Dylan Rarities

Evan Marshall goes off the beaten tracks to explore the Uncollected Bob PART TWO: THE 70S AND 80S

For the second part of this article detailing Dylan’s non-album releases, we leave behind the 1960s and the blistering pace of his recording during that time and concentrate on the 1970s and 1980s. It’s a period which would see Dylan’s career rollercoaster dramatically several times: from the creative slumber and live exile at the start of the 70s to the high-water mark of Blood On The Tracks and the Rolling Thunder Revue; from the isolation of many of his fans during the fervency of the gospel album years to his successful reconnection to more secular songwriting; from the disastrous run of albums, from Empire Burlesque to Down In The Groove, which marked out a new career low, to the triumphant comeback at the end of the 80s with the Traveling Wilburys and Oh Mercy. The one common denominator during this period is that which has always run through his music and which sets him out as one of the foremost artists of our age: change.

As with the first part of the article, the criteria for inclusion embrace any songs which feature Dylan on either lead vocals or part of a duet and which haven’t been released on any of his official albums. Songs which appear only on promo copies of releases make it onto the list, but not acetates. So, the original version of Blood On The Tracks with different versions of many of the tracks …

by Evan Marshall
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