My own love song – Dylan’s instrumentals and other soundtrack songs

by Tony Attwood

Mike Smith has reminded Aaron and myself that Dylan wrote a series of instrumental pieces for  Olivier Dahan’s film “My own love song.”

This gives us a problem on Untold Dylan, because I have for years proudly proclaimed that we were reviewing all the Dylan compositions, and in saying this I didn’t exclude the instrumentals.   And yes I did cover the Billy instrumentals quite a while ago.

So time to make amends.

Life Is Hard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjZ5agESpkg

Sweeping The Floor

This is an engaging 12 bar blues with a relaxed rocking feel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxyiCM_ruGk

Bumble Bee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJydDId7IEw

Bob’s still keeping to the standard three major chords that most popular music uses.  A little piece of atmosphere.

Jane’s Lament

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwiWIpP_RE8

This could be improvised with the guitarist playing along to whatever what on the screen at the time.

Joey’s Theme (alternative version of Forgetful Heart)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIV96fwjMQ4

Again there are suggestions of improvisation here – the whole piece is on one chord and there is a sense that the accordion player is simply playing around the chord as the banjo player plays the chord over and over.   I’m rather glad I wasn’t the bass player on this.

The album also has some of the covers from the movie by various cast members

Precious Angel by Renee Zellweger

This rendition really makes the most of a most beautiful song; I’m so glad it is not overplayed but kept completely under control especially in the build up to the “couldn’t make it by myself” life – I have heard so many artists go far too far, far too quickly at that point.

I Believe In You – Don Sparks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81LimUrpqvs

The elegance of the performance of “Precious Angel” is retained here.  I find this rendition utterly moving.

Life Is Hard – Renee Zellweger

And in keeping with the rest of the music, this is perfectly poised, delicate but not fragile.

Here is the complete list of tracks used in the movie – including some more links to the songs.  I’ve not put in links to music from the Classical-Romantic repertoire, as that is not what Untold is primarily about, but I have included the more contemporary songs that were used in the film.

Anything missing, is missing because I can’t find a copy on the internet.

Bob Dylan – Forgetful Heart (Dylan)
Bob Dylan – Life Is Hard (Dylan)
Bob Dylan – Sweeping The Floor (Dylan) *
Bob Dylan – Bumble Bee (Dylan) *
Bob Dylan – Jane’s Lament (Dylan) *
Bob Dylan – Joey’s Theme (Dylan) *
Ron Eaton – Preludes, Opus 28 #6 in b Minor (Chopin)
Bob Dylan – I Feel A Change Coming On (Dylan)
Bob Dylan – Driving South (Dylan) *
Georges Drakoulias – What Good Am I (Dylan)
Forest Whitaker – What Good Am I (Dylan)
Bob Dylan – Back Alley (Dylan) *
Bob Dylan – Snow Falling (Dylan) *
Bob Dylan – Billie #30 (Dylan) *
Chopin Nocturne 7
Renee Zellweger – Precious Angel (Dylan)
Bob Dylan – Road Weary (Dylan) *
Bob Dylan – Click Clack (Dylan) *
Bob Dylan – Life Is Hard (Dylan) (instrumental)
Bob Dylan – Robbie Robert’s Lament (Dylan) *
Robert Johnson – Me And The Devil Blues

Bob Dylan – New Orleans Drums (Dylan) *
Bob Dylan – Janet’s Step (Dylan) *
Source Music – Late Night Blues For Leroy Carr

Ron Eaton – Preludes, Opus 28 #4 in e Minor (Chopin)
Don Sparks – I Believe In You
Bob Dylan – Swingin’ (Dylan) *
Bob Dylan – Blues Club (Playback) (Dylan) *
Renee Zellweger – This Land Is Your Land

Bob Dylan – It’s All Good (Dylan)
Bob Dylan – East Texas (Dylan) *
The Bourbon Street Stompers – Down By The Riverside

Georges Darkoulias – What Good Am I (Dylan)
Ron Eaton – Preludes, Opus 28 #15 in Db Major (Chopin)
Renee Zellweger – Life Is Hard (Dylan)
Bob Dylan – Beyond Here Lies Nothing (Dylan)

Again particular thanks to Mike for alerting us to this omission on the site.  And if you find a legal way to provide recordings of the missing tracks (other than the classical-romantic pieces, and the Together through Life tracks, which we have of course already reviewed, please do write in.  As ever it is Tony@schools.co.uk

Untold Dylan: who we are what we do

Untold Dylan is written by people who want to write for Untold Dylan.  It is simply a forum for those interested in the work of the most famous, influential and recognised popular musician and poet of our era, to read about, listen to and express their thoughts on, his lyrics and music.

We welcome articles, contributions and ideas from all our readers.  Sadly no one gets paid, but if you are published here, your work will be read by a fairly large number of people across the world, ranging from fans to academics.  If you have an idea, or a finished piece send it as a Word file to Tony@schools.co.uk with a note saying that it is for publication on Untold Dylan.

We also have a very lively discussion group “Untold Dylan” on Facebook with around 8000 active members. Just type the phrase “Untold Dylan” in, on your Facebook page or follow this link    And because we don’t do political debates on our Facebook group there is a separate group for debating Bob Dylan’s politics – Icicles Hanging Down

 

 

3 Comments

  1. Great stuff…really wish they had actually put out a soundtrack/score CD for this movie.

    besides the Dylan instrumentals there are some great covers by the cast members

  2. I would love to see a compilation of Dylan instrumentals– some of these above are excellent– you could also include the instrumentals from Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid as well as Wigwam and Woogie Boogie from Self Portrait. Would make a nice album !

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