Bob Dylan – Parc de Sceaux – Paris, France – 1 July 1984

bob dylan 1984

And yet to have been present at the best of the 1984 shows (Paris, Barcelona, Vienna, Offenbach), particularly if one was somewhere towards the front of the sea of humanity, able to see the man and hear him, must have been an unforgettable experience. Here is Dylan offering himself – through his singing; he does almost no talking between songs – openly and enthusiastically and warmly.
… Paris (July 1) is my favorite show of the tour (based on the tapes).
~Paul Williams (BD Performing artist 1974-86)

Great 1984 show.

Concert #23 of the 1984 Europe Tour.

Check out -> Bob Dylan concerts @ JV

“There must be some way out of here,” said the joker to the thief
“There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief
Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth”

#3 – All Along The Watchtower

Setlist

  1.  Highway 61 Revisited
  2. Jokerman
  3. All Along The Watchtower
  4. Just Like A Woman
  5. Maggie’s Farm
  6. I And I
  7. License To Kill
    Greg Sutton: I’ve Got To Use My Imagination (Gerry Goffin & Barry Goldberg)
  8. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
  9. Tangled Up In Blue
  10. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
  11. Simple Twist Of Fate
  12. Masters Of War
  13. Ballad Of A Thin Man
  14. Enough Is Enough
  15. Every Grain Of Sand
  16. Like A Rolling Stone—
  17. Mr. Tambourine Man
  18. It Ain’t Me, Babe
  19. The Times They Are A-Changin’
  20. It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
  21. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
  22. Tombstone Blues
  23. Blowin’ In The Wind
  24. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door

She was married when they first met,
to a man four times her age.
He left her penniless, in the state of regret,
it was time to bust out of the cage.
They drove that car as far as they could,
abandoned it out west.
splitting up on a dark, sad night,
both agreeing that it was best.
And she turned around to look at him
as he was walking away.
She said I wish I could tell you all the things
that I never learned how to say.
He said thats alright babe I love you too,
but we were tangled up in blue.

#9 – Tangled Up In blue

Musicians:

  • Bob Dylan (vocal & guitar)
  • Mick Taylor (guitar)
  • Ian McLagan (keyboards)
  • Greg Sutton (bass)
  • Colin Allen (drums)

8-10, 17, 18 Bob Dylan solo (vocal & guitar)
4, 9, 17, 18 Bob Dylan harmonica
19-24 Carlos Santana (guitar)
19 Hughes Aufray (shared vocal & guitar)
20 Van Morrison (shared vocal & guitar)

..the single best live version of “It’s Alright, Ma” that I’ve ever heard… Nothing is thrown away, no part of the song is sung on automatic pilot. The performer is awake. The result is frightening, and beautiful.
~Paul Williams (BD Performing Artist 1974-86)

#10 – It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)

1984 Europeen Tour (wikipedia)Dylan played some of the biggest and best known European music venues including Ullevi Stadion in Gothenburg, Sweden, St. James Park in Newcastle, England, Wembley Stadium in London, England and Slane Castle in County Meath, Ireland.

Dylan was joined by several major musicians on the tour including Carlos Santana (all concerts), Joan Baez (Hamburg and Munich), Hughes Aufray (Paris and Grenoble), Van Morrison (Paris, London and County Meath), Eric Clapton (London), Chrissie Hynde (London), Bono (County Meath), Leslie Dowdall (County Meath) and Steve Wickham (County Meath).

Real Live was released in the winter 1984 which documented Dylan’s 1984 summer, released by Columbia Records. Six songs from the album were recorded at Wembley Stadium on July 7, two songs were recorded at St. James Park on July 5 and another two were recorded at Slane Castle, Ireland on July 8.

You walk into the room
With your pencil in your hand
You see somebody naked
And you say, “Who is that man?”
You try so hard
But you don’t understand
Just what you’ll say
When you get home

# 13 – Ballad Of A Thin Man

You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
Crying like a fire in the sun
Look out the saints are comin’ through
And it’s all over now, Baby Blue

# 20 – It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue

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-Egil

5 thoughts on “Bob Dylan – Parc de Sceaux – Paris, France – 1 July 1984”

  1. I was there too – Santana just seemed to go on forever, and I could only listen to a few songs of Bob before I had to get my train back to Paris.
    Probably the most mediocre show I’ve heard, and I’ve suffered through some stinkers. I think that the live album reflected the tour, even the shoddy presentation of the cover showed they were not trying too hard.

    1. Thanks for your opinion Eric.

      The 84-tour was far from his best, but I enjoy listening to the Barcelona & Paris shows (in particular).

      -Egil

  2. Great concert and VAN, CARLOS and HUGUES, they were great too…
    I was on the first row and I enjoyed what I heard and what I saw… But… to my opinion the best version EVER…. of IT’S ALL RIGHT MA is one of the 5 great versions played in PARIS 1978, they were all great, all the 5, I don’t remember right now which one was the best amongst the best!
    Thanks for posting!

    1. Thanks for commenting Angela,

      I’ve only heard the July-7 version from Paris-78.. and that is a great version indeed.

      -Egil

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