Mar 4, 2012 | 100 Days with Bob Dylan
Link to Song: Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
What you should know about this song: Dylan recorded this “heart-stoppingly poignant ballad” in 1973 as part of the soundtrack for Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. It became a hit single that year, and since has been covered by major artists including Eric Clapton and Guns ‘N’ Roses.
“It’s such a great song, a very spiritual song.” – Eric Clapton*
“‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ is an extraordinary thing.” – Allen Ginsberg*
*Source: “Dylan: 100 Songs and Pictures” by Fine Communications
1971 Performance with George Harrison.
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Mar 3, 2012 | 100 Days with Bob Dylan
Link to Song: When I Paint My Masterpiece
What you should know about this song: This is was the second track cut during the experimental 1971 sessions with Leon Russell and his band.
“That was another song which he wrote with me there in the studio, watching him at work. That’s where the chorus line came from – ‘You’ll be there with me when I paint my masterpiece.’ And that was exactly where I was.” – Leon Russell*
*Source: “Dylan: 100 Songs and Pictures” by Fine Communications
Photo Source: Rolling Stone Magazine
Mar 2, 2012 | 100 Days with Bob Dylan
Link to Song: Watching the River Flow
What you should know about this song: This is one of two songs cut during the experimental 1971 sessions with Leon Russell and his band. The song reached the UK Top 30 that summer and was later used in Dylan’s live repertoire beginning in 1978.
“We had a bet, that he could write a song right there and then. So I played him this track we had cut with my band, and then I watched him do it. He walked back and forth around the studio, and all these words started coming out.” – Leon Russell*
*Source: “Dylan: 100 Songs and Pictures” by Fine Communications
Mar 1, 2012 | 100 Days with Bob Dylan
Link to Song: New Morning
What you should know about this song: This title track of Bob Dylan’s New Morning album originally featured some of America’s top session musicians, including Al Kooper, Russ Kunkel, Charlie Daniels, and Ron Cornelius. Interestingly enough, though, it wasn’t until 20 years later that Dylan debuted it in a live performance.
“A Broadway producer got hold of me. He wanted me to write the songs for an Archibald MacLeish play, called The Devil and Daniel Webster. Seemed like an interesting idea, so I recorded some stuff based on what he was doing, and I recorded ‘New Morning’.” – Bob Dylan, 1985
*Source: “Dylan: 100 Songs and Pictures” by Fine Communications
Feb 29, 2012 | 100 Days with Bob Dylan
Link to Song: If Not For You
What you should know about this song: Dylan recorded this gentle country tune alongside George Harrison during the 1970 New Morning album sessions. In subsequent years, Harrison covered the song on All Things Must Pass, his version later turned into a hit single cover by Olivia Newton-John in 1971.
“I wrote the song thinking about my wife. It seemed simple enough, sort of Tex-Mex. But I would never explore all the possibilities of instrumentation in the studio, add parts and so forth, or change the beat around, so it came off kind of folky.” – Bob Dylan, 1985*
*Source: “Dylan: 100 Songs and Pictures” by Fine Communications
Photo Source: Rolling Stone Magazine
Feb 28, 2012 | 100 Days with Bob Dylan
Link to Song: Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You
What you should know about this song: Another hit single of the Nashville Skyline Album, Dylan wrote “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You” while staying at the Ramada Hotel in Nashville while recording the album. Among other artists, Cher and Jeff Beck have covered the song.
“That was a song which Bob wrote actually during the sessions, I seem to remember. One morning, he just came in with it, and we cut it right away. It was a beautiful song, very simple, but it cut right to the heart.” – Charlie McCoy, bassist on Nashville Skyline
*Source: “Dylan: 100 Songs and Pictures” by Fine Communications
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