Guru (unreleased, New Morning)
06 Country Pie (alternate version, Nashville Skyline)
07 I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight (Live With The Band, Isle Of Wight 1969)
08 Highway 61 Revisited (Live With The Band, Isle Of Wight 1969)
09 Copper Kettle (without overdubs, Self Portrait)
10 Bring Me A Little Water (unreleased, New Morning)
11 Sign On The Window (with orchestral overdubs, New Morning)
12 Tattle O’Day (unreleased, Self Portrait)
13 If Dogs Run Free (alternate version, New Morning)
14 New Morning (with horn section overdubs, New Morning)
15 Went To See The Gypsy (alternate version, New Morning)
16 Belle Isle (without overdubs, Self Portrait)
17 Time Passes Slowly #2 (alternate version, New Morning)
18 When I Paint My Masterpiece (demo)
Bob Dylan & the Band – Isle of Wight: August 31, 1969: