1. Tears of Rage (Take 1) (written by Bob Dylan and Richard Manuel) – The vocal isn’t there but it is awful close, it shows how the smallest of shifts, he included contractions on 75, makes the difference. The vocal is too studied here – A-
2. Tears of Rage (Take 2) (written by Bob Dylan and Richard Manuel) – Here he stretches the vocal and it is a little done overwrought – B+
3. Tears of Rage (Take 3) (written by Bob Dylan and Richard Manuel) – The greatest song ever written about the generation gap – A+
4. Quinn the Eskimo (Take 1)- The instrumental is too twee and there is no joy in Dylan’s singing – B+
5. Quinn the Eskimo (Take 2) – I prefer the Hits 2 version – B+
6. Open the Door Homer (Take 1) – This is a good one, as good as 75 – A
7. Open the Door Homer (Take 2) – Countryfied intro, talking sing vocal – A-
8. Open the Door Homer (Take 3) – 75 – A
9. Nothing Was Delivered (Take 1) – A superb version of this, this is where the easy going atmosphere at Big Pink pays huge dividends, no wonder it was chosen for 75- A+
10. Nothing Was Delivered (Take 2) – Not close, the piano is too busy although “take heed of this get plenty of rest” ain’t bad – B
11. Nothing Was Delivered (Take 3) – The Ramones! – B
12. All American Boy (written by Bobby Bare) – This sounds like the talking blues Dylan loved five years earlier – B+
13. Sign on the Cross – The masterpiece in its glory, I first heard it maybe 25 years ago on “The Real Bootleg Tapes” and it is still as moving a song of suspended disbelief – B+
14. Odds and Ends (Take 1) – Superb version, better than the original – A
15. Odds and Ends (Take 2) – 75 – A
16. Get Your Rocks Off – Blues raga – B+
17. Clothes Line Saga – Another blues raga – A-
18. Apple Suckling Tree (Take 1) – Nice little rocker – B+
19. Apple Suckling Tree (Take 2) – Extended intro, plus tambourine building to a hootenanny – A-
20. Don’t Ya Tell Henry – New Orleans jazziness – A
21. Bourbon Street – Still in New Orleans, is that a basson?- A-
Comment: So now the first two CDs feel like working off the rust, country and folk covers while they get in a groove, and the 3rd and 4th CDs are the heart of the original material. The problem is, it is a litle too archivival. I’m not trying to pass my exams.
Grade: A-
