Sunday morning coming down

Albert O spins the tunes on WUMB’s four-hour Saturday morning show featuring music of the ’60’s and 70’s. The show takes its name from Bob Dylan’s album Highway 61 Revisited — that’s the name of the show. Dylan is the show’s tutelary spirit. Albert observes Dylan’s birthday each year by devoting the show to Dylan’s songs, mostly as performed by others.

The show can’t help but prompt one to reflect on the depth and extent of Dylan’s influence. It is amazing. Yesterday’s show observing Bob’s birthday the day before was no different in this respect. I have posted the playlist from Albert’s show yesterday at the bottom.

The show also prompted me to reflect that it might not be amiss to post a few more Dylan songs that have touched me one way or another over the years: made me laugh or cry or stopped me in my tracks. I post these in the hope that one or more of these might do the same for you. If not, horseman, pass by!

Dylan wrote “Lay Down Your Weary Tune” in 1963, but I don’t think we heard it until the Byrds put it on their Turn! Turn! Turn! album at the end of 1965. Jim and Jean gave it a memorable reading on Changes in 1966. From Dylan himself to the Byrds and Mary Black and Marley’s Ghost, I could devote a long post to interpretations of this incredibly rich song. It represents Dylan’s genius coming into full flower.

Courtesy of Mr. O, here is Johnny Rivers singing “Positively Fourth Street.” I was unaware of this version of the song, which Albert says Bob liked. It was good to hear Johnny Rivers again, even if the warm voice belies the sentiment of the song. It’s disarming.

And we close this year’s proceedings with a sheer blast of joy: Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Shawn Colvin, and Rosanne Cash singing “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere.”

My Bobfest hasn’t even scratched the surface. See, e.g., the playlist for Albert’s annual celebration of Dylan’s birthday on WUMB yesterday morning. (The show will be rebroadcast tonight on WUMB at 8:00 p.m. Eastern; you can listen online here.) Mr. O has scratched the surface! My two birthday posts on Friday overlap with this year’s playlist only in the case of Rod Stewart’s version of “Only a Hobo.” What we have here is a wealth of riches.

11:55 am Grateful Dead
It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (Live) (from Postcards of the Hanging)
11:48 am Johnny Rivers
Positively 4th Street (from Realization)
11:43 am Joe Cocker
Just Like a Woman (from With a Little Help from My Friends)
11:35 am The Heptones
I Shall Be Released (from Party Time)
11:31 am The Los Angeles Gospel Choir
I Shall Be Released (from The Gospel According To Dylan)
11:27 am Eric Clapton
Sign Language (from No Reason to Cry)
11:23 am Bloomfield, Kooper & Stills
It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (from Super Session)
11:20 am Barbara Keith
All Along the Watchtower (from Barbara Keith)
11:16 am Jimi Hendrix Experience
All Along the Watchtower (from Electric Ladyland)
11:07 am Bob Dylan
Isis (from Desire)
11:03 am Bob Dylan w/Roger McGuinn
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Live) (from Bootleg Series Vol. 5 – Live 1975 – The Rolling Thunder Review)
10:52 am The Isley Brothers
Lay Lady Lay (from Givin’ It Back)
10:48 am Thunderclap Newman
Open the Door Homer (from Hollywood Dream)
10:45 am Nico
I’ll Keep It With Mine (from Chelsea Girl)
10:37 am The Flying Burrito Brothers
To Ramona (from Hot Burritos Anthology: 1969-1972)
10:34 am Area Code 615
Just Like a Woman (Instrumental) (from Area Code 615)
10:30 am Bob Dylan & The Band
Nothing Was Delivered (from The Basement Tapes)
10:26 am Bob Dylan
Sign on the Window (from New Morning)
10:18 am Them
It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (from Them Again)
10:16 am Christopher & the Chaps
It’s Alright Ma I’m Only Bleeding (from 1965 B-Side)
10:12 am George Harrison
If Not for You (from All Things Must Pass)
10:07 am Faces
Wicked Messenger (from Small Faces (aka First Step))
10:02 am Rod Stewart
Only a Hobo (from Gasoline Alley)
10:00 am Waylon Jennings
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (from Dylan Country)
9:56 am The Four Seasons
Queen Jane Approximately (from The Four Seasons Sing Big Hits BY Burt Bacharach…Hal David…Bob Dylan)
9:51 am Marlene Dietrich
Blowin’ In The Wind (from 1965 B-Side)
9:47 am Manfred Mann
Just Like a Woman (from The Essential Singles 1963-1972)
9:42 am Pearls Before Swine
I Shall Be Released (from These Things Too)
9:40 am The Hollies
My Back Pages (from Hollies Sing Dylan)
9:33 am Bob Dylan
Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again (from Blonde On Blonde)
9:25 am Sandy Denny
It Ain’t Me Babe (from The Notes And the Words: A Collection Of Demos And Rarities)
9:18 am Fairport Convention
Percy’s Song (from Unhalfbricking)
9:14 am Arlo Guthrie
Gates of Eden (from Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys)
9:10 am Gene Clark
Tears of Rage (from White Light a.k.a Gene Clark)
9:05 am The Turtles
Love Minus Zero (from It Ain’t Me Babe)
9:03 am The Byrds
Spanish Harlem Incident (from Mr. Tambourine Man)
9:00 am Johnny Cash
One Too Many Mornings (1000 Miles Behind) (from Unreleased)
8:57 am Joan Baez
One Too Many Mornings (from Any Day Now)
8:52 am Bob Lind
The Times They Are A Changin’ (from The Elusive Bob Lind)
8:49 am Gordon Lightfoot
Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues (from 1965 Single)
8:43 am Richie Havens
Boots Of Spanish Leather (from Electric Havens)
8:36 am Ian & Sylvia
This Wheel’s on Fire (from Greatest Hits)
8:32 am Nina Simone
Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues (from To Love Somebody)
8:28 am Judy Collins
I Pity the Poor Immigrant (from Who Knows Where the Time Goes)
8:25 am Peter, Paul & Mary
Too Much of Nothing (from Late Again)
8:18 am Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (from Essential Jack Elliot)
8:15 am Hamilton Camp
Paths of Victory (from Paths Of Victory)
8:11 am Odetta
Blowin’ in the Wind (from Odetta Sings Dylan)
8:02 am Bob Dylan
Chimes Of Freedom (live) (from No Direction Home: the Soundtrack)

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