Original Dylan version found on Bringing It All Back Home (1965)
It is well known that the Grateful Dead - as well as its family tree of side projects - has accumulated a treasure trove of performances of Bob Dylan songs. Indeed, Dylan has toured with The Dead. So we won't spend time going down that road when there are many more ardent followers of that prolific band who continue to aptly record that history.
But we did find a fairly rare, and touching, take by the three core members of The Dead playing Dylan's "She Belongs To Me." Apparently, this is a clip from a VHS tape circa 1992 called Backstage Pass. Bob Weir trades verses and then harmonizes with a fragile looking Jerry Garcia. Phil Lesh provides a solid bass bottom and Garcia his signature guitar picking.
The song itself is a deceptively gentle, waltz-like melody partnered with another classic Dylan lyric. Speculation has always centered around Joan Baez as the artist who commands constant attention bordering on idolatry from her lover, but cannot be conquered by a mere male: She's nobody's child/The law can't touch her at all.
"She Belongs To Me" is curiously placed on Bringing It All Back Home between two rockers which train a laser on the social ills of the day (the two singles released from the album: "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and "Maggie's Farm"). Produced by Tom Wilson and recorded at Columbia Recording Studio in New York City on 14 January 1965, Dylan (on harmonica and acoustic guitar) is backed by John Hammond Jr and Bruce Langhorne on electric guitar as well as William E. Lee on bass and Bobby Gregg on drums.
TNOP Patron Saint Bob Dylan showed up at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue last night - a day early. Seems as though all the snow you folks out East have been putting up with moved the Civil Rights music celebration at the White House up one calendar date. Jon Pareles of The New York Times reports he sang "The Times They Are A-Changin'" in waltz time. TwentyFourBitadds that "[a]ccompanied by stand-up bass and piano, Dylan sang his 1964 anthem loud and clear, highlighting the song's many apropos lyrical moments (Come senators, congressmen/Please heed the call/Don't stand in the doorway/Don't block up the hall). Then he stepped from the stage, shook President Obama's hand and left.
Bonnaroo has announced the bulk of its summertime festival lineup, to be held 10-13 June on a 700 acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. Notables (as far as we're concerned) include: Stevie Wonder, The Flaming Lips, Tenacious D, Jay-Z, Phoenix, John Fogerty, LCD Soundsystem, The National, John Prine, The Black Keys, Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers, The xx, Miike Snow, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Calexico, Blitzen Trapper, Dave Rawlings Machine, and Mumford & Sons.
Our own Celtic Ray reports that Irishman Damien Rice introduced a stunning new tune the other night in Santa Monica, California at the opening of the Tibet documentary When The Dragon Swallowed The Sun. Contributors to the movie soundtrack also include Thom Yorke and Philip Glass. Give "What If I'm Wrong" a listen:
No Depression gives us a nice sneak preview of some of the acts that will be appearing at their SXSW Showcase. Bands include Vandaveer, The Maldives and The Deadstring Brothers.
Jim Carroll of The Irish Timesstirs the pot by taking on the album reviewers at Pitchfork. While that in of itself is (really) nothing new, alot of readers take the bait anyway. And if it adds to the discussion among bloggers as to the merits of various album releases, why not?
Josh Ritter's new album, titled So Runs The World Away, is to be released in Ireland on 23 April and in the States and the rest of the world on 4 May. He's also offering a free mp3 download of one of the songs, "Change of Time." Tours dates for April (Ireland) and May (United States) have been announced as well.
In the "we kid you not" category, The Grateful Dead Archive will soon be open to the public at the University of California at Santa Cruz. The Atlantic tells us about it and manages to proselytize that business students can learn from the band's management style.
Eric Clapton brings his guitar hero Crossroads Festival back to Chicago this summer on 26 June. Tickets - sales benefit his center in Antigua that helps the chemically dependent - are a cool $100, but check out some of the lineup confirmed so far: Albert King, The Allman Brothers Band, B. B. King, Buddy Guy, James Burton, Jeff Beck, Robert Cray, Joao Gilberto, Jimmie Vaughn, John Mayer and Vince Gill. Serious guitar slingers, all.
Speaking of B. B. King, next time you are in Las Vegas, TNOP says check out his new Blues Club at The Mirage. It's a refreshing change of pace - live music anchored by a fantastic house band, The B. B. King All-Stars, a rollicking 13-piece soul revue complete with three lead vocalists and a dynamite horn section. Highly recommended.
That's it from the news desk. TNOP has still got the new Spoon record on heavy rotation, so we'll leave you with their appearnce on Conan O'Brien singing "Written In Reverse":
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