Hard Rain & Slow Trains: Bob Dylan & Fellow Travelers: Recent Episodes
Daniel Mackay
A weekly radio program featuring the music of Bob Dylan, his contemporaries, and his antecedents. Broadcast weekly on Thursdays from 8-9 pm PST on KEPW (97.3 FM-LP), available on www.kepw.org. Hosted by Dan. Artwork by Selena Dugan-Fields.
We celebrate the 200th episode of Hard Rain & Slow Trains by first catching up with news about Bob Dylan and his fellow travelers since the previous episode in February. Then, things take an odd turn: the radio show is taken over by Ms. Maria and Miss Lucy who run things the way they want. In "Who Did It Better?" you are first tasked by Ms. Maria to do better, than you are asked by Miss Lucy to vote who did "Gorgeous" better, Taylor Swift or the anonymous "Bob Dylan Taylor Swift" Youtube musician. Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
In October of 1963, Bob Dylan performed one of his great shows on the stage of one of the great venues, he finished recording his third album, he performed in concert halls in Pennsylvania and Michigan, he dueted with Joan Baez in Los Angeles, he wrote a poem to Baez, he gave two interviews, and he was publicly humiliated by a weekly national magazine in an article that would mark a pivot in how he interacted with both his audience and the press. Take a “Highway of Diamonds” back 60 years to the pivotal developments of Bob Dylan's professional life in October of 1963. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in October of 1963 and in February of 2024. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right" better: Bob Dylan on the stage of Carnegie Hall on October 26, 1963 or Joan Baez and Maggie Rogers on that same Carnegie Hall stage 724 months later on February 26, 2024. Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
In August and September of 1963, Bob Dylan began appearing as a special guest at Joan Baez concerts; he had three recording sessions for THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN', his third album; he sang before a quarter of a million people at the March for Jobs and Freedom in Washington, D.C.; he recorded more demos for his publisher M. Witmark and Songs; and he accepted Baez’s invitation to return with her to Carmel for a retreat away from the world and some time to compose new songs. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in August and September of 1963 and in 2023. Happy new year, everyone!
In July of 1963, Bob Dylan traveled to Greenwood, Mississippi, final resting place of Robert Johnson, to perform at a Voter Registration Rally, traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico to perform for Columbia executives, and traveled to Minnesota to perform for friends, he recorded a television performance that would air the following month, but above all he performed at the Newport Folk Festival. He performed at Newport and, as Robert Shelton wrote, “he left a star.” Take a “Highway of Diamonds” back 60 years to the pivotal developments of Bob Dylan's professional life in July of 1963. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in July of 1963 and in 2023. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Only a Pawn in the Game" better: Bob Dylan from the Newport Folk Festival in 1963 or Morrissey for his 2019 album California Son. Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
In May and June of 1963, Bob Dylan performed his first concert in California (where he sang his first duet with Joan Baez), walked off the set of THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW, and finally saw his second album, which he had been working on for a year, appear in record stores. Take a “Highway of Diamonds” back 60 years to the pivotal developments of Bob Dylan's professional life in the late spring of 1963: May and June. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in May and June of 1963 and in 2023, which includes the passing of two towering musical figures. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chancer" better: Bob Dylan from THE FREEWHEELIN' BOB DYLAN or Earl Scruggs. Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
It's the golden (50th) anniversary of the birth of the Seventies, so we are pausing half-way through our own calendar year of 2023 to look back. 50 years ago, Bob Dylan recorded the soundtrack to PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID, helped some friends in the studio, including producing the only non-Bob Dylan album he ever produced, began rehearsing with The Band for an anticipated concert tour, signed with a new record label after 11 years with Columbia, and went into a studio and recorded his only studio album with The Band. All of this occurred against a changing cultural background that inaugurated the cultural decade of the 1970s. Travel back 50 years ago to hear the music that Dylan was making and, in "20 Pounds of Headlines," to hear the news from the world of Bob Dylan as it was in 1973, as well as 2023. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote for who did "Tough Mama" better: Bob Dylan and The Band in 1973 or the Jerry Garcia Band? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
In April of 1963, Bob Dylan showcased his own songs to his largest audience yet, he finished recording for his second album, and he returned to the stages of coffee houses and clubs…until he became too big for coffee houses and clubs. Take a “Highway of Diamonds” back 60 years to the pivotal developments of Bob Dylan's professional life in April of 1963...60 years ago to the month. This episode is exceptionally long (the longest ever) as it attempts to showcase Dylan’s repertoire in April of 1963 by selecting different performances from that month. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in April of 1963 and in 2023. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Seven Curses" better: Bob Dylan on the stage of Town Hall on April 12, 1963 or Joan Baez accompanied with Bob Weir 60 years later in 2023. Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
A happy 82nd birthday to Bob Dylan from HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYLAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS from 2019 to today!
This episode is marchin' down the line...to explore Bob Dylan's March of 1963. The 60th anniversary is the diamond anniversary – visit the pivotal developments of Bob Dylan's professional life in March of 1963...60 years ago to the month. Dylan appears on television for the first time in the United States, he does a couple different radio shows, he again records for Witmark and Sons, his publishing company, and his lyrics are featured in two issues of BROADSIDE magazine. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in March of 1963 and 2023, including memorials to Billy "The Kid" Emerson, Harry Belafonte, and Gordon Lightfoot, and news about a forthcoming Dylan album due in June. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Walkin' Down the Line" better: Arlo Guthrie at Woodstock or Sierra Ferrell. Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Dylan is in the midst of a five-night residency at the Tokyo Garden Theater before he concludes his 11-date tour of Japan with three nights in Nagoya. To commemorate his 2023 tour of Japan, HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYLAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS concludes a two-part series featuring "'Pearls from Japan': Bob Dylan in Japan." Hear highlights of Bob Dylan's Japanese concerts over the decades: 1978 to 2018. This second part features performances from 1994 to 2023...just the other night! "20 Pounds of Headlines" includes an update on Dylan's 2023 tour itinerary and news about James Mangold's upcoming biopic of Dylan, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. "Who Did It Better?" returns this week and we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Forever Young" better: Japanese tenor Yosuke Yamamoto or Bob Dylan in Tokyo on February 28, 1978? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
On April 6, Bob Dylan returned to the stage for the first concert of 2023...in Japan. To commemorate the occasion, HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYLAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS launches the first of a two-part series featuring "'Pearls from Japan': Bob Dylan in Japan part 1". Hear highlights of Bob Dylan's Japanese concerts over the decades: 1978 to 2018. This first part features performances from 1978 to 1994. "20 Pounds of Headlines" includes an update on Dylan's 2023 tour itinerary, news about his new drummer, the relocation and opening date of the Heaven's Door whiskey bar, The Last Refuge, and the two portraits of Dylan that featured in Celine's "Portrait of a Performer" ad campaign. "Who Did It Better?" will return next week in part two.
It is an ice-cold, snowy, slushy-street February in New York City in 1963, which is where the “Highway of Diamonds” takes us this month. The 60th anniversary is the diamond anniversary – visit the pivotal developments of Bob Dylan's professional life in February of 1963...60 years ago to the month. Dylan appears on a radio show, records for both Witmark and Broadside, is photographed for the cover of his next album, and has 12 songs recorded – in some accompanied by Happy Traum on banjo – for what would eventually be called “The Banjo Tape.” In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in February of 1963 and February of 2023. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Only a Hobo" better: Bob Dylan in Folkways Studios for BROADSIDE Records in February of 1963 or Hamilton Camp in 1964 for his second album. Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
It is a new year, which means that the “Highway of Diamonds” that takes us back 60 years – the 60th anniversary is the diamond anniversary – now takes us back to a new destination: 1963. Visit the pivotal developments of Bob Dylan's professional life in January of 1963...60 years ago to the month. The year begins with Dylan in London, rehearsing for the BBC television play authored by Evan Jones: MADHOUSE ON CASTLE STREET, performing in London clubs, and interviewed by Ronnie Gilbert for THE SCENE. On January 4, the taping for MADHOUSE ON CASTLE STREET occurs, wherein Dylan appears as Bobby the Hobo. The next day he flies to Rome where he attends an Odetta concert, performs at a folk music club, and visits the Catacombs; he records with Richard Fariña, Eric Von Schmidt, and Ethan Signer back in London; he returns to NYC and reunites with Suze Rotolo after a seven-month absence; he records with Happy Traum for Broadside Records, and he performs his new song "Masters of War" for Izzy Young and Alan Lomax in Lomax's NYC apartment while a tape recorder is running. Other new songs this month include "Girl from the North Country" and "Boots of Spanish Leather." In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in January of 1963 and early 2023. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Masters of War" better: Bob Dylan in Alan Lomax's apartment in January of 1963 or Judy Collins a few months later in 1963 for her third album? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
We don't know what’s around the bend, but we’re heading there through 2023. This episode plays Dylan songs & those of fellow travelers dealing with what's around the bend. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes news about a new Dylan art book, a reminder about the forthcoming Bootleg Series, Dylan's ranking on ROLLING STONE'S new "200 Greatest Singers" list (a revision of its 2008 "100 Greatest Singers" list), and speculation about a 4k restoration of a film with Dylan in it that may be released in 2023. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "Death is Not the End" better: The Waterboys or Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds? Be sure to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Our fourth annual end-of-year, year in review episode of HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS looks back to the year's worth of activities of the philosopher pirate, Bob Dylan. We remember those who we lost in 2022 and also review 2022 highlights from the world of Bob Dylan from another busy year. Happy New Year everybody!
This episode concludes the 2022 monthly series that has been celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST with this the tenth and final episode, exploring the album’s final song, "Roll on John," John Lennon, and death as an odyssey. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes director James Mangold’s announcement about the title of his upcoming Bob Dylan biopic and news about Ryan Adams’s recording – and making available as a free digital download on his website – his own version of Blood on the Tracks. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did “Roll on John" (the Margaret Mayo/Rufus Crisp song) better: Bob Dylan in 1962 or The Greenbriar Boys in 1964? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
In this episode we wrap up our year-long exploration of Bob Dylan's 1962. This month we are visiting December, when Bob Dylan enters Columbia Recording Studio A for the seventh and what he believed would be the final time before completing his second studio album (this turned out not to be the case), and then he boards a plane on December 16 in order to head to London to perform in Madhouse on Castle Street for the BBC: his first trip abroad. A 60th anniversary is a diamond anniversary, so this week – as we have throughout 2022 – we take a trip on "a highway of diamonds," exploring the events of Bob Dylan's career sixty years ago. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in December of 1962 and December of 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us which version of "Hero Blues" is better: the first or the fourth take? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST, featuring the eighth track on the album, "Tin Angel," necessitating a consideration of the presence of the murder ballad in Dylan's work and his narrative songs in general. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes Dylan's statement about his use of Autopen, the opening of Retrospectrum in Rome, and some developments that may get the proposed James Mangold Dylan biopic, Going Electric, closer to being greenlit. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did “Blackjack Davey" better: Bob Dylan or The White Stripes? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Visit the pivotal developments of Bob Dylan's professional life in November of 1962 as we travel "A Highway of Diamonds" back 60 years. Dylan returns to the Columbia Recording Studio A in Manhattan to finish recording his first single and to continue recording his second album. He performs at Gerde's Folk City and he prepares to leave for England. A 60th anniversary is a diamond anniversary, so this week, and throughout the year, we will periodically take a trip on "a highway of diamonds," exploring the events of Bob Dylan's career sixty years ago. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in November of 1962 and November of 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us which version of "Mixed Up Confusion" is better: the one recorded on November 1, 1962 and released 23 years later on BIOGRAPH or the one recorded on November 14, 1962 and released one month later as the A-side to Dylan's first single? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST, featuring the seventh track on the album, "Early Roman Kings." In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes the long-awaited news about Bootleg Series vol. 17 on TIME OUT OF MIND, the wrapping up of Dylan's 2022 tour, and the passing of a musician fellow traveler. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did “Early Roman Kings" better: Peter Case of Bob Dylan? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Because of the Cuban Missile Crisis, it is a fraught month, but the day before the Crisis begins -- although the Crisis was not made public for another week -- Dylan performs the first of what could legitimately join his (considerably long) list of "greatest concerts." Certainly, his Gaslight performance after hours with the closed sign on the door reveals Dylan in a character and mood he would not often sustain for an entire concert again. At the end of the month, he is back in the studio performing songs for what would become The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, but instead of leaning into the tender emotive voice of the Gaslight show less than two weeks before, he plays a couple rock & roll numbers. A 60th anniversary is a diamond anniversary, so this week we are back to walking "a highway of diamonds," exploring the events of Bob Dylan's career sixty years ago. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in October of 1962 and October of 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Corrina Corrina" better: Bob Dylan, from the B-side of his first single, or the just recently departed Jerry Lee Lewis? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
“It could have been a last waltz,” Bill Flanagan wrote, “instead, it turned out to be rock & roll's greatest half time show." Thirty years ago, Sony Music hosted Columbia Records Celebrates the Music of Bob Dylan at Madison Square Garden on October 16, 1992. A double-CD concert album and a concert film, both titled Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration were released to memorialize the event. This episode will memorialize the memorialization, contextualize the concert within the lineage of other great multiact, multiheaded concerts and festivals, and it will also strip bare some of the event’s mythologization. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan as it was in 1992 and today, including a brief clip of Dylan reading from his forthcoming THE PHILOSOPHY OF MODERN SONG, an update on his current tour itinerary, and a special guest review of another much more recent Bob Dylan Tribute Concert that took place at Town Hall in New York City, this review written by our listener Jon Olson of Arlington. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "When I Paint My Masterpiece" better live, Jerry Garcia and John Kahn or The Band (minus Robbie Robertson) with Richard Bell and Jim Weider on the stage of Madison Square Garden for Columbia Records Celebrates the Music of Bob Dylan?
For past episodes featuring the music of the Columbia Records Celebrates the Music of Bob Dylan concert, look up the following episodes of HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYLAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS: 10/29/2020: “All Those Who’ve Sailed with Me: Bob Dylan & His Bands part 3,” 6/10/2021: “The Great Pretender: The Music of Chrissie Hynde,” 11/11/2021: “Bloomington,” and 11/25/2021: “Playing to the Big Crowds, Playing to the Cheap Seats: Bob Dylan & The Beatles part 2.” You might also like to listen to 10/8/2020: “The Rock Era” for some more context concerning multiact and multiheaded concerts and festivals.
Last Friday, September 30, 2022 was the 25th anniversary of the release of Time Out of Mind, an album whose artistic and commercial success proved an important contributor to Dylan’s continued reinvigoration and late career success, a success that has continued to this day. This episode celebrates that album with a consideration of its making, its distinctiveness, and, of course, through its music. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we update you on Dylan’s European tour itinerary, tell you who will be reading the audiobook version of Dylan's forthcoming THE PHILOSOPHY OF MODERN SONG, and mark the passing of a powerful and distinctive songwriter and singer. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote for which version of “Mississippi,” as recorded for TIME OUT OF MIND, is better: The outtake from the 1996 Teatro recording sessions in Oxnard, California, or outtake #2 or #3 from Criteria Studios in Miami.
Please check out the Dylan.FM podcast over at the Freak Music Club: https://dylanfmc.castos.com. Craig Danuloff has put together a nice collection of essays celebrating the 25th anniversary of TIME OUT OF MIND and his work is a wonderful contribution to our understanding of Bob Dylan's masterpiece, now a quarter of a century old. I would like to again thank Mr. Danuloff for his permission to replay part of his interview with Scott Warmuth, a perennial friend to HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYLAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS.
25 years ago Bob Dylan released an album whose artistic and commercial success proved an important contributor to his continued reinvigoration and late career success, a success that has continued to this day. This episode celebrates that album with a consideration of its making, its distinctiveness, and, of course, through its music. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we update you on Dylan’s European tour itinerary, remind you about a great Youtube Channel, and provide more information about both the SHADOW KINGDOM and T-Bone Burnett Ionic Originals recording sessions from 2021. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote for which version of “Can’t Wait” is better: The alternate version from the Teatro in Oxnard, California, the alternate version from Criteria Studios in Miami, or the album version.
Visit the pivotal developments of Bob Dylan's professional life in August and September of 1962 as we travel "A Highway of Diamonds" back 60 years ago. Dylan takes a trip back to Minnesota and, missing his girlfriend who was in Italy, calls up Dave Van Ronk in New York and tells John Cohen that he may never return there without her. He legally changes his name to Bob Dylan, signs with Albert Grossman, plays parties for friends and joins the Carnegie Hall Hootenanny sixty years ago to the night of this episode's broadcast, where he unveils "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" to the world (he had debuted it before a small crowd at the Gaslight Cafe a few days earlier). A 60th anniversary is a diamond anniversary, so this week, and throughout the year, we will periodically take a trip on "a highway of diamonds," exploring the events of Bob Dylan's career sixty years ago. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in August & September of 1962 and September of 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Tomorrow is a Long Time" better: Ian & Sylvia or The Seldom Scene? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Visit the pivotal developments of Bob Dylan's professional life in August and September of 1962 as we travel "A Highway of Diamonds" back 60 years ago. Dylan takes a trip back to Minnesota and, missing his girlfriend who was in Italy, calls up Dave Van Ronk in New York and tells John Cohen that he may never return there without her. He legally changes his name to Bob Dylan, signs with Albert Grossman, plays parties for friends and joins the Carnegie Hall Hootenanny sixty years ago to the night of this episode's broadcast, where he unveils "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" to the world (he had debuted it before a small crowd at the Gaslight Cafe a few days earlier). A 60th anniversary is a diamond anniversary, so this week, and throughout the year, we will periodically take a trip on "a highway of diamonds," exploring the events of Bob Dylan's career sixty years ago. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in August & September of 1962 and September of 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Tomorrow is a Long Time" better: Ian & Sylvia or The Seldom Scene? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST, featuring the sixth track on the album, "Scarlet Town." In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes a countdown (from 10) until Dylan's first tour of Europe in 3 years begins in 10 days. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did the seventeenth-century traditional Scottish ballad "Barbara Allen" better: the Everly Brothers or Bob Dylan? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST, featuring the sixth track on the album, "Scarlet Town." In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes a countdown (from 10) until Dylan's first tour of Europe in 3 years begins in 10 days. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did the seventeenth-century traditional Scottish ballad "Barbara Allen" better: the Everly Brothers or Bob Dylan? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST, featuring the fifth track on the album, "Pay in Blood." Given that this episode airs on September 8, 2022 and TEMPEST was released on September 10, 2012, this episode also includes some general remarks about the album on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of its release. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes a reminder that Dylan's first tour of Europe in 3 years begins in 17 days. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us which is better: "Someone's Got a Hold of My Heart" or the song it turned into, "Tight Connection to My Heart (Has Anyone Seen My Love?)"? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST, featuring the fifth track on the album, "Pay in Blood." Given that this episode airs on September 8, 2022 and TEMPEST was released on September 10, 2012, this episode also includes some general remarks about the album on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of its release. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes a reminder that Dylan's first tour of Europe in 3 years begins in 17 days. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us which is better: "Someone's Got a Hold of My Heart" or the song it turned into, "Tight Connection to My Heart (Has Anyone Seen My Love?)"? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST, featuring the fourth track on the album, "Long and Wasted Years." In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes new shows added to Dylan's 2022 autumn tour of Europe; the appearance of the table of contents of Dylan's new book, THE PHILOSOPHY OF MODERN SONG, online, including the 66 songs about which he will be writing; and the passing of Jerry Allison, the drummer of The Crickets. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did "Twist and Shout" better: The Top Notes, the Isley Brothers or The Beatles? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST, featuring the fourth track on the album, "Long and Wasted Years." In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes new shows added to Dylan's 2022 autumn tour of Europe; the appearance of the table of contents of Dylan's new book, THE PHILOSOPHY OF MODERN SONG, online, including the 66 songs about which he will be writing; and the passing of Jerry Allison, the drummer of The Crickets. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did "Twist and Shout" better: The Top Notes, the Isley Brothers or The Beatles? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Join Dr. Sara Martinez for a summary of her scholarly work on Dylan, which includes her dissertation on how Dylan's work from 1962-1970 upends traditional masculine roles of breadwinner and soldier and also her current work on the Rolling Thunder Revue. We also play some music from some of her favorite performers. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, including rumors pertaining to both the James Mangold GOING ELECTRIC film and the next volume of the Bootleg Series. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)" better, The White Stripes or Robert Plant? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Join Dr. Sara Martinez for a summary of her scholarly work on Dylan, which includes her dissertation on how Dylan's work from 1962-1970 upends traditional masculine roles of breadwinner and soldier and also her current work on the Rolling Thunder Revue. We also play some music from some of her favorite performers. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, including rumors pertaining to both the James Mangold GOING ELECTRIC film and the next volume of the Bootleg Series. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)" better, The White Stripes or Robert Plant? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST, featuring the third track on the album, "Narrow Way." A seven-and-half minute, fifteen-bar blues that gives voice to the struggle of keeping one's faith in a hostile world, "Narrow Way" is explored through a close examination of its lyrical allusions and the meaning of the song. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes a report about Joni Mitchell's triumphant return to the stage at the Newport Folk Festival after twenty years, and, crucially, seven years after suffering a debilitating brain aneurism. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did "Narrow Way" better: Klaudia Kroboth or Karl Wright? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST, featuring the third track on the album, "Narrow Way." A seven-and-half minute, fifteen-bar blues that gives voice to the struggle of keeping one's faith in a hostile world, "Narrow Way" is explored through a close examination of its lyrical allusions and the meaning of the song. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes a report about Joni Mitchell's triumphant return to the stage at the Newport Folk Festival after twenty years, and, crucially, seven years after suffering a debilitating brain aneurism. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did "Narrow Way" better: Klaudia Kroboth or Karl Wright? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Tour the pivotal developments of Bob Dylan's professional life in July of 1962 as we travel "A Highway of Diamonds" back 60 years ago to the month and visit Dylan as he performs in Montreal, records "Blowin' in the Wind" and other songs for THE FREEWHEELIN' BOB DYLAN, makes new friends, writes his beloved who is across the sea in Italy, and signs with a new music publisher. A 60th anniversary is a diamond anniversary, so this week, and throughout the year, we will periodically take a trip on "a highway of diamonds," exploring the events of Bob Dylan's career sixty years ago. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in July of 1962 and July of 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Worried Blues" better: its writer Hally Wood or Bob Dylan as recorded on July 9, 1962? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Tour the pivotal developments of Bob Dylan's professional life in July of 1962 as we travel "A Highway of Diamonds" back 60 years ago to the month and visit Dylan as he performs in Montreal, records "Blowin' in the Wind" and other songs for THE FREEWHEELIN' BOB DYLAN, makes new friends, writes his beloved who is across the sea in Italy, and signs with a new music publisher. A 60th anniversary is a diamond anniversary, so this week, and throughout the year, we will periodically take a trip on "a highway of diamonds," exploring the events of Bob Dylan's career sixty years ago. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in July of 1962 and July of 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Worried Blues" better: its writer Hally Wood or Bob Dylan as recorded on July 9, 1962? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
In late May, Bob Dylan resumed touring with a leg that went up and down the American West Coast, the Pacific Northwest, and into the Rocky Mountains. He performed 25 concerts in 19 cities, his last one wrapping up a week-and-a-half ago in Denver. Join HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYLAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS for a postgame review of the late spring/early summer 2022 leg of the "ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS" World Wide Tour/2021-2024. You will hear highlights from the shows and comparisons between the evolving arrangements of certain songs. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," you will hear an update about Dylan's plans to tour Europe in the autumn, what special plans Cat Power has for the Royal Albert Hall in November, and you will hear about the auction of an ultra-rare version of THE FREEWHEELIN' BOB DYLAN. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us which live version of "Key West (Philosopher Pirate)" by Bob Dylan is better: a November 21, 2021 arrangement from the Beacon Theatre in New York last fall or a June 23, 2022 arrangement from Santa Cruz a few weeks ago? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
In late May, Bob Dylan resumed touring with a leg that went up and down the American West Coast, the Pacific Northwest, and into the Rocky Mountains. He performed 25 concerts in 19 cities, his last one wrapping up a week-and-a-half ago in Denver. Join HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYLAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS for a postgame review of the late spring/early summer 2022 leg of the "ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS" World Wide Tour/2021-2024. You will hear highlights from the shows and comparisons between the evolving arrangements of certain songs. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," you will hear an update about Dylan's plans to tour Europe in the autumn, what special plans Cat Power has for the Royal Albert Hall in November, and you will hear about the auction of an ultra-rare version of THE FREEWHEELIN' BOB DYLAN. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us which live version of "Key West (Philosopher Pirate)" by Bob Dylan is better: a November 21, 2021 arrangement from the Beacon Theatre in New York last fall or a June 23, 2022 arrangement from Santa Cruz a few weeks ago? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues our intermittent series featuring a single Dylan song and today's episode explores one of Dylan’s great narrative songs: "Simple Twist of Fate." You'll hear studio and live performances of “Simple Twist of Fate” by Dylan -- some with interesting lyric variations -- and fellow travelers and a special medley of 30 different versions of the song. The weekly news segment “20 Pounds of Headlines” tells you about the conclusion of Dylan's latest leg of his tour and also updates you on the auction of the ionic original of a 2021 studio recording of Blowin' in the Wind...and shares news about an upcoming auction of an extremely rare and collectible version of THE FREEWHEELIN' BOB DYLAN (1963). In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "Simple Twist of Fate" is better: The Jerry Garcia Band or Sean Costello? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
50 years ago Bob Dylan helped out his friends both on the stage and in the studio, moved his family to Durango to film PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID with director Sam Peckinpah, and otherwise enjoyed one of the few quiet years of his career. Travel back 50 years ago to hear the music that Dylan was making and, in "20 Pounds of Headlines," to hear the news from the world of Bob Dylan as it was in 1972, as well as 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote for who did "Tennessee Blues" better back in 1972: the song's writer Bobby Charles or Doug Sahm with Bob Dylan performing harmonica? It's the golden (50th) anniversary of this interesting year, in some respects a precursor to the much more active 1975, so we are pausing half-way through our own calendar year of 2022 to look back.
50 years ago Bob Dylan helped out his friends both on the stage and in the studio, moved his family to Durango to film PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID with director Sam Peckinpah, and otherwise enjoyed one of the few quiet years of his career. Travel back 50 years ago to hear the music that Dylan was making and, in "20 Pounds of Headlines," to hear the news from the world of Bob Dylan as it was in 1972, as well as 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote for who did "Tennessee Blues" better back in 1972: the song's writer Bobby Charles or Doug Sahm with Bob Dylan performing harmonica? It's the golden (50th) anniversary of this interesting year, in some respects a precursor to the much more active 1975, so we are pausing half-way through our own calendar year of 2022 to look back.
This episode continues a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST, featuring the second track on the album, "Soon After Midnight," through songs that influenced its composition, live versions, cover versions, and also through a consideration of the song's meaning and allusions. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes an overview of Dylan's tour itinerary for the upcoming week, a report on Dylan's sale of his Traveling Wilburys share of master royalties and neighboring rights royalties to Primary Wave Music, a report that T-Bone Burnett is still looking to release 20 more recordings by the New Basement Tapes of songs created from unfinished BASEMENT TAPES era lyrics, and a happy birthday to a special figure of cultural significance. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did "Soon After Midnight" better: Aoife O’Donovan or John Glase & The Burnt Remains? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Join us for a tour of Bob Dylan's professional life in May and June of 1962 as we travel "A Highway of Diamonds" back 60 years ago to the month and visit Dylan as he records a Broadside show on topical songwriting on WBAI in New York along with Cynthia Gooding, Pete Seeger, Izzy Young, Gil Turner, and Sis Cunningham and as he bids adieu to his love from a New York ship dock. A 60th anniversary is a diamond anniversary, so this week, and throughout the year, we periodically take a trip on "a highway of diamonds," exploring the events of Bob Dylan's career sixty years ago. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in May and June of 1962 and May and June of 2022, including a special airing of three songs from the past week from Dylan's touring of the Pacific Northwest. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "The Death of Emmett Till" better: Bob Dylan as performed on WBAI in May of 1962 or Coulson, Dean, McGuinness, Flint as recorded ten years later in 1972? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
On May 10, 2022, the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma opened its doors. This episode delivers a comprehensive overview and review of the Center and the events surrounding its opening. The weekly news segment “20 Pounds of Headlines” covers the May 5 Grand Opening Reception and Dinner at the Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture, delivers the sad news of the passing of a fellow traveler, updates you on Dylan's spring and early summer touring itinerary, informs you about the results from RR Auction's auctioning of Dylan's 1960 manuscript POEMS WITHOUT TITLES, informs you about the recording of THE GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY'S production, describes the new Dylan sculpture, RAIL CAR, revealed at Château La Coste in Provence, France, and, of course, wishes Bob Dylan a happy birthday and many years. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "I Threw It All Away" better: Bob Dylan in 1978 or Elvis Costello and the Imposters (along with Dylan's former guitarist Charlie Sexton) at Cain's Ballroom on May 7, 2022 while celebrating the opening of the Bob Dylan Center? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote! PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED UPON MY RETURN FROM TULSA, ON MAY 20, AND I INTENDED TO BROADCAST IT EARLIER THAN IT WAS BROADCAST, BUT THE ASSEMBLING OF THE SHOW TOOK LONGER THAN EXPECTED, THEREFORE SOME OF THE REFERENCES TO DATES, SUCH AS DYLAN'S MAY 24 BIRTHDAY ARE MADE AS IF THE EVENT HAD NOT YET HAPPENED.
This episode continues our monthly series featuring a single Dylan song and marks the 60th anniversary of the composition of "Blowin' in the Wind" in April of 1962. You'll hear studio and live performances of “Blowin' in the Wind” by Dylan and fellow travelers and a special medley of 28 different versions of the song. The weekly news segment “20 Pounds of Headlines” tells you about a new recording project for Dylan done in partnership with T-Bone Burnett and announces the new director of the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us which version of "Blowin' in the Wind" is better: Bob Dylan in Budokan on March 1, 1978 or Bob Dylan at Earl's Court in London on June 27, 1981? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Join us for a tour of Bob Dylan's professional life in April of 1962 as we travel "A Highway of Diamonds" back 60 years ago to the month and visit Dylan as he writes "Blowin' in the Wind," begins the recording sessions for his second album, and performs at Gerde's and other locations both alone and with fellow travelers. A 60th anniversary is a diamond anniversary, so this week, and throughout the year, we will periodically take a trip on "a highway of diamonds," exploring the events of Bob Dylan's career sixty years ago. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in April of 1962 and April of 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Milkcow's Calf Blues" better: Robert Johnson or Bob Dylan as recorded on April 25, 1962? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST. Broadcasting on April 14th, the 110th anniversary of the Titanic's fateful convergence with the iceberg, how could we not dedicate this episode to the song that gave the album its name, "Tempest"? In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes a final update on Dylan's spring 2022 tour, which concludes this evening. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did "When That Great Ship Went Down" better: Woody Guthrie or Bob Gibson? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues the expedition we began last week, following the musical map Dylan has drawn for us as the spring tour winds to a close. The weekly news segment “20 Pounds of Headlines” keeps you updated on the itinerary for the final week of Dylan's spring tour, updates you on the appeal result for Claudia Levy's suit against Dylan, and updates you on ticket availability for the festivities surrounding the opening of the Bob Dylan Center. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "Maybe Baby" better: Waylon Jennings or Buddy Holly? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote.
Dylan has told us that he is a musical expeditionary. In the midst of his band introductions throughout the fall and spring tours he mentioned performers local to the city he is playing. Join us for this two-part series where we draw a musical map of the musical expedition Dylan has led us on even as the spring tour winds to a close. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which updates you on the imminent itinerary of Dylan's tour and alerts you to the appearance of a Dylan song in a popular new streaming show, news on 4k UHD releases for THE LAST WALTZ and PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID, and alerts you that Dylan's November book, THE PHILOSOPHY OF MODERN SONG can now be pre-ordered through Simon & Schuster. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" better: Richie Havens or The Seldom Scene? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues our monthly series featuring a single Dylan song and today's episode occurs the day after the 33rd anniversary of the recording of "Series of Dreams" in New Orleans, where Dylan just performed last Saturday. You'll hear studio and live performances of “Series of Dreams” by Dylan and fellow travelers. The weekly news segment “20 Pounds of Headlines” will keep you updated on the imminent itinerary of Dylan's tour and some exciting news about events preceding the opening of the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "Series of Dreams" better: Zimmermen or Zita Swoon? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote.
The recording session with Victoria Spivey & Big Joe Williams, playing some tunes at a NYC apartment gathering, finishing "Let Me Die in My Footsteps, writing "Talking Folklore Center," and, of course, the debut of his first album: join us for a tour of Bob Dylan's professional life in March of 1962 as we travel "A Highway of Diamonds" back 60 years ago to the month. A 60th anniversary is a diamond anniversary, so this week, and throughout the year, we will periodically take a trip on "a highway of diamonds," exploring the events of Bob Dylan's career sixty years ago. This week, we listen to what Bob Dylan was up to in March of 1962. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in March of 1962 and March of 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "You're No Good" better: Jesse Fuller or Bob Dylan off his debut album released on March 19, 1962? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode covers highlights of the first week of Bob Dylan's Spring 2022 tour, focusing on performances from Tucson and Albuquerque. In addition to performances from Tucson and Albuquerque, you will hear music from Buddy Holly, who was born in Lubbock, Texas where Dylan played this past Tuesday, March 8th. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, including the surprising news of THE PHILOSOPHY OF MODERN SONG, a collection of sixty essays by Bob Dylan to be published by Simon & Schuster November 8, 2022, and we also cover Dylan's upcoming tour itinerary. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did recent tour-highlight "I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You" better, the Cowboy Junkies or Trapper Schoepp? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Tonight, March 3rd, Bob Dylan returns to the stage for the first day of Dylan's 28-date concert tour through the Southwest and South of the United States. This "pregame" episode features music from the individual members of Dylan's touring band as well as highlights from Dylan's Fall 2021 tour. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we cover the first week-and-a-half of Dylan's Spring tour itinerary, the May 10th opening of the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Dylan getting into NFTs, and Randy Newman postponing his European tour due to a neck injury. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "I'm Movin' On" better: Hank Snow or Leon Russell with Dylan's touring guitarist Bob Britt? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode launches a monthly, ten-part series celebrating the tenth anniversary of TEMPEST by taking a deep dive into each of the album's songs. This first episode features the first track on the album: "Duquesne Whistle" by playing cover versions, songs that influenced Dylan & Robert Hunter when they wrote the song, and also by considering the song's meaning. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes news on Dylan's Spring 2022 tour, beginning in one week. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did "Duquesne Whistle" better: Benmont Tench or Ed McKendry? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode continues our monthly series featuring a single Dylan song and today's episode occurs on the 56th anniversary of the recording of "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" in Nashville: February 17, 1966. You'll hear how Dylan’s performance of it changes over the decades and also how the song changes in the hands and voices of fellow travelers. "20 Pounds of Headlines" is on hiatus this week in order to make room for more performances of the song from which the segment derives its name. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" better: Joe Louis Walker or Cat Power? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote.
A February in NYC is cold, so let's duck out of the snow-filled Village streets and set our dial on the wireless radio to hear about a month in the professional life of Bob Dylan from 60 years ago. A 60th anniversary is a diamond anniversary, so this week, and throughout the year, we will periodically take a trip on "a highway of diamonds," exploring the events of Bob Dylan's career sixty years ago. This week, we listen to what Bob Dylan was up to in February of 1962. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in February of 1962 and February of 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "Rambling, Gambling Willie" better: Townes van Zandt or The Clancy Brothers & Robbie O'Connell? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode explores the meaning and the music of MASKED AND ANONYMOUS, which was filmed 20 years ago and released 19 years ago. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we remember drummer Sam Lay, pianist Hargus 'Pig' Robbins, and Ventures guitarist Don Wilson, who all passed away in the past week, we get a reminder about Dylan's Spring tour tickets that are now on sale, and we get a report on the upcoming Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder tribute album to the music of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us which version of "I'll Remember You" by Bob Dylan is better: an alternate studio version from 1985 recently released just last year on SPRINGTIME IN NEW YORK: BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 16 or the 2002 version recorded for MASKED AND ANONYMOUS? Go to the HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS Twitter page @RainTrains to vote.
This episode kicks off an intermittent series that will feature a single song in order to both reveal how Dylan’s performance of it changes over the decades and also to hear how the song changes in the hands and voices of fellow travelers. The song for tonight is "The Times They Are A-Changin'," written in September of 1963, recorded in October of 1963, and released on January 13, 1964. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we cover Monday's Spring 2022 Tour announcement and itinerary and we also cover the announcement from Sony Music Entertainment that it purchased the commercial rights to all of Dylan's master recordings in July of 2021. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "The Times They Are A-Changin'" better: A Whisper In The Noise or Mountain? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote.
They say that the 60th anniversary is the diamond anniversary. This week, and throughout the year, we will periodically take a trip on "a highway of diamonds," exploring the events of Bob Dylan's career sixty years ago. This week, we take a walk through the Greenwich Village of January 1962 that Bob Dylan knew, listen to what influenced him, and hear the music that he was making 60 years ago. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we bring you news from the world of Bob Dylan, both in January of 1962 and January of 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote and tell us who did "He Was a Friend of Mine" better sixty years ago: Bob Dylan or Dave Van Ronk? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This year marks the 60th anniversary of Nelson's first studio album, so why not now to feature one of the most prolific and poetic song craftsmen and singers to be included as one of Dylan’s fellow travelers: Willie Hugh Nelson? This episode focuses on Nelson's collaborations with Dylan. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes news on the James Mangold film in development tentatively titled GOING ELECTRIC and news about the passing of two singers and a concert promoter. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did "Young at Heart" better: Bob Dylan or Willie Nelson? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
2022 says hello as a stranger, but it will go out an acquaintance, hopefully as a pal and not a nemesis. This episode plays Dylan songs & those of fellow travelers featuring strangers & looks expectantly to the new year. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes speculation about what Bootleg Series we may see released in 2022. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "Rank Stranger" better: The Stanley Brothers or Bob Dylan? Be sure to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
Our third annual end-of-year, year in review episode of HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS looks back "in the smoke of the twilight" to a year highlighted by the SHADOW KINGDOM concert film and the commencement of the "ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS": WORLD WIDE TOUR 2021-2024 tour. We remember those who we lost in 2021 and also review 2021 highlights from the world of Bob Dylan from another busy year. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page (https://twitter.com/RainTrains) and vote for who did "Jokerman" better: Built to Spill or Daniel Romano's Outfit? Happy New Year everybody!
Our third annual Christmas episode of HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYLAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS. Enjoy the "Nativity" music of some fellow travelers while you either travel or stay indoors this holiday season. This episode includes "20 Pounds of Headlines" where we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, including news about an upcoming online concert of Dylan songs by Chrissie Hynde, a new 4k blu-ray release of THE LAST WALTZ (1978), the 2021 Kennedy Center Honorees and their Dylan connections, and the passing of Wanda Young of The Marvelettes. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page (https://twitter.com/RainTrains) and vote for who did "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" better: The Staple Singers or Bob Dylan? You can listen to the two last years' Christmas episodes by looking up the 12/24/2020 "Noël" & 12/19/2019 "Christmas!" episodes. Merry Christmas everybody!
The sixth episode featuring fellow travelers who first recorded in the 1950s and who are still with us (the previous ones are from 7/15/2021, 6/3/2021, 9/3/2020, 5/14/2020, and 5/7/2020). This episode features Mavis Staples, surveying her music both with The Staple Singers and as a solo singer, as well as her relationship with Bob Dylan. After the newsworthy month of November with Dylan's Fall tour, news is slow in the world of Bob Dylan, so "20 Pounds of Headlines" gives way this week to even more music. In "Who Did It Better?" we announce the winner of last week's poll and, for the third time this year (and second consecutive week) we revisit "Gotta Serve Somebody," asking you to tell who did it better, Mavis Staples or (another last one standing) Shirley Caesar? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
In November, Bob Dylan returned to the stage for the first time in 23 months. He performed 21 concerts, his last one wrapping up last week in Washington, DC. Join HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYLAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS for a postgame review of the Fall 2021 Tour with guest correspondent, author of SURVIVING IN A RUTHLESS WORLD: BOB DYLAN'S VOYAGE TO INFIDELS, Terry Gans, who was featured in both our July 22, 2021 episode "Springtime in the Summertime: A Conversation with Terry Gans" and also our October 28, 2021 episode: "Pregame: Fall 2021 Tour." Hear Gans's thoughts on the tour, its highlights, and what it was like attending the November 23 Port Chester, New York concert. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we remember bassist Robbie Shakespeare, who passed away this week at the age of 68, we hear from part of listener Steve Thwaits's review (https://takemeouttraveling.blogspot.com) of the November 19 & 20 concerts at the Beacon Theatre in NYC, finally Miss Lucy stops by to help put Dylan's Fall tour in historical context, and also to share with us listener Jon Olson's thoughts after attending the December 2 Washington, DC concert. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us which live version of "Gotta Serve Somebody" by Bob Dylan is better: a July 15, 1981 performance from Bad Segeberg, Germany or a December 2, 2021 performance forty years later from the final concert of the Fall 2021 tour in Washington, DC. Check out Terry Gans's book SURVIVING IN A RUTHLESS WORLD: https://redplanetmusicbooks.com/products/bob-dylan-surviving-in-a-ruthless-world.
Join Mike Hermes of Ocean City, Maryland as he reflects on the three (about to be four) shows that he has caught from Dylan's Fall 2021 tour; of course, we will play for you a heaping helping of some of the Fall tour performances from the past week-and-a-half: New York City from 21 November, Boston from 27 November, and Philadelphia from 30 November in particular. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we remind you about the American opening of RETROSPECTRUM, Dylan's first, five-decade-spanning retrospective of his visual art in Miami that we told you about in the October 7th and May 13th editions of "20 Pounds of Headlines." In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us which 2021 version of "When I Paint My Masterpiece" is better: the SHADOW KINGDOM version from earlier in the year or the live version from Philadelphia on November 30, 2021.
Get some extra stuffing with HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS this Thanksgiving! As Peter Jackson & The Beatles debut THE BEATLES: GET BACK on Disney+ over the American Thanksgiving holiday, we conclude our two-part series on Bob Dylan & The Beatles with a special over-stuffed double-length Thanksgiving episode! In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "My One and Only Love" better: Paul McCartney or Bob Dylan? Be sure to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
As Peter Jackson & The Beatles debut a new 3-part, six-hour documentary THE BEATLES: GET BACK on Disney+ over the American Thanksgiving holiday, we are going to visit the relationship between Bob Dylan & The Beatles in two consecutive episodes. This episode predominantly covers the Sixties. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, including a summary of where Dylan performed in the past week and where he will be performing next week, some exciting news about new recordings acquired by the Bob Dylan Archive in Tulsa (and including the playing of one of them), and marking the sixtieth anniversary of the recording of Bob Dylan's first Columbia album on November 20 and 22, 1961. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "If Not For You" better: Bob Dylan or George Harrison? Be sure to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This episode covers the second week of Bob Dylan's Fall 2021 tour, focusing on his Sunday, November 7, 2021 performance in Bloomington, Indiana. In addition to performances from the Bloomington concert, this episode features the music of Bloomington native John Mellencamp who attended the concert, the music of Bloomington resident Kenny Aronoff who has played with Dylan, commentary on the tour, and a "Who Did It Better?" that asks you to tell us which version of "Goodbye Jimmie Reed" is better, the ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS album version or the live version from the Bloomington concert?
This episode introduces the music of Dylan's newest band members, Charley Drayton & Doug Lancio, & features performances from Milawaukee (November 2, 2021) & Chicago (November 3, 2021), & includes a phone interview with our correspondent Bryan Lookatch, who called into KEPW to offer his impressions after attending both shows. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "That Old Feeling" better, Les Paul & Mary Ford or Bob Dylan?
This Tuesday, November 2nd, Bob Dylan returns to the stage for the first time in 23 months...his longest span of time without performing in front of an audience since 1969-1971! Join HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYLAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS for a pregame review with guest correspondents, co-founder of HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS Jeff and author of SURVIVING IN A RUTHLESS WORLD: BOB DYLAN'S VOYAGE TO INFIDELS, Terry Gans, who was featured in our July 22, 2021 episode "Springtime in the Summertime: A Conversation with Terry Gans." Hear Jeff and Terry consider the forthcoming tour, past Dylan concerts they attended, and discuss other Dylan-related items with Dan. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "To Be Alone With You" better: Sue Foley or Bob Dylan from this year's SHADOW KINGDOM, offering as well perhaps a preview of what we might expect from the Fall 2021 tour. Check out Terry Gans's book SURVIVING IN A RUTHLESS WORLD: https://redplanetmusicbooks.com/products/bob-dylan-surviving-in-a-ruthless-world. Also, check out Mr Tambourine's Youtube channel for live chat parties during each of Dylan's 21 concerts for this Fall Tour: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuc-M9CoTGFUZ3weRVVkZ0A
This week we wrap up (for now) our celebration of the musicians that Dylan celebrates by playing the musicians that Dylan and his partner Eddie Gorodetsky played during the three-year/three season run of THEME TIME RADIO HOUR from 2006-2009 (including both an unbroadcast 101st episode, "Kiss," and a two-hour episode from 2020, "Whiskey"). This week we feature the musicians that Dylan played seven times on THEME TIME RADIO HOUR, including country and early rock & roll acts. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, including speculation as to what future installments of the BOOTLEG SERIES might be in the works. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "Take a Message to Mary" better, the Everly Brothers or Bob Dylan?
This week we continue to celebrate the musicians that Dylan celebrates, playing the musicians that Dylan and his partner Eddie Gorodetsky played during the three-year/three season run of THEME TIME RADIO HOUR from 2006-2009 (including both an unbroadcast 101st episode, "Kiss," and a two-hour episode from 2020, "Whiskey"). This week we feature the musicians that Dylan played eight times (one was played seven times) on THEME TIME RADIO HOUR, mostly rhythm & blues musicians. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, including Dylan tour information & news of the new Nobel Laureate in Literature: Abdulrazak Gurnah. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did Willie Dixon better, Muddy Waters with "Just Make Love to Me (I Just Want to Make Love to You)" or Bob Dylan with "My Wife's Home Town?"
Let's celebrate the musicians that Dylan celebrates. In this and in upcoming episodes of this series, you will hear the musicians that Dylan and his partner Eddie Gorodetsky played during the three-year/three season run of THEME TIME RADIO HOUR from 2006-2009 (including both an unbroadcast 101st episode, "Kiss," and a two-hour episode from 2020, "Whiskey"). And we do not beat around the bush: we start things off with the most-played musician in all of THEME TIME RADIO HOUR. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, including Dylan tour information, news of the return of GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY to Broadway on October 13th, and the American opening of RETROSPECTRUM, Dylan's first, five-decade-spanning retrospective of his visual art in Miami in November. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "I Can't Get You Off Of My Mind" better: Hank Williams with his original version from 1947 or Bob Dylan in 2000.
Last Monday, Bob Dylan announced that he will resume touring on November 2nd. The tour, called "'ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS': World Wide Tour 2021-2024" will initiate Dylan's first live performances in 23 months. To mark the occasion we offer tonight a choice selection of 2019 live performances. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," Miss Lucy stops by to help us understand where Dylan will be touring. We also remind everyone that GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY opens on Broadway again on October 13th, which we also included in the June 10th edition of "20 Pounds of Headlines." Finally, we say farewell to Nashville bassist Bob Moore, who passed away September 22nd at the age of 88. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "Love Sick" better live: The White Stripes at The Forum in London on December 6, 2001 or Bob Dylan in Innsbruck, Austria on April 19, 2019, which was his 3000th show since taking to the road with his own band in 1988.
Bob Dylan's SPRINGTIME IN NEW YORK: BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 16 (1980-1985) has arrived. This episode is the third and final of a three-part series featuring the music of the fellow travelers who play with Dylan on that set. Tonight, we feature the players from 1984 and 1985 who appear on the fifth disc of the five-disc deluxe set, which primarily consists of the sessions for EMPIRE BURLESQUE. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we present a special guest review of the new Bootleg Series volume from Youtuber Mr. Tambourine, courteously read by Ms. Maria, who appears to have some carnivalesque drama at work in her life. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us which alternate version of "When the Night Comes Falling From the Sky" is better: the version released on the 1991 BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 1-3 or the "slow version" just released in BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 16. Both versions feature the same band and both were set aside in favor of a version rerecorded five days later that did appear on EMPIRE BURLESQUE. You can check out Mr. Tambourine's Youtube channel here: https://youtube.com/channel/UCuc-M9CoTGFUZ3weRVVkZ0A
Bob Dylan's SPRINGTIME IN NEW YORK: BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 16 (1980-1985) arrives tomorrow. This episode is the second of a three-part series featuring the music of the fellow travelers who play with Dylan on that set. Tonight, we feature the players from 1983 who appear in the third and fourth discs of the five-disc deluxe set, which compose the sessions for INFIDELS. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, including the passing of three people tangentially related to the world of Bob Dylan. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "Blind Willie McTell" better: Bob Dylan with a version from the new Bootleg Series (take 5) or Mick Taylor, who played guitar on Dylan's versions?
As we continue to expectantly await the September 17th release of Bob Dylan's SPRINGTIME IN NEW YORK: BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 16 (1980-1985), this episode is the first of a three-part series that will feature the music of the fellow travelers who play with Dylan on that set. Tonight, we feature the players from 1981 who appear in the first and second discs of the five-disc deluxe set. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, including an update on Dylan's return to the road, the announcement of a Facebook Streaming Event from the Bob Dylan Archive on September 16th, and the passing of guitarist and fellow traveler Ron Cornelius. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to tell us who did "When You Gonna Wake Up?" better live: Bob Dylan or Steve Ripley with the McCrary Sisters? Link to September 16th Facebook Streaming Event: https://www.facebook.com/841246169334307/posts/4074895455969346/?d=n
We conclude our four-part series exploring Dylan's use of horns on record and in concert by covering 2004 to 2017. This series delves into the producers, arrangers, and musicians with whom Dylan worked when adding horns to his song arrangements. This episode features Dylan's new millennium exploration of jazz and, with it, more sophisticated horn arrangements. In "20 Pounds of Headlines" we look at the possibility of a Fall tour after the recently announced October 13th show to take place in Lubbok Texas, we look forward to the release of Bootleg Series volume 16 in two weeks, we make a book and Youtube recommendation, we cover the recent uploading of hundreds of Dylan songs onto Dylan's Youtube channel, and we look at the fourteen Dylan songs that The Beatles covered in their LET IT BE recording sessions. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Sentimental Journey" better: Doris Day with Les Brown in 1944 or Bob Dylan as recorded for TRIPLICATE (2017) in 2016. Go to our Twitter page at @RainTrains to vote!
We continue our four-part series exploring Dylan's use of horns on record and in concert. Part three covers 1986 to 1994. This series delves into the producers, arrangers, and musicians with whom Dylan worked when adding horns to his song arrangements. This episode features Dylan's televised performances with horns and his recording efforts with horns in the studio in both 1986 and 1992. In "20 Pounds of Headlines" we memorialize three musicians that we lost in the last week: Tom T. Hall, Don Everly, and Charlie Watts. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did the same arrangement of Dave Bromberg's "Sloppy Drunk" better: The David Bromberg Band in 1976 or Bob Dylan as recorded with Dave Bromberg's band in 1992. Go to our Twitter page at @RainTrains to vote!
This week we continue our four-part series exploring Dylan's use of horns on record and in concert. Part two covers 1978 to 1985. This series delves into the producers, arrangers, and musicians with whom Dylan worked when adding horns to his song arrangements. This episode features Dylan's Gospel tour and highlights rehearsals that suggest what might have been if Dylan had taken horns on the road with him from 1979-1981. In "20 Pounds of Headlines" we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes mourning the passing of Nanci Griffith. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Gotta Serve Somebody" better with horns: Bob Dylan from his rehearsal in 1979 or Aaron Neville. Go to our Twitter page at @RainTrains to vote!
We begin a four-part series tonight exploring Dylan's use of horns on record and in concert. This first episode covers 1966 to 1976. This series delves into the producers, arrangers, and musicians with whom Dylan worked when adding horns to his song arrangements. This episode explains the difference between brass horns, reed wind instruments, and edgeblown wind instruments, considers why Dylan's early work may have had more instances of string parts overdubbed to his songs instead of horn arrangements, and it looks at songs recorded for albums with horn arrangements that were not, ultimately, used for the album in question. In "20 Pounds of Headlines" we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes mourning the passing of Walter Yetnikoff and celebrates last-one-standing Tony Bennett, who is releasing a new album and just performed his final concert at the age of 95. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you which version of "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)" you think is better: the 1966 BLONDE ON BLONDE mono mix or the 2007 Remix done by Mark Ronson to mark the release of the 2007 album DYLAN? Go to our Twitter page at @RainTrains to vote!
50 years ago George Harrison called some friends and put together afternoon and evening concerts at Madison Square Garden on August 1st, 1970. The results were assembled into both a 1971 3-LP album and a 1972 film, THE CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH. Bob Dylan, who performed in both shows (his first major concert appearances in two years) would feature heavily in the album and film, with his evening concert performance of five of his songs composing all of the first side of the album's 3rd LP disc. We are looking back at THE CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan as it was in 1971 and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Something" better live, George Harrison and friends from the stage of Madison Square Garden at THE CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH in 1971 or Bob Dylan and his band from the stage of Madison Square Garden in tribute to George Harrison in 2002? For more on Bob Dylan's activities and music from 1971, look up and listen to the 6/17/2021 episode of HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYLAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS: "1971: A Golden Anniversary."
Sony just announced the September 17th release of SPRINGTIME IN NEW YORK: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 16 (1980-1985). To mark the occasion, we are having a conversation with Terry Gans, author of SURVIVING IN A RUTHLESS WORLD: BOB DYLAN'S VOYAGE TO INFIDELS (Red Planet, 2020), who describes what it is like to work in the Bob Dylan Archive in Tulsa, reflects on the meaning of INFIDELS (1983), which is heavily featured in the forthcoming Bootleg Series, and describes what he learned about Dylan's working methods from the Archive. Gans's book is the most important study of the writing and recording of INFIDELS and is the first published book to make extensive use of the Bob Dylan manuscripts and recordings available in Tulsa.
Dylan's new concert film, SHADOW KINGDOM, debuted yesterday and, twelve hours later, we have a special early episode of Hard Rain & Slow Trains for you reviewing it and playing music to supplement the film. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "What Was It You Wanted" better: Willie Nelson or Bettye LaVette?
The fifth episode featuring fellow travelers who first recorded in the 1950s and who are still with us (the previous ones are from 6/3/2021, 9/3/2020, 5/14/2020, and 5/7/2020). This episode features Quincy Jones, surveying his music, his arrangements, and his record productions. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who sang the two lines, "There's a choice we're making; we're saving our own lives / It's true we'll make a better day just you and me," in the Quincy Jones-produced "We are the World" better: Diana Ross (with Michael Jackson), Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, or Ray Charles? Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
As we continue to expectantly await Bob Dylan's July 18th online performance, SHADOW KINGDOM, we dedicate this episode to a "Shadow Miscellany": miscellaneous considerations about both the encroaching, shadowy night and also the position of the moon in Bob Dylan's work of the last thirty years. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Make You Feel My Love" better live: Bob Dylan or Maria Muldaur?
Tonight we are celebrating the poetry Bob Dylan with some help from fellow travelers along the way. In this episode you will hear some of Dylan's free verse, some of his poetic prose, and, of course, some of his music. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we give you the latest news about Bob Dylan's upcoming SHADOW KINGDOM performance and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you whose musical setting for "Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie" is better: Jack Johnson or P. P. Arnold?
Last Wednesday, Bob Dylan announced that he will be producing a concert online (through Veeps.com) on July 18, 2021. The performance will showcase Dylan "in an intimate setting as he performs songs from his extensive body of work.” This week we both consider the meaning of "Shadow Kingdom" and also revisit some of his live performances from the last few decades in anticipation of the July 18th Veeps show, his first performance since December 8, 2019 in Washington, DC. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan. Dan is traveling this week, so "Who Did It Better?" is postponed until next week. Some of the songs from this episode were previously played in the November 19, 2020 episode, "'All Those Who've Sailed With Me': Bob Dylan and His Bands part 6" and the "'All Those Who've Sailed With Me': Bob Dylan and His Bands part 5" episode from November 12, 2020.
50 years ago Bob Dylan was turning 30. He recorded four new songs in the studio, and a total of eight original songs (four were from previous years), but did not release a studio album, only Greatest Hits Vol. II. He performed in both Madison Square Garden performances for the Concert for Bangladesh, and joined The Band on stage at the New York Academy of Music at the end of the year, but did not tour. He had his own studio he operated for a year near Greenwich Village, he recorded on a David Bromberg record and he recorded with Barry Goldberg when Goldberg used Dylan's studio to record. He arranged the recording of 15 of Allen Ginsberg's songs and played guitar, piano, and organ on them. He even appeared on public television with Ginsberg. And 1971 was the year Macmillan finally published TARANTULA. Yet, despite this activity, he was not ready to tour yet. It's the golden (50th) anniversary of this interesting year, so we are pausing half-way through our own calendar year of 2021 to look back. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan as it was in 1971 and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "When I Paint My Masterpiece" better back in 1971: The Band or Bob Dylan?
On May 21st, Chrissie Hynde and Pretenders guitarist James Walbourne released STANDING IN THE DOORWAY: CHRISSIE HYNDE SINGS BOB DYLAN, an album that they recorded remotely last year during the pandemic. This episode of HARD RAIN & SLOW TRAINS: BOB DYLAN & FELLOW TRAVELERS celebrates the release of this album of Dylan covers by celebrating the music and story of fellow traveler Chrissie Hynde, whose 42-year career is remarkably consistent and a testament to her talent, vision, and moral center. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we reveal to you the results of our first ever "Who Did It Better?" tournament featuring the traditional song "Moonshiner," and we ask you to vote this week to tell us who did "You're a Big Girl Now" better: Emma Swift or Chrissie Hynde, both of whom first released their versions last year. Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
The fourth episode featuring fellow travelers who first recorded in the 1950s and who are still with us (the previous ones are from 9/3/2020, 5/14/2020, and 5/7/2020). This episode features Ramblin' Jack Elliott. Sixty-five years is a long time to have a recording career, and that is what the man born Elliot Charles Adnopoz on August 1st, 1931 has done. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you, to vote to complete our "Moonshiner" tournament by pitting the winner from last week's poll, Bob Dylan, against this week's winner (we won't ruin the surprise just yet). Listen to the episode, then go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
This week we summarize the recent three-day "Dylan@80" online conference sponsored by the University of Tulsa's Institute for Bob Dylan Studies. There were many interesting panels and talks and I'll present the highlights. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you, for the second bracket of our "Moonshiner" tournament, who did "Moonshiner" better: Uncle Tupelo or Punch Brothers? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
It's our annual Bob Dylan birthday episode and this year Dylan is 80, so we have brought along critic and author Michael Gray to mark the occasion. Gray is one of the most important literary critics to write about Dylan and has produced the landmark volumes SONG AND DANCE MAN: THE ART OF BOB DYLAN and THE BOB DYLAN ENCYCLOPEDIA, as well as books on Blind Willie McTell, Elvis Presley, and Frank Zappa. Gray has a new book of essays on Dylan out called OUTTAKES ON BOB DYLAN: SELECTED WRITINGS 1967-2021 available from Route-Online.com. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Moonshiner" better: Roscoe Holcomb or Bob Dylan. There are so many versions of "Moonshiner" that this will be the first week that we do a "Who Did It Better?" tournament that will extend the next two weeks. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains to vote!
The final episode of a two-part series featuring the music of cities where Dylan did not record his studio albums. Part two emphasizes important recording centers throughout the globe, whereas part one last week focused on cities in the United States. Who could summarize the wonderful sounds we play in this show? You'll just have to listen to find out! In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Can't Escape From You" better: Bob Dylan as recorded in Dublin or the Peter Viskinde Band as recorded in Copenhagen? RIP Peter Viskinde.
The first of a short two-part series featuring the music of cities where Dylan did not record his studio albums. Part one emphasizes important recording centers in the United States and part two will emphasize important recording centers throughout the world. We start with Sun Records and then stay in Memphis for some Stax recordings. From there we go to Chicago and the Chess Recording Studio, before moving to Wally Heider Studios (now Hyde Street Studios) in San Francisco, to Detroit with Hitsville, USA and Third Man Studios, and then finally to Seattle where Nirvana and many other bands recorded at Reciprocal Recording. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Train of Love" better: Johnny Cash, as recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis, or Bob Dylan?
We conclude our twelve-part series featuring the cities in which Dylan recorded his studio albums over the decades by ending where Dylan's professional career began: in New York City. Dylan made his greatest recordings in New York, whether his work from 1961-1965, half of BLOOD ON THE TRACKS in 1974, DESIRE in 1975, "LOVE & THEFT" and MODERN TIMES in the new century, or any number of other marvelous recordings across five decades. In tonight's double episode, you will hear songs from most of the albums that Dylan recorded in New York, whether partially or entirely. You will also hear some other songs either about or set in New York City. In "20 Pounds of Headlines" we round up sad news from the world of Bob Dylan, which is a triple obituary for three figures from Dylan's life who died this past week. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" better: Bob Dylan as recorded in New York or Nina Simone, also recorded in New York?
We continue our twelve-part series featuring the cities where Dylan recorded his studio albums over the decades. Part eleven features Los Angeles, where Bob Dylan recorded twelve albums. We'll play songs from most of these albums, as well as a few prominent songs that feature L.A. as a subject. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Emotionally Yours" better: Bob Dylan as recorded in Los Angeles or The O'Jays?
We continue our twelve-part series featuring the cities where Dylan recorded his studio albums over the decades. Part ten features Malibu, where Bob Dylan recorded two albums in his garage studio: GOOD AS I BEEN TO YOU (1992) and WORLD GONE WRONG (1993). We'll play other songs recorded in Malibu, songs about Malibu, and an interview with one of only two people in the studio with Dylan when he recorded his two albums in Malibu. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Two Soldiers" better: Jerry Garcia & David Grisman or Bob Dylan as recorded in his studio in Malibu?
We continue our twelve-part series featuring the cities where Dylan recorded his studio albums over the decades. Part nine features Topanga & Santa Monica -- our first stops in California during this series. You'll hear both some of the recordings that Dylan made in Topanga and Santa Monica, and also other recordings made in the same studios. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "No Time to Think" better: Bob Dylan, as recorded in Santa Monica for STREET-LEGAL, or The Belle Brigade, also recorded in Santa Monica?
We continue our twelve-part series featuring the cities where Dylan recorded his studio albums over the decades. Part eight cheats a little because Dylan didn't actually record a studio album in Woodstock or Saugerties, New York. Yet, he wrote nearly 100 songs here and recorded scores of demos that were eventually released, eight years later, as THE BASEMENT TAPES. Because the influence and importance of Woodstock on Dylan’s story looms large, I decided to include Woodstock in our series. In this episode, we listen to some of the earliest covers of the songs Dylan wrote in Woodstock, we hear from (now obscure) musicians that Dylan knew in his early visits to Woodstock in 1963 and 1964, and we hear other recordings made in Woodstock. We also celebrate Levon Helm, who so embodied the comradery, conviviality, and cooperation of the Woodstock arts scene. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Quinn the Eskimo" better: Bob Dylan, as recorded in Big Pink in Saugerties, New York or Manfred Mann?
We continue our twelve-part series featuring the cities where Dylan recorded his studio albums over the decades. Part seven features Nashville, Tennessee -- Music City, USA. Here Bob Dylan recorded BLONDE ON BLONDE (1966), JOHN WESLEY HARDING (1967), NASHVILLE SKYLINE (1969), and part of SELF PORTRAIT (1970). You'll hear about the famous Nashville sidemen, dubbed the Nashville Cats, and -- for once -- they will take the spotlight. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Temporary Like Achilles" better: Bob Dylan, as recorded in Nashville for BLONDE ON BLONDE, or Nashville string band, Old Crow Medicine Show, as recorded on the stage of Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame, fifty years to the month after BLONDE ON BLONDE.
We continue our twelve-part series featuring the cities where Dylan recorded his studio albums over the decades. Part six features Sheffield, Alabama, home to Muscle Shoals Sound Studios where Bob Dylan recorded SLOW TRAIN COMING (1979) and SAVED (1980) with Barry Beckett and Jerry Wexler producing. You'll hear about the famed Muscle Shoals Rhythm section, called the Swampers, you'll hear songs recorded both at Muscle Shoals Sound and its predecessor FAME Studios founded by Rick Hall, you'll hear lyrics that reference the Muscle Shoals sound, and you'll hear about the recording of Dylan's two albums way down in the land of cotton. In "20 Pounds of Headlines," we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan and in "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Pressing On" better: Regina McCrary with the Chicago Mass Choir or Alicia Keys, recorded in FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals.
We continue our twelve-part series featuring the cities where Dylan recorded his studio albums over the decades. Part five features Miami, where Dylan recorded TIME OUT OF MIND at Criteria Studios in January of 1997. You'll hear songs about Miami, recordings made in Miami, and recordings made specifically at Criteria studios. In "20 Pounds of Headlines" we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes news about an upcoming conference and an online Bob Dylan college course. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "'Till I Fell in Love With You" better: Bob Dylan (recorded in Miami) or Miami-native Albert Castiglia.
We continue our twelve-part series featuring the cities where Dylan recorded his studio albums over the decades. Part four features New Orleans, where Dylan recorded OH MERCY in a house on Soniat Street in March of 1989. You'll hear a survey of New Orleans music, you'll learn who Dylan's two favorite singers are, you'll learn what legendary jazz and bluesman taught Dylan important lessons about how to play the guitar, and you'll learn how OH MERCY was recorded. In "20 Pounds of Headlines" we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes news about a 3-CD Dylan set released last week, a new book, an upcoming conference, and an upcoming tribute concert by Patti Smith for Dylan's 80th birthday. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Most of the Time" better: Bob Dylan (recorded in New Orleans) or Betty LaVette.
We continue our twelve-part series featuring the cities where Dylan recorded his studio albums over the decades. Part three features Minneapolis, the city where half of the masterful BLOOD ON THE TRACKS was recorded in December of 1974. This episode was 75% finished and already featured two Peter Ostroushko songs and a short audio clip from him when we heard that he passed away yesterday afternoon, so we remember him. In "20 Pounds of Headlines" we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes the passing of poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti on Monday. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "If You See Her, Say Hello" better: Bob Dylan (recorded in Minneapolis) or Jeff Buckley.
This week we continue our twelve-part series featuring the cities in which Dylan recorded his studio albums over the decades. Part two features Mexico City; Dylan only recorded one song in Mexico City that made its way to one of his studio albums, but there is a lot of music and many musicians to feature when one narrows one's gaze to Ciudad de Mexico. In "20 Pounds of Headlines" we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes the passing of two persons of note. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "Billy" better: Bob Dylan (recorded in Mexico City) or Gillian Welch & David Rawlings.
We begin a twelve-part series tonight featuring the cities in which Dylan recorded his studio albums over the decades. Part one begins in London; Dylan only recorded two songs in London that made their way to one of his studio albums, but London has nevertheless exerted his influence on his songwriting and we take a look at that, as well as playing his London-recorded songs and the music of fellow travelers. In "20 Pounds of Headlines" we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan, which includes the publication of a new book about Bob Dylan in London...talk about serendipity. We also mourn the passing of Mary Wilson of the Supremes, who died on Monday, February 8th. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did "A Couple More Years" better: Willie Nelson (with Waylon Jennings) or Bob Dylan.
We celebrate the 100th episode of Hard Rain & Slow Trains by "Playing the Hundreds": playing a bunch of quirky #100 milestones from Bob Dylan's career. In "20 Pounds of Headlines" we round up news from the (quiet) world of Bob Dylan. In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you who did the Carl Sigman/Jimmy Van Heusen song "I Could Have Told You" better: Frank Sinatra or Bob Dylan. Miss Lucy disembarks from the slow train to stop in and read "100 Bolts of Satin" by Kay Ryan to commemorate our 100th episode. You will hear Shakespeare's 100th Sonnet read, as well as the 100th Psalm. Finally, we give a shout out to all kinds of fellow travelers along the way.
Tonight we explore the music of the musicians who played with Dylan on ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS, released this past June. Some have have been playing with Dylan for decades and some joined him for the first time with this record, but they all came together to make something special. Each of them has a history and body of work that we explore in this episode. As we do each week, we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan in "20 Pounds of Headlines." In "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did "Corrina, Corrina" better: Ray Peterson, as produced by the late Phil Spector, or Bob Dylan off his second album?
Tonight we conclude our two-episode feature on Dylan's youngest son, Jakob Dylan, frontman for The Wallflowers. We continue to delve into his music by listening to his songs that reflect on what he calls his "lineage"; additionally, we hear from him in interviews. We also hear a song by one of Dylan's grandsons, Pablo, we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan in "20 Pounds of Headlines," and we remember Phil Spector, who died last Saturday, January 16, 2021. Tonight on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did "Tryin' to Get to Heaven," better: Bob Dylan or David Bowie in the new single released to commemorate what would have been his seventy-fourth birthday?
This week we begin a two-episode feature on Dylan's youngest son, Jakob Dylan, frontman for The Wallflowers. We delve into his music and hear from him in interviews. As usual, we round up news from the world of Bob Dylan in "20 Pounds of Headlines." Tonight on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did Dylan's song for Jakob (and likely his other children), "Forever Young," better: Bob Dylan or Rod Stewart?
We enter 2021 listening to songs that marked new beginnings in Dylan's creative life, featuring lesser-known Dylan performances of such songs amidst a sobering tumult in the United States. This episode includes "20 Pounds of Headlines: News From the World of Bob Dylan" and "Who Did It Better?" where we ask you to go to our Twitter page and vote for who did "Jokerman" better: Caetano Veloso or Bob Dylan?
Our second annual end-of-year, year in review episode of Hard Rain & Slow Trains: Bob Dylan & Fellow Travelers emphasizes "the turning of the page." We remember those who we lost in 2020 and also review 2020 highlights from the world of Bob Dylan. It was a very busy year. This episode includes "20 Pounds of Headlines: News From the World of Bob Dylan" and "Who Did It Better?" where we ask you to go to our Twitter page and vote for who did "The Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar" better: Bob Dylan or Elkie Brooks? Happy New Year everybody!
Our second annual Christmas episode of Hard Rain & Slow Trains: Bob Dylan & Fellow Travelers. This episode includes "20 Pounds of Headlines: News From the World of Bob Dylan" and "Who Did It Better?" where we ask you to go to our Twitter page and vote for who did "The First Noël" better: Emmylou Harris or Bob Dylan? You can listen to last year's Christmas episode by looking up the 12/19/2019 episode. Merry Christmas everybody!
Tonight we conclude our three-episode series featuring other people's songs about Bob Dylan with an episode dominated predominantly by musicians and singers from the British Isles. In "20 Pounds of Headlines: News From the World of Bob Dylan," we get you up to speed on newsworthy Bob Dylan events from the past week. Tonight on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did "Song to Woody" better: Bob Dylan recording in a New York studio with George Harrison in the spring of 1970 or Canadian band Silverstein from a 2012 Amnesty International charity tribute album to Dylan.
This week we continue our three-episode series featuring other people's songs about Bob Dylan with a music-filled episode packed to overflowing. In "20 Pounds of Headlines: News From the World of Bob Dylan," we cover the basics of Dylan's monumental sale of his publishing rights to his over 600 songs to Universal Music Publishing Group announced on Monday November, 7th. Tonight on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did "Lenny Bruce" better: Rab Noakes or Stan Ridgway?
This week we begin a three-episode series featuring other people's songs about Bob Dylan; the entire three-part series will be covering fifty songs. In "20 Pounds of Headlines: News From the World of Bob Dylan," we update you on a little-known, but important three-CD album of unreleased Dylan performances from 1970 that was released in Europe three days ago. Tonight on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did Joan Baez's quintessential song about Bob Dylan, "Diamonds & Rust," better: Joan Baez or Judas Priest?
In this week's episode we express our gratitude for the many especially beautiful versions of Bob Dylan songs we have been bequeathed, both by Dylan and also other singers: Nina Simone, Gillian Welch, Rhiannon Giddens, John Cruz, Chrissie Hynde, Liz Wright, Iris Dement, Eliza Gilkyson, and Mandolin Orange. Beautiful! This week on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to choose between Bob Dylan's 1963 version of the beauty "Boots of Spanish Leather" and that of Mandolin Orange from 2014. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better! Thank you Stuart for the suggestion via Twitter.
Tonight we conclude our six-episode series featuring Dylan's bands over the decades by covering 2003-2019. On "Who Did It Better?" the song is "Not Dark Yet," and we ask you who did it better live, Eric Clapton in 2009 on the eve of Dylan's 68th birthday or Bob Dylan in 2019? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote between the two versions.
Continuing our multi-episode series featuring Dylan's bands over the decades; tonight, we feature Dylan's tours from 1988-2002. In 1988, Dylan assembled his own band and toured the United States for the first time since 1981 (see episode 86 on 10/29/2020 when we featured his 1984 tour of Europe and episode 87 last week for his 1986 & 1987 tours with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and The Grateful Dead). Dylan has performed 3064 concerts since 1988. On "Who Did It Better?" the song is "Standing in the Doorway," and we ask you who did it better live, Bob Dylan in 2000 or Jenny Lewis in 2019? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote between the two versions.
Continuing our multi-episode series featuring Dylan's bands over the decades; tonight, we feature Dylan's tours in 1986 & 1987 with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and The Grateful Dead. On "Who Did It Better?" the song is "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," and we ask you who did it better live, Bob Dylan with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 1986 or Bob Dylan with The Grateful Dead in 1987? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote between the two versions.
Continuing our multi-episode series featuring Dylan's bands over the decades; tonight, we feature Dylan's tours abroad in 1978 and 1984. On "Who Did It Better?" the song is "License to Kill," and we ask you who did it better live, Bob Dylan in 1984 or Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 1992 at the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Celebration? Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote between the versions from Dylan & Tom Petty.
We continue our multi-episode series featuring Dylan's bands over the decades. Tonight, it is Dylan's bands from 1975-1981, including Little Feat (by way of Fred Tackett and Richie Hayward) and The Alpha Band (by way of Steve Soles, David Mansfield, and T-Bone Burnett...and sometimes David Kemper). Tonight on "Who Did It Better?" we return to "You Angel You" (see our July 30, 2020 episode), but ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote between the versions of The Alpha Band and the New Riders of the Purple Sage.
This week we begin a multi-episode series featuring Dylan's bands over the decades. Tonight, it is the Paul Butterfield Blues Band – three members of which joined him on stage at the infamous Newport Folk Festival performance of July 25, 1965 – and The Band, who, truly, need no introduction...especially for you, right? Tonight on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did "I Shall Be Released" better: Bob Dylan & The Band or...The Band?!?
This week's episode celebrates "The Rock Era" in popular music: 1954-2007, and, of course, Dylan's place in it (to a small extent...mostly we are just playing great rock music and discussing it). We remember Eddie Van Halen who passed away on October 6th and John Lennon, who would have turned 80 on October 9th. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to choose between Bob Dylan's 1965 version of "Highway 61 Revisited" and that of Johnny Winter from 1969. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
This week we feature Dylan's instrumental performances, with a detour into a handful of instrumental versions of Dylan tunes. "Who Did It Better?" takes a week off, but it will be back next week. Why don't you take the time you save from not voting this week to give Hard Rain & Slow Trains a review on your favorite podcasting app? Thanks!
This week's episode is for those who know that there must be something to Dylan's music but have never been able to get into it. Don't worry, we got you covered: just press play and we will open you up to a world of fantastic music. Share this episode with your friends who have never been able to get into Dylan but may still be open-minded enough to listen to this episode and give him a try. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to choose between Bob Dylan's 1964 version of "To Ramona" and that of Irish singer Sinéad Lohan from 1996. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
This week we revisit Bob Dylan's 2006-2009 run of his weekly satellite radio show, Theme Time Radio Hour. The occasion is the announcement that next week, on September 21, 2020, Theme Time Radio Hour returns with the broadcast of a two-hour episode, "Whiskey," that Dylan recorded while social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dylan, of course, owns Heaven's Door Whiskey, which launched in 2018. Meanwhile wildfires are slowing the trains and causing us to pray for hard rain on the West Coast, so this week on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to choose between Bob Dylan's 1985 version of "Something's Burning, Baby" and that of Austrian musician Michel Montecrossa from 2004. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
After so many episodes dedicated to Dylan's most recent album, let's dial back the clock 59 years to the recording of Dylan's self-titled first album. Recorded in Studio A of Columbia Recording Studios in New York City on November 20th and 22nd, 1961, and produced by John Hammond, Sr., BOB DYLAN was released on Monday, March 19, 1962, the last day of the winter of 1962 and at the spring of Dylan's recording career. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to choose between Roy Acuff's 1936 version of "Freight Train Blues" and Bob Dylan's version of the same song from his first album. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
The third episode featuring fellow travelers who first recorded in the 1950s and who are still with us (the previous one is from 5/14/2020). This episode features Harry Belafonte and Mighty Sparrow. Over sixty years is a long time to have a recording career, and these are two of the last ones standing. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to choose between Harry Belafonte's and Bob Dylan's versions of "Shenandoah." Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
In episode 77 we close out our song-by-song consideration of ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring "Murder Most Foul" and other closers for Bob Dylan albums; they tend to be long, so we do not have time to play but a few of them, though. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to choose between Bob Dylan's and the Grateful Dead's versions of "Desolation Row," the closing song to Dylan's 1965 HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better! Check out our other episodes featuring songs from ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS from 4/2/2020 up through this week: throughout 14 episodes, we explore the new Dylan album. Our 7/2/2020 episode ("I Contain...Openers!") compliments this episode by exploring songs that open Dylan albums.
In episode 76 we approach the conclusion of our song-by-song consideration of ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring "False Prophet," second song from the new album and first played during our 5/14/2020 "Last Ones Standing part 2" episode. In this episode, we play songs to which Dylan alludes in "False Prophet" as well as dive into the meaning of the song, especially as that meaning relates to the themes of the album. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to choose between "If Lovin' is Believing" and "False Prophet," given that they are so close in form (we know that it is cheating because they are two different songs, but we ran out of time so we had to get efficient! Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
In episode 75 we continue to explore Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring "Goodbye Jimmy Reed," sixth song from the new album. In this episode, we play songs to which Dylan alludes in "Goodbye Jimmy Reed," play other songs that have lyrical connections to Dylan's song, and contemplate the song...and of course we play Jimmy Reed! This week on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to choose between two versions of "Lone Pilgrim" from the Watson Family (1963) featuring Doc Watson and Bob Dylan (1993); go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
In episode 74 we continue to explore Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring "Black Rider," fifth song from the new album. In this episode, we play songs to which Dylan alludes in "Black Rider," play other songs that have strong thematic connections to Dylan's song, and read relevant poetry & Biblical passages. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to choose between two versions of "Duncan and Brady" from Dave Van Ronk (1959) and Bob Dylan (1992); go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
In episode 73 we continue to celebrate the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring "I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You," fourth song from the new album. In this episode, we play both songs to which Dylan alludes in his song and also songs of which he may not even be aware (although, with Dylan, one never knows!) in order to create a thematic, emotional, and lyrical context for the new song. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we have a close encounter with two versions of "You Angel You" from both Dylan and Manfred Mann's Earth Band; go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
In episode 72 we continue to mark the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring "My Own Version of You" in the context of songs about the Pygmalion myth and Frankenstein story. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we feature two versions of "Rollin' & Tumblin'," the 1950 classic from Muddy Waters and Dylan's rewrite from 2006; go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
We continue to mark the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring one of its songs, "Crossing the Rubicon," in the context of songs about crossing the Rubicon and songs about mysterious meetings and songs about being slow to head back home. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we feature two versions of "I Was Young When I Left Home," Dylan's and that of the X Ambassadors; go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
We continue to mark the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring one of its songs, "Mother of Muses," in the context of songs that invoke the Muse and even a song about Mnemosyne, mother of the Nine Muses. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we feature two versions of Bob Dylan's song about a Spanish Harlem muse, "Spanish Harlem Incident," and ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better: The Byrds or Dion.
We continue to mark the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring its opening song, "I Contain Multitudes," in the context of other opening songs from Bob Dylan studio albums. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we feature two versions of the song that launched Bob Dylan's career, "Blowin' in the Wind," and ask you to go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better: Bob Dylan or Peter, Paul, & Mary. Our 8/27/2020 episode ("The Caboose of the Train: Murder Most Foul and the Art of the Closer") compliments this episode by exploring songs that close Dylan albums.More about this episode
We continue to mark the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring one of its songs, "Key West," playing songs that both help to place it in context and that also are akin to it in theme and sound. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we go from the flatlands of "Key West" to the lowlands and feature two versions of "Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlands": the Bob Dylan classic from BLONDE ON BLONDE & a stirring version from Joan Baez from ANY DAY NOW (1968), both recorded in Nashville and both featuring the same drummer, Kenneth Buttrey, and the same pianist, Hargus ”Pig” Robbins. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
Tonight we celebrate the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring four songs from it. "Twenty Pounds of Headlines" features news from the world of Bob Dylan. This week on "Who Did It Better?" two versions of "Mr. Tambourine Man": Bob Dylan's & that of The Byrds. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
Hard Rain & Slow Trains: Bob Dylan & Fellow Travelers playing music that remains relevant year-in-and-year-out. "Twenty Pounds of Headlines" features news from the world of Bob Dylan. This week on "Who Did It Better?" two versions of "The Times They Are A-Changin'" from Bob Dylan & Odetta. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
Blackout. Song of the week: "Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll"; please vote for "Who Did It Better?" at our Twitter page: https://twitter.com/RainTrains.
Remembering Bucky Baxter (1965-2020), who played pedal steel, steel guitar, dobro, & mandolin with Bob Dylan from 1992-1999, including over 740 shows. Baxter passed away Monday, May 25th and we are featuring his music tonight. This episode features another installment of "Twenty Pounds of Headlines" featuring news from the world of Bob Dylan. This week on "Who Did It Better?" two live versions of "I Don't Believe You": Bob Dylan from 1966 & Bob Dylan from 1994. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better: Dylan or Dylan!
Bob Dylan turns 79 on Sunday (but who's counting?), and we here at Hard Rain & Slow Trains: Bob Dylan & Fellow Travelers are not going to let the occasion go by unmarked. This episode also features the debut of the new segment, "Twenty Pounds of Headlines" featuring news from the world of Bob Dylan. This week on "Who Did It Better?" two live versions of "Positively 4th Street": Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders from 1973 & Bob Dylan from 1994. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!
The second of three episodes that feature both the early & contemporary music of fellow travelers who first recorded in the 1950s and who are still with us. Over sixty years is a long time to have a recording career, and these are some of the last ones standing. In memoriam Little Richard (1932-2020): no longer one of the last ones standing. For the next 7 days, you can go to our Twitter page and vote for whose version of "Make You Feel My Love" is better: https://twitter.com/RainTrains
The first of three episodes that play both the early & contemporary music of fellow travelers who first recorded in the 1950s and who are still with us. Over sixty years is a long time to have a recording career, and these are some of the last ones standing. In memoriam Michael McClure. For the next 7 days, you can go to our Twitter page and vote for whose version of "That Lucky Old Sun" is better: https://twitter.com/RainTrains
This episode features the new Dylan song, "I Contain Multitudes," including reflections on it and some of the songs referenced in it. Also, during "Who Did It Better?" we announce the winner of last week's poll and play the two versions of the new song of the week. You can go to our Twitter page and vote for whose version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is better. This episode is dedicated in memoriam to Robert Saveland (1950-2006).
During these times, many people are unable to do much traveling. Don't worry, we are going to get your toes tapping and feet stepping to virtual destinations here at Hard Rain & Slow Trains, with our "Virtual Traveling" episode. Also, this week we debut "Who Did It Better?" our new weekly segment where you can listen to two versions of the same song by different performers then go to our Twitter page and vote for whose version is better.
It's the Paschal season: This is the last day of Passover and the Paschal season so we are going to commemorate it with a bunch of great tunes by Bob Dylan and his fellow travelers, a number of which Dylan himself has performed over the years in concert.
This is the second of our two episodes focusing on Dylan's new ballad; this episode's centerpiece is a "Murder Most Foul" soundscape, with 141 audio references woven as ghostly echoes throughout the seventeen-minute song. We also remember John Prine this evening, who passed away on April 7, 2020.
With the surprise release last week of the first new Bob Dylan song in eight years, we are devoting this first of two episodes to the evocative & elegiac song; also, as John Prine fights for his life against COVID-19, we kick off the show with a John Prine tune, sending him our admiration and best wishes.
Marking the first week of spring with this selection of tunes from Bob Dylan & his fellow travelers.
The world is social distancing, but we are bridging the gap with songs that reflect on the ongoing pandemic this week on Hard Rain & Slow Trains: Bob Dylan & Fellow Travelers. We hope that each and everyone of you is safe and well.
Dylan kicks off his first tour of the decade in Oregon with a scheduled show in Bend, Oregon on June 4th and then a show at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene on June 9th. To celebrate, we play some performances form Dylan live in Eugene in 1999, along with the Pixies, Gillian Welch, and Old Crow Medicine Show live in Eugene in 2004, and also some tracks from one of Dylan's opening acts: Hot Club of Cowtown and, to get you in the mood, some vintage Western Swing.
In this episode we countdown from song #7 to song #1 in our list of Bob Dylan's 50 greatest songs. Six weeks in the making, this is our final episode featuring our top 50 greatest Dylan songs!
In this episode we countdown songs #15 through #8 in our list of Bob Dylan's 50 greatest songs. Join us as we finally crack the top ten in our one-year anniversary show!
We are celebrating the 50th episode of Hard Rain & Slow Trains and also our one-year anniversary on the air by counting down our list of Bob Dylan's 50 greatest songs. Join us for this episode wherein we play & discuss songs #23 through #16.
We are celebrating both the imminent 50th episode of Hard Rain & Slow Trains and also our one-year anniversary on the air by counting down our list of Bob Dylan's 50 greatest songs. Join us for this episode wherein we play & discuss songs #31 through #24.
We are celebrating both the imminent 50th episode of Hard Rain & Slow Trains and also our one-year anniversary on the air by counting down our list of Bob Dylan's 50 greatest songs. Join us for this episode wherein we play & discuss songs #41 through #33.
We are celebrating both the imminent 50th episode of Hard Rain & Slow Trains and also our one-year anniversary on the air by counting down our list of Bob Dylan's 50 greatest songs. Join us for this episode wherein we play songs #50 through #42.
A collection of solo Dylan performances from throughout the 1980s, including both live performances and studio recordings.
The second part of a two-episode series diving deep Down in the Groove, an often maligned Bob Dylan album from 1988 that we argue is a good album...not necessarily a Bob Dylan masterpiece, but better than it is generally given credit for, primarily because it is judged according to what people expect Bob Dylan to produce, instead of understanding what he in fact recorded during the two years worth of sessions that produced this album.
The first part of a two-episode series diving deep Down in the Groove, an often maligned Bob Dylan album from 1988 that Dan argues is a good album...not necessarily a Bob Dylan masterpiece, but better than it is generally given credit for, primarily because it is judged according to what people expect Bob Dylan to produce, instead of understanding what he in fact recorded during the two years worth of sessions that produced this album.
We look forward with 20/20 vision to 2020 even as we continue to look back to 2019 and remember fellow travelers with Bob Dylan who passed away.
Our 40th episode features fellow travelers who capture the particular quality of Dylan's creative spirit: Gillian Welch, Beck, & Lauryn Hill.
During this episode, we celebrate Dylan's 10-show Beacon Theater residency in New York City concluding tomorrow night (12/6/2019) that began on 11/23/2019. Bob Dylan has played the Beacon Theater in 4, 5, 7, & now 10-night residencies in 1989, 1990, 2005, 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2019. He also played 2 nights at the Beacon in 1995. On this episode, we listen to 6 performances from his 2019 residency along with 3 performances from 1989, 1990, and 1995.
This episode gathers together songs around the theme of waiting: both those who wait for something and those who ask others to wait for them.
Featuring selections from the newly released (as of November 1, 2019) Bootleg Series vol. 15: Travelin' Thru, featuring alternate takes and outtakes from John Wesley Harding (1967), Nashville Skyline (1969), & Self Portrait (1970), including duets with Johnny Cash (with Carl Perkins on guitar) & Earl Scruggs.
A spooky Halloween-themed episode of Hard Rain & Slow Trains: Bob Dylan & Fellow Travelers!
The correspondence between some of Bob Dylan's music and that which is generally characterized as punk music.
Examining the more baroque part of Dylan's canon and those times Elvis Presley covered Dylan or simply great instances of "folk baroque."
Remembering Robert Hunter, who passed away 3 days ago, also featuring the country music of Dylan's fellow travelers on the occasion of the debut of the new Ken Burns documentary Country Music.
Country Bob: Bob Dylan playing country music in honor of the Ken Burns documentary debuting this week, Country Music.
Entire concert from Philadelphia, 17 December 1995. Band: Bob Dylan (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Tony Garnier (bass guitar & standup bass), John Jackson (guitar), Bucky Baxter (pedal steel & mandolin), Winston Watson (drums).
Supplement to Rolling Thunder Revue Box Set: Fellow Travelers & 1976 leg of Rolling Thunder Revue tour.
Society's Pliers: Dylan songs about characters bent out of shape by society; are they enemies or victims of society?
Rolling Thunder Review, on the release of Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese
Musical Precedents part 4: Songs that Dylan used as melodic templates for his newly composed lyrics
Musical Precedents part 3: Songs that Dylan used as melodic templates for his newly composed lyrics
Focusing on Dylan's live performances in honor of the 3000th show of the Never Ending Tour (1988-present). This show is a fragment because of technical difficulties for the first half hour.
Musical Precedents part 2: Songs that Dylan used as melodic templates for his newly composed lyrics
Musical Precedents part 1: Songs that Dylan used as melodic templates for his newly composed lyrics
Songs left on the cutting room floor (that, if they appeared on the album for which they were recorded, may be regarded as the best song of the entire album).