John Wesley Harding

total spring album to me by the way well yeah I guess that

could also apply new morning is yellow summer to me but John Wesley Harding not summer at all sound or looks

likewise freewheeling obviously kind of like it's like a late winter album for me it's like it feels like February February March that's kind of like how I how I feel uh freewheeling and again like the artwork probably plays a big role in that totally

and also the his voice like what he's doing with his voice making it sound older and grizzled and hardened and dusty.

"'Twas down in Mississippi, death of Emmett Till.

"'Twas down in Cheney County, John Wesley Harding.

"'Twas then he felt alone, simple twist of

fate.'"

Why is it called New Morning and it's like got these kind of... kind of like treacly sounding or like i don't know just studio futzing sound to a lot of the songs and then i was just like kind of blown away to realize that that is that's not how it probably was gonna sound for a while and then that ended up being the final product but It's so much more refreshing and likable to me to listen to a version of this record that is composed mostly of these more straight, pared-down arrangements.

Like, a softer version of the John Wesley Harding sound.

Like the end of John Wesley Harding, the last couple tracks.

You know, like a down along the coves type thing.

Right.

1966 is when Bob first comes here to make Blonde on Blonde.

Then he stays for John Wesley Harding and for later Self Portrait.

And of course, this amazing record, Nashville Skyline on the back of the record.

you see the skyline and it's so unimpressive.

Hey, there it is! Which produced the album The Basement Tapes, 1975.

Dylan explored country music and rural themes on the albums John Wesley Harding, 1967, Nashville Skyline, 1969, and New Morning, 1970.

So I'm pretty sure Nashville Skyline I know because of the Ken Burns documentary Country Music.

So Ken Burns made a documentary about country music that's eight episodes long.

They have It's Alright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding, from Bringing It All Back Home, 1965.

I Shall Be Released, from His Greatest Hits, Volume 2, 1971.

All Along the Watchtower, John Wesley Harding, 1967.

Just Like a Woman, Blonde on Blonde, 1966.

Well, it was, I pity the poor immigrant.

One of my favorite albums was John Wesley Harding.

Speaking of harmonicas, that's the only Dylan album where he played harmonica on every track.

Okay.

It is Jimi Hendrix's song.

Like, he wrote the song, but it is a Jimi—he didn't—you know, if you're not familiar— bob dylan did not write all along the watchtower for jimmy hendrix he released it on his own album called john wesley harding uh and i think that also i think that came out in 1967 as well but jimmy got a hold of it uh put it on his album electric ladyland uh was his only top 40 billboard hit actually uh in his lifetime yeah jimmy technically was a one-hit wonder Watch Tower was the only hit single that he had.

But yeah, once Bob Dylan heard it, he said, it's Jimmy's song the same way you listen to a song like My Way.

And you go, oh, that's a Frank Sinatra song.

So from their rustic appearance on the cover to the songs and arrangements within, the album stood in contrast to other popular music of the day.

Several other artists had already made similar stylistic moves, notably Dylan on the John Wesley Harding album, which was written during the basement tape sessions, and the Byrds on Sweetheart of the Rodeo, which is a sick album.

which featured two basement tape covers.

The band featured songs that evoked old-time rural America, from the Civil War in the night they drove old Dixie down to the unionisation of farm workers in the King Harvest.