Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Bob Dylan - We Had Known A Lion

Label: Vigotone, VT-170/171

VT-170 - 7 Tracks - Total Time: 41:52
The Acoustic Set
1. She Belongs to Me (4:04)
2. To Ramona (5:59)
3. Gates Of Eden (6:43)
4. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (5:08)
5. Desolation Row (10:11)
6. Love Minus Zero / No Limit (4:03)
7. Mr. Tambourine Man (5:45)

VT-171 - 9 Tracks - Total Time: 48:37
The Electric Set
1. Tombstone Blues (5:04)
2. I Don't Believe You (4:48)
3. From A Buick Six (3:18)
4. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues (5:18)
5. Maggie's Farm (4:37)
6. It Ain't Me, Babe (4:41)
7. Ballad of a Thin Man (6:05)
8. Like a Rolling Stone (8:22)
bonus: studio alternate version
9. Tombstone Blues
(w/background vocal overdub) acetate (6:26)

On July 25, 1965, Bob Dylan shocked the music world by "going electric" at the Newport Folk Festival. Five weeks later he played his first full concert since the switchover, and his eight song electric set was met with utter hostility from the fans at the Forest Hills Music Festival. His next show was September 3rd at the Hollywood Bowl, and that historic concert is contained on this set. Unlike the Forest Hills concert, which unfortunately has only come down to us in the form of an awful quality audience tape (even by 1965 standards), a pristine quality soundboard recording was used for this set. Dylan is met with surprising civility, and even takes the opportunity to joke with the crowd. While the set list is nearly the same as that of Forest Hills, Dylan does add "Ballad Of A Thin Man", which gets its live debut. Dylan is backed by future Band Member Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm, along with Al Kooper on organ and Harvey Brooks on bass. This is a moment of rock history, and it's also some damn fine music.

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