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Bob Dylan celebrated his 67th birthday May 24. Here’s a great show from 1981 when Dylan was thinking about religion. Full of passion, he never sounded better.
BOB DYLAN
Child’s Balloon [no label, 2CD]
Live at the Saenger Performing Arts Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, November 10, 1981.
It was a time when Bob Dylan still had his vocals (unlike the sand-dripped rasp of later years) and steeped in Christianity. Said the wikipedia, between 1979 and 1980, Dylan didn’t even play his earlier secular works on tour but that didn’t come to pass when he toured behind his 21st studio album, 1981’s Shot Of Love, considered to be his last overtly religious, Christian album.
Opening this 1981 New Orleans show with Gotta Serve Somebody, the Grammy winner from 1979’s Slow Train Coming, he only showcased four songs from the new album - Heart Of Mine, Watered Down Love, Shot Of Love and Dead Man Dead Man. According to expectingrain.com, this show figures fairly well among Dylan fans - it’s rated among the Top 75 Dylan Concerts.
Bobsboots.com noted: “The gospel material is powerful and biting without a condescending edge. The older standards are performed with a new fire and passion that includes among them the best live versions to date. Dylan stumbles on the lyrics once or twice, but adds new lines as well that more than compensate. The vocals are crisp… out front and in your face. The music is tight, well mixed, and well performed.
“This is a re-release of the 1992 KTS CD entitled Stadiums of the Damned. A great release from the start, this unknown label has gone KTS one better by eliminating much of the white noise, and bringing out the music a tad more to give the CD a smoother, more natural feel.”
Disc 1
1. Gotta Serve Somebody
2. I Believe In You
3. Like A Rolling Stone
4. I Want You
5. Man Gave Names To All The Animals
6. Maggie’s Farm
7. Girl Of The North Country
8. Ballad Of A Thin Man
9. Heart Of Mine
10. Simple Twist Of Fate
11. All Along The Watchtower
12. I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
13. Forever Young
Disc 2
1. Gamblin’ Man
2. The Times They Are A Changin’
3. Watered Down Love
4. Shot Of Love
5. Masters Of War
6. Just Like A Woman
7. Thief On The Cross
8. Dead Man Dead Man
9. In The Garden
10. Blowin’ In The Wind
11. It’s Alright Ma
12. It Ain’t Me Babe
13. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
Click here to download the tracks.
Feel free to add your comments.
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Due to popular demand, these sets are now available for download:
Teenage Head
Ontario 1978-80
click here for the tracks
Badfinger
New York 1971
click here for the tracks
Thanks again to the best concert site in the known universe! The Bobfest continues with a tour I completely skipped at the time. What a great band and, again, a great show that many overlooked. Hooked in the Biograph track and am stunned by the master all over again. WOW!