Bootleg Reviews (1980's) - Agent EB's Bob Dylan page

1980's Bootlegs
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04/19/80 Toronto, Ontario ("Rock Solid") : A- (A/A-)
There were (at least) 16 songs performed by Dylan on 04/19/80 and this bootleg contains only 8, so it's obviously not a complete show (but it is in great soundboard quality). All of the tracks fade-out and then fade-in to the next track (this is on the original bootleg). This bootleg is a good introduction to Bob's religious period (and was, allegedly, the live album that was considered for official release at the time). However, in being an introduction, it misses out on what are (in my opinion) the better religious songs (such as When He Returns, Ain't Gonna Go To Hell, and What Can I Do For You?). Nonetheless, the quality of the performance is still great. This show does contain an unreleased song written by Bob (Cover Down, Break Through). It also contains a nice Precious Angel, and is a good overall show.

1. Gotta Serve Somebody
2. Covenant Woman
3. When You Gonna Wake Up?
4. Precious Angel
5. Slow Train
6. Solid Rock
7. In The Garden
8. Cover Down, Break Through

11/11/80 San Francisco, California : B+ (B/B+)
Gotta Serve Somebody is a very powerful opener and is interesting musically (there are parts when it's just the drums and/or bass) and Girl From The North Country is very lovely. The bass is pretty high in the mix on this recording.

Disc 1:
1. Gotta Serve Somebody
2. I Believe In You
3. Like A Rolling Stone
4. Till I Get It Right (sung by Regina McCrady?) - written by Red Lane and Larry Henley
5. Man Gave Names To All The Animals
6. Simple Twist Of Fate
7. Ain't Gonna Go To Hell
8. Girl From The North Country
9. Slow Train

Disc 2:
1. Walk Around Heaven All Day (sung by Carolyn Dennis) - written by Cassietta George (?)
2. Abraham, Martin And John (sung with Clydie King) - written by Dick Holler
3. Let's Keep It Between Us
4. Covenant Woman
5. Solid Rock
6. Just Like A Woman
7. Senor (Tales Of Yankee Power)
8. When You Gonna Wake Up? (Bob on harp)
9. In The Garden

encore:
10. Blowin' In The Wind
11. City Of Gold
12. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (solo acoustic) (Bob on harp)

11/15/80 San Francisco, California ("Farewell Bloomfield") : A- (A-/A-)
This bootleg is sourced from the soundboard, and it almost contains the whole show: it's missing Senor (after Just Like A Woman) and Love Minus Zero/No Limit (after City Of Gold). There are several technical problems as mentioned below. This boot is historically significant and is called "Farewell Bloomfield" because this was the last concert that Michael Bloomfield played at before he died. He plays guitar on Like A Rolling Stone and The Groom's Still Waiting At The Altar (which has very different lyrics than the officially released version on Shot Of Love). Michael Bloomfield was on the album Highway 61 Revisited and was a guitarist in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

Disc 1:
1. Gotta Serve Somebody - small dropout at 2:07 - very minor dropout at 3:31
2. I Believe In You
3. Like A Rolling Stone (Michael Bloomfield on electric guitar)
4. Man Gave Names To All The Animals
5. Simple Twist Of Fate
6. Ain't Gonna Go To Hell - beginning clipped (fades-in to singing)
7. Girl From The North Country - mic feedback at start
8. Slow Train
9. Abraham, Martin And John (sung with Clydie King) - written by Dick Holler - vocals get quieter
10. Let's Keep It Between Us - two gaps near start

Disc 2:
1. Mary From The Wild Moor (acoustic) (sung with ?) - written by unknown (traditional)
2. Covenant Woman
3. Solid Rock
4. Just Like A Woman
5. The Groom's Still Waiting At The Altar (Michael Bloomfield on electric guitar) - sound mixing fluctuates a bit from 3:14-3:15
6. When You Gonna Wake Up? (Bob on harp)
7. In The Garden

encore:
8. Blowin' In The Wind
9. City Of Gold

11/30/80 Seattle, Washington ("Rise Again") : A- (B/A)
The sound is a bit distant but I think it adds to rather than takes away from the performance (in some respects). Highlights include: Like A Rolling Stone, Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues, Fever (which was only performed twice in '80), To Ramona, and We Just Disagree. This is a very good show and is recommended by me.

Disc 1:
1. Gotta Serve Somebody - starts off a bit loud and then volume quiets down
2. I Believe In You
3. Like A Rolling Stone
4. Man Gave Names To All The Animals - gap at end
5. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
6. Fever - written by Johnny Davenport and Eddie Cooley
7. All Along The Watchtower
8. Ain't Gonna Go To Hell
9. Girl From The North Country
10. Slow Train

filler:
11. To Ramona
12. We Just Disagree - written by Jim Kreuger - fades-out at end
13. Simple Twist Of Fate - fades-in to a start that is clipped
14. Saved
15. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (solo acoustic) (Bob on harp)

- Tracks 11-15 are from 11/29/80 Seattle, WWashington

Disc 2:
1. Abraham, Martin And John (sung with Clydie King) - written by Dick Holler
2. Rise Again (sung with Clydie King) - written by Dallas Holm
3. Let's Keep It Between Us
4. Mary From The Wild Moor (acoustic) (sung with ?) - written by unknown (traditional)
5. Solid Rock
6. Just Like A Woman - gap at end
7. Senor (Tales Of Yankee Power) - fades-in at start and cuts out first two lines
8. What Can I Do For You? - gap at 3:26 and it cuts out four lines - volume is quieter after gap until encores (track 11)
9. When You Gonna Wake Up? (Bob on harp)
10. In The Garden

encore:
11. Blowin' In The Wind
12. City Of Gold
13. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (solo acoustic) (Bob on harp)
14. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

12/03/80 Portland, Oregon : B (B-/B+)
From the concert, this bootleg is missing Simple Twist Of Fate and Blowin' In The Wind (I have the complete show on a bootleg called "A Musical Retrospective"). This concert's great in many aspects. Girl From The North Country and What Can I Do For You? are both wonderful. A Couple More Years, a rare song, is played here. This show also has Ain't Gonna Go To Hell, Let's Keep It Between Us, and City Of Gold - three songs Bob has written but has never officially released. There are, unfortunately, a few technical problems. The problems are explained below, beside the songs that are affected by the problems. Also, on the first few songs, the sound isn't balanced properly yet (the bass is too high, etc.). This gets fixed.

Disc 1:
1. Gotta Serve Somebody
2. I Believe In You
3. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
4. Till I Get It Right (sung by Regina Havis) - written by Red Lane and Larry Henley
5. Man Gave Names To All The Animals - fades-in a few words late, and then a line is cut from the first verse
6. We Just Disagree - written by Jim Krueger - some notes (instrumental lead-in) are cut out
7. All Along The Watchtower
8. Ain't Gonna Go To Hell
9. Girl From The North Country
10. To Ramona - fades out before the song is over
11. Slow Train
12. Walk Around Heaven All Day (sung by Carolyn Dennis) - written by Cassietta George (?)
13. Abraham, Martin And John (sung with Clydie King) - written by Dick Holler
14. Rise Again (sung with Clydie King) - written by Dallas Holm

Disc 2:
1. Let's Keep It Between Us
2. Mary From The Wild Moor (acoustic) (sung with ?) - written by unknown (traditional)
3. Solid Rock
4. Just Like A Woman
5. Senor (Tales Of Yankee Power) - tape fluctuates a bit at start (causing an underwater feel to the sound)
6. A Couple More Years - written by Shel Silverstein and Dennis Locorriere - fades-out at end and fades-in to next song
7. What Can I Do For You?
8. When You Gonna Wake Up? (Bob on harp)
9. In The Garden - fades-in at start and the first few words are clipped

encore:
10. City Of Gold - fades-in at start
11. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (solo acoustic) (Bob on harp) - fades-in to this track
12. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (solo acoustic)

filler:
13. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (solo acoustic) (Bob on harp) - fades out during harmonica (cutting out the last verse)

- Track 13 is from unknown (?)

"A Musical Retrospective" : B+ (B/B+)
The 12/03/80 concert's great in many respects. Girl From The North Country and What Can I Do For You? are both pretty good. A Couple More Years, a rare song, is played here. This show also has Ain't Gonna Go To Hell, Let's Keep It Between Us, and City Of Gold - three songs Bob has written but has never officially released. This is the complete concert. After that show, the rest of the bootleg consists of many of the songs played in the fall '80 tour. There are some very rare songs (some with special guests).

Disc 1:
12/03/80 Portland, Oregon:
1. Gotta Serve Somebody
2. I Believe In You
3. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
4. Man Gave Names To All The Animals - start is clipped
5. Simple Twist Of Fate
6. We Just Disagree - written by Jim Krueger
7. All Along The Watchtower - start is clipped (song starts at very end of first verse)
8. Ain't Gonna Go To Hell
9. Girl From The North Country
10. To Ramona
11. Slow Train - gap at end
12. Abraham, Martin And John (sung with Clydie King) - written by Dick Holler
13. Rise Again (sung with Clydie King) - written by Dallas Holm
14. Let's Keep It Between Us
15. Mary From The Wild Moor (acoustic) (sung with ?) - written by unknown (traditional)
16. Solid Rock - some speech by Bob at end is cut
17. Just Like A Woman

Disc 2:
1. Senor (Tales Of Yankee Power)
2. A Couple More Years - written by Shel Silverstein and Dennis Locorriere
3. What Can I Do For You?
4. When You Gonna Wake Up? (Bob on harp)
5. In The Garden - start is clipped (first line cut out)

encore:
6. Blowin' In The Wind
7. City Of Gold
8. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (solo acoustic) (Bob on harp) - gap at end
9. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (solo acoustic)

filler:
10. Like A Rolling Stone
11. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
12. To Ramona - sound changes from 3:11-3:12
13. Saved
14. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (solo acoustic) (Bob on harp)
15. Fever - written by Johnny Davenport and Eddie Cooley
16. All Along The Watchtower

- Tracks 10-12 are from 12/04/80 Portland, Oregon
- Tracks 13-14 are from 11/29/80 Seattle, WWashington
- Tracks 15-16 are from 11/30/80 Seattle, WWashington

Disc 3:
1. Bob talking - intro for Michael Bloomfield
2. Like A Rolling Stone (Michael Bloomfield on electric guitar)
3. Covenant Woman
4. The Groom's Still Waiting At The Altar (Michael Bloomfield on electric guitar)
5. City Of Gold
6. Love Minus Zero/No Limit (solo acoustic) (Bob on harp)
7. Bob talking - intro for Jerry Garcia
8. To Ramona (Jerry Garcia on electric guitar)
9. Let's Keep It Between Us (Jerry Garcia on electric guitar)
10. Bob talking
11. Just Like A Woman (Jerry Garcia on electric guitar) - scratch glitch at 1:43
12. Bob talking
13. Fever - written by Johnny Davenport and Eddie Cooley
14. Bob talking - intro for Roger McGuinn
15. Mr. Tambourine Man (Roger McGuinn on electric guitar) (sung with Roger McGuinn)

- Tracks 1-6 are from 11/15/80 San Franciscco, California
- Tracks 7-11 are from 11/16/80 San Francissco, California
- Tracks 12-15 are from 11/22/80 San Franciisco, California

Disc 4:
1. Knockin' On Heaven's Door (Bob on harp) (Roger McGuinn on electric guitar) (sung with Roger McGuinn)
2. It Ain't Me, Babe (solo acoustic) (Bob on harp)
3. Bob talking
4. Carribean Wind
5. Precious Angel (Bob on harp) - start is clipped (first line is cut out)
6. Rise Again (sung with Clydie King) - written by Dallas Holm
7. Do Right To Me Baby (Do Unto Others)

- Tracks 1-2 are from 11/22/80 San Franciscco, California
- Tracks 3-4 are from 11/12/80 San Franciscco, California
- Tracks 5-7 are from 11/18/80 San Franciscco, California

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