The Genuine Basement Tapes, Vol. 1
The Genuine Basement Tapes, Vol. 1
表演者: Bob Dylan
专辑类型: 专辑
介质: CD
发行时间: 1967
出版者: Bootleg
专辑简介
Personnel:
Bob Dylan - guitar, piano, harmonica, vocals
Robbie Robertson - guitar, drums, vocals
Rick Danko - bass, fiddle, vocals
Richard Manuel - piano, vocals
Garth Hudson - organ, piano
Volume one consists entirely of songs (from the Robbie Robertson archives) discovered about ten years after the release of the "official" Basement Tapes album (hereafter called OA). Some of these songs feature Dylan on 12-string guitar and others feature him on piano. All are very empassioned performances.
All You Have To Do Is Dream
I don't know if this song is an original, but it definitely has some clever lyrics ("if the farmer has no silo, and his fuel cost is running high, well that's just how much I would love you, if you'd only let me try"), plus the arrangement appears to be more worked out than most, leading me to believe that this was possibly one of the songs intended for future release. Apparently they never finished a suitable version. Too bad. The second version also appears on this volume.
I Can't Make It Alone
Mostly improvised, this song is a nice minor key blues and has a lot of potential, but it's definitely not finished. Dylan on piano, I believe.
Down On Me
This is just a brief pass at an Elmore James song later made famous by Janis Joplin. Nice harmonies. This recording, like so many others in this collection, demonstrates that Dylan and the Band were a unit and not just a singer with his backup group helping out.
Bonnie Ship the Diamond
Apparently a traditional English or Scottish folk song about whaling expeditions. Dylan on 12-string guitar and very rough voice. Excellent organ from Garth Hudson.
One Man's Loss
This is one of my favorites, even though it's one of the poorer sounding recordings in the bunch, because for much of the beginning of the song you can't hear Dylan's voice, but once it gets going and you can hear him better, the song can be appreciated as a nicely improvised blues. Nice lyrics: "one man's loss always been another man's gain, one man's joy always been another man's pain". Dylan on piano. As usual, Robbie's guitar adds so much without really making you aware of it.
Baby Ain't That Fine
Nice ensemble country singing at its twangiest. Another example of how Dylan and the Band collaborated vocally. This song reminds me of Dylan's later Wallflower.
Rock Salt and Nails
Nice slow country tune written by Bruce Phillips with great lyrics and wonderful vocal. "If the ladies were squirrels, with their high bushy tails, I'd fill up my shotgun with rock salt and nails". This is the type of song that the boys were singing at these sessions!
A Fool Such As I
Made famous by Elvis Presley, Dylan later redid this song at the Self Portrait sessions and Columbia subsequently released it on the notorious Dylan album. This version is different, though, and is much slower and more relaxed.
Stones That You Throw
An old Hank Williams song from his Luke the Drifter days, this morality fable is a sort of "drawling blues" obviously done on the spur of the moment. No one for sure really knows how the song goes, but Bob gets the lyrics right, apparently, and the singalong chorus is fabulous: "A tongue can accuse or carry bad news, the seeds of distrust it will sow. So unless you have made no mistakes in your life, be careful of stones that you throw". Performed very tongue-in-cheek.
Hills of Mexico
This is actually none other than On the Trail of the Buffalo and goes under many different titles. Unfortunately this version stops just as it gets started, with Bob saying "you don't have to record this one, Garth, you're just wasting tape". Well, I would have liked to have heard the rest! As with many of the songs on these tapes, the original key is abandoned and it starts over in a new key. It could have been great, but maybe the mood just wasn't right.
I'm Alright
It's really a shame that this is only a fragment because it sounds like it must have been one of the best songs recorded at these sessions! One verse and chorus is all we get before the tape chokes. A lot of other really outstanding songs are aborted in the same way. "I'm a three time loser but I'm alright". Who wrote this?
One Single River
The actual title is Song for Canada. One of my favorite songs on volume one. One of several songs written by Ian and Sylvia. Dylan must have been listening to their records quite a lot at the time, and they're some of the best songs on these sessions! Not having been familiar with them before hearing them here, I had assumed them to be Dylan originals. Now I'm going to have to seek out some of their recordings because I'm very impressed by the quality of the writing.
Try Me
"Try me little girl, we can raise a family". Dylan on piano. Excellent melody and chord progression. Dylan almost goes into falsetto during the "try me"'s. The song is essentially complete. Garth shines on organ.
One For the Road
No, not the one made famous by Frank Sinatra, but apparently a totally improvised song which will break your heart. The lyrics seem to be nonsense and exist only to fill in for what would be the real words, if they ever existed. Slow country blues with more excellent Richard Manuel harmonies. The chord changes alter slightly toward the end - to great effect. One of the best tracks on volume one. Very dynamic.
I Don't Hurt Anymore
Another country standard. More ensemble singing from the band. Really nothing more than an initial run through and not as good as some others on the same disc.
People Get Ready
Curtis Mayfield's classic gospel song, sung entirely in harmony by Bob and the boys. Dylan returned to this song at least twice more in his career (Renaldo & Clara, and Flashback film soundtrack). Musically beautiful. Dylan on 12-string guitar.
Won't You Be My Baby
A fragment, unfortunately. This cuts off just as it starts to get cooking with a Garth Hudson solo. Very tough, brittle guitar and bluesy organ, combined with Dylan's piano and vocal. Richard Manuel on drums. Excellent!
Don't You Try Me Now
Another great blues. Great vocal by Bob. I believe he plays piano on this one too. Sample lyrics: "You might think you're having a good time, but wait 'til later on when your troubles start".
All You Have To Do Is Dream
Version two of the same song that opened this disc. This time out it's more refined and polished, but I prefer version one myself. When Robbie begins his solo, it's so loud that it literally sounds like a completely different instrument. It's very startling. This could have been a single.
You Say You Love Me
Not listed on the cover, this song features the Band without Bob Dylan. Richard Manuel sings lead during the chorus and you can barely make out Robbie Robertson during the verses. There is a better take of this on the vinyl collection Blind Boy Grunt and the Hawks volume one, but it's not available on the CD.
Long Time A-Growin'
This disc closes with one of the very best vocal performances ever given by Dylan, or by anybody for that matter. This is the Irish folk song that he sang back in 1961, slightly updated with guitar and organ, and with fragmented altered lyrics. Slow and relaxed with Bob gliding effortlessly through the melody, you've never heard anything like it before. He also plays 12-string guitar. This one is worth the price of the disc alone.
曲目
All You Have To Do Is Dream
I Can't Make It Alone
Down On Me
Bonnie Ship The Diamond
One Man's Loss
Baby Ain't That Fine
Rock Salt And Nails
A Fool Such As I
Stones That You Throw
Hills Of Mexico
It's Alright
Song For Canada
Try Me Little Girl
One For The Road
I Don't Hurt Anymore
People Get Ready
Lock Your Door
Don't You Try Me Now
All You Have To Do Is Dream
Young But Daily Growing