July 4: Do a Bob Dylan themed barbeque

Photo: Ken Regan

Barbecues are the epitome of summer and it’s nice to spice these shindigs up with unique barbecue ideas every once in a while! Of course any barbecue is great. They have all the best parts I could think of: friends, family, drinks, food, relaxation and fun! But it’s even better if you do a Bob Dylan themed barbeque! Here are some suggestions. If you do this and send us pictures we promise to post them on alldylan.

Music:

We have to have music and this is my suggestions. I’ve chosen some summer songs, some food and drink songs and some songs I just think would be nice to hear on a Bob Dylan BBQ.

BOB: Now, look, someone is coming up the road, boys.
(knock, knock)
MAVIS STAPLES: Hey, hey! Hey there, Bobby!
BOB: Hey, it’s Mavis Staples!
MAVIS; Hey fellows! What’s Up? Aw, it’s good to see all of you.
My goodness, Bobby you got a nice place here!
BOB: Well, welcome to California, Mavis!
MAVIS: Thank ya much! Whoa, you got a nice view!
BOB: Yeeah, it is. You can sit on this porch,
and look right straight into Ha-wa-ii.
MAVIS: Yeah, I was over in them foothills.
BOB: (perplexed) Why?
MAVIS: I was looking for me some fuel. I’m kind of hungry now.
Don’t you got anything to eat?
BOB: Well I’m sure we do. Momma, we have anything to eat?
WOMAN’S VOICE: Sure, we got plenty of chicken out there in the yard.
BOB: Well we’re gonna go knock a few of ’em off and fry ’em up.
BOB: Well, Mavis, I’ve had the blues.
MAVIS: Aw Bobby, don’t tell me you got the blues!
BOB: Uh hum I’ve been up all night laying in bed, had insomnia, reading Snoozeweek.
MAVIS: Oh, Snoozeweek! That ain’t gonna get rid of no blues.
BOB: Umh umh
MAVIS: We gotta do some singing, let’s do some singing
BOB: Aw … yeah, let’s do that.
MAVIS: Sing about it, you know.

Food:

Taking a cue from Mavis and Bob it has to be fried chicken:

With Bob Dylan’s barbeque sauce from the Theme Time Radio Hour:

“There’s a lot of good barbecue in Memphis. Here’s a recipe I gave the guys over at the Rendezvous. You can also figure out your own secret ingredients and dump it into the mix. I like about three fingers of Tennessee sippin’ whiskey.”
– Bob Dylan

• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup vinegar
• 5 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ small onion
• Dash of black pepper
• Some cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ cup water
Mix it all together in a large pan, bring to a quick boil, reduce the heat and let simmer 10 minutes.

Drinks:

Bob Dylan’s Mint Julep:

• 4 mint sprigs
• 2 ½ ounces of bourbon (“I prefer 3” – Dylan)
• 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon water

Put the mint leaves, powdered sugar, and water in a Collins glass. Fill with shaved or crushed ice. Top with bourbon and more ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Bob Dylan’s Rum and Coke:

“Shake it up well and go drink it in the sunshine!”
– Dylan

• 1 tall glass, filled with ice
• 2 fingers of “Bombay” rum
• 1 bottle of Coca-Cola

…or Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Whiskey

  • Hallgeir

7 thoughts on “July 4: Do a Bob Dylan themed barbeque”

  1. Hallgeir: Here’s some “Feedback”. An interesting word for this posting. A note on No. 11 on the song list. Bobby did not write “A Satisfied Mind” as listed. It’s a Porter Wagoner classic from way back. if you happen to overdose putting too much BBQ sauce on your veggie burger or what ever your throwing on the grill, here’s a quiet, calm musical recitation of “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” to add to your list, It’s from The Old Troubadour (now clocking in at 85). It might make a nice dessert. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi5hgnhktOY JRW

    1. Yes, A satisfied Mind was a number 1 single for Porter Wagoner, but he didn’t write it either. A Satisfied Mind was written by Joe “Red” Hayes and Jack Rhodes and recorded by at least a 100 artists, among them, Bob Dylan (twice). My favourite interpretation of the song is by Robert Plant & The Band of Joy, with Darrell Scott singing the lead on this particular song https://youtu.be/DxT7M7pm0HI.

      As always, we are grateful for your comments and songs Mr. Winn.

      1. Hallgeir: Thank you kind sir. I will enter this correction into my inbox. I sang the song at the Fox Hollow folk festival sometime back in the middle 1970’s in the middle of the “walk around” mini concerts after the main stage closed down for the night. I sang lead and U, Utah Phillips and Rosalie Sorrels sang harmony. 30 or 40 campers joined in on the chorus’ I enjoyed Mr. Plants interpretation. JRW

  2. In case the readers of this blog are unaware, Bob Dylan is a vegetarian, like Paul McCartney.
    He wouldn’t be cooking up steaks on his barbecue, more like bean patties…”We got beans, and beans, and more beans” (Alias in Pat Garret and Billy the Kid).

    1. I’m not so sure about this…from when is he a vegetarian? And where have you gotten this information? There are a few quotes from Dylan that suggests otherwise, but they are a few years old.

      He ordered Beef at an Italian restaurant not too long ago and he has been known to eat burgers (without pickles).

      He is often noted eating meat by interviewers and he gave a recipe for meatballs on his radio time hour in 2009 so I’m guessing that he’s not.

      In any case, thanks for the feedback 🙂

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