Monday, February 19, 2007

Classic Bootleg Series Vol. 1: Bob Dylan - Thin Wild Mercury Music

TTT readers who know me -- and at this point, let's face it, that's most of you -- are probably aware that I'm an obsessive collector of bootleg recordings. Over the years, I have amassed a tremendous collection. As in hundreds upon hundreds. Basically, I have so many boots, I don't know how many I have. So when thinking about regular features that we might run on this blog, it's occurred to me lately that the most natural thing for me to do is share some of my musical wealth. (And if you don't already know, sharing and trading, free of charge, is how most of this material gets passed around in the Internet age -- gone are the days when I had to steal off to Greenwich Village on business trips to NYC and drop $100 on a handful of records.) Because while a lot of stuff that never gets officially released certainly deserves that fate, there are other unreleased recordings that are among the finest and/or most historically significant performances ever caught on tape. So this is the first installment in what I intend to make a regular feature here at TTT. Check back often and hopefully I can introduce you to some of the most amazing music you've (n)ever heard.

And where better to start than with one of the more legendary boots of all time. Thin Wild Mercury Music is arguably the best collection of early run-throughs, alternate takes and unreleased tracks from Bob Dylan's sessions for Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde On Blonde in 1965 and 1966. In other words, some of the best music ever made. Artwork for a CD case is included. Enjoy, and again, there is much more to come.

BOB DYLAN - THIN WILD MERCURY MUSIC

Original Spank Records artwork:
Front cover
Back insert

01 If You Gotta Go, Go Now
02 She Belongs To Me
03 Visions Of Johanna (Seems Like A Freezeout)
04 From A Buick 6
05 It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
06 Medicine Sunday (Temporary Like Achilles)
07 I Wanna Be Your Lover
08 I'll Keep It With Mine (instrumental)
09 Love Minus Zero/No Limit
10 Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?
11 Number One (instrumental)
12 She's Your Lover Now (Glass Of Water)
13 Jet Pilot
14 Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?
15 Visions Of Johanna (Seems Like A Freezeout)
16 She's Your Lover Now (Glass Of Water)
17 Miami sales convention message
18 If You Gotta Go, Go Now