Why does Dylan like “Why do I have to choose”?

Why do I have to choose to see everybody lose
To walk around and sing the blues well darling I refuse

Love is hard to find love of any kind
And a love like yours and mine creates it's own design

Why do I have to choose to see everybody lose
To walk around and sing the blues well darling I refuse

And when I think of her and then I think of you
The love is not the same but either love is true

Why do I have to choose to see everybody lose
To walk around and sing the blues well darling I refuse

And here is the original – but if you don’t like this, please don’t give up because what Bob did to this song is something quite different.

And then…

Just over one year later, in 1984 Bob Dylan played this song eight songs.   And you might be a little surprised as to what he did with this gentle ballad.  This version comes from the 1984 tour.

https://youtu.be/ss26KNgDiGs

And just to show us it wasn’t a one off, Bob kept on varying the song – but I am not sure where this version comes from.

https://youtu.be/XSrGZdNs4pU

And here are the two guys together

So why did Bob like it?   Basically because it is a song he can vary and which has a really great catchy line – it just lends itself to becoming something quite different from the original.

I think quite simply Bob heard it, realised it could have come out a very different way, and just re-wrote it.

And I’m rather glad he did.