BOB DYLAN : DANCING IN THE DARK 

 

Disc One (56:14)

  1. Dancing In The Dark
  2. Six Days On The Road
  3. Carrying My Cross
  4. Suzy Q
  5. You're A Big Girl
  6. All I Really Want To Do
  7. Leopard-Skin Pillbox-Hat
  8. Leopard-Skin Pillbox-Hat
  9. Leopard-Skin Pillbox-Hat
  10. Dead Man Dead Man
  11. Dead Man Dead Man
  12. Everybody's Movin'
  13. Easy
  14. Trail Of The Buffalo

Disc Two (63:50)

  1. Heart Of Mine
  2. Joey
  3. Joey
  4. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
  5. Folsom Prison Blues
  6. Shelter From The Storm
    Bonus Tracks :
  7. Gotta Serve Somebody
  8. Covenant Woman
  9. When You Gonna Wake Up
  10. Precious Angel
  11. Slow Train Coming
  12. Solid Rock

Label : Moonlight Records

Venue : Montana Studios, New York City, New York, USA

Recording Date : November 22, 1987

Quality : Soundboard Recordings (A+)

Review (You Tube) : Based on a recent interview with G.E. Smith this was recorded at Montana Studios in New York on November 22, 1987. The tape (known as the G.E. Smith audition tape) was shared by a friend of G.E., a well known musician, now deceased. These rehearsals first surfaced in 1996 on a bootleg called "Dancing in the Dark". Writer Paul Williams touches briefly on these sessions in his "Performance Artist series" : "Okay, time travelers. Let's go back to November 22, 1987, New York City, the G.E. Smith & friends audition/rehearsal tape. It's interesting to hear Bob Dylan improvising new lyrics to "You're A Big Girl Now". It's interesting to hear him sing Woody Guthrie's version of the tradition song that inspired Dylan's "Isis," "Trail Of The Buffalo," with an accordeon and a band. It's interesting to hear him sing an unknown song called "Carrying My Cross" and another that might be called "Much Too Easy". It's interesting to hear Bruce Springsteen's 1984 hit "Dancing In The Dark" played at a Bob Dylan rehearsal. And it's interesting to hear Dylan sing "All I Really Want To Do" for the first time since his rehearsals with the Grateful Dead in spring 1987 and for the second time since 1978 and for the last time at least the next 14 years. But he's not all that present in "Big Girl" and the improvised "dummy" lyrics don't quiet jell and can't quite be heard. But he doesn't sing "Dancing In The Dark" (G.E. does, way in the background, trying to teach Bob the words at the latter's request, I think). Neither are "Carrying My Cross" nor "Much Too Easy" particularly striking performances (but the former song is a bit haunting, and I'd be glad to hear him try it again someday). "Trail Of The Buffalo" is experimental, as could be expected at a rehearsal, but intriguing. "Dead Man" and "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" and "Joey", songs Dylan had sung a lot with the Hearbreakers in recent months, are atrractive, likeable versions. "Heart Of Mine" is quite lively and the vocal is spirited ... possibly in response to the playing of one of the musicians Smith has invited to the session, guitarist Danny Kortchmar, who knows the song well, having played on the 1981 album version. There are moments in "Folsom Prison Blues" when the texture of Dylan's voice is quite engaging. Altogether, not a great tape but a good listen, enjoyable for its unique qualities and for Dylan's evident enthusiasm for performing - which comes through on one of the takes of "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" and on "Dead Man, Dead Man" - even at this odd between-bands moment in a rehearsal hall in New York City. You can feel his readiness to get back on stage. He's not only determined to stand, but raring to go.

Review (Bob's Boots) : Great sounding recording from an unknown rehearsal hall. The band is a little rough, but full and hard hitting. The gospel tracks from 1980 are soundboard, but are not the best quality.