Category Archives: Bootleg Series volume 3

Who killed Davey Moore: an exploration of Dylan’s meanings

Posted on September 8, 2015 by TonyAttwood

By Tony Attwood Updated 8 September 2017 Dylan was clearly taken by the death of Davey Moore in that he wrote and then performed this song three weeks after the death.  But was he moved by the events?  But then … Continue reading →

Posted in Bootleg Series volume 3, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Dylan’s “Series of Dreams” complete with the missing verse & a brilliant alternate version.

Posted on January 17, 2009 by Tony Attwood

by Tony Attwood Updated July 2018 with 3 recordings added include the version with the “extra” verse. According to Wikipedia Series of Dreams is “One of Dylan’s most ambitious compositions.”   It is difficult to see quite why such a claim … Continue reading →

Posted in Bootleg Series volume 3 | 32 Comments

Foot of Pride: Bob Dylan’s rambling masterpiece which tears us limb from limb

Posted on January 11, 2009 by Tony Attwood

By Tony Attwood Writing the second version of this review it struck me what a curious mixture of songs Bob wrote in 1983.  Here is the sequence of composing, as far as it can be put together, around the time … Continue reading →

Posted in Bootleg Series volume 3, The Songs | 39 Comments

“When the ship comes in.” Bob Dylan as a prophet of vengeance and a better life to come.

Posted on December 24, 2008 by Tony Attwood

By Tony Attwood This review updated July 2018, with the addition of one of Dylan’s rare outings for the song, and two totally different renditions linked at the end. Amidst all the moral relativism of Dylan, all the references to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bootleg Series volume 3, No Direction Home, The Songs, Times they are a changing | 10 Comments

Bob Dylan’s “Idiot Wind”: the meaning of the music and the lyrics

Posted on November 29, 2008 by Tony Attwood

By Tony Attwood There can be few opening chord sequences as distinctive as Dylan’s minor-4th, 5th, Tonic sequence which opens “Idiot Wind”. And there can be few opening lines to a song as distinctive as “Someone’s got it in for … Continue reading →

Posted in Blood on the Tracks, Bootleg Series volume 3, The Songs | 11 Comments

Blind Willie McTell: the meaning behind Bob Dylan’s song

Posted on November 12, 2008 by Tony Attwood

Blind Willie McTell This review updated 8 October 2016 including the addition of the link to the Dylan recording of the electric version of this song – see the end of the review, and some further thoughts on the lack … Continue reading →

Posted in Bootleg Series volume 3, Essential Bob Dylan, The Songs | 16 Comments