Bob Dylan Enough Is Enough: The Best of the Rehearsal Tapes, 1971 - 1989

 

 

Bob Dylan
Enough Is Enough: The Best of the Rehearsal Tapes, 1971 - 1989

01. John Hardy (1987)
02. Little Queen of Spades (1989)
03. You're A Big Girl, Now (1978)
04. Stop Now (1978)
05. Gonna Change My Way of Thinking (1987)
06. Why Do I Have To Choose? (1984)
07. If You See Her, Say Hello (1978)
08. Walking Down The Line (1987)
09. Don't Keep Me Waiting Too Long (1987)
10. The French Girl (1987)
11. Enough Is Enough (1984)
12. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (1978)
13. If Not For You (1971)
14. Stealin' (1987)
15. Ballad Of A Thin Man (1978)
16. Shelter From the Storm (1984)
17. Tomorrow Is A Long Time (1978)
18. The Ballad Of Ira Hayes (1987)
19. Isis (1976)

This compilation has taken some time to assemble, as I reviewed the available rehearsal tapes from 1971 to 1989. As far as I know, none exist prior to or after this point, excluding sound checks.

The tracks were judged by sound quality and performance, which prevented the inclusion of many 1976 tracks for the former reason and 1987/89 tracks for the latter. Still, a couple of performances from those sessions are included here. 1976's "Isis," in particular, is a fascinating look at a direction the song never took in concert. There's a looseness about many of the songs on this collection that invites the listener to sing along, and enjoy a peek behind the scenes.

None of this will be new to the collector, but to the novice some of these songs may not have been heard before. Dylan's 1987 takes on many of the songs of his youth are enjoyable, if slight, and are more pleasant to my ears than the tour which followed. Similarly, Dylan's voice on the 1978 rehearsals sounds strikingly similar to his Rolling Thunder vocals; this would swiftly pass away once the long tour began.

I hope you find something new or interesting in these tracks - rehearsals are not meant to be heard by anyone other than those present, and lack the polish or energy that make a studio or live recording compelling. Still, there can be art found even in these hidden moments. Set this one up to play, and see what you find.

-CS

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