Live version from the George Harrison Concert for Bangladesh: It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
What you should know about this song: This bluesy song was originally recorded for the Highway 61 Revisited album featuring Al Kooper and Michael Bloomfield, and it’s most famous for the live rendition heard at George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971.* Dylan took from old blues songs and added his own lyrics to create this piece, which is one of three blues songs featured on the 1965 album. When he first attempted to cut the song during the recording sessions, however, he was frustrated with the uptempo arrangement and decided to set it aside after a few takes to focus on recording “Tombstone Blues” instead. Over the lunch break, Dylan sat at the piano and worked out a slower version, “the results felt both timeless and brand-new” (Rolling Stone Magazine, Issue 1131).
“Bob is a weird cat, you know: weird music, weird words, weird session. But I liked the songs. He sings them, and the musicians fit themselves around them. He sings these long, complex, meaningful songs. He’s a poet.” – Michael Bloomfield*
Source: “Dylan: 100 Songs and Pictures” by Fine Communications
Photo Source: Taken at the Newport Folk Festival 1965
