Definitely Dylan

Laura revisits a radio episode from the archives about April anniversaries, some good, many disastrous. And there's a little side quest about Bob Dylan and Modernist poetry.One note – I forgot to mention that the performance of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most” is by Betty Carter.Get your Definitely Dylan baseball cap here.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

Laura is joined by Britt and Rebecca to talk about A Complete Unknown, the new Bob Dylan biopic directed by James Mangold, starring Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, and Monica Barbaro. We talk about letting go of the pressure to be chill about the film, biopics as acts of translation, and the sexual tension between Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash.Rebecca would like to add that she realised that it was Al Kooper and not Bobby Neuwirth who put on Bob's “clown shirt” at Newport.You can watch our conversation here.Follow Rebecca on Twitter and Britt on Instagram or Twitter.Get your Definitely Dylan baseball cap here.You can buy Rebecca's “Twink” shirt here.Theme music by Robert ChaneyYou can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

It's taken over five years, but the new Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (directed by James Mangold and starring Timothée Chalamet) is finally hitting cinemas. So… is it good?I called up Chicago-based filmmaker Michael Glover Smith to talk about the film, what it gets right, what it gets wrong, and how it compares to other films like I'm Not There.You can watch Michael's short film Handle With Care here. He's also on Twitter.If you are considering gifting a Patreon subscription to a friend, you can do that over here.Theme music by Robert ChaneyYou can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

Bob Dylan has been tweeting and it's high time we talk about it. In this conversation with Rebecca and Britt we cover what's been going on the World of Bob, including his social media presence and the TWO biopics he's involved in this year!Follow Rebecca on Twitter and Britt on Instagram or Twitter.Theme music by Robert ChaneyYou can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

Ray and I sit down in the garden of the Troubadour to talk about the final shows of Bob Dylan's Rough and Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour (2021-24) at London's Royal Albert Hall.Subscribe to Ray's Substack, Flagging Down the Double E (but get the paid membership if you can), and buy his book Pledging My Time: Conversations with Bob Dylan Band Members.Music that appears in this episode:All Along the Watchtower (London 12/11/24)Desolation Row (London, 12/11/24)Watching the River Flow (London, 14/11/24)Every Grain of Sand (London, 12/11/24)It's All Over Now Baby Blue (London, 12/11/24)I Contain Multitudes (Paris, 24/10/24)My Own Version of You (London, 12/11/24)My Own Version of You (London, 14/11/24)Key West (Philosopher Pirate) (London, 14/11/24)All Along the Watchtower (London, 14/11/24)I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You (London, 14/11/24)Theme music by Robert ChaneyYou can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

A conversation with Ren Harvieu after seeing night two of Bob Dylan's three night stay at London's Royal Albert Hall.Ren Harvieu is on Patreon, Instagram, and her music is available on all streaming platforms.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

In this episode, Laura revisits a radio episode from September of 2018, all about Bob Dylan's relationship to the truth, and his different attempts to define, grasp, or circumscribe it.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

A conversation with Britt Eisnor about the recent Outlaw Festival shows and more.Follow Britt on Instagram.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.Songs that appear in the episode:“Desolation Row” (Buffalo, NY, 17 September, 2024)“Love Sick” (Mountain View, CA, 3 August, 2024)“Cold, Cold Heart” (Hank Williams cover, Alpharetta, GA, 21 June, 2024)“Shooting Star” (George, WA, 10 August, 2024)“Ballad of a Thin Man” (Mickey Raphael on harp, St Louis, 8 September, 2024)“Stella Blue” (Grateful Dead cover, Mountain View, CA, 3 August, 2024)“It's All Over Now, Baby Blue” (Inglewood, CA, 14 February, 1974)“Dirt Road Blues” (Time Out of Mind, 1997)“Fire and Brimstone” - Link Wray (Link Wray, 1971)“Simple Twist of Fate” (with Mickey Raphael on harp, Bethel, NY, 6 July, 2024)“Little Queenie” (Chuck Berry cover, Buffalo, NY, 17 September, 2024)“A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall” (Somerset, WI, 6 September, 2024)“Silvio” (Somerset, WI, 6 September, 2024)“All Along the Watchtower” (Buffalo, NY, 17 September, 2024)Theme music by Robert Chaney

A new podcast reconsiders the legacy of female singer songwriters that have all at one point been dubbed “the Female Bob Dylan”. Laura talks to its creators, Sophie Abramowitz, Sarah Bachman, and Emily Hilliard. Find The Female Bob Dylan on the podcast app of your choice, and follow them on Instagram and Twitter/X.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

This is a slightly updated version of the first ever Definitely Dylan episode, which aired on Resonance.FM in January of 2018.You can find a version with the full length songs over on Patreon, where I will also be revisiting other radio episodes in the future, so follow along if you're interested in hearing more!In this episode:1. Forever Young2. Subterranean Homesick Blues3. It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)4. Simple Twist Of Fate5. Shelter From The Storm6. Born In Time (Oh Mercy Outtake)7. What Can I Do For You? (Live, 19 April, 1980, Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada)8. Rise Again (Rehearsal, with Clydie King)9. Saved (live, 12 January, Portland, OR)10. Forever Young (demo)Additional music by Robert ChaneyYou can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

Today's episode is a story.Songs that appear in the episode:“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (More Greatest Hits)“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (demo, Another Self Portrait)“When I Paint My Masterpiece” - The Band (Cahoots)“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (demo, Another Self Portrait) “When I Paint My Masterpiece” (Live at Harvard Square Theatre, Cambridge, MA, 20 November, 1975)“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (Live at Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul, South Korea, 27 July, 2018)“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (Live at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale. 1 March 2024)“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (Shadow Kingdom, 2021)”Dungaree Doll” - Eddie Fisher (1956)”Get Up, Get Out” - The Weavers (1963)The Jonathan Cott interview took place on 17 September, 1978 on bus and plane, on the way to the concert that night in New Haven, CT. The discussions continued in the dressing room before the show. The interview was published in Rolling Stone Magazine on November 16th 1978.Additional music by Robert ChaneyYou can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

“Life is short even on its longest days”, Bob Dylan sang in Indianapolis, covering John Cougar Mellencamp. But a year is pretty long, so I invited Rebecca Slaman to do a recap with me. We talk about the releases, live shows, and our general highlights of 2023.Check out Rebecca's PhilosopHER of Modern Song series on her Substack.Find the extended version of our conversation on Patreon!You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.2023 live snippets that appear in this episode:“Truckin” - Nagoya, Japan (20/04/23)“Brokedown Palace - Nagoya, Japan (18/04/23)“West LA Fadeaway” - Lyon, France (29/06/23)“Stella Blue” - Barcelona, Spain (23/06/23)“Only a River” - Rome, Italy (09/07/23)“Into the Mystic” - Alicante, Spain (15/06/23)“Dance Me to the End of Love” - Montreal, Canada (29/10/23)“New York State of Mind” - New York City, NY (16/11/23)“South of Cincinnati” - Cincinnati, OH (20/10/23)“Footlights” - Boston, MA (05/11/23)“Longest Days” - Indianapolis, IN (17/11/23)“Ballad of a Thin Man” - Farm Aid, Noblesville, IN (23/09/23)“My Own Version of You” - Brooklyn, NY (15/11/23)“When I Paint My Masterpiece” - Brooklyn, NY (15/11/23)“Every Grain of Sand” - Rome, Italy (09/07/23)Theme music by Robert Chaney

In this episode, Laura talks to the one and only Chan Marshall (Cat Power) about her project of recreating Bob Dylan's iconic 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert. In our conversation about art, love, and resilience, she shares stories about meeting Bob Dylan, how she first got into his music, and which song makes her feel empowered.Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert is out now on Domino Records. Head over to my Instagram to win a limited edition copy of the album on clear vinyl!You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.All music from Cat Power sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall ConcertExcept:“I Believe in You” - Cat Power (Jukebox)“I Believe in You” - Bob Dylan (live in Santa Barbara, 7 September, 2008)“Song to Bobby” - Cat Power (Jukebox)“Sara” - Bob Dylan (live in Waterbury, CT, 11 November, 1975)Theme music by Robert ChaneyIn case you missed the episode about Sinéad O'Connor's letters to Bob Dylan, you can find out more here.

In this episode, Laura talks to Mark Davidson and Parker Fishel, the authors of Mixing Up the Medicine, the 600 page “inside-out biography” that tells the story of Bob Dylan's career through pieces from the Bob Dylan Archive.Buy the book at your local bookshop (or check it out at your local library – it's unfortunately pretty pricey).Music by Robert Chaney.You can listen to the full Beatles bootleg of “Thingymubob”/”Maureen” here.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

In this episode Laura talks to writer and friend of the pod Rebecca Slaman about Bob Dylan's surprise appearance at this year's Farm Aid, where we played a short set with the Heartbreakers.Here's a fun fact I only figured out after the episode was finished: the song that preceded Dylan's remarks about American farmers during Live Aid was in fact The Ballad of Hollis Brown!I erroneously said that Stan Lynch was on the drums, but it was actually Steve Ferrone.Make sure you subscribe to Rebecca's Substack!You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

In this episode, Laura welcomes back Harry Hew for a conversation about Sinéad O'Connor's open letters to Bob Dylan.A quick note – after converting to Islam in 2018, she adopted the name Shuhada' Sadaquat, but since she continued to work under her birth name, we refer to her as Sinéad O'Connor in this episode.Head over here to read all the letters Sinéad O'Connor wrote to Bob Dylan.Thank you to Thérèse Mullan for her voice acting as Sinéad.Theme music and sound design by Robert Chaney.Check out the Creative Arts Psychotherapy YouTube channel Harry mentioned.Also do yourself a favour and watch Harry's excellent presentation on Bob Dylan's sense of humour here.

In the light of Robbie Robertson's recent passing, I really wanted to have a conversation about this artist whose life not just ran alongside Dylan's a decade, but converged for crucial periods of both their careers. So I asked the biggest The Band fan I know, my Canadian friend Harry Hew, to jump on a call and talk to me.One note: I make a reference to "Dominique", and thought I should clarify that I'm talking about Dominique Robertson, Robbie's first wife. I'm referring to an incident that occurred after an inebriated Richard Manuel asked to drive the Robertson's new Mustang, and then lost control over the car, which ended up sideways in a ditch. Follow Harry Hew on Twitter!You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

In this episode, Laura and Rebecca talk about the ladies, babies, mamas, girls, and many many queens that inhabit Bob Dylan's songs.Subscribe to Rebecca's Substack, and watch her Tulsa paper here.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

TW: murder, suicide, racial violenceWhen Bob Dylan began his career, murder ballads were having a bit of a moment. In this episode, we'll look into the influence these songs had on the young artist, and how they inspired a particular subset of his own early songs. You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.

No other Bob Dylan song has provoked such a diverse range of responses as "Make You Feel My Love". Initially dismissed by reviewers as a failure, it has since grown into a wildly successful pop hit. It's the song that's loved by the masses, but hated by Dylan purists. Perhaps what's at the heart of this fundamental disagreement is a different question altogether: is this a banal love song, or does it have a deeper, perhaps even darker meaning? You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.Thanks to Craig Danuloff from the Dylan.FM podcast for initially inviting me to speak about this topic, this episode partly draws on the talk I gave at his online event last year.Graley Herren's book Dreams and Dialogues in Dylan's "Time Out of Mind" is available here.

Laura and James A. Smith from The Popular Show have a late night conversation about the Bootleg Series and Time Out of MindWatch the video of our conversation on Patreon, where you can also show your support for the podcast, or you can make a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.Consider supporting The Popular Show at patreon.com/thepopularpod.

Laura and Robert talk about Bob Dylan's new Bootleg Series, what it tells us about Time Out of Mind, and whether or not accordions can be sexy.You can purchase the new Bootleg Series in various different formats here.Listen to the interview with Mark Howard on the Dylan.fm podcast here.Graley Herren's book Dreams and Dialogues in Dylan's "Time Out of Mind" is available here.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.For more information, see definitelydylan.com

Stories, myths, and narratives – as the Bob Dylan Center opened this May, another Bob Dylan exhibition was coming to a close. What stories are these two Dylan museums telling & what do they reveal about how Bob Dylan wants to be seen?In part two of this series on the crafting of Bob Dylan's legacy, we take a look at the stories told by two very different museums dedicated to Bob Dylan's work: the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, OK, and the Retrospectrum exhibition of Dylan's visual art. Laura interviews the curators of the BDC, Mark Davidson and Parker Fishel, and talks about how Dylan the Painter has become part of the Dylan Myth.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation. Here's the article “In His Own Words: Why Bob Dylan Paints”.Find out more about the Bob Dylan Center here.The Retrospectrum catalogue (£85) is available here.Read Rebecca Slaman's review of Retrospectrum here.For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/

This is the first of two conversations about the crafting of Bob Dylan's legacy.My guest is freelance writer Rebecca Slaman, with whom I talk about Dylan films, the future of Dylan fandom, and his underrated sense of humour!. Follow Rebecca on Twitter: @ithrewtheglass.The version of “Desolation Row” is from 12 April, 2009 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. You can watch it in full along with others from that year here.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/.

This is the first of two conversations about the crafting of Bob Dylan's legacy.My guest is freelance writer Rebecca Slaman. Follow Rebecca on Twitter: @ithrewtheglass.The version of “Desolation Row” is from 12 April, 2009 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. You can watch it in full along with others from that year here.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/.

For this special Christmas episode, Robert and I have invited some friends: Ren Harvieu and Felix Holt, both fantastic singer songwriters, help us all get into the festive spirit. Together we talk about Bob Dylan's Christmas in the Heart, whether Dylan was ever able to relate to Scrooge, and why it's ok to get sad over the holidays. Ren Harvieu has a brilliant album out called Revel in the Drama, which you should definitely check out if you haven't already. You can listen to Felix Holt here.If you'd like to revisit Ren's beautiful cover of “Just Like a Woman” live on Definitely Dylan, you can listen to it here.Fred Bals' article that I mention can be found here.Thank you for listening to Definitely Dylan this year, and if you like, can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon.Playlist:Must Be SantaDo You Hear What I HearThe Christmas BluesLittle Drummer BoyO Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

The pandemic forced Bob Dylan to take a two year break from performing live. Now he's back and he's embarked on the Rough and Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour.I was lucky to be able to fly from London to Washington, DC to catch the last show of the year on 2nd December, 2021.In this episode, I'm giving you my thoughts on the performances, the setlist, and how this tour relates to the latest album and Shadow Kingdom.You can listen to the whole concert here.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/.

The pandemic forced Bob Dylan to take a two year break from performing live. Now he's back and he's embarked on the Rough and Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour.I was lucky to be able to fly from London to Washington, DC to catch the last show of the year on 2nd December, 2021.In this episode, I'm giving you my thoughts on the performances, the setlist, and how this tour relates to the latest album and Shadow Kingdom.You can listen to the whole concert here.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/.

After a little break, Definitely Dylan Radio is back to finally discuss the latest instalment in Bob Dylan's Bootleg Series, Springtime in New York (1980-1985)! Laura and Robert talk about talk about how this collection spotlights Dylan as a singer, why Clydie King's importance cannot be overstated, and wonder what it even means to be “emotionally yours”??You can also listen to Definitely Dylan Radio on Spotify.You can now support Definitely Dylan on Patreon.Music for this episode is “Coming From The Heart (The Road Is Long)”, written by Bob Dylan and Helena Springs (1978), performed by The Definitely Dylan Bootleg Band (Robert Chaney, lead vocal, piano; Andrew Harwood, lead guitar, bass; Felix Holt, acoustic guitar, backing vocals; Greg Bishop, drums, percussion, backing vocals; Laura Tenschert, backing vocals.

In this episode, Laura considers Shadow Kingdom, the exclusive broadcast event, directed by Alma Har'el: where is stands in the context of Bob Dylan's career and what it tells us about the artist at 80 years old. We'll touch on Dylan's relationship with the past, the language of dreams, and we'll find out what all of this has to do with Shakespeare.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/.Alma Har'el talking about dreams is from this i-D video.Music: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Midsummer night's dream overtureBob Dylan's Nobel lecture

In this episode, Laura considers Shadow Kingdom in the context of Bob Dylan's career and what it tells us about the artist at 80 years old. We'll touch on Dylan's relationship with the past, the language of dreams, and we'll find out what all of this has to do with Shakespeare.You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation.For more information, see http://definitelydylan.com/.Alma Har'el talking about dreams is from this i-D video.Bob Dylan's Nobel lectureMusic: Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix, Midsummer night's dream overture

This week, in anticipation of Bob Dylan's virtual concert experience, Shadow Kingdom, Laura and Robert are thinking about past instances in which we got to enjoy Dylan onstage from the comfort of our homes: we're talking Dylan's live album!Join us on Patreon tonight after Shadow Kingdom airs, where Robert and I will do a live stream to discuss our impressions with you! I'll be sharing the link over there as soon as Shadow Kingdom finishes (since we don't know the exact duration).A few notes: I meant to mention that Columbia also recorded Dylan's concert at Carnegie Hall on 26 October 1963, but it got shelved until six songs from Dylan's set that night were released as an EP in 2005.We forgot to answer these burning questions in the episode, but “Watching the River Flow” was last played live as “recently” as 2014, and no, Dylan didn't perform “Lay Lady Lay” on the Johnny Cash Show.Oh, and apparently the new Definitely Dylan rule is that “Girl From the North Country” gets either played or mentioned in every episode!!Playlist:Lay Lady Lay (Before The Flood)Girl From The North Country (Real Live)Is Your Love In Vain? (Live at Budokan)Slow Train (Dylan and the Dead)

Hi! Definitely Dylan is back with a silly question: if you were to put together your perfect Bob Dylan album by assembling ten tracks out of his entire discography - with the only condition being that the track number needs to correspond to its placement on the original album (so for example choose “Like A Rolling Stone” as an opener, followed by “Simple Twist Of Fate”, etc.) - what would your album look like? Or do you think Bob Dylan already has a perfect album?Laura and Robert discuss their choices as well as the pitfalls involved in this challenge. It's a fun and chaotic hour with some slightly random music choices!Tell us your choices in the comments!Get your tickets for Shadow Kingdom here.And don't forget that if you like, you can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon.Playlist:Diamond JoeWiggle WiggleCovenant WomanA Hard Rain's A Gonna FallKnockin' On Heaven's Door

This week's episode is inspired by the 50th anniversary of Joni Mitchell's iconic album Blue! To celebrate the occasion, Laura and Robert talk about the relationship between Mitchell and Bob Dylan. Are these two legendary songwriters friends or are they foes? Is there a feud or just a case of fake news?? Over the course of the hour, we talk about what Mitchell and Dylan have said about one another and, more importantly, how they have influenced each other's songs.Here is the episode on the Emotional World of Blood On The Tracks.If you're looking to celebrate the album Blue some more, I really recommend this interactive piece in the NYTimes.If you're interested in reading more quotes from Joni Mitchell about Bob Dylan, you can find a very comprehensive list (including the full interview from which we share audio clips) here.Playlist:Girl From The North Country - Joni Mitchell & Johnny CashA Case Of You (demo) - Joni MitchellTangled Up In Blue (New York sessions) Big Yellow Taxi - Bob DylanIt's All Over Now Baby Blue - Joni Mitchell

Huzzah, it's Definitely Dylan's 100th radio episode! That's 100 hours of us playing and enthusiastically discussing Bob Dylan's songs: the lyrics, the themes, and of course the music and performance!To celebrate, I asked our lovely listeners to tell us what songs they'd like to hear, and we received many, many fantastic requests, out of which we've chosen a few for this hour.If you enjoy this, and you have a particular song or performance you'd like to hear on the show, tell us in the comments, maybe we can play it in an upcoming episode.A few notes on this week's programme: if you'd like to listen to the very early episode in which I talk about the evolution of several Dylan songs on the stage (including “One Too Many Mornings”), you can find that here. I also thought I'd share the bootleg recording of the slightly earlier 1976 performance of the song that I mention in the episode. This version comes from 1 May, so it is almost a month before the Hard Rain version (I incorrectly remembered it only being a few days earlier). This is a stunning version, but I think you'll agree with me that the version on Hard Rain is a much more confident vocal performance.Also, “Too Much Of Nothing” was covered by Peter, Paul & Mary. Mary Travers does a terrific job on lead vocal and the song features, as you might expect, some wonderful harmonies. For better or worse, their version also rid the song of pretty much all of its chaotic energy.If you like, you can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon.Playlist:One Too Many Mornings (Hard Rain)When He Returns (Live in Toronto, Canada, 18 April, 1980)Too Much Of NothingBorn In Time (live in Newark, NJ, 1 February, 1998)It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Take 1)It Takes A Lot To Laugh It' Takes A Train To Cry (Newport Folk Festival, 25 July 1965)Girl from the North Country feat Johnny Cash (with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)

Please join us in wishing Bob Dylan’s a very happy milestone birthday! As the man himself is turning 80 years young, we’re celebrating by playing one introspective song from each decade of his prolific career to see how they reflect Dylan’s outlook on life and creativity at that moment in time.Playlist:I Contain MultitudesRestless FarewellWhen The Deal Goes DownNot Dark YetEvery Grain Of SandForever Young (recording demo 6/73)

For this episode, we’re going to take a little break from the series on Rough And Rowdy Ways!I want to take you on a journey towards the heart of one of my favourite Bob Dylan songs of all time: “Most Of The Time” from Dylan’s 1989 album Oh Mercy. Deceptively simple, this song about pain and denial is wonderfully subtle in its development of the singer’s feelings, while also playing with the listener’s expectations. In other words: it’s a masterclass in songwriting. So let’s find out why and how it works!I hope you enjoy this closer look at one particular Dylan song. Let me know if you enjoy this episode and what other songs you’d like me to take a close look at!Here’s the link to the Daniel Lanois interview compilation I mention in the episode.If you are in a position to support my work, you can do that over on Patreon, where you also find the exclusive companion extra to this episode, in which we talk about the recording process of the song, the production, and its shortlived incarnation onstage! Thank you!Original theme music and sound design for this episode by Robert Chaney

For this episode, we're going to take a little break from the series on Rough And Rowdy Ways!I want to take you on a journey towards the heart of one of my favourite Bob Dylan songs of all time: “Most Of The Time” from Dylan's 1989 album Oh Mercy. Deceptively simple, this song about pain and denial is wonderfully subtle in its development of the singer's feelings, while also playing with the listener's expectations. In other words: it's a masterclass in songwriting. So let's find out why and how it works!I hope you enjoy this closer look at one particular Dylan song. Let me know if you enjoy this episode and what other songs you'd like me to take a close look at!Here's the link to the Daniel Lanois interview compilation I mention in the episode.If you are in a position to support my work, you can do that over on Patreon, where you also find the exclusive companion extra to this episode, in which we talk about the recording process of the song, the production, and its shortlived incarnation onstage! Thank you!Original theme music and sound design for this episode by Robert Chaney

This week, Laura and Robert are going back to the beginning to examine what we can learn about Bob Dylan’s unique style from listening to some early recordings. In the early 1960s, Dylan developed at such rapid speed, these recordings are precious documents of an artist finding his style and finding an audience along with it. We discuss which skills he honed until they were just right, the things he tried that were ultimately discarded, and we answer the question of who is playing the guitar on “Don’t Think Twice (It’s All Right)” (spoiler: we think a certain Dylan biographer is wrong).Playlist:House Of The Rising Sun [Mackenzie Home Tapes]All Over You (Gerde's Folk City, "The Banjo Tape", 8 February, 1963)Don't Think Twice (It's All Right) (Witmark Demo)Hero Blues [Take 1]That's All Right, Mama [Take 1]He Was A Friend Of Mine

In this hour, Laura and Robert return once again to talk about some of Dylan’s outtakes and alternate takes by taking a look at four recordings from four different decades. Part of Bob Dylan’s enduring appeal is that he, perhaps more than any other popular artist, has let the audience in on his creative process: box sets like the Bootleg Series have given us access to not only outtakes, but also sketches, rough early attempts, and alternate versions. This peek behind the curtain is never demystifying, but instead gives us an insight into the non-linear, often alchemical creative process, which is full of difficult decisions.If you want to support the show, Definitely Dylan is now on Patreon!Here’s the very early Definitely Dylan episode where a very nervous Laura tells you all about some of Dylan’s greatest outtakes.If you’d like to listen to the “April is the cruelest month” episode, you can find it here.And here’s the episode all about “Caribbean Wind” that I mentioned.Playlist:Mississippi (Alternate Version #3)Desolation Row (Take 5 Remake, Complete)Don't Ever Take Yourself AwaySomeday Baby (Alternate Version)

Often, when people think of Bob Dylan, what comes to mind is the image of the lone troubadour playing his guitar in the spotlight - but in reality, an integral part of Bob Dylan’s art is his shifting sound, which he in no small part owes to the many excellent bands that have accompanied him through the decades. Each of them would be worth their own episode, but this week Laura and Robert are zeroing in on the singers whose harmonies have allowed Dylan to explore and expand his own vocal abilities. From The Band to the Rolling Thunder Revue, to Dylan’s gospel backing choir, to the Never Ending Tour: we’re talking Dylan’s Background Vocals!Here’s a link to Ray Padgett’s excellent Substack, “Flagging Down The Double E” where you can find his interviews with Alan Pasqua and Larry Campbell which I mention in the episode.You can now support Definitely Dylan on Patreon.Playlist:Somebody Touched Me (Live in Portsmouth, UK, 25 September, 2000)Dear Mrs. Roosevelt - Bob Dylan and the Band (Woody Guthrie Tribute Concert, 20 January, 1968)Just Like a Woman (Live at Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA, 21 November, 1975 - Evening)Going, Going, Gone (Live at Budokan)Ninety Miles An Hour (Down A Dead End Street)Key West (Philosopher Pirate)

Last week, an intriguing rumour was published in the Isis fan magazine: there’s a new Bootleg Series coming, and Vol. 16 will likely be dedicated to Dylan’s 1983 album Infidels! What a GREAT opportunity to put the spotlight on this intriguing album. Laura and Robert talk about the album’s sound, lyrical themes, and the mystery surrounding Dylan’s decision to leave some of the session’s best songs off the released record. What are your thoughts on a possible Infidels release? What are you hoping to see, and what other Dylan era deserves the Bootleg Series treatment?Terry Gans’ new book Surviving In A Ruthless World: Bob Dylan’s Voyage to Infidels is available here.For more on amazing Bob Dylan songs that didn’t make it onto the record, listen to Episode 3: Outtakes. A while back I also dedicated an episode to my Bootleg Series Wishlist, and at least one item has already been crossed off! Playlist:JokermanLord Protect My ChildLicense To KillTell MeEdit: It bugged me that I felt like I didn’t articulate my thoughts on the “conversations with women” issue properly here. What I meant to say was that songs like “Don’t Fall Apart On Me Tonight” and “Sweetheart Like You” and “Tell Me” all take the form of a conversation, and especially the latter two feature the singer engaging the woman by asking her questions, but ultimately, since we never get to hear the woman’s side, the singer’s questions function as projections of his own thoughts and anxieties onto the woman. I agree with Terry Gans that Dylan seems more ready to actually hear the woman’s answers in “Tell Me” though.

Photo by Rob Youngson This week we’re continuing the Definitely Dylan tradition of doing a special episode dedicated to International Women’s Day. These are episodes that are very important to me because, even though the fight for women’s equality is a struggle that continues throughout the year, I like taking this opportunity to highlight the role of women in the world of Bob Dylan. This is a space that is still male-dominated, but women have played decisive roles as collaborators, scholars, fans, and interpreters of Bob Dylan’s work.This year, I’m very proud to bring you an episode with some Bob Dylan covers that were almost all exclusively recorded for Definitely Dylan by wonderfully talented female artists. I love their interpretations so much, and I know you will too!Playlist:Don’t Think Twice (It’s All Right) - Michele StodartIf You Gotta Go, Go Now* - Annie Needham (Definitely Dylan Basement Tapes)The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll - Angela Gannon (Definitely Dylan Basement Tapes)One More Cup Of Coffee (The Valley Below) - Ren HarvieuMama You Been On My Mind - Naomi In BlueI Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You - Emma Swift (Live at Grimey’s in Nashville, September 2020)Please check out these artists’ work and support them:You can stay up to date and support Michele Stodart’s work on her Patreon page, and you can listen to her first two solo records on Spotify.Find Annie Needham’s band Big Peyote on Spotify and instagram.Catch Angela Gannon on tour with The Magic Numbers in the UK this autumn.Ren Harvieu is on Instagram and you can ilsten to her brilliant album Revel In The Drama on Spotify.Listen to (and buy) Naomi in Blue’s excellent EP An Experiment on Bandcamp Should you not yet own Emma Swift’s beautiful album of Bob Dylan albums, Blonde On The Tracks, you can rectify this on her bandcamp, and you can also stay up to date with her upcoming projects on her Patreon page.Here’s the Spotify Playlist of Bob Dylan covers by female artists that I made last year:* Since we recorded this, I’ve thought quite a bit about the song “If You Gotta Go, Go Now”, which Annie Needham is singing so brilliantly here. I love her version because it’s deadpan, yet funny and lighthearted. When she sings it it’s flirty and, as I called it in the episode, cheeky. But I also think this song is very much of its time, and the lyrics, especially when sung by a man, can at times be perceived as pushy or even coercive, which is played for laughs in Dylan’s version, but consent is actually serious and crucial. There’s a lot more to this conversation, but it was just important to me, especially in the context of an episode for IWD, to clarify that this is not a topic that should be taken lightly.

This week Laura and Robert are doing what they do best (or at least what they enjoy the most): they listen to a colourful mix of Bob Dylan performances and then talk about them. Simple as that. Hope you enjoy it!Playlist:ShenandoahPeople Get Ready (S.I.R. Studio Rehearsals)I Shall Be Released (Basement Tapes version)All or Nothing at AllI Want You (Live at Budokan)Mutineer (live)Girl From The North Country (Live, Madison Square Garden, New York City, 20 January, 1998)

This week, Laura talks to Jackie Lees and KG Miles, two Dylan fans from London who recognised a gap in the market for a Dylan-related travel guide leading fellow fans through the Big Smoke and decided to compile their own. We discuss the importance of the city for Bob Dylan’s career and talk about some of the amusing stories in the book. Their book, Dylan In London: Troubadour Tales is out now!Playlist:Blood In My EyesIt’s All Over Now, Baby Blue - Marianna FaithfullSlow Train (live 29 June 1981 in London, UK)Subterranean Homesick Blues(Btw, I noticed that I keep saying “City of London” when I just mean to refer to London, the city. I know that’s technically not correct and actually only refers to a part of the city. Ugh, sorry! -L)

In Chapter 2 of Definitely Dylan's mini series on Bob Dylan's Rough And Rowdy Ways, Laura discusses the myth and mystery of creation in “My Own Version Of You” and “Mother Of Muses”.What insight can these very different songs give us into the creative process of the songwriter? How do they portray the creator's role in society? And what does any of this have to do with the Nobel medal?Here's the radio episode in which we discuss Bob Dylan's borrowings from Billy “The Kid” Emerson's song “If Loving Is Believing” for Dylan's “False Prophet”.Definitely Dylan is now on Patreon, where you can support my work and get access to bonus episodes and more content.If you want to buy me a symbolic coffee to support my work, go to buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylanFor more info, please visit the Definitely Dylan website.Don't forget to follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.Get your own “This is what a Bob Dylan fan looks like” t-shirt, or the “I Contain Multitudes” tote bag in the shop!

In Chapter 2 of Definitely Dylan’s mini series on Bob Dylan’s Rough And Rowdy Ways, Laura discusses the myth and mystery of creation in “My Own Version Of You” and “Mother Of Muses”.What insight can these very different songs give us into the creative process of the songwriter? How do they portray the creator’s role in society? And what does any of this have to do with the Nobel medal?Here's the radio episode in which we discuss Bob Dylan’s borrowings from Billy “The Kid” Emerson’s song “If Loving Is Believing” for Dylan’s “False Prophet”.If you want to buy me a symbolic coffee to support my work, go to buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylanDon’t forget to follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.Get your own “This is what a Bob Dylan fan looks like” t-shirt, or the “I Contain Multitudes” tote bag in the shop!

Definitely Dylan wishes you all a Happy 2021, especially those of you who haven’t gotten rid of their Christmas trees yet! In the first episode of the new year, Laura and Robert play songs to help you shake out the post-holiday blues! Playlist:Three Angels (Early Take)Huck’s TuneJust Like Tom Thumb’s Blues (from the Bootleg Series Vol. 4)Marchin' to the CityMeet Me In The Morning (Take 1, Remake)

In the last radio episode of the year, Laura and Robert sink their teeth into the latest cloak-and-dagger Dylan release, the 50th Anniversary Collection with all previously unreleased recordings from the year 1970. We’re particularly putting our focus on the session from the 1 May where Dylan was joined in the studio by George Harrison. We discuss the impact of Harrison’s presence on Dylan’s performance, as well as what these recordings can tell us about Dylan’s creative process in the studio, and we wonder whether a particular harmonica solo in this session already foreshadowed a song released years later on Blood On The Tracks.If you have enjoyed listening to the show this past year and would like to show your support for Definitely Dylan, you can buy us a virtual coffee here.Playlist:Song To WoodyYesterdayJust Like Tom Thumb’s BluesAll I Have To Do Is DreamIt Ain’t Me BabeI Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)I’ll Be Home For Christmas

In the penultimate radio episode before the winter break, Laura and Robert are talking about the latest instalment of the 50th anniversary collection, which was surprise-released last week and covers the remaining unreleased material from 1970, including a session with George Harrison. We’re talking about what to expect and discuss the difference between these releases and the Bootleg Series. By the time we recorded, we hadn’t gotten our hands on the CD yet, so expect more on the topic next week! In the meantime, if you want to brush up on the friendship between Bob Dylan and George Harrison, you can listen to this episode on Dylan and the members of the Beatles after the band broke up. We also discuss other stuff and there’s lovely music. Enjoy!PS: I don’t remember if I said in the episode that If Not For You was the only thing from the Harrison session that had been officially released, but just in case: a few other tracks for the session have also been released, for example the versions of “Time Passes Slowly” and “Working On A Guru” on the Another Self Portrait Bootleg Series. If you’re still looking for a Christmas present for the Bob Dylan fan in your life (or for yourself), why not check out the Definitely Dylan shop, where you can find t-shirts and tote bags!Playlist:If Not For You (with George Harrison)Honey Just Allow Mr One More Chance (with Earl Scruggs)I Contain MultitudesHard TimesI Threw It All Away (Hard Rain)Silver Bells

This week, Laura and Robert are dedicating the hour to an album that has a special place in Bob Dylan’s back catalogue: John Wesley Harding. We discuss what the album is and, crucially, what is isn’t, and how the album sits in the context of the rest of Bob Dylan’s 1960s output.As mentioned in the episode, if you feel like making a direct comparison, here’s a video of Bob Dylan performing live acoustic in 1966.Playlist:I Dreamed I Saw St. AugustineSign On The CrossAs I Went Out One Morning (Take 1)I Pity The Poor Immigrant (Live at the Isle Of Wight Festival, 1969)All Along The WatchtowerI’ll Be Your Baby Tonight