Bob Dylan, The Band, and The Basement Tapes I Vinyl Monday

[@jameskohlman301]

Fairport Convention

[@abigaildevoe]

pinning this comment because ladies and gents it is not a true vinyl monday unless i say something wrong!!

[@Amadeusthegreat100]

@@abigaildevoe that's hilarious. Also 'arnge'. Arnge juice.

[@marcyfan-tz4wj]

getting fairport convention's name wrong is easy to overlook but he played close to you this november 11th. i was curious if you got a chance to see him. i've been to that town before but sadly not to witness dylan!@@abigaildevoe

[@Carpediemdeluxe]

@@abigaildevoe Can you do Born in the USA?

[@loriramminger222]

I have a lot of Bob Dylan........ But I never hear about the basement taps. Love

[@rooty_rootz]

The Band referred to their lineups as "playing musical chairs" which is why they all took turns on the drums. They enjoyed varying up their instruments

[@catahillbilly]

I think the Basement Tapes is an example of great musicians in a relaxed mode. They aren´t trying to set the world alight or make a best-selling album; just enjoying playing together and knocking out some great songs. That´s the feeling I´ve always got from this album. I also think these may be the first Dylan recordings which have backing vocals. And what great singers to sing along with!

[@edgarcardiel157]

Thankyou so much for doing a video on this! The band is my favorite group and i am so happy to just have people talk about them. Thankyou sosososo much!!!

[@MortimerSnerdVideos]

Actually there’s four people who know about Bobs motorcycle crash: Bob, Grossman, Sally, and Sara Dylan. Sara was the one who ran and got Bob after he crashed his motorcycle.

[@amygrassman2616]

Thanks for making this video, Abby! Bob Dylan and The Band both mean a lot to me. I actually got to stay at Big Pink for a few nights (via Vrbo) back in 2021 and would highly recommend. The basement was locked, but the host was kind enough to give me a tour of it on my last day. He had the basement set up based on what Levon and Rick had described to him. I spent most of my time painting in front of the big living room window where Dylan supposedly sat with his typewriter, played records, and tried to imagine what it would have been like when everyone was there. It was a dream come. Again, thanks for the album chat. I really enjoy your channel and I love your style. Please keep the Vinyl Mondays coming and whatever other videos you are inspired to do :)

[@alanclayton9277]

Fired up the old time machine again, mines like a Victorian H G Wells model, steam heat driven. I like the Basement Tapes cover shot and wondered how organized it was, then saw the dog and thought it must've been more random! Orange Juice is a fine lazy blues. Fairport Convention's (lol) Million Dolllar Bash is sprightlier. Goin' to Acapulco seems to leave when we don't want it to. Hudson's playing is fluent across the record. Some material would have sounded good at three in the morning and you have to be a fan. Similarities with Exile on Mainstreet? Crash on the Levee (?) Yeah his voice can have musicality. Fair dues. I like the late sixties vibe of the Julie Driscoll Brian Auger & The Trinity Wheels on Fire. Very memorable TOTP performance. Your love for your boy shines out again.

[@johnlorinc2081]

Bob Dylan and the Band......they made a lot of magic over the years. The songs they do on the Last Waltz are spine-tingling. The legend of the Basement Tapes may have been as good as the music itself. Great video!

[@ronreynolds1610]

Pure Americana Dylan is when the Folk /Country /Blues blend comes together after ''the crash'' ....and throw in some raw Rock .....wooooo

[@StevenMichals0812]

The Basement Tapes is a great album. I was glad when the complete CD box set was released, I bought it immediately. I consider that to be "the holy grail"

[@jackcrane7853]

Sandy Denny was the singer of Fairport Convention

[@frugalseverin2282]

"A Rare Batch of Little White Wonder" is credited for kick-starting the whole bootleg record industry. Dylan was trying to come up with new songs to demo for other recording artists (and some did). The complete recordings came out not too long ago. Also not to be ignored are the 'new' songs on Bob's "Greatest Hits Vol. 2". These were Basement Tapes songs that he rerecorded in '71: 'Watching the River Flow', 'When I Paint My Masterpiece', 'I Shall Be Released', 'You Ain't Goin' Nowhere' and 'Down in the Flood' (plus 'Tomorrow Is a Long Time' from a 1963 concert. There's some excellent material here if you haven't heard it. Bob's writing hit a dry spell after his country period and he recorded a lot of cover songs which gave us the "Self Portrait" and "Dylan" albums along with the eclectic "New Morning" (a lost gem) and the soundtrack "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid" which is mostly instrumentals.

[@PeterBondeVillain]

I'm much the same as you -- the Basement Tapes was a thing I had to learn to love, but once I did, I loved it completely. It's a weird mix of all different sorts, which makes sense when you consider the title

[@billcbren]

The Basement Tapes is in my top 5 Dylan albums. Loose, funny and just plain weird, it offers blues, country, folk, music hall and rock and roll. Amazing stuff.

[@shelleylyme6402]

Quinn the Eskimo had been invited to the party as shown on the back cover, but then wasn't actually included on the album itself. By all accounts, he was very disappointed 😞 I have a copy of the original TMQ "Great White Wonder" double bootleg, and this includes some of the Basement Tapes session recordings. It was given to me along with lots of other LPs and singles by a family member about eight years ago. He has told me he bought it in Carnaby Street around late 1969 or early 1970 (blimey, that's more than fifty years ago!). Apparently it was the first ever Dylan bootleg issued, and long before any official release of the tapes by Columbia in 1975. One of my fave UK singles of that era is the Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger Trinity cover version of "This Wheel's On Fire" from those Big Pink sessions. It's on a very distinctive "Marmalade" label. It's got some tasteful British psyche phasing, too. I dunno if it was ever issued in the USA, but I'd definitely include it in my own personal 'top ten' of sixties UK singles : kzbin.info/www/bejne/r32ymoyfgLyWi7s Best Wishes

[@foursail100]

I visited a friend in Mahopac, NY a few years ago, and the family nanny was there at the time of my visit. She was from Minnesota and told me that her older brother attended the same high school as Bob Dylan. According to her brother, Dylan rode his motorcycle thru the school hallways while school was in session! He must have been the talk of the town after doing that!

[@Sarah06294]

What I love about Bob Dylan is his eclectic style- he is not constrained by musical styles/genres (and he’s pissed off many so people by changing).That is his personal philosophy, “to remain in a constant state of becoming”.

[@robertfmorton]

The Bootleg box set is AMAZING!!

[@paavoviuhko7250]

I love your videos and your entertainment value. Excellent. Bob Dylan became my number one interest back in 1964 when I was in Grade 9. Posting his picture in my locker I felt gave me some sort of authority among the competing interests. I love the Basement Tapes as something completely different. My joy was the surrealistic Dylan of Blonde on Blonde and Highway 61 Revisited. Desolation Row became my recovery song from socially depressive episodes. Thanks for what you do.

[@frankholdman234]

Wow! What a great review for one of my favorite Dylan albums. I agree with you about Blonde On Blonde as his best. I think you're doing a wonderful job talking about these great records. Keep it up Abby!

[@abigaildevoe]

thank you so much! i'll keep this up as long as i've got records to talk about and well, there are a lot of albums in those shelves behind me haha

[@1rwjwith]

Late commenting but just watched this. I am glad you brought out the facts that in reality this 1975 release was kind of “phony” in its assertion that this was actually THE BASEMENT TAPES. A lot of it was not, almost all THE BAND tracks were not, recorded in the basement. The tracks from Dylan were actually the ones, at least in the main that actually come from the BASEMENT . As you said it was mostly done before LEVON HELM came back into the fold which is why a lot of songs with drums, there are quite a few without, has mostly Richard Manuel playing drums..in fact this period is where he learned to play drums! Having said all that I bought this in 1975, I am that old, and I love it . Some tracks do have overdubs from 1975 and all of them were sweetened during that 1975 time frame. Of course the latter releases of what was actually stuff from the BASEMENT finally came out in whole or part…it’s all very interesting. Thanks.

[@SharonTateFan67]

I love The Rotary Connection's version of The Weight ( Minnie Ripperton's old band) in the late 60s. The Band were so good.Great upload.

[@GaryArmstrongmacgh]

I've never heard this album Abbie. Will have to check these out. But heard lots and lots of Dylan in my nearly 60 years. And covered lots in my many amateur bands too. Great post. Keep Rockin' Missy!

[@officalhumblefish565]

The best vinyl channel on KZbin, your layout and editing is incredible and you're just so likable. It's clear how passionate you are about music and seeing that passion is just one of the many things that make your channel so incredible. I can't wait to see more of what you have in store. 😊😘😘🧡🧡

[@groovingonvintagevinyl7840]

I really like The Band, I've been looking for a few original pressings of their albums for a while now. Great Episode!

[@simonemurray1345]

For the self titled you should definitely get yourself an RL off of discogs. I have an RL from the LA plant and it's astonishingly good. They all seem to have some degree of surface noise but even with it it's one of the best sounding records in my collection. It's stunning. It only cost me like $30 after shipping and it beats out plenty of audiophile records I have. It's really amazing and beats any reissue even the $100 mofi. For big pink honestly some later pressings may be better. The issue is they made it to play best on the terrible portable players teens were using in 69. As a result they completely lopped off the bass. The newer mofi pressing is considered the best it's sounded though it's very pricey. However I've heard great things about the anniversary double 45rpm version. Though mofi is getting flack for a digital step they really did good with the band records, the basement tapes, big pink, stage fright and before the flood are the best they've ever sounded. They did amazing work with before the flood their version is one of my favorite live albums(though I wish garth would chill out a bit with the synthizer), while the original didn't have near the same effect on me. Their stage fright is excellent too I was lucky to get a mint copy for $50. It's not as big of an upgrade as flood, pink or basement but it's still better than the OG. So for me the only essential original band album is an RL of the self titled, preferably LA but any RL should be great. It's the best the album has sounded and probably ever will sound. Big pink is totally worth getting a reissue of over the original out of all them to really feel that low-end and Dankos bass. For basement tapes most prefer either the mofi, the bootleg series raw, or the RSD mono original basement tape. Though it's all lofi where it's worth owning an original. The original rock of ages is good too but as far as the originals go the RL self titled is the best. The original last waltz is great too but it's totally worth paying extra for the full 6lp boxset version with gems like Acadian driftwood.

[@johncopeland3826]

The basement tapes :Recorded in the basement of Big Pink, the house some of The Band members rented in their heyday! It was all acoustic because in the cellar it was concrete and brickwork ,which if there was electric instruments being played, would have been too loud. These recordings proved to be some of the finest of the rock era! Dylan and The Band,truly original artists,and changed the face of American music when Mr Dylan went electric!

[@willowufgood261]

I love how you dress for your album reviews ❤

[@marydarko3380]

Ooo, this is one of the Bob Dylan records I haven't listened to, I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of his discography but I have a fun fact, where I'm from (Manchester, uk), Bob Dylan performed here, in the Free Trade Hall which is now a hotel, after releasing Blonde on Blonde. He had just played acoustic in the first half of the concert but did electric in the other half of it, seen as a traitor to folk traditionalists he was heckled by some man who yelled 'Judas'. Bob Dylan proceeded to tell the man that he's a liar, told the band to play real loud and they played Like a Rolling Stone, SO iconic!!

[@abigaildevoe]

YES THAT'S THE PERFORMANCE I WAS TALKING ABOUT that's my all-time favorite Dylan show!! (besides the one i attended of course) the "Judas Show" is the one on bootlegs volume 4, it was assumed to be the Royal Albert Hall show for a while before it was proven to be Manchester Trade Hall. an incredible moment in rock and roll history. as for getting into dylan: i recommend you start with blonde on blonde and john wesley harding. if you like blonde on blonde more, go backwards in his discography from there, if you like JWH then go from there forwards.

[@fivehead6675]

“This is NOT British music, it’s American music. Come on!” Bob truly did not give an eff when it came to the hecklers, but I believe they actually brought out the best in his performances on the 1966 tour.

[@bobdarlington4634]

Mary D, I have many happy memories of attending gigs at the Free Trade Hall. The last time I saw Dylan it was at the Apollo, which was an amazing night as well.

[@Driecnk]

​@@fivehead6675no .....

[@JamesZzzzzz]

hi abby!!!!! i was just listening to this, cool surprise to see your vid!

[@BlueSky...]

Great episode Abby. I haven't listened to this album before, but I plan to do so now thanks to your analysis.

[@bobdarlington4634]

Top job Abigail, a very comprehensive look at a much discussed and fabled album. Tackling Dylans discography can be tough, especially with so many Dylan collectors and commentators out there. I hope they are kind in their comments, after all it should be all about our personal preferences and loves when it comes to the choices we make in music listening.

[@Pablo668]

I love Dylan, and I love The Band. I have this album on CD in my day to day car. Listened to it many times. I relate to the 'bunch of guys jamming in a basement-ness' of the album and it's sound, being a musician.

[@thepiperatthegatesofdawn1785]

I love that you make me hear albums that I had never hear like this and Tommy . Thank you for that!

[@raphaelroth1456]

Great vid! Dylan is just an amazing artist.

[@peteormond3565]

Hearing Dylan and the Band might be one of my 1st ever memories...my father in particular was a major fan and played this and the Last Waltz all the time around the time that I was born, they're ingrained on my soul. I would love to get either of these on vinyl. By the way, you look like you could've been on the cover!

[@Fooblestheclown1]

Great album! Tiny Montgomery is my favourite track. Including both fade outs on the track with Garth Hudson.

[@knockknock705]

Loved the Lera Lynn shout out for her cover of "I Shall Be Released!"

[@ronny-2112]

Nice album I like that era from Dylan & The Band, love The Band early albums.

[@MarsHottentot]

Love your take on the "Wah, this record isn't cohesive". Like, let people have fun!

[@abigaildevoe]

complaining about the basement tapes not being cohesive is the same as complaining that a collection of demos sounds rough/unfinished haha

[@MarsHottentot]

@@abigaildevoe 😂😂😂

[@risboturbide9396]

Great video! Love the Basement Tapes 🍻🍻

[@stephenkilby7851]

great video as ever, love desire and blood on the tracks also love the band, the last waltz is awesome, but strangely have not got or listened to the basement tapes, i think i need to give myself a slap, agreed my favourite is also blonde on blonde

[@davidrobinson9507]

Pretty damn good review for a youngster! I gained new thoughts from this video and I've been listening to the basement tapes since I was 15. Now I'm 64. And just today I played and sang Going to Acapulco... Incidentally I stopped smoking weed about a month ago, and my singing has improved so much. I am able to do the 'Yeeeeeaaaaaahhhhhhhh....' almost completely uninhibited and it feels really great. My inspiration of course, besides the original version, is Jim James'rendition from I'm Not There. It's a truly mysterious song. I think when he goes to Acapulco, he has about five different agendas. I think I can relate to them all. That is, if I'm getting the points and metaphors. For myself I have never been to Mexico at all, but I've been to Colombia, and my behaviour there got somewhat close. I just love Bob's songs, and him, and all the magic that surrounds him. I think Sarah Lownds would have known what happened with the motorcycle accident. I find it incredibly interesting that as far as I've seen, she's never given ' the big interview'. I hope you are aware of the Beatles trick on the cover of John Wesley Harding. It's pretty cool. I hope somehow, Bob sees your videos. I think you do a great job. Thanks. One more fun Bob fact: my best friend's highest achievement in his career as a film extra, was to be on set with Bob and crew in 1987 when he did that pretty terrible movie, Hearts of Fire; during filming, my friend Rick and Bob crossed paths. Bob was wearing a cowboy-ish hat, and in a friendly way he tipped his hat to my friend... that was the zenith of my friend Rick 's film career and ironically that film was arguably the lowest point of Bob's career. Apparently Rick fought for a credit on the final cut for ad-libbing a line that apparently Bob liked which was 'play Heart of Gold!'... The assistant director got impatient with Rick's request so he turned down the volume on his line and never gave Rick a credit. But that's show biz. Blessings to you.

[@patlampo9288]

Once again! You picked another of my favs😃✨✨✨✨✨👍I have the album, cd and the remastered cd🎵🎵My favs ace Yay Heavy and Tiny Montgomery 🎵✨Thank you once again for the info on this album.

[@sdw2is]

Your outfit is perfect.

[@harpermcalpineblack8573]

Many thanks. Intelligent and astute review.

[@syater]

You are so good at this. Great research and I love that you made a point to distinguish between release date and recording dates, just for starters.

[@andrewkostelnyk272]

The original Basement tapes started out as a bootleg -subtitled called the great white wonder =i have a copy of this album- there are other pressings of this record -great record!

[@johncollier9280]

Thanks Abigail fer this in depth review o' The Basement Tapes, an album I must admit I've always dismissed until now. You've convinced me to give it another listen. Like you, my favorite Dylan album is Blonde On Blonde but I also love many o' his early works. His debut is a call out to the world! Favorite Blonde tracks: One O' Us Must Know, Most Likely You'll Go Yer Way 'n Sad Eyed Lady O' The Lowlands...keep 'em comin'.

[@loriramminger222]

I will have to get this on CD for me collection

[@ashrobinson4604]

Love the way you receive information/criticism with an open mind. The same mind and curiosity is why you appreciate such great music from before you were born! 🫶 Great music channel, cheers!

[@abigaildevoe]

i really appreciate that, thank you!

[@brucevinyl3504]

Unusual choice here, Abby. I like this album but haven't played it for years. As I recall the production is pretty lo-fi. Check out Fairport Convention's 'Million Dollar' bash. They really nailed it.

[@AsTheTableTurns]

Basement Tapes are one of my favorites of Dylan's. But then again I don't really even consider it a Dylan album. I consider it almost like a concert. It was a time when both The Band and Dylan needed solitude and a break. They needed creative space and The Basement Tapes is the result of artists creating art in solitude and not under pressure to get something done for a deadline.

[@jimmuzzi1072]

Abigail I love you!!!!

[@BuenosTARDIS]

I like your style. Would like to see some videos about how you find vintage clothing. ✌&❤

[@Beatle-Byrd]

Bob Dylan? The Band? Vinyl!!!? Subscribed.

[@christiansemeraro2987]

Great Video Abby. I like to review The lamb lies down on broadway.

[@ssrrdg]

my lord, you're beautiful! and you listen to awesome music, you're a dream

[@GaryArmstrongmacgh]

LIKED, SUBSCRIBED...and you're on my ALL list.

[@abigaildevoe]

thank you so much! welcome to this long strange trip

[@MarkDauner]

I’ve had this record for years and never listened to it or took the time to know anything about it. I’ll put it on this week. So thanks! Oh, and I happen to also own Pinkerton and it’s not even in the top 20 of “embarrassing” records I own. No shame in that!

[@simonemurray1345]

Lol same here with Pinkerton. My most embarrassing record is one of the crown jewels of my collection. The classic records dido life for rent(sells for close to $500). I really wanted to hear white flag and thank you on vinyl due to nostalgia and loving dentist office music lol and so in a covid money fueled manic state I bought life for rent and no angel for like $500 combined. Which was a great deal considering life for rent is almost that itself and my copy is completely mint with just the smallest of seem splits and no angel disc was mint though the sleeve was a bit beat up. As a male 29 year old caveman/metalhead looking hippie Ill never let my friends know how much i paid for those lol. I have 3 more no angels to resell due to being limited releases last year so it just blows my mind I own atleast $800 worth of fricken dido. No regrets though! But honestly they're amazing, classic records did a hell of a job her voice sounds so real it's stunning, all the instruments and sounds are so crisp and lifelike. Its like listening to the songs for the first time again, i hear so much more. Life for rent has become one of my reference records and what I use to show off my system. Also it helps earn points with the ladies!

[@jaymichaelhardenmusicpage8226]

Great choice! I’ve listened to this album millions, maybe billions of times and it just feels good. Was it ctritic Robert Palmer said it’s the ‘old, weird America’ ? Kind of a whetstone for Americana, Uncle Tupelo and stuff like that. Odds and Ends is one of my faves, just pure frenetic sloppy rock an roll!! Totally agree about the ‘yeahhhh’ on Acapulco, gives me shivers… Thanks ! Check ya next Monday..

[@richardoyama7789]

Jay, I believe The Old, Weird America was the title of a book by Greil Marcus.

[@jaymichaelhardenmusicpage8226]

@@richardoyama7789 yes! One a dem guys haha

[@deebee5241]

Invisible Republic

[@richardoyama7789]

Abby, good job. I'd only add that Greil Marcus said Dylan was taking the band to school, hence an abundance of folk songs, covers and fragments on the Complete BT. The brutal '65-66 world tour made them a cohesive musical unit, but what I hear as a poet is language freer, looser and goosier than even Blonde on Blonde. There are also songs of unimaginable depth: Tears of Rage, Too Much of Nothing, This Wheel's on Fire. I've read Robbie Robertson polished the double album considerably, but I'm all right with that. I doubt The Great White Wonder, the original bootleg, had impeccable sound quality. Still, the bootlegs did ensure their legendary status. I think the best songs on The Basement Tapes justify that status.

[@terencestephenmoss2159]

Great review 👏 Syd Griffin's book the basement tapes is a really good read 📚 👍 I like Fotheringay's too much of nothing as a covered basement era Dylan track.

[@alanchriston6806]

Great analysis 😊🏴‍☠️

[@backbaconnbeer]

Other albums I think you should chat about- The Beatles White Album or Abbey Road, Grateful Dead Workingman's Dead or American Beauty, Janis Joplin Pearl & The Doors LA Woman

[@abigaildevoe]

LA Woman is on the schedule for soon(ish, fall for sure!) i'm redoing the first 10 episodes of instagram vinyl monday to bring those albums to my youtube channel. if i remember correctly LA Woman was episode 3! would also love to revisit the white album

[@trevordoolan5011]

Siouxsie And The Banshees did a great version of "This Wheel’s On Fire" it's quite Psychedelic Punky... Of course there's "The Last Waltz", such a great film [as I'm sure you well know]. And, the Vinyl is well worth having for the extra tracks (I think it can be purchased for a relatively reasonable price ?). I oncw worked in a pretty-fancy restaurant when I finished school that Bob Dylan came in to, along with like 15 / 20 Suit Guys (guessing Tour Promoters, Management, etc.). As I was pouring Red Wine into the glasses at the table, when I got to Dylan, he stopped me, pointed at a Wine on the menu, then mumbled while gesturing one. Then Bob just sat there surround by these Suits, he eats his Dinner, drinks the bottle of Wine all to himself, and for the whole evening he doesn't talk or say a word to any of the Suits sitting around him. Just to add, Dylan was wearing a Black Hooded Top and a Baseball Cap, with tight Black Jeans with a white strip down the side, and Black Runners. Dylan was playing two nights in Dublin, and I'd just been to see him the night before. You in anyway tempted to do a "10 Records Nobody Has" Video that's popping up around the KZbin, by-any-chance 👀 Well... it doesn't have to be all Vinyl, and much of it is more about just "showing your rare stuff's". .

[@abigaildevoe]

funny you mention the last waltz: i had the soundtrack before i knew it was a movie! i haven't heard of that video trend, not sure if i've got rare enough pieces for it but it sounds like a good idea

[@slimjim4239]

like your style

[@Shah-of-the-Shinebox]

I’m a *huge* Dylan fan (I’ve listened to all studio albums) and have several on albums on vinyl. Basement Tapes is a cool rabbit hole to go down, has some great deep tracks (You Ain’t Goin Nowhere, Mrs. Henry Please, Nothing was Delivered, This Wheels on Fire). My favorite overall Dylan album is New Morning.

[@patlampo9288]

✨I really love this😄😄😄album more and more each time I hear it and been hearing it since 1997✨✨✨You have as much business singing like Dylan as I do😀😁😄😄

[@dennisp.9085]

Love your commentary AD and the straw hat gets 3 "yeehaws" from me. This is my take. In many ways the Basement Tapes remind me of Dylan's stint with the Traveling Wilburys: an informal, relaxed jam session with the band having a great time and doing a bunch of songs that are not very serious and kind of tongue-in-cheek (aside from The Band's songs, great but out of place, like "Bessie Smith" and "Ain't No More Cane"). It's my impression that Dylan, never intending for these sessions to be released, basically made up the words on the spot. As a result we get some of the craziest, most hilarious lyrics in the Dylan songbook, often using alliterating combinations like "his cheeks in a chunk" and "his cheese in the cash." "Clothes Line Saga" has been interpreted as a parody of "Ode to Billy Joe," with laidback country folk making small talk and having a nonchalant reaction to the news of the Vice President going mad, saying "It's just something we're gonna have to forget." In "Yea Heavy and a Bottle of Bread," Bob screams "slap that drummer with a pie that smells." And later he adds "the comic books and me...we caught the bus...on the very next day with a nose full of pus." And "Tiny Montgomery references a "three-legged man and a hot-lipped hoe," before getting entirely nonsensical: "grease that pig and play it plain, tell 'em to go on out and gas that dog." Say wha???? But my favorite lyrics arrive on side one, cut three: "Well, I looked at my watch/I looked at my wrist/punched myself in the face with my fist/I took my potatoes down to be mashed/then I made it on over to that million dollar bash." Ooh baby, ooo-wee! Robert Zimmerman, are you kidding me? :)

[@abigaildevoe]

thank you! hahaha dylan was definitely into the whole stream-of-consciousness thing with the lyrics in 66-67. "your dancing child with his chinese suit, he spoke to me, i took his fluuuuuute" in "i want you" KILLS me

[@richardoyama7789]

Dennis, in the Complete Basement Tapes, there's a song called See You Later, Allen Ginsberg. Apparently the Bard was hanging around Big Pink. You're right, there are absolutely hilarious lyrics all over the place.

[@richardoyama7789]

It balances on your head like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine . . . I saw you making love to him / you forgot to close the garage door (Pillbox Hat).

[@effdonahue6595]

🎼Say hello to Abagail, say hello to Vivian, give her all my salary on the waters of oblivion 🎼

[@cbond1c113]

Thanks for your review Abby! I would also strongly encourage you to look into obtaining a copy of Bob Dylan's "Biograph." Released in 1985, it's a (then) career spanning compilation box-set, consisting of 53 released and unreleased tracks from 1962 to 1981 spread-out over 5-LPs. It is really the definitive statement on Bob Dylan's work, and set a precedent for box-sets at the time, which I think it is still unmatched. Also, it sits nicely along sides "Blonde On Blonde", and the book "Lyrics 1962-1985."

[@abigaildevoe]

yes! nearly won a biograph in a giveaway a while ago, forgot about it until you mentioned it!

[@chrisdelisle3954]

My favorite of all is probably "Yea, Heavy and a Bottle of Bread." And then there's "Lo And Behold," "Tiny Montgomery," and "You Aint Going Nowhere." My Band favorite, like yours, is probably "Long Distance Operator." It's a strange record. I like that there's nothing like it anywhere...like so many of Bob's records.

[@richardriley4415]

Back in the day I never paid any attention to Dylan because I thought he couldn't sing. After getting back into vinyl at a much older age I came to appreciate him as "The Irving Berlin" of his era. When I think of this album, I think of the video "The Last Waltz" which is fantastic.

[@ronfowlermusic]

J is best singing is on the basement tapes.

[@zorromaskedman8220]

Derek & the Dominos...Layla This is You Abi

[@bluedrinks1]

I found a copy of this at an estate sale w tons of other albums this past weekend but when I finally figured out what to buy and what was in my wallett( they only took cash) the basement tapeswas one i put back. I figured I had a great copy already but there was a mint Blonde on Blibde so I did take take and 60 + other albums

[@abigaildevoe]

oh man i have such bad luck with copies of blonde on blonde, all of mine have turned out to be busted in one way or another haha. enjoy spinning a beautiful mint copy!

[@bluedrinks1]

@@abigaildevoe Yup same here ,I have another copy that is less then perfec and I see beat copies often,I do have a regressing from so many years ago. Once I go through I may get rid of one if you'd be interested

[@zorromaskedman8220]

All my life I've wondered what makes Dylan great? ...drum roll... the Lyrics... I was bowled over when I listened and read the lyrics to "Masters of War". ...utter masterpiece...!

[@abigaildevoe]

i agree! the lyrics of "sad eyed lady of the lowlands" were what won me over

[@raulmacias6146]

Abby, I dig Brian Jones' contributions to this L.P.! My favourite tracks are ~ Citadel ~ Brian plays some Psychedelic Tenor Saxophone! She's A Rainbow 2000 Light Years From Home ~ Brian plays some very Eastern sounding "Mellotron", àla "Rick Wright of The Pink Floyd, which is a highlight of the album. You know, I always felt that "Child Of The Moon" was The Rolling Stones farewell to Psychedelia on which Brian plays Soprano Saxophone. The Rolling Stones produced a very cool Promotional Film for "Child Of The Moon" and two wicked Promotional Films for "Jumpin' Jack Flash"! I believe The Rolling Stones "Jumpin' Jack Flash/Child Of The Moon" to be the greatest Pop/Rock Single ever released!

[@Driecnk]

He's everywhere

[@danny1959]

The best version of "This Wheel's On Fire" is by Brian Auger and the Trinity with Julie Driscoll, which she later rerecorded as the theme song of the British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.

[@PaulLfc-ml1bj]

Smh

[@a2zme]

Absolutely brilliant album that was NEVER intended to be released .. so many bootlegs came out that the record co decided to just release it as is.

[@StephenAKatz]

In 1969, the first bootleg record that I ever saw was released called "The Great White Wonder." It had much better versions of the basement tapes songs than the 1975 album that you have. The fidelity on The Great White Wonder was terrible, but the songs were sung and played much better than on your version. GWW is now available on youtube, I believe, and I urge you to listen to it. "Too Much of Nothing," for example, is done much better on GWW than it is on the 1975 Basement Tapes album that you have.

[@Mo-MuttMusic]

Thanks for sharing, Abby. I'm familiar with "Blood on the Tracks" because it seems like it makes a lot of Rolling Stone magazine's best-of lists (I haven't checked the 2020 all-time albums list to see if it's on it). I've heard two covers of songs featured on "Blood on the Tracks": "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" and "Nothing Was Delivered," both versions by the Byrds, because I have a copy of "Sweetheart of the Rodeo." Love "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere." Great song to cover. Shawn R., Mo-Mutt Music/Sacred & Secular

[@gregorysullivan4554]

They(the band)...wanted to tweek the tracks they played on..the being somewhat perfectionists..as the original tracks were compositional sketches for other artists as well..the bootleg series of this is awesome..believe it or not I have not heard the official version yet!!...awesome review ..I had a hard time w/country Dylan at first as well,then found myself waiting for lay lady lay(the hit that year!)..on the radio,and I couldn't get enough!!..and your right Sarah is awesome...

[@gregorysullivan4554]

...I forget to include that is the reason for the 1975 recording dates,because of those overdubs that were done before the official release..

[@DetroitRockCitizen]

The Band only recordings represent the best Band album IMHO. I also prefer them to those featuring Dylan.

[@stayclean777]

Thanks for another excellent presentation Abby. Great look! Am trying (and failing) not to ask what's the title of the Dylan song "for Sara" you referenced briefly 😉

[@abigaildevoe]

thanks so much! there's at least 2 songs he for sure wrote for Sara, the one i briefly reference is "sad eyed lady of the lowlands"

[@stayclean777]

@@abigaildevoe Worthy song indeed! Thanks for answering🙏

[@nickschultz3259]

If you don't have the expanded version of Self Portrait (an underrated Dylan LP in my opinion) , I highly recommend picking it up, there's a lot of juicy nuggets on there. The vinyl is like $100 more than the CD version, so beware of that, but there's a full double LP worth of extra tracks. I already had the original LP, so I just got the CD for the extra tracks, and it's pretty strong material, reworked versions of songs from other LP's etc., good stuff all around.

[@jameskohlman301]

nice job!

[@maggiebryan2355]

Love ❤

[@sunnysongsthatilike6790]

Have you ever listened to Captain Beefheart's Troutmask Replica? I mention this album because it, like The Basement Tapes, is absurd. But taken to another level of ridiculousness. Both are great albums.

[@danbitgood429]

Easily my favorite Dylan record.

[@metwatts]

I like you...you march to the beat of your own drum!

[@kristofftaylovoski60]

"Convention"....but we get it, love Richard Thompson.... you go with Dylan wax girl.

[@misisipimike8020]

Going to Acapulco is an all time song

[@richardlawler7108]

You should listen to Fairport Convention's version of "Million Dollar Bash" on their album "Unhalfbricking" which had two more Dylan songs, "Si Tu Dois Partir" and "Percy's Song" as well as "Who Knows Where the Time Goes". "Unhalfbricking" was their third album and the second with Sandy Denny. They peaked with their next album "Liege & Lief" which had memorable rocked-up versions of old English folk songs such as "Matty Groves" and "Tam Lin". I wish you would review a Fairport Convention album that Sandy Denny sang on. You could even dress up like her too.

[@anthonysantoro8530]

Thanks for mentioning Sandy Denny, a too-often overlooked great of late '60s folk-rock. Though I would refrain from advising Abby on who to dress up like. She does a fine job of getup choice on her own thank you

[@richardelliott8352]

nice hat, gives a kind of religious icon painting effect. As for the mention of skipping tracks, every time the needle is lifted from the groove, it leaves a pop, a little mound of plastic that is unable to now reform as the tremendous weight on the needle tip that causes friction of such magnitude as the tip passes that the vinyl instantly melts, flows around the needle, and then instantly reforms as the friction passes, is interrupted. As one's playback system becomes better over the years, the pops intrusion into the silent grooves standout more, so take note and perhaps plan ahead. ( one very popular old acoustic suspension bookshelf speaker , AR, was known for blowing the tweeter across the room when hit with such an sudden extreme transient sound, such as a pop, out of silence, but only at extremely high, ear bending , volume.)

[@johnlosert922]

In Woodstock, NY, they would have pronounced it OR - ange - juice blues, not AR - ange - juice blues. But I’m sure you already know that! 😂❤

[@abigaildevoe]

damn my regional accent!!

[@analog_angel]

Have you heard the cover of I Shall be Released by Cass Elliott, Joni Mitchell and Mary Travers??? It’s wonderful 🥰

[@abigaildevoe]

i haven't! this sounds like a real treat, i'll have to seek it out!

[@808bunky]

I saw the Pixies & Weezer in concert before the pandemic & Weezer rocked!! Rivers Cuomo & the band are no joke!! One of the best shows ever.

[@abigaildevoe]

not even gonna lie i was SO close to going to a show on that tour, Basement was an opener and i love them! i have a friend who went to the Weezer/Fall Out Boy/Green Day tour and agrees Weezer rocked

[@1tsmeadam]

Weezer, not that bad and also, where did you get Pinkerton on the vinyl? I’m just asking for a friend

[@abigaildevoe]

i got my mofi pinkerton at a newbury comics a few years ago

[@frankjuster8726]

didn't this album first appear in 1969 as a bootleg called " the great white wonder " ? someone please correct me if i'm wrong .

[@abigaildevoe]

a good few of the basement tapes recordings were released on great white wonder, yes!