The Songs He Didn’t Write: Bob Dylan Under The Influence
by Derek Barker

Monumental chronicle of the songs that made Dylan tick; the ultimate Theme Time Radio Hour companion

This is so much more than just another tome to throw on the ever-growing pile of Dylan books; more a brilliantly-entertaining launch-pad into the sometimes weird and often wonderful canon of wildly-diverse music which has propelled the man into performing a vast number of sometimes unlikely cover versions at studios, shows, soundchecks and even late 50s front rooms.

This marvellous exercise is testament to Barker’s dedication and knowledge of his subject, born out of 23 years editing foremost Dylan fanzine, Isis, and years of research, revealing more about its illusive subject’s ways and workings than a shelf-load of variations and theories on the well-trodden story. Though not the intention, Barker has also provided the perfect companion to Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour, which has featured many of these songs, giving dates, chart placings and artist backgrounds along with where Dylan covered them and crucial human commentary element.

The earliest entry is Dylan’s first recorded appearance with a couple of mates in Minnesota: an eight-song rock’n’roll/doo wop medley cut onto three 78s on Christmas Eve 1956. The near-500-page book takes the encyclopaedic format to document hundreds of songs, ranging from expected inclusions such as Woody Guthrie and the basement tapes, to surprises the likes of Mungo Jerry’s In The Summertime, The Beatles’ Yesterday, 1992’s return tribute to Hendrix by performing Dolly Dagger in Australia, and the immortal shock encores of The Clash’s London Calling during the November 2005 Brixton Academy residency. Appendix One lists songs which Dylan played at anywhere from gigs and studios, to friends’ apartments during specific years from 1956 onwards, while the frustration of craving to hear inclusions such as the 1990 version of Little Feat’s Willin’ may require bootleg-hunting, so relevant CDs are listed in Appendix Two. Indispensable.

5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars

ISBN 9781842404249, 508 pages

Reviewed by Kris Needs
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