Bob Dylan
w/ George Harrison and Carl Perkins
Columbia Studios, New York
May 69 or 1 May 70 - there is some confusion on the exact year

aka Almost Went To See Elvis

  1. Ghost Riders In The Sky
  2. Cupid
  3. All I Have To Do Is Dream
  4. Gates Of Eden
  5. I Threw It All Away
  6. I Don't Believe You
  7. Match Box
  8. True Love
  9. Telephone Line
10. Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance
11. Rainy Day Women
12. Song To Woody
13. Mama, You Been On My Mind
14. Don't Think Twice It's Alright
15. Yesterday
16. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
17. Da Doo Ron Ron
18. One Too Many Mornings
19. One Too Many Mornings

An unreleased session from the Self Portrait era. The is one of the better Dylan studio sessions that you'll ever hear - not for the performances (they're actually a little bit sloppy), but for the mood of working in a studio - looking for inspiration via a relaxing jam session.  I suppose it helped to have some legends sittin' in - George Harrison, and Carl Perkins. But Harrison wasn't exactly known for his crisp studio work towards the end of his Beatles tenure. (Check out anything during the Twickingham sessions) so it's probably not surprising that things got too loose at times. Still, there's nothing like some competition to elevate the performance.

In the end, this particular Bob boot is more about the session, not the songs. I suppose it's not even an 'essential' boot but it's always fun to listen in to the studio banter and joking. Most of us will never know or understand the creative process, yet we get a glimpse on genius through this session. To be clear, most of the songs are mere fragments, like Don't Think Twice, which is a 90 second jam, while Bob is trying to explain where the words go and the chord changes to someone on another stool in the background. Abruptly, Bob ditches it and says "Let's try Yesterday". And we'll be left wondering forever - where  was that song going? 

A couple of song notes. All I Have To Do Is Dream is outstanding. And if you think you know Rainy Day Women, wait until you hear this fresh version.  And Song To Woody - poignant.

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