Dylan receives the Grammy for Best Vocal Performance 1979 (for his “Gotta Serve Somebody” single) at the 22nd Grammy Award at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. In his acceptance speech he thanks “The Lord, Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett who believed”.
…a mere eight days after the final Saved session, Dylan and the band delivered a definitive rendering of another song they had been nightly regurgitating in concert over the past three months. The song was ‘Gotta Serve Somebody.’ The occasion was the annual Grammy awards ceremony. Nominated for best male rock vocal performance, Dylan and the band proceeded to show what a week of rest, at home in LA, might have done for all parties concerned, even if the award was already in the bag (it was his first Grammy) and the next album in the can.
-Clinton Heylin (Behind The Shades)Dylan won a Grammy award (his first) for “Gotta Serve Somebody,” which was judged “Best Vocal Performance of 1979.” He and his band attended the televised award ceremony (February 27, 1980) and delivered a very hot, seven-minute version of the song, complete with new lyrics and even some harmonica playing. Dylan wore formal dinner wear (white tie) and thanked the Lord and his record producers.
~Paul Williams (Bob Dylan: Performing Artist, Vol 2: The Middle Years 1974-1986) ..he performs the song dressed in full evening attire, to a very appreciative audience. It is a great performance, ironically far surpassing his vocal on the actual record. He even plays some demon harmonica. With typical perversity, he also changes the words, and the entire performance clocks in at over six minutes. Not surprisingly, Dylan wins his first Grammy Award, thanking in his acceptance speech “The Lord, Jerry Wexler, and Barry Beckett … who believed.” The award ceremony takes place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and receives the usual extensive television coverage.
~Clinton Heylin (Bob Dylan: A Life in Stolen Moments Day by Day 1941-1995)
changed words in [bold]
You may be an ambassador to England or France,
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance,
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world,
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls
But you have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you have to serve somebody.
You might be a rock ‘n’ roll addict prancing on the stage,
You might have drugs in your pocket, women in a cage,
You may be a business man or some high degree thief,
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief
You may be a construction worker working on a home,
You may be living in a mansion or you may be live in a dome,
You might own guns and you might even own tanks,
You might be somebody’s landlord, may be even own banks
You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride,
You may be working as a dishwasher, you may be in your prime,
You may be workin’ in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair,
You may be somebody’s mistress, may be somebody’s heir
You may like to drink whiskey, might like to blow smoke,
You may have money-power or you may be broke,
You may think you’re living, you may think you’re dead,
Maybe sleeping on the floor, or sleeping in a feather bed
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