Bring it on home to me. Bob Dylan song number 610.

Research by Aaron Galbraith, Commentary by Tony Attwood

So how did I miss this one in going through all those outtakes from “After the Empire”?  I really have no idea, but miss it I did even though Leon mentioned the song in commenting on “Under your spell” several years ago.  And I thought I had gone through that whole CD of outtakes and written about every single track.   Old age is undoubtedly catching up on me.

But there it is, it is on “After the Empire” and I missed it out, so here we have another Dylan song.  Song number 610.

And, just to make things a little more complicated there is a Sam Cooke song called “Bring it home to me” which has the chorus line “Bring it on home to me” – a song which Jakob Dylan and the Wallflowers have performed.  But this isn’t that.

Nor is it Buddy Johnson’s “Bring it home to me”

So, it is none of the previous versions, but something new.

https://youtu.be/30tNnn8PJLc

And it is also not to be confused with “Bring it on Home” by Bob Dylan from the Basement Tapes complete.  That has just one line of lyrics – the title line.

Musically this is a variation on the 12 bar blues concept, with just two chords used (I and IV).  The piece has a fairly limited number of words, and a lot of time taken up with the ladies doing their singing.  Plus some harmonica work from Bob.  And some musical interludes.

I’m not to sure about the coda which has Dylan instructing the lady singers to sing “Bring it home” over and over.  And quite honestly having listening to all five minutes of the piece three times while writing this little review I am not too sure I actually want to hear it again.  At least not for a while.

In short, it is in my view, just an idea.  Of course all songs start as just an idea.  It is just that this “just an idea” hasn’t really got any further.  If it had done, it could have been interesting.  But it was left at this point.

Were these improvised lyrics?  I suspect they were.  And I am not going to make a complete fool of myself yet again by trying to transcribe them.  So if you would like to be part of Bob Dylan song number 610, then please write in and the lyrics can be added to the review.

Larry?  Aaron?  Anyone?

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