by mr tambourine
The forthcoming tour of Europe: The songs Dylan might play: This series looks at 23 songs Dylan could be induced to play, and the reasons why, with musical examples. Part 1 “When I first unto this country”, “Heaven help the devil”, “Ring them bells”.
Part 2
20. Delia (or Delia’s Gone)
I don’t have too many particular reasons why I chose this song to be one of the possible
additions. Dylan seems to do this song once in a while but it’s an extreme live rarity.
Dylan performed this song live in 1960, 1992, 1993, 2000 and 2012. Knowing that it’s the 30 year anniversary of the release of the album World Gone Wrong, doing another rare version of this song seems suitable for such an occasion.
Also, based on research, if correct, the recently deceased Harry Belafonte, performed this
song in 1959. Dylan has once covered Belafonte’s Jamaica Farewell during the New
Morning sessions I believe, so it wouldn’t be the craziest thing if he did this song as a secret tribute to Harry. And besides, “all the friends I ever had are gone” must be getting an even deeper line as Dylan gets older. [There’s more on Dylan and Delia here.]
19. Dark As A Dungeon
As you may know, Dylan has performed this song only occasionally over the years, in 1975, 1989, 1990, 1998 and 2000.
This song was also covered by the previously mentioned Gordon Lightfoot and Harry Belafonte who both recently passed away, which I think makes it a very likely candidate to
performed again. (See also here).
18. New Speedway Boogie
A Grateful Dead song that I believe is very suitable for the current tour, it has a lot of
similarities to “Goodbye Jimmy Reed” in some cases and could probably work well as another upbeat song of the set for a show or two. If only Dylan could get the lyrics right, we could be looking at another great cover possibly.
17. Big River
It’s been exactly 20 years since Johnny Cash passed away in 2003. To my knowledge, Dylan hasn’t done many covers of his songs since he passed away, if any. Can’t think of them at the moment at least.
One of the rare covers he’s done across the years of his songs is “Big River”, but only three
times so far only. Once in 1988, once in 1999 and once in 2000. Since the Grateful Dead
have been covering this song a lot through the years, especially live, it makes it a very likely
candidate to be performed soon.
The series continues….
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