95 North. . . The Newspaper

1983 Sweetheart Like You Infidels You might think Bob sounds tired, but after repeat listens it becomes clear that he’s still trying to fight through romantic, spiritual, and political muck. This song, complete with an easygoing guitar riff, nicely demonstrates Bob’s ability to turn a phrase, and to match surprising lines of wit with a (supposed) romantic story. This song comes fresh off the 1983 album Infidels . Bob wanted to call it Survival in a Ruthless World . Don’t feel like you need to call across cut glass to listen to this song, but know that it’s river runs deep. In fact, the more I think about it, maybe the song I and I should've been picked here. Leonard Cohen liked it, but that's for a later time. So yes, indeed, kick back in your plush chair and declare the end to Bob's religious era here while you listen. Remember, though, the ruthless world is just as downbeat, and the grooves are just a deep.

1979 Slow Train Slow Train Coming Jump on the slow train with Bob-but get ready for some apocalyptic preaching! Here, Bob is bright eyed and earnest, he’s found Christ, and he’s lecturing from the mountaintops, warning all below about the coming judgement. He’s slicing the evil of the world to pieces, as Mark Knopfler’s lead guitar shapes the song with it’s wicked precision. In fact, it’s Knopfler’s guitar that'll first draw you in on this one: the first notes cut like an x-acto knife, as the band swirls in, Bob shoots off the firing gun by stating that declaring he’s “so low down and disgusted”. Who starts a song like that? Agree with Bob or not, listeners are certainly forced to grapple with certain realities the song attempts to address. There’s  no gray matter here.

1983 Blind Willie McTell Bootleg Series (Infidels Sessions) Blind Willie McTell is so much more than an ode to the late Georgia blues singer Willie McTell. . . it's about shared memory, the south, and existential loneliness. Here, Bob’s sparse piano duels with Mark Knopfler’s acoustic guitar in the background as Bob paints images of the south: magnolias blooming, chain gains, rebel yells and slavery ships float over the song like ghosts. The last line, as Bob's“staring out the window/of the St. James hotel/” is paired with a few harder hits on the keys of the piano, building the drama of the song to cinematic heights, like a movie whose dramatic arc does not bend until the closing credits roll.

1981 Caribbean Wind Shot of Love Sessions Caribbean Wind was recorded during the sessions for what is considered to be the last of Bob’s gospel albums, Shot of Love . This gem of a song was left off the album, but resurfaced later in Biograph along with other studio cuts that never saw the light of day. There’s an even earlier version of the song that’s locatable on YouTube ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQIpNPyOPW4 ). Despite the final cut’s tacky “exhale” and other unfortunate 80’s studio-produced baloney, I think it’s better than the demo.  All that history aside… At it’s heart, this is a raw, sailing song steeped in mysticism, religion, and romance. The verses pour onto one another like all the best Dylan songs, from Miami to Atlantic City, the cold grey sea casts it’s light if you look at it from the right perspective. This song somehow ties together the romantic raggedness of Street Legal , the spirituality of Shot of Love , and the dark mysticism of In...

1980 What Can I do for you? Saved Much of Dylan’s gospel era was, ironically, full of venom and fury. Images of armageddon, eternal damnation, and other dogmatic claims were the norm. Still, I think it constitutes some of his best music, and of course, there were always exceptions to the reign of hellfire. Enter: What Can I do For You ? This song is absolutely gorgeous, and represents a humble affirmation for being thankful for the gift of life. Here, Bob is grateful here to be found by love, after all the pain and suffering he’s endured. The song was recorded live in 1980 in Toronto, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better vocal performance from Dylan. He’s singing from his heart, telling all that he “knows all about poison/ I know about fiery darts/ I don’t care how rough the road/ is show me where it starts” (see video above at 3:35 or so) . Live, the song also features a harp and harmonica solo. It’s all as heavenly and as touching as witnessing a true transformati...

1975 Abandoned Love Desire Sessions In much of the same way as Simple Twist of Fate , this song lays the singer’s soul bare. The song starts with Bob quickly telling us that he loves her still, almost as if he is singing the cover of the book to the audience. His ugly voice clears and we hear an acoustic guitar, sharp snare drums, and a sensible bass line kicks in. It sounds like the song is finally ready to begin its journey, but the singer hesitates for another measure. This pause feels like you're looking at your friends cringing face before they tell you painful story.  Finally, Bob lays it all out nice and plain as the violin kicks in: it's all about the city streets, the  theaters, the intimacy lost, gained, and never returned. . . desires still existing and desires extinguished. The band of gypsies is at it again, delving the truth line by line and note by note like a hard rain.

1975 Simple Twist of Fate (Live) Live 1975 Rolling Thunder Following Bob on his journey, here... he’s abandoned his car out west and got a job loading cargo onto a truck. He’s been divorced, had kids, he’s won and lost. What’s left over? The poetry. This tale of lament is sung passionately, with an eye for detail, and with the neon burning bright in his soul. Catch him by the waterfront docks, in the park, wandering like a lost soul singing his heart out.  Bob’s sweating and wearing a mask, but not covering who he is. The song lays his soul bare. Gone is the band. It’s just Bob, and he might have a regret or two to get off his chest. His singing may have hit it's peak on this tour-with every word twisted, congealed, tossed up, bandaged, and drawn out in order to provide additional meaning and subtext to the songs.

Waitress at diner : Excuse me, sir..  [approaches Walter and Dude]  Could you please keep your voices down - This is a family restaurant. Walter Sobchak : Oh please,  dear ? For your information, the Supreme Court has roundly rejected prior restraint! The Dude : Walter, this is not a First Amendment thing, man. Waitress at diner : If you can't lower your voices, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave. Walter Sobchak : Lady, I got buddies who died  face-down in the muck  so that you and I could enjoy this family restaurant! The Dude : Alright, I'm outta here  [drops money and (inadvertently) a joint on counter, subtly picks up the joint] Walter Sobchak :  (talking to Dude as he leaves)  Oh come on, Dude - Don't walk away, man! C'mon, this affects  all of us , man! Our  basic freedoms !

1970 If Not For you New Morning Take that wild thin mercury sound, strip it down, give it a family and move it to upstate New York, and you get “If Not For You”. Finally, Bob’s harmonica is pleasant, the grooves are loose,and the world just might be a carefree place for a minute. Catching a trout, playing with the kids, and cooking dinner with the wife: that might be what it’s all about. Pull up your lawn chair to the river’s edge, snap open and soda and toss your line in the water, and let Bob tell ya a thing or two about love.

1969 I threw it all Away Nashville Skyline The rambunctious, epic, and rock n' rollin' Blonde on Blonde was released in 1966.  In 1967: the acid washed summer of love. 1968: political turmoil, assassinations, riot, and the Vietnam War. 1969: Bob Dylan is the clean, professional Nashville singer! How'd he get there? First, a little history: shortly after 1966, Bob cancelled his tour and retreated into the woods with his family, fighting off the hippies who were digging through his trash and climbing on his roof. They wanted answers from a man that they thought was strictly political. Bob wanted none of it. He was Americana, he was blues, country, jazz, folk, and rock n' roll. He was a poet, not a political mouthpiece. When you listen to "I Threw it all Away", you are indeed far from Woodstock. This song is proof that Bob can deliver a well-written country song with more precision than many before or since. This simple song of romantic lament is pur...

1966 Visions of Johanna Blonde on Blonde Bob Dylan famously described his mid-1960’s sound as that “wild, thin, mercury sound”. Hear it here. The song, at first, annoys us with a blown out harmonica, However, following its departure, something amazing happens. The snare drum is hit a few times and slick Nashville session cats cut loose on a tight groove. The song flows along like a choppy river with Bob’s equal parts smart, hilarious, and clever lyrics. The package is tied up and delivered by Bob’s trademark howl. Click your flashlight a few times and ask yourself: have I ever heard a groovier, more lyrically tight song?

2/12/17 4.0 About 3.5 inches of snow, plus a good half inch and sleet and ice. Seasonal total now at 37 inches. Not bad!

2/10/17 1.0 Weak clipper system dumps an inch. Seasonal total at 33’. More coming up tomorrow!

2/9/16 12.5 All snow event-classic 40n/70w “benchmark” storm. Over a foot! Seasonal total at 32 inches. An active pattern is taking shape-looks like 2-3 more snow chances in the next week.

1965 Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues Highway 61 Revisited Here,  Bob ditches the acoustic guitar and sung fireside chats for rebellious rock and roll. His dynamic lyricism remains. On the cover of the album Highway 61 Revisited , Bob Dylan stares into the camera defiantly, wearing a motorcycle club shirt and a look on his face that could be described as serious or hilarious. Bob’s not quite world weary yet, here, but he ain’t afraid to get there just for the experience. Bob, boozed out on the Mexican coast, slyly tells us the world is mad from his bar stool. The package is delivered perfectly over 12 bar blues and an outstanding vocal performance from Bob. It's been said that a singer is a good one if the listener thinks their telling the truth when they sing. Here, Bob sounds tired enough, but ready for another round. Honorable mention: the entire rest of the album, especially “Ballad of a Thin Man”, who’s opening keys pounded on the piano kick off a song that is equal ...

This Album-entitled "Lost in a Dream"-is highly recommended for the current weather forecast over the next three days. Today, we're fighting off rain. Wednesday, it should be in the upper 50's with spring madness in the air. Thursday, it looks like the cold winds are gonna bring in some blowing snow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkLOg252KRE

1965 It’s Alright Man (I’m Only Bleeding) Bringing it all Back Home In an interview with “60 Minutes” in 2004, Bob Dylan claimed he has no idea how he wrote this song. I half believe him. It is full of hallucinatory wit, metaphysical imagination, political realities and societal critiques. It all goes along with a slashing acoustic guitar riff to boot. If there are any Dylan songs that’ll blow you away lyrically, this may be it. Something about the song feels like it very well could bring down society at any point, from the flesh colored Christ that glows in the dark to the darkness at the break of noon. Whats sacred, or connected with God? It could be nothing, or it could be everything. Either way, all of humanity is thrown into the same boat (for a similar concept expressed in a different way, see Gotta Serve Somebody ). Highly recommended.

1963 & 1969 Girl from the North Country The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan & later on Nashville Skyline This is yet another tender, fire-lit tune delivered with stunning execution by Dylan. It’s stepped deep in the folk tradition. Lyrically, the song fills in images of a snowy, loved-lost landscape over a steady finger-picked chord pattern. In many ways, it’s a homage to the cold rivers, forests, and the old towns of Minnesota. Later, a ragged and off the cusp country version of the song would be recorded with Johnny Cash. This cut is also well worth a listen, as it’s imperfections only make it lovelier. It also offers an interesting contrast and introduction to how Dylan can transform a song entirely from night to night, era to era.

The Sun Comes Through the Clouds, and the weather's breaking. Part 1 of Bob Dylan's essential songs. Year Song Title Appeared on Explanation 1963 One too Many Mornings The Times They Are A-Changin’ Early in the game, Bob Dylan had already managed to channel Woody Guthrie, soften the edges when needed, and deliver a stunner of a song in “One too Many Mornings”. This song is a quiet, poetic reflection of a lost relationship, like a fireplace on a winter day: equal parts comforting and dark. The beautiful edges of the song, with a quiet finger-picked chord pattern, soften the punctuated verses, street scenes, and inner voices that populate its content. At this point, Bob had established himself as a first class folk singer and lyricist. This quiet lament will echo in your head for quite some time.

Memere: French Canadian/positive/New-Bedford raised/loved nature. closely connected: nature, weather, and our emotions and memories

1/31/17 3.0 It snowed 3 inches today. My grandmother married sometime in the early 1940’s, on January 28th. In the pictures I’ve seen, it was snowing then, and it snowed today after we put her to rest following 98 years. It was a beautiful day, as she would say.