Author Archives: TonyAttwood

By Aaron Galbraith and Tony Attwood Aaron: I found some interesting details on the song from the SecondHandSongs website where we are told that aka “Blue Eyed Boston Boy” the “Two Soldiers” is “an American Civil War ballad written by … Continue reading →

By Tony Attwood This is one of my favourite songs, and I’ve always felt there is a lot one could do with it not least because of those opening lines… Prayed in the ghetto with my face in the cementHeard … Continue reading →

  Previously in this series Part 1: Lay down your weary tune Part 2: What is really sacred? by Taigen Dan Leighton Every Grain of Sand In 1981 Dylan wrote “Every Grain of Sand” released on the “Shot of Love” … Continue reading →

Goodbye Jimmy Reed (2020) part 1 Goodbye Jimmy Reed (2020) part 2: All songs lead back t’ the sea Goodbye Jimmy Reed (2020) part 3: An amazing ability Goodbye Jimmy Reed (2020) part 4: The truth was not known Goodbye … Continue reading →

  By Tony Attwood, with recordings presented by Mike Johnson in the Never Ending Tour Series. In this series we look at the way Bob has transformed his songs over time, in particular looking for the progression in his feelings … Continue reading →

By Mike Johnson (Kiwipoet) An index to the entire series can be found here. The Setlist which Dylan had developed in 2014, which saw him essentially playing the same concert night after night, was still in place in 2017, although … Continue reading →

By Aaron Galbraith and Tony Attwood Aaron: “Come Rain or Come Shine” was written for the Broadway musical St. Louis Woman, which opened on March 30, 1946, and closed after 113 performances. Here is the St. Louis Woman – Original … Continue reading →

By Tony Attwood In running this series, which started as a diversion during Covid lockdown in England, when we were more or less refused permission to leave our houses, while (it later emerged) the government was throwing parties in Downing … Continue reading →

  by Taigen Dan Leighton Part 1: Lay down your weary tune The word “weary” recalls a line from the great 19th century songwriter Stephen Foster (1826-1864), “All the world is sad and weary everywhere I go” from “The Old … Continue reading →

    Goodbye Jimmy Reed (2020) part 1 Goodbye Jimmy Reed (2020) part 2: All songs lead back t’ the sea Goodbye Jimmy Reed (2020) part 3: An amazing ability Goodbye Jimmy Reed (2020) part 4 by Jochen Markhorst IV         … Continue reading →

By Aaron Galbraith and Tony Attwood Details of this series which looks at songs by other composers that Bob has recorded, can be found at the foot of the article. Aaron: First published in the 1847 edition of “Popular Rhymes … Continue reading →

By Mike Johnson (Kiwipoet) An index to the full series appears here. By the time the 2017 NET kicked off on April 1st it was clear that the seventy-six year old Dylan was still on a roll, particularly when it … Continue reading →

by Taigen Dan Leighton Introduction: What is Truly Sacred? One of Bob Dylan’s seminal songs is “It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding” from “Bringing It All Back Home” in 1965. Dylan critiques the shallowness of contemporary consumerist culture that makes … Continue reading →

By Tony Attwood In this series we look at the way Bob has transformed his songs over time, in particular looking for the progression in his feelings about and understanding of what the song offers and where it can be … Continue reading →

By Tony Attwood Tears of Rage has lyrics by Bob Dylan and music by Richard Manuel of The Band (who tragically passed away in 1986).   It was first recorded in 1967 and appeared the following year on the Band’s first … Continue reading →

An index to the Never Ending Tour series can be found here. By Mike Johnson (Kiwipoet) “When I received the Nobel Prize for Literature, I got to wondering how exactly my songs related to literature,” Bob Dylan. “If people in … Continue reading →

  By Larry Fyffe with additional commentary on musical technicalities by Tony Attwood With the accompanying music a-blazing, singer/songwriter/musician Bob Dylan still likes his lyrics, even when they are not that complex, to grab the listener’s, and/or reader’s attention, by … Continue reading →

  Goodbye Jimmy Reed (2020) part 1 Goodbye Jimmy Reed (2020) part 2: All songs lead back t’ the sea   by Jochen Markhorst III         An amazing ability I live on a street named after a Saint Women in the … Continue reading →

by Aaron Galbraith and Tony Attwood Other people’s songs: Performances by Dylan of traditional songs, and those written by others with explorations of their origins. Songs selected by Aaron, additional commentary from the other side of the Atlantic by Tony.  … Continue reading →

by Tony Attwood This series of articles represents an attempt to understand the importance of the music as well as the lyrics in Dylan’s songs both when it comes to appreciating the recordings as works of art, and in terms … Continue reading →