The Tell-Tale Heart Will Surely Tell to Anybody Near...

Another long silence. Apologies!

Although, as fans of Bob Dylan will know, a silence does not mean there's nothing going on...

I recently re-read 'Chronicles' and the excellent biography by Suze Rotolo 'A Freewheelin' Time'. I thoroughly recommend both of these books and I will not comment on their content here. You must discover them for yourself.

The main joy of the last few weeks has been the arrival of the 8th Bootleg album - 'Tell Tale Signs'. This post is going to be my initial reactions to this new set of releases.

There is a wonderful collection of songs on this 2 disc set. They show a development from the late 1980s to the present day that provide a real insight into the creative process. They also elicit a new emotional understanding that I personally find quite moving. The regret and self-awareness can sometimes take the breath away and many of the songs are emotional without descending into the realms of schmaltz. The first time I listened to some of the tracks I was literally speechless and light-headed. Anyone who knows me will attest that the ability to render me speechless is indeed an achievement!

The highlights are numerous, but I will try to draw out some of the main points of the album. Many of the songs are early recordings of familiar album tracks, or later reworkings. It is amazing how a transposition to a new key, an instrument added, over-production taken away can lead to a whole new level of meaning in a song.

The first disc kicks of with an acoustic version of 'Mississippi' that elevates it from a very good song to one that immediately raced onto my list of top ten Dylan songs ever. Beautiful vocals, gentle and understated playing. Why that version didn't make it onto 'Love and Theft' is a mystery, although to be fair the musical style is different and would make for a less cohesive sound on L&T. There is another version on disc two to delve into as well... we all have our preferences!

There is a rendering of 'Most of the Time' that sounds more like 1965 than 1989 (less of the emotional subtlety and regret of the album version, this one is rather truculent in vocal style whilst retaining the false 'bravado' ).

'Marchin' to the City' is a fantastic 'gospel/blues' style song that begins softly and builds to a thrilling crescendo. The familiar tale of a man wronged is given dimension and there is the dual pleasure of amazing lyrics (a lot of which were preserved and reworked to become 'Til I Fell in Love With You') counterpointed by the chorus where the man is 'marchin' to the city' (presumably heaven) and 'the road ain't long'... the memories of the failed relationship as he reaches the end of his life. My favourite line from this song is the couplet:

'She looked at me with an irresistable glance
With a smile that could make all the planets dance.'

So simple and beautiful.

There are two versions of 'Dignity' here that are very interesting. One is a demo with Dylan on piano, raw and forceful, the other is a 'rockabilly' style cut with new lyrics in parts, including the personification of dignity as a woman. I really love this version!

'Huck's Tune' and 'Dreamin' of You' are both incredible. The former provides a clear and focused portrait of a man which is filled with memory and regret. The latter links clearly to the themes (which I have discussed before in other posts) of obsessiveness, mental instability, loss of faith and so on. This song was dissected to eventually become parts of several others on the 'Time Out of Mind' album.

The liner notes mention that 'Can't Escape From You' is unusual, and it certainly is. The Tom Waits-style vocals, the orchestration and the lyrical and melodic repetition enhance the feeling of melancholy, regret and loss. Lyrics such as 'The dead bells are ringing, my train is overdue / to your memory I'm clinging, I can't escape from you' are haunting and the song is another that gets under a person's skin and takes several times of listening to get a full appreciation (although it was one of the aforementioned songs that left me speechless on the first hearing).

I wish I had more time to go into detail. There are numerous live songs on the album. Blues, country, rockabilly, gospel, bluegrass, folk, rock... we have the full lexicon on display and can clearly identify the influences as Bob gives us a lesson on the history of twentieth (and twenty-first!) century popular music. Dylan's versatility, whether creating original songs or covering those of others, is breathtaking and deserves recognition.

This album needs to be experienced to be appreciated. It provides a modicum of understanding as to where Bob Dylan is coming from creatively - although only he knows where he is headed!

'Tell Tale Signs' should also be celebrated as a true example of the songwriting art as it allows us to see a little of the development of truly ennervating and original compositions.

There are more songs here to discuss... next time!