1. Young but Daily Growing (Traditional, arranged by Bob Dylan) – I love Dylan on tradionals, this reminds me of his 1992 covers albums, Good As I’ve Been To You and World Gone wrong, though it is actually even more minimalist, just a guitar – A
2. Bonnie Ship the Diamond (Traditional, arranged by Bob Dylan)- Undoubtedly one song after the other here, great vocal – A
3. The Hills of Mexico (Traditional, arranged by Bob Dylan) – He could have made an album of these traditionals – A
4. Down on Me (Traditional, arranged by Bob Dylan) – This may have been a different day, he adds harmonies – A
5. One for the Road – country heartbreaker and a beauty – A
6. I’m Alright – Not a million miles from the unpsycehdelic part of Dylan, it is pop but 60s pop – B+
7. Million Dollar Bash (Take 1) – We got “Tiny Montgomery” on the second CD but here we are heavy into the songs that will make it on the 1975 release, this is version is more hurried – A
8. Million Dollar Bash (Take 2) – This is the BT75 take – A
9. Yea! Heavy and a Bottle of Bread (Take 1) – The vocal is a little more slippery – A
10. Yea! Heavy and a Bottle of Bread (Take 2) – This is the one they used for BT42
11. I’m Not There – One of his great songs, an identiry crises about absence and identity and maybe death as well – A+
12. Please Mrs. Henry – Always loved this alcohol + cunnilingus masterpiece – A
13. Crash on the Levee (Take 1) – Slower, bluesier, the equal of BT75 – A
14. Crash on the Levee (Take 2) – This we know – A
15. Lo and Behold! (Take 1) – Knock out folk tracker, speaking typical Dylan – A-
16. Lo and Behold! (Take 2) – I prefer the one we got – A
17. You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere (Take 1) – Different lyrics, draggy, not there but absolutely fascinating – A
18. You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere (Take 2) – I still prefer the one where he goes to see “Gunga Din” but it’ll do – A
19. I Shall be Released (Take 1) – Close but not there, it just shouldn’t start with the chorus – A
20. I Shall be Released (Take 2) – The one we know – A
21. This Wheel’s on Fire (written by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko) – The masterpiece – A+
22. Too Much of Nothing (Take 1) – Speaks more than sings it – A-
23. Too Much of Nothing (Take 2) – The original – A-
Comment: Here we go, all basement tapes 75 all the time and I love it all but especially “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” take one and the stupendous mindbending “I’m Not There”. One of Dylan’s greatest.
Grade: A
