(Personal reflections
inspired by Bob Dylan songs)
Song: “Just Like a
Woman”
Album: Blonde on Blonde
Release Date: June,
1966
Note: This is the 2 of 2
conclusion of the last write up (Master Blueprint # 7). If you have not read the introduction to that
entry, read it first before reading on here, otherwise a full connection with
this entry will escape you ( http://pete-gemsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2018/02/master-blueprints-7-struck-down-by.html ).
Carrying on now with my top 10 covers of the Bob Dylan The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration at
Madison Square Garden, New York City, October 16, 1992. # 10 up to # 6 were
reviewed in that 1 of 2 link above. Here
I tackle the top 5, working my way up to # 1:
# 5. “Mr. Tambourine Man”
sung by Roger McGuinn, Tom Petty, and the Heartbreakers ( http://www.dailymotion.com/video/ximopy ) . I think I’ll simply
paraphrase here on a paragraph from my Master Blueprints # 1 entry ( http://pete-gemsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2018/01/master-blueprints-1-magic-swirlin-ship.html ), which was written with this song in mind:
“I recall as I listened to it thinking at the time that Roger
McGuinn and Tom Petty both had in mind Dylan himself as they sang the
lyrics. Near the end of the magical
rendition of this song, Tom Petty catches McGuinn’s eye and offers a knowing
wink. At that moment, I felt a kinship
with these musicians. A common sense of
wonder in relation to the man they were honoring, not only through a song
written by him, but now being interpreted as also being about him”.
Not much more needs to be said other than to suggest reading that
fist Master Blueprint entry, inspired by the beauty that is “Mr. Tambourine
Man”.
Ok, no more pushing folks off to other entries.
#4. “I’ll Be Your Baby
Tonight”, sung by Kris Kristofferson ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlvN2nr5MZw ). I’ve rarely seen a performer
so elated singing as Kris Kristofferson is here. Other musicians on the stage included Willie
Nelson (who did an admirable job just prior with “What Was It You Wanted”) and
Don Was on bass, who had produced Bob Dylan’s then-most recent studio album Under the Red Sky (I once read a review
of those sessions where one of the musicianS who was there was reflecting on Don
Was’ fascination in finally having a change to work with Bob Dylan, at one time
asking him “So, Bob, did you ever wonder,
y’know: ‘Why me?’”, and getting no reply).
A quick listen and one could easily conclude that “I’ll Be Your
Baby Tonight” is a simple love song. But
nothing is simple with Bob Dylan. Years
ago I interpreted this song as being from the perspective of an infant, singing
to a parent (hmmm….I’ll add a grandparent to that short list). Others have concluded this too, because
subsequently I read a gratifying Dylan reply to an interviewer, stating that he
supposed it could be construed that way (that’s about as good as you are going
to get from him).
So I’m going to run with
that, as I am sure this angle was on Kristofferson’s mind too. His elation is the pure joy emanating from
the memory and perspective of a man blessed to have been a father, as I believe
Kristofferson (and of course Bob Dylan) was.
Picture a young Dad, any young Dad, seemingly after a weary, long day at
work. I mean, my goodness, from that
perspective there is just no beating the line “Kick your shoes off. Do not fear.
Bring that bottle over here. I’ll be your baby tonight”…...baby
bottle that is.
Yes, it’s no wonder Kris Kristofferson was on such a high. If you leave a song up for interpretation, as
Bob Dylan always does, it must be so much fun to figure it out for yourself,
and then go out and perform it, knowing you’ve got the inside scoop.
# 3. “License to Kill”,
sung by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CEfNY02n5E ). You’d think there would
be nothing that could top Kristofferson’s performance, but in my opinion there
were three such instances. # 3 on the
list is this (see link above) killer rendition of “License to Kill” covered by
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, a song about the misinformation that can fill
a man’s mind, and a woman’s lament to be unable to do anything about it. It’s a brave and insightful song for a man to
write, and should put no doubt in any equal-rights-minded woman that Bob Dylan
has their back (including the Boston waitress who confronts Dylan in an
incredibly summarized exchange, which can be heard on the song/novella that is
“Highlands” off of Time Out of Mind). One could also easily envision the “woman” in
the song to be any peacemaker, giving “License to Kill” some affiliation with
“Watching the River Flow”, which was the focus-song for Master Blueprints # 6.
Anyhow, after a warm greeting to the crowd, Tom Petty’s smile turns into
something completely different, which stays with him for the entirety of his intense
performance. Mike Campbell adds a brilliant lead guitar during the instrumental
bridge near the end. The lyrics are poignant and, in comparison to many of Bob
Dylan’s songs, relatively easy to interpret.
With that said, if you have never heard this number off of Infidels (or even if you have) give it a
listen: “License to Kill” is always worthy
of further contemplation.
# 2. “Seven Days”, sung by
Ronnie Wood ( https://rutube.ru/video/9f7fd5902d1c72e4d3a6d57d38440814/ ). First off, I love that
Ronnie Wood got his own slot at the Dylan 30th; he and Ringo Starr, often there
for the party at these mega rock events over the years, but consigned to only
getting on stage for the end-of-show jam fests (think The Last Waltz). Not so
here, Ronnie Wood delivering the goods in this gem of a rarity, which he
covered on his 1979 album Gimme Some Neck
(there are perks to being a beer connoisseur buddy with Bob Dylan). Recently I’ve been reading this song as being
about a son’s reunion with his long lost mother.
Oh, and did I say jam? Yeah,
well, I’ve rarely enjoyed one as much as the magnificently drawn-out
instrumental bridge that plays out here.
Ronnie Wood comes across as a well-versed conductor, spontaneous to
boot, pointing to various members of the Booker T and the MGs band to take lead
during the jam. At one moment, at the
2:55 mark of the link above, Wood appears so zoned in as he backs away from
Booker T, that I can’t help but think he’s as close to vaporizing into a big
ball of music as anyone who has ever played in a band. G.E. Smith, the normal conductor for much of
the evening, adapts masterfully on the fly, working closely with the rhythm
section (check out G.E. when Ronnie calls out Booker T to take the 2nd
lead transition during the jam). The
fourth and final lead (back to Ronnie Wood) is a classic moment too, with Steve
Cropper aping Wood’s chords 2 seconds behind, like only a seasoned professional
could.
My number 2 and number 1 choices were performed back to back that
magical evening; a solid one-two punch.
Number 1 you ask? …….
# 1. “Just Like a Woman”,
sung by Richie Havens ( https://vimeo.com/198166747 ). My sister Amy is in the
know on this one; the most transcendent moment in the concert as far as I am
concerned. This Richie Havens’ performance
of “Just Like a Woman” swung wide open for me the door to connecting with the
depth of the beauty in this song, and is that not the intention of any
musician, whether singing their own song or someone else’s? To blow away the crowd, not just with the
musical element, but with the narrative and reflective one too? It all adds up to a strong emotional bond
when the stars align.
When a casual listener thinks of Bob Dylan I believe they relate
to him mostly as a folk singer, or a protest singer, or going electric, or his
faith journey, or contributing to the weaving of the American narrative. One normally does not associate him with love
songs. But when you dive into Dylan’s
music, you realize that love - and love loss - are the most prominent sources
for his creative inspirations. In turn,
when you have someone with the prolific abilities of a Bob Dylan who is willing
to open up in this way, you can make some pretty profound connections to your
own life experience in relation to this the sweetest – and most painful - of
all feelings.
“Just Like a Woman” comes across to me as a two part account of a
relationship achingly nearing its end.
The first 2 verses focus on the woman and her delicate state of mind at
the time of the break up. As I listened
to Richie Havens cover this week, I thought of the Counting Crows song “Round
Here”, which I now believe was at least partly inspired by “Just Like a Woman” (heck, on the same album - the solid and well
balanced August and Everything After –
the Counting Crows even mention Bob Dylan in the lyrics to “Mr. Jones“). The second two verses, from the man’s view,
are even more painful. There’s not a
wasted word in these lyrics, each line making clearer that the songwriter is
dealing with heavy heartache. But at the
same time, there is a tenderness and a universality that underlies the entire
song, lifting it from the ashes.
I am grateful to have attended a Richie Havens concert, and one of
the big take home messages I got from that show was the buildup. Havens was slow out of the gate in terms of
enthusiasm when Nancy and I saw him, but he knew how to work a crowd, and
before long we were all caught up the aura of his musical tapestry. By the end the entire crowd was
enraptured. The amazing thing about
Richie Havens’ performance at the Dylan 30th was that he took that
skill for building up a concert and condensed it into one song. Watch that buildup play out in the link. It’s more than talent. It’s genuine empathy.
Well, that’s my Bob Dylan
The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration top 10 list. Honorable mentions include George Thorogood singing
“Wanted Man” (what a surprise that was, and it didn’t even make the cd release),
The Band singing “When I Paint My
Masterpiece”, and Neil Young’s cover of “All Along the Watchtower”.
- Pete
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