Dylan’s 40-show 1974 tour with The Band produced a stay double-album later that yr. Now, the music obtainable from that tour has elevated dramatically with the discharge of a brand new 27-CD set.
TONYA MOSLEY, HOST:
That is FRESH AIR. Bob Dylan and The Band toured collectively in January and February of 1974 in a sequence of 40 live shows in 21 cities, leading to a stay double album known as “Earlier than The Flood,” launched later that very same yr. Nicely, now Bob Dylan is releasing a large 27-CD set known as “The 1974 Stay Recordings.” It captures a number of the most raucous rock ‘n’ roll Dylan has ever made. Rock critic Ken Tucker listened to all 431 songs on this assortment and has this evaluation.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “MOST LIKELY YOU GO YOUR WAY (AND I’LL GO MINE)”)
BOB DYLAN: (Singing) You say you like me and also you’re considering of me, however you realize you can be mistaken. You say you instructed me that you just need to maintain me, however you realize you are not that sturdy. I simply cannot do what I’ve achieved earlier than. I simply cannot beg you anymore. I’ll allow you to go. Sure, and I am going to go final. After which time will inform who has fell and who’s been left behind. Oh, you go your means, and I am going mine.
KEN TUCKER, BYLINE: That locomotive energy and rhythm, the headlong, careening tempo, the way in which the vocals are shouted right into a gale-force wind created by the guitars, the drums and the yelling of the viewers. That is the way in which Bob Dylan and The Band commenced many dates on their 1974 tour – with a steamrolling model of “Most Probably You will Go Your Approach (And I am going to Go Mine)” (ph). The model I performed to begin this evaluation is from the January 30 present at Madison Sq. Backyard. Here is how they grappled with “Powerful Mama,” a rollicking bar-room brawl of a track from Dylan’s then-current album “Planet Waves” in a Philadelphia afternoon present.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “TOUGH MAMA”)
DYLAN: (Singing) Powerful mama, meat shaking in your bones. I’ll go right down to the river and get some stones. Papa’s within the massive home, retaining her working by means of (ph). Sister’s within the massive home. Her working days are by means of. Powerful mama, can I blow slightly smoke on you?
TUCKER: When Bob Dylan first toured with The Band, then known as The Hawks, in 1966, it was quickly after he’d gone electrical and his folky fan base got here out to boo him. Guitarist Robbie Robertson wrote about how miserable it was to go from city to city and face such hostile disapproval evening after evening. One approach to hear the start of the 1974 tour, subsequently, is as Bob’s revenge. He and Robbie and drummer Levon Helm, bassist Rick Danko, keyboardists Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel greet the now-adoring followers with surprising aggressiveness, their devices blazing, each evening a high-noon showdown.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HERO BLUES”)
DYLAN: (Singing) The woman I’ve bought – swear she’s screaming. Yeah, the woman I’ve bought – swear she’s screaming. She desires me to be a hero so she will inform all of her buddies.
TUCKER: That is the track that kicked off your complete tour in Chicago, a deep-cut obscurity known as “Hero Blues” which was by no means performed once more. The usual set listing for this tour included such Dylan touchstones as “Like A Rolling Stone,” “Lay Girl Lay” and “Without end Younger,” however there’s not a hint of nostalgia in these performances. You need to perceive massive star acts simply didn’t play their hits stay on this method 50 years in the past. The thought had all the time been to breed, to the most effective of 1’s capability, the sound of the studio recordings after which toss in some well-rehearsed spontaneity to make the group really feel it was getting a novel expertise. However Dylan and The Band gave new which means to the time period bang to your buck. They detonated, exploded these songs. You may need recognized what tune you have been about to get from the opening chords, however you certain as heck could not think about the frenzy of what was to comply with.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LIKE A ROLLING STONE”)
DYLAN: (Singing) As soon as upon a time, you dressed so superb, threw the bums a dime in your prime; did not you? Folks name, say, beware, doll. You are certain to fall. You thought they was all kidding you. You used to chuckle about everyone that was hanging out. Now you do not speak so loud. Now you do not appear so proud about having to be scrounging round to make your subsequent meal. How does it really feel? Oh, how does it really feel to be with out a house with no route house, like a whole unknown, like a rolling stone?
TUCKER: There was a good quantity of revisionist fascinated by this tour and the years following it, with some commentators saying the music was too loud, rushed and messy, that Dylan was willfully mangling his personal songs. Dylan himself contributed to this revisionism by giving interviews placing down the tour. He instructed Cameron Crowe, it was all form of senseless. The one factor folks talked about was power this, power that. The very best compliments have been issues like, wow – lot of power, man.
On stage, Dylan sounds, at numerous occasions, impatient, cranky, contemptuous – not of the viewers however of his personal efficiency. There are moments when he lures the band into matching his personal foul temper. Hearken to the way in which Garth Hudson mimics on his keyboard the prissy phrasing Dylan makes use of to start a fairly horrible model of “Ballad Of A Skinny Man.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “BALLAD OF A THIN MAN”)
DYLAN: (Singing) You walked into the room, your pencil in your hand, see any person bare. You say, who’s that man? You attempt so exhausting, however you do not perceive what you are going to say while you get house. You already know one thing’s taking place right here, however you do not know what it’s; do you, Mr. Jones?
TUCKER: That was from a Philadelphia afternoon present. Now take heed to the much better, extra animated, extra dedicated model of the identical track he carried out the subsequent evening in the identical metropolis.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
DYLAN: (Singing) You stroll into the room along with your pencil in your hand, see any person bare. You say, who’s that man? You attempt so exhausting, however you do not perceive what you need to say while you get house as a result of one thing is going on. However you do not know what it’s; do you, Mr. Jones?
TUCKER: Bob Dylan and Garth Hudson at the moment are the one ones alive from the six males on stage right here. I had a good time listening to those 27 discs over quite a few days, and I by no means felt I used to be dwelling up to now. Dylan and The Band’s typically exhilarated, typically exhausted, always-craving-a-change music fits the period we’re residing in. It is 50 years outdated, nevertheless it’s additionally proper on time.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “JUST LIKE A WOMAN”)
DYLAN: (Singing) No one feels any ache tonight as I stand contained in the rain. Everyone is aware of child’s bought new garments. However currently, I see her ribbons and her bows have fallen from her curls. She takes identical to a lady. She wakes identical to a lady. And she or he aches identical to a lady, however she breaks identical to slightly woman.
MOSLEY: Ken Tucker reviewed Bob Dylan’s “The 1974 Stay Recordings.” Tomorrow on FRESH AIR, Ta-Nehisi Coates talks about his journey to Senegal, the place he mirrored on his ancestors’ enslavement, and his journey to Israel and the West Financial institution, the place he bought a firsthand have a look at the continued battle. He is finest recognized for his guide “Between The World And Me” and his Atlantic journal cowl story, “The Case For Reparations.” His new guide is known as “The Message.” I hope you’ll be able to be part of us.
Our interviews and critiques are produced and edited by Phyllis Myers, Ann Marie Baldonado, Sam Briger, Lauren Krenzel, Therese Madden, Monique Nazareth, Thea Chaloner, Susan Nyakundi, Joel Wolfram and Anna Bauman. Our digital media producers are Molly Seavy-Nesper and Sabrina Siewert. With Terry Gross, I am Tonya Mosley.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “JUST LIKE A WOMAN”)
DYLAN: (Singing) It was raining from the primary, and I used to be dying of thirst. So I got here in right here. And your longtime curse hurts, however what’s worse is that this ache in right here.
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