MetaFilter posts tagged with bobdylan

Scenes from Renaldo and Somebody or Other

y2karl — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 18:23:33 -0800

Nearly one hundred and ten out of at least two hundred and ninety two minutes of Renaldo and Somebody or Other... Renaldo and Clara: A Synopsis A review - Not Coming To A Theater Near You: Renaldo and Clara See Also

A Folk Singer with a Cat

Artw — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:59:18 -0800

Trailer for Inside Llewyn Davis - the new film by the Coen brothers possibly inspired by the album cover for The Freewheeling' Bob Dylan.

Songs for the Apocalypse

Sailormom — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 04:12:14 -0800

Rock Cellar Magazine has come up with a list of eleven songs to listen to in case the world comes to an end on December 21 2010. 11. R.E.M. – It’s the End of the World as we Know it (And I feel fine) 10. Wilco – Country Disappeared 9. The Grateful Dead – Dark Star 8. Vera Lynn – We’ll Meet Again 7. Barry McGuire – Eve of Destruction 6. Bob Dylan – Señor (Tales of Yankee Power) 5. Elvis Costello – Waiting for the End of the World 4. Cracker – Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out With Me 3. David Bowie – Five Years 2. The Doors – The End 1. Neil Young – Cortez the Killer So what will you be listening to on December 21 just in case it's the last time you get to listen to music?

His Zombie Bullfrog Holler

Perko — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 21:52:25 -0800

What does Bob Dylan's voice sound like? Opinions differ (possible understatement alert) . But that hasn't stopped people from trying to explain how to listen to Bob Dylan (previously on Metafilter). But what happens when Dylan's voice is held up to an academic's magnifying glass? Or amplifier, as the metaphorical case may be? University of Chicago professor of music Steven Rings, a proponent of a branch of music theory known as transformational theory and author of Tonality And Transformation (in-depth review), offers one such perspective in his lecture Here's Your Throat Back, Thanks for the Loan: On Dylan's Voices (runtime 41:50)

Farewell Angelina by Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Nana Mouskouri, among others

y2karl — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 20:15:50 -0800

Audio only, Newport 1966: Joan Baez - Farewell Angelina
Recorded Jan. 13, 1965, released 1991: Bob Dylan - Farewell Angelina
B/W Video 1966 Joan Baez - Farewell Angelina
Tablature and lyrics following those of the Dylan recording: dylanchords: Farewell Angelina
French TV 1967: Nana Mouskouri - Adieu Angélina
Bratislava 1989, avant de la Révolution de velours: Joan Baez - Farewell Angelina
From the 90s, or so I believe: Nickle Creek - Farewell Angelina
June 19, 2010 at Kidzstock: Joan Baez and Jasmine Harris - Farewell Angelina And then, there are these: Of provenance unknown: Jeff Buckley and Gary Lucas - Farewell Angelina French TV 1966: Joan Baez - Farewell Angelina Obligatory original album version: Joan Baez - Farewell Angelina
The song, if not written to her or for her, became hers from the release of her album in of the same name in 1966. Dylan's version , though recorded 9 months before hers -- never released until his The Bootleg Series 1-3 of 1991 -- is very much a work in progress: the lyrics at BobDylan.com follow those of her version. And apart from his one attempt at recording the song, he abandoned it and has never performed it in concert. I was a junior in high school in 1966 and very much a Dylan fan, so I was blown away, and because I heard it when I was a certain age, naturally enough, the song, the lyrics are embedded in me. While nearly each line flashes with image and sound I make no attempts to shovel the glimpse Into the ditch of what each one means. I fall between thinking it was written as a gift and thinking it an apologetic farewell. Judging from the evidence, it certainly means something to her. In a somewhat interesting sidenote, Daniel Syrovy, one of the self ordained professors at dylanchords theorizes that the song Angelina, an outtake from the last of his three overtly Christian albums, Shot of Love, was written as a sort of answer song to Farewell, Angelina. Hmm, the plating on those beans is awfully thick, think I. And, for the Francophones, here is Adieu Angélina - Adapt.H.Aufray / P.Delanoë Adieu Angélina les cloches de la couronne Ont été volés à l'aube je les entends qui sonnent Et je me dépèche je dois les rattraper Adieu Angélina le ciel est en feu Et je m'en vais Ce n'est pas la peine d'en faire une affaire Ce n'est pas la peine d'ameuter toute la terre C'est une table vide sur le bord de la mer Adieu Angélina le ciel a tremblé Je dois m'en aller Les rois et les reines quittent la basse cour Deux cents bohémiennes sont entrés la cour Dans la salle du tout va rien ne va plus pour moi Adieu Angélina le ciel s'écroule Je te verrai plus tard Regarde ces pirates dans la Voie Lacté Qui tirent sur des boites avec un canon scié Les voisins applaudissent poussent des cris de joie Adieu Angélina le ciel se décolore Je dois me sauver King Kong et les elfes vont danser sur les toits De longs tangos typiques tandis que de leurs doigts Des maquilleurs s'escriment à fermer les yeux de la mort Adieu Angélina le ciel est trop sombre Je dois m'échapper Les mitrailleuses crépitent les poupés mobilisent Des bombes au plastique éclatent dans les églises Appelle-moi comme tu veux je ne discute pas Mais adieu Angélina le ciel se déchaine Je vais chercher la paix I have no idea of how close or apt that translation is but the arrangement certainly follows that of Baez.

Photographer Ken Regan Passes from The Scene

spock — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 08:17:37 -0800

On Nov. 25th, Ken Regan, iconic photographer of rock icons such as Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones (among many others) died of cancer. A spokesperson for his studio declined to give Regan's age, calling him "ageless." A GQ interview from late last year. A gallery of 16 of his images, and another gallery of 25 images. His (Flash required) web site's biography and portfolio. A one hour phone interview (warning: insufferable 3-1/2 minute pre-interview ad).

Monty Python's "Go Hang a Salami, I'm a Lasagna Hog"

oneswellfoop — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:31:06 -0800

38 Fake Film Titles to the Tune of "Bob" by 'Weird Al' Yankovic made by Oliver Smith in which an aspiring animator has created a tour-de-force (and tour-de-farce) showreel of kinetic typography and film homages using the palindromic lyrics of The Weird One's Bob Dylan riff (with a few actor and director credits tossed in to remind you what he's referencing). If Oliver Smith doesn't get a ton of job offers from this, the animation biz is broken.

What's Dylan Grillin'?

Rory Marinich — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:41:09 -0800

Bob Dylan says, "Betcha can't guess what I'm grillin'!" By the recently-devoured Internet legend Neil Cicierega.

Zeugma, syllepsis, ellipsis

the man of twists and turns — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 12:43:53 -0800

In Praise of the Rolling Stones and Their Zeugmoids via LanguageLog. also: Buddy Holly, Wordsmith Celebrating the Beatles: Goo Goo Ga Joob! Dylan the Prophesizer

Great White Wonder: Bob Dylan and the birth of Rock Bootlegs and Album Leaks

filthy light thief — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:15:53 -0800

In the summer of 1969, two guys pressed a few thousand records with white label stickers, and packaged them in nondescript white sleeves. They didn't have their own cars to deliver the records so they borrowed friends' cars, and the record ended up throughout California, with copies getting airplay at 5 southern California radio stations. The music wasn't their own recordings, but unreleased material from Bob Dylan. The recording became known as the Great White Wonder, "the entertainment industry's first truly hip situation comedy" (in other words, the first bootleg ever to be produced in the rock-and-roll era). In 1965, Dylan went electric, and the next year he released his seventh studio album Blonde On Blonde, which was the same summer of his motorcycle accident. Dylan was laying low while recuperating, and in 1967 he and a few guys who were known as The Hawks got together in the basement of a big pink house near Woodstock, and made some demo tapes. Even though Dylan owed Columbia another album before he could consider his options (Google books preview), this wasn't material for a future album for Dylan, but music he was pushed to make as demos to be re-recorded by other artists. In total, Bob Dylan and The Hawks/The Band recorded over a hundred songs in the summer of 1967. That was boiled down to less than 20 tracks that were sent around for other artists and labels to consider recording. A few of those tracks did quite well for other artists, including:

Peter, Paul and Mary - "Too Much of Nothing"
Ian & Sylvia - "Tears of Rage," "Quinn the Eskimo" and "This Wheel's on Fire."
Manfred Mann - "Mighty Quinn"
The Byrds - "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" and "Nothing Was Delivered" on their country-rock album Sweetheart of the Rodeo in 1968, and "This Wheel's on Fire" on Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and The Trinity - "This Wheel's on Fire"
Fairport Convention - "Million Dollar Bash"
Flatt & Scruggs - "Down in the Flood"

The Hawks, reunited with Levon Helm and were rechristened The Band. Some of the material composed in that pink house was re-recorded and released debut album, Music from Big Pink, including "This Wheel's on Fire," "I Shall Be Released" and "Tears of Rage." That demo recording made its into the hands (or at least ears) of some music reviewers, including Jann S. Wenner at Rolling Stone magazine. He reviewed the demo in the magazine, writing highly of the material present:

There is enough material — most all of it very good — to make an entirely new Bob Dylan record, a record with a distinct style of its own. Although it is highly unlikely that Dylan would want to go into the studio to record material that is now seven or eight months old, nonetheless these tapes could easily be re-mastered and made into a record. The concept of a cohesive record is already present.

Wenner went on to describe the songs, as if reviewing a publicly available album. Dylan had actually released an album since the recording the basement tapes, but John Wesley Harding, and it had been reviewed in Rolling Stone months before the review of the basement tapes. The JWH review was quite positive: "The music is again a brilliant electronic adaptation of rural blues and country and western sounds," and "Without a doubt this is another major musical step for Bob Dylan." Yet Wenner ended his review of the demo tapes with a major proclamation: "If this were ever to be released, it would be a classic." The fans knew there was something more out there for them to hear. It was with that set-up that Great White Wonder made its entrance. Two guys, who were only known as Dub and Ken, credited as "industry insiders" who wanted to make some unheard Dylan available, put together a two-record set from various sources. They started by pressing 100 copies, but the first store they went to bought the lot. Then they pressed a few hundred more, until they had made a couple thousand records. Great White Wonder didn't capture the complete demos from the basement sessions, but consisted primarily of recordings made in 1961 in "The Minnesota Hotel," an apartment complex well-known to musicians. The record was rounded out with outtakes from other albums, and recordings of Dylan's appearance on The Johnny Cash Show, a nice tip to Dylan's limited association with Cash. Great White Wonder was notable not only for it's content, but also as one of the first (if not the very first) bootleg to come out in the era of rock'n'roll. GWW came out a few months before the first bootlegs of The Beatles (Kum Back, September 1969) or the Rolling Stones (Live'R Than You'll Ever Be, December 1969), which were also released by Ken and Dub, now pressing bootlegs under the mysterious pseudo-label Trademark of Quality (abbreviated as TMQ or TMoQ). The Beatles bootleg wasn't the first Beatles bootleg of any sort, as that credit goes to The Original Greatest Hits, an illegal US-made compilation of publicly released Beatles songs. But Kum Backwas the first bootleg of unreleased material, consisting of early takes of tracks from Get Back, probably earning the title of the first album leak. In 1975, Columbia re-recorded and released 24 of the 100-plus basement tapes tracks from 1967, under the title The Basement Tapes. Paul Nelson reviewed the album for Rolling Stone, written in the intriguing fashion of a detective novel.

The music was eight years old, but it could have been made eight minutes or eight decades ago; it wouldn't have mattered. It had once been illegal, sold under the counter. Hell, even now it wasn't complete — these things never are. ... "I haven't solved the case and I don't intend to. No one will ever figure out The Basement Tapes the way you want to; somehow it would be indecent. They're either King Lear or they're nothing — take your pick, then leave them alone. I respect them and I think I understand them, and that's enough for me."

More of the original basement sessions leaked out over the following decades, and one way or another, and in 1989, the bootleg label Scorpio released a 5 CD set of the Genuine Basement Tapes, 104 tracks and more than 5 hours. In 2001, both Scorpio and another label, White Bear released 4CD sets, both titled Tree With Roots, both with better audio quality and a few more tracks. They are not direct copies, and feature minor differences in track order track inclusion. In 2010, Ken Douglas of TMoQ blogged a bit about his time as a bootlegger, and chatted with VICE about his time as a bootlegger. In 2011, Ken put together a more complete telling of his time as a rock'n'roll bootlegger.

"Why was I not alive and making music when there was a Black catagory?"

Diablevert — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:07:29 -0800

Every so often, the editorial staff at Grantland e-mail 25-year-old Rembert Browne a video from the 1980s that he hasn't seen before. Ladies and gentlement: Rembert Explains the 80s. My personal faves:
The 1985 American Music Awards: "LOOK. AT. LIONEL'S JACKET."
Bob Dylan Rehearses 'We Are the World': "I have to remind myself not to lose sight of the fact that Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Quincy Jones, and Lionel Richie are in the same room making music together. Oh, and Diana Ross and Dionne Warwick are shooting dice and smoking Virginia Slims in the corner." Duran Duran's “Hungry Like the Wolf” Video: "They are the only white guys in this village. Are they on a study abroad program? What is this?" Ricky and Alfonso Break-dance on Silver Spoons: "OK, there's a living, breathing skill gap. No disrespect to Ricky, because Carlton is a child prodigy, but wow, it's hard to look at the left side of the screen." Small Wonder: "Dad just stormed through the house. NOT IMPORTANT, because I just noticed the mom is wearing the flyest one-piece jumper. Yeah. I'm in love." Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson's "Say Say Say" Video: "Mike and Paul got their girls. Big surprise. I wonder if the ladies know they're in for a life of orphan crime." Bruce Springsteen's 'Dancing in the Dark' Video: "I just imagine him standing up for six to seven hours while a team of seamstresses created jeans on his legs. It's like the ships in those fancy bottles. How did they get there? Does anyone know? I don't. Anyway, Bruce Minaj has junk in the trunk, but it's so comically packed into those pants, it doesn't really wiggle." Don Johnson's 'Heartbeat': "OK. Officially confused. They just showed a fire and soldiers and some evil-looking leader. What is this? Is this on the soundtrack to some movie? Is this some '80s political song? Is Don about to get real on me right now? Is that guy a final boss and is Don going to defeat him at the end? I'm pumped if that's what's in store...This looks like Michael Bay's film school midterm." Even more: Airwolf, Max Headroom Interviews Sting, Mary Lou Retton's Perfect Vaults, Baltimora's 'Tarzan Boy', The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, Murray Head's One Night in Bangkok, David Bowie's 'Magic Dance' From Labyrinth, Kids Incorporated, Out of this World, Rockwell's Somebody's Watching Me, The Wuzzles, and many more.

Bob Dylan’s “Titanic” anticipated by Tim Heidecker

porn in the woods — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 18:53:51 -0800

Rumor has it that Bob Dylan's upcoming album Tempest will feature a 14-minute song about the sinking of the Titanic, which seems pretty plausible, right? The guy has written about the Titanic before, and he likes to tell long, repetitive stories, not unlike your very talented Grandpa. Well, Tim Heidecker (of Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!) has decided to try and anticipate Mr. Dylan's song, creating his own epic that encompasses not only the amazing, historically accurate tale of the ill-fated ship, but also the adventures of a movie pirate named James Cameron.

He Said, She Said, Starring Bob Dylan and a $1 Million Guitar.

COD — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 06:28:55 -0800

Bob Dylan famously "went electric" at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. 47 years later, experts believe a woman in New Jersey has the guitar the Dylan played on stage that day. She says her father was a pilot and Dylan left the guitar on board after a flight. Dylan says he still owns the iconic guitar that he played on stage in Newport. She says her father tried to return the guitar but nobody ever responded. Dylan's lawyer says several guitars were stolen in 1965. Experts say the guitar could be worth one million. Lawyers say that Dylan might be entitled to all the proceeds if she tries to sell it. Whatever the truth may be, the PBS show History Detectives will broadcast an episode on July 17th stating that the guitar is the guitar that Dylan played on stage that day.

Take Me Back to Tulsa

Kelly Tulsa — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:39:50 -0800

A remarkably diverse group of legendary musicians have graced the stage of Tulsa's Cain's Ballroom over the years: Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, the Sex Pistols (one of seven stops on their one and only 1978 U.S. tour…the hole in the drywall left by Sid Vicious’ fist is still backstage), the Ramones, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Blondie, The Talking Heads, U2, Ani DiFranco, Elvis Costello, Snoop Dogg, Morrissey, Beck, Wilco, to name a few. A documentary featuring Costello and several other artists who’ve played there is in the works, with proceeds supporting music education in Oklahoma and the upcoming Cain’s Ballroom Museum. Cain’s was recently named one of the top 10 live music venues in the U.S. From 1935 to 1942, Cain’s was home to Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys, who popularized western swing music with weekly dances and a national radio show.

Aha! The anatomy of insight, like a rolling stone.

nickyskye — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 15:56:56 -0800

How do we have insights, and where does inspiration come from? Jonah Lehrer goes inside Bob Dylan's brain to find out...the "neural correlate of insight": the anterior superior temporal gyrus (aSTG). This small fold of tissue, located on the surface of the right hemisphere just above the ear, became unusually active in the seconds before the epiphany. [pdf] We propose that people have an Aha! experience when they suddenly recognize that some information, which they have already semantically activated, either is the solution or points to the solution path. The suddenness suggests that the solution-related activation was previously below the threshold of awareness, perhaps overshadowed by other activation not related to the solution. This account jibes with the consensus view that insight problems misdirect solvers to consider unhelpful information or solution paths: Some misdirected activation may be stronger than activation of solution-related concepts. Only when strong misdirected activation subsides can solutionrelated activation surpass the threshold of consciousness and be recognized.

I'll let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours

timshel — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:27:38 -0800

During Bob Dylan’s tour for his third LP, The Times They Are a-Changin’, released in January 1964, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation offered him a half-hour special in which to promote the album. More info.

You shall Hear things, Wonderful to tell

Rhaomi — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:35:18 -0800

A decade on, the Coen brothers' woefully underrated O Brother, Where Art Thou? [alt] is remembered for a lot of things: its sun-drenched, sepia-rich cinematography (a pioneer of digital color grading), its whimsical humor, fluid vernacular, and many subtle references to Homer's Odyssey. But one part of its legacy truly stands out: the music. Assembled by T-Bone Burnett, the soundtrack is a cornucopia of American folk music, exhibiting everything from cheery ballads and angelic hymns to wistful blues and chain-gang anthems. Woven into the plot of the film through radio and live performances, the songs lent the story a heartfelt, homespun feel that echoed its cultural heritage, a paean and uchronia of the Old South. Though the multiplatinum album was recently reissued, the movie's medley is best heard via famed documentarian D. A. Pennebaker's Down from the Mountain, an extraordinary yet intimate concert film focused on a night of live music by the soundtrack's stars (among them Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris, Chris Thomas King, bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley) and wryly hosted by John Hartford, an accomplished fiddler, riverboat captain, and raconteur whose struggle with terminal cancer made this his last major performance. The film is free in its entirety on Hulu and YouTube -- click inside for individual clips, song links, and breakdowns of the set list's fascinating history. 1 | "Po' Lazarus" (lyrics) by James Carter and the Prisoners

Context: This plodding chain-gang chorus opens the film -- and suggests the whole story is an elaborate jailyard song in itself. Background: Despite the name, James Carter and the Prisoners isn't your traditional band -- it's the informal title of an actual 1950s Mississippi chain gang featuring Carter and a number of other anonymous convicts. Encountered by traveling ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax, their worker chant was recorded and entered into his vast field collection (much of which is now available online). Four decades later, Carter was tracked down and paid $20,000 by the Coens for the use of his music in the movie. The song itself is a traditional fable about a larger-than-life prisoner. Mudcat.org explains: Lazarus was a worker on a levy camp, in the days when "you worked from can to can't and maybe they paid you and maybe they didn't." One evening at the mess hall he got tired of finding "meat in his greens" (worms in his salad). Then he did something for which [he] must be feeling really pissed off and had to really have some balls. He "walked the table". He stood up on the mess table and stomped everyone's plates with his muddy boots. Knowing he'd face a minimum of a whippiong for his deed, and with revolvers in either hand, he went straight for the pay window, took the money and ran. Our story (the song) begins with the high sherrif telling the deputy to go get "Po' Laz'us". In concert: The five singers of the Fairfield Four used a slightly more lighthearted take on the song to open the concert. Other versions: The Bright Light Quartet's harmonious rendition, also from Lomax's collection

2 | "Big Rock Candy Mountain" (lyrics) by Harry McClintock

Context: Everett, Pete, and Delmar make a break for it during the opening credits. Background: While the cleaned-up version by Burl Ives is more famous, Harry "Haywire Mac" McClintock originally penned the song as an off-color riff on a hobo's idea of paradise, a Cockaigne-esque land of plenty where alcohol ran like water. In concert: Emcee John Hartford led a fiddle-based version.

3 | "You Are My Sunshine" (lyrics) by Norman Blake

Context: The official radio campaign song of Governor Menelaus "Pass the Biscuits" Pappy O'Daniel. Background: Adapting it from the Ukrainian folk song "Up There On the Mountain," original singer Jimmie Davis later used the tune as his own campaign song when he ran for governor of Louisiana (on a horse named Sunshine). It's now one of the state's official songs. Other versions: Too many to count, but Wikipedia lists many of them.

4 | "Down to the River to Pray" (lyrics) by Alison Krauss

Context: An argument is interrupted by a white-robed baptismal procession. Background: This traditional hymn was possibly written by slaves back in the 1800s before it wound its way to Appalachia. Choralnet.org goes into more detail. In concert: Alison Krauss performed the song with the backing of a full gospel chorus. Other versions: A peppy version by Laila Biala on piano.

5 | "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" (lyrics) by Dan Tyminski

Context: The popular off-the-cuff single that wins the Soggy Bottom Boys their freedom. Background: The most conventional hit of the album has its roots in a "Farewell Song" recorded by blind Kentucky folk singer Dick Burnett in 1913, though it almost certainly predates him. Dr. Ralph Stanley discussed the song and his attempts to revive it in this 2009 Diane Rehm interview, where he speculates it may be two or three hundred years old. (Fun fact: the accompaniment in the film, Tommy Johnson, was a direct reference to the real-life blues virtuoso of the same name, who likewise claimed to have sold his soul to the devil in exchange for musical talent.) There were several variations on this piece throughout the movie, including two different instrumental interpretations. Video of the original singers. In concert: The lyrical version was notably absent, but the late John Hartford performed a haunting wordless solo of his fiddle interpretation, one of his last before cancer rendered him incapable of handling his beloved instrument. Other versions: Again, many, but some of the most notable: Bob Dylan (his first national TV appearance) - Roscoe Holcomb - Jerry Garcia (via the Pizza Tapes) - Ralph Stanley

6 | "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" (lyrics) by Chris Thomas King

Context: Bluesman Tommy plays a melancholy dirge at a pensive campfire. Background: Adapted from the keening original by Skip James, it reflects on the hard times faced by the nation's poor in the depths of the Great Depression. Other versions: Another, more ethereal take on the song by James (bio and lyrics in description).

7 | "Keep On the Sunny Side" (lyrics) by The Whites

Context: The official campaign song of reform candidate Homer Stokes. Background + lyrics

8 | "I'll Fly Away" (lyrics) by

Context: A montage of light-hearted scenes from the middle of the film. Background: Ironically this gospel hymn was adapted from a line in a secular tune musing about jailbreaking from prison life. Other versions: Lots, including Johnny Cash (with a great singalong version from his TV show) and Gillian Welch/David Rawlings. One version by the Kossoy Sisters was used in the movie in place of the soundtrack version; it's included on the reissue.

9 | "Didn't Leave Nobody But the Baby" (lyrics) by Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch

Context: A trio of sirens seduces the group by a cold creek. Background: This eerie tune was said to be based on a combination of an old lullaby with the steady cadence of a prison work song (compare with the rhythm of "Po' Lazarus." In concert: The three original singers reprised the song together on stage.

10 | "In the Highways" (lyrics) by the Peasall Sisters

Context: The song performed by the Little Warvey Gals at the Stokes rally. In concert: Reprised by the three sisters.

11 | "I Am Weary, Let Me Rest" (lyrics) by the Cox Family

Context: A brief act at the Stokes rally. Background: Dating back to 1864, the tune was modified somewhat by the Coxes for their in-film cameo. In concert: Introduced with good humor by Hartford. Other versions: Jade Turner live

12 | "O Death" (lyrics) by Dr. Ralph Stanley

Context: The chilling KKK rally scene (similar to the infiltration of the witch's castle in The Wizard of Oz). Background + lyrics In concert: Bluegrass legend Stanley gives a striking solo performance shrouded in shadow. Other versions: Jen Titus

13 | "In the Jailhouse Now" (lyrics) by Tim Blake Nelson

Context: A holdover song done to buy time during the ending concert. Background: A somewhat silly yodeling vaudeville piece with a busy history.

14 | "Indian War Whoop" by John Hartford

Context: The celebratory ditty aired while hauling George Nelson to his execution. Background: An instrumental piece by Hoyt Ming with myriad variations; Old Weird America (a blog about Harry Smith's seminal Anthology of American Folk Music) goes into all the details complete with videos and links. In concert: John Hartford and his fiddle have some fun at Gillian Welch's expense. Other versions: An older recording from Smith's anthology, an exuberant take from Dr. Scantlin's Red Hot Peppers, plus some YouTube demonstration.

15 | "Lonesome Valley" (lyrics) by the Fairfield Four

Context: Echoing the movie's intro, a group of workmen sing an execution song in unison as the boys pray for their lives. Background: The earliest known date for this is David Miller's 1927 record, though it's probably much older. Other versions: A jazzy cover by the "Million Dollar Quartet" -- Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins. Another uptempo version by Mississippi John Hurt, plus Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie/Pete Seeger, and Bruce Springsteen.

16 | "Angel Band" (lyrics) by the Stanley Brothers

Context: Bridges the epilogue and end credits. In concert: This uplifting song closed out the concert in a mass singalong featuring all the stage's stars. Other versions: Several, but the most unexpected is likely the Monkees.

Other original music featured in the documentary:

"Wild Bill Jones" - Alison Krauss and Union Station "Blue and Lonesome" - Alison Krauss and Union Station "Green Pastures" - Emmylou Harris and Gillian Welch "John Law Burned Down the Liquor Store" - Chris Thomas King and Colin Linden "Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown?" - The Cox Family "Dear Someone" by Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, and John Hartford (my favorite) "I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll" - Gillian Welch and David Rawlings "Shove That Hog's Foot Further In the Bed" - John Hartford

Want more? The reissued deluxe edition soundtrack contains a second disc with 14 songs from the film never released on the original album.

Anything You Can do I Can do Better

Gygesringtone — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:58:56 -0800

In honor of William Shatner's latest album (Previously here and here): here are a few surprising and cross genre covers. Some work well, others are Tiny Tim. Track info and links to the originals inside. Lay Lady Lay-Isaac Hayes Originally by Bob Dylan Santorini- Record Club Originally by Yanni Suzanne- Nina Simone Originally by Leonard Cohen April Come She Will- Karrin Allyson Originally by Simon & Garfunkle Do Ya Think I'm Sexy- Tiny Tim Originally by Rod Stewart

mama put my guns in the ground -- I can't use them anymore

gerryblog — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 08:02:47 -0800

...after enrolling in public school and moving to Montana — a predominantly white state, albeit one with a decidedly hippie-ish vibe — Lamb and Lynx decided they simply no longer believed what they’d been taught. Prussian Blue, five years later. Previously, previously.

He's Got Everything He Needs, He's An Artist He Don't Look back

Xurando — Tue, 24 May 2011 15:41:50 -0800

Bob Dylan is 70 today.

I was so much older then. I’m younger than that now

Lovecraft In Brooklyn — Thu, 19 May 2011 18:37:45 -0800

Bob Dylan turns 70 next Tuesday. Why not start the party early by listening to 2ser's annual Bob Dylan Birthday Marathon on Saturday? It's streaming online from 7pm, Sydney time. Dylan has recently denied that China censored his shows, an allegation levelled against him by Maureen Dowd but opposed by Sean Wilentz.

One Glance Back

joannemullen — Thu, 12 May 2011 05:02:00 -0800

Horace Freeland Judson died last Friday at the age of 80. Though his greatest achievement was The Eighth Day of Creation, a detailed account of modern breakthroughs in molecular biology, he was more famously the haplass TIME reporter harranged at length by Bob Dylan in Don't Look Back.

Mr. Leonard Bernstein Explains It All For You

overeducated_alligator — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 06:30:14 -0800

Inside Pop - The Rock Revolution is a CBS News special, broadcast in April 1967. The show was hosted by Leonard Bernstein and is probably one of the first examples of pop music being examined as a 'serious' art form. The film features many scenes shot in Los Angeles in late 1966, including interviews with Frank Zappa and Graham Nash, as well as the now legendary Brian Wilson solo performance of "Surf's Up." (MLYT) Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

I gave her my heart, but she wanted my soul

tigrefacile — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 15:02:02 -0800

Suze Rotolo, artist, muse and covergirl has died, aged 67. She was Bob Dylan's lover and muse meeting him soon after he moved from Minnesota to New York in 1961. An artist in her own right, Suze explored the idea of books as artefacts, focusing on their appearance rather than their contents. She also published a memoir of early 1960's Greenwich Village. Ironically for an artist concerned with paratext she will most likely be remembered as the girl from the cover of Freewheelin', Dylan's early masterpiece. The image of Rotolo and Dylan strolling along a frosty Jones Street has fixed itself in the popular consciousness and is one that Tom Cruise will take to his death.

A Soundtrack of Love and Heartbreak, curated by 50+ artists

filthy light thief — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:09:06 -0800

eMusic has a collection of more than 50 artists reflecting on love songs, from Andreya Triana (Coldplay's "Yellow" reminds of her first love and heartbreak), to Yuki Chikudate (from Asobi Seksu) (Debbie Gibson's "Lost in Your Eyes" brings back the innocent early-elementary school crushes), and Dan Deacon (who heard Yo La Tengo's "Shadows" after a sucky breakup). All songs mentioned are linked below the break. The lead-in includes some lines from Rubber Ring by The Smiths. Yuki Chikudate (from Asobi Seksu) -- Debbie Gibson - "Lost in Your Eyes" Dan Deacon -- Yo La Tengo - "Shadows" Charles Bradley -- The Eagles - "Take it to the Limit" Lenka -- Donovan = "Catch the Wind" Joshua Epstein (from Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.) -- Prince - "Nothing Compares 2 U" Alynda Lee Segarra (from Hurray for the Riff Raff) -- The Falcons - "I Found a Love" Andreya Triana -- Coldplay - "Yellow" Sarah Kirkland Snider -- OMD - "If You Leave" Jarrett Dougherty (from Screaming Females) -- R. Kelly - "I Believe I Can Fly" Jason Isbell -- Bryan Adams - "Heaven" Emily Barker -- Aretha Franklin - "Respect" Nicole Atkins -- Paul Westerberg - "Dyslexic Heart" Tim Showalter (from Strand of Oaks) -- Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - "The Way" Delicate Steve -- Bon Jovi - "It's My Life" Frank Lyon (from Keepaway) -- Dungen - "Panda" Mattie Derham (from Does It Offend You, Yeah?) -- Berlin - "Take My Breath Away" Samuel Cooper (aka Sunglasses) -- K-Ci and JoJo - "All My Life" Sonny & the Sunsets -- a song he made for his girlfriend / he doesn't like Valentine's Day Benjamin Shaw -- Flying Burrito Brothers - "Sin City" Katy Goodman (aka La Sera) - The Cardigans - "Lovefool" Ian Axel -- self-penned "Monster Song" Dominant Legs -- Pinhead Gunpowder - "Song of My Returning" William Brittelle - Warrant - "Heaven" Dustin O'Halloran -- Leonard Cohen - "Suzanne" Lou Rogai (of Lewis & Clarke) -- Anita Ward - "Ring My Bell" Jack Hayter -- Mark Mulcahy - "From This Moment On" (cover of Shania Twain) James Jackson Toth (aka Wooden Wand) -- The Pogues - "Once Upon A Time" Tom Currier (from The Jigsaw Seen) -- "The Avengers" theme, by John Dankworth Laura Donnelly (Laki Mera) -- Telefon Tel Aviv - "What It Is Without the Hand That Wields It" Adam Malec (from Procedure Club) -- Edie Brickell & New Bohemians - "Ghost of a Dog" Houses -- Girls - "Hellhole Ratrace" John Thornley (U.S. Royalty) -- Red House Painters - "Have You Forgotten" Ralph Van Raat -- something off of some album by Coldplay (really, he was that vague) Daniel Lannon (from The Frail) -- a second memory of K-Ci and JoJo - "All My Life" Olivier Alary (aka Ensemble) -- Ivan - "Fotonovela" Linwood Regensburg (from Those Darlins) -- Bob Dylan - "All I Really Wanna Do" Brandon Stewart (from The After Party) forgot what the question was Sharron Kraus -- Violent Femmes - "Add It Up" (NSFW) Chris Coco -- Beck's cover of "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime" Pete Molinari -- Lead Belly - "Big Fat Woman" Curry & Coco -- Rah Band - "Clouds Across The Moon" The Seconds -- Kiss - "Rock and Roll All Nite"