Bob Dylan & Patti Smith – Dark Eyes – Electric Factory Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 17 December 1995

BD & PS

From the last (and one of the best) concerts of the 95-tour we get this great version of “Dark Eyes”.

…. and then three nights in Philadelphia (December 15–17). Every night Patti Smith would come on in the middle for the tenth song of the set and they would
share vocals on ‘Dark Eyes’, the acoustic song from
the end of the Empire Burlesque album of ten years
earlier, and which he had never sung live before.
The routine might have been the same every
night but there was nothing routine about it. ….
….but without question live performance brought it
alive, and it was Patti Smith who made it happen.
Here, in the tingling electricity between them as
they traded verses and duetted on the choruses, the song was the conduit of a beauty and excitement it had never possessed.
Many Dylan followers believed that he felt challenged by Patti Smith’s still possessing a fierce anti-showbiz, anti-bullshit credibility that had in his own case been compromised by then: that she therefore kept him on his toes as no performance with his own band alone would have done. As it was, he rose higher than his toes.
~Michael Gray (Bob Dylan Ecyclopedia)

BD & PS2

Lyrics:

Oh, the gentlemen are talking and the midnight moon is on the riverside
They’re drinking up and walking and it is time for me to slide
I live in another world where life and death are memorized
Where the earth is strung with lovers’ pearls and all I see are dark eyes

A cock is crowing far away and another soldier’s deep in prayer
Some mother’s child has gone astray, she can’t find him anywhere
But I can hear another drum beating for the dead that rise
Whom nature’s beast fears as they come and all I see are dark eyes

They tell me to be discreet for all intended purposes,
They tell me revenge is sweet and from where they stand, I’m sure it is.
But I feel nothing for their game where beauty goes unrecognized,
All I feel is heat and flame and all I see are dark eyes.

Oh, the French girl, she’s in paradise and a drunken man is at the wheel
Hunger pays a heavy price to the falling gods of speed and steel
Oh, time is short and the days are sweet and passion rules the arrow that flies
A million faces at my feet but all I see are dark eyes



BD & PS3

-Egil

Christmas music: Nothing but a child by Steve Earle

nothing

Steve Earle is next out in our series of christmas videos. It’s an incredible song from the album “Copperhead Road”, released in 1988. The background voice was provided by the wonderful Maria McKee on the album version.

In this version it’s just Steve and his guitar:

It shows that our hero Mr. Steve Earle is not always political, he seems to have a little religion in him as well. Maybe it was just the holiday season approaching that inspired him, who knows? A very nice song it is.

Here is the version from the album (with Maria McKee on background vocals):

Nothing But A Child
(Steve Earle)

Once upon a time in a far off land
Wise men saw a sign and set out aross the sand
Songs of praise to sing, they travelled day and night
Precious gifts to bring, guided by the light
They chased a brand new star, ever towards the west
Across the mountains far, but when it came to rest
They scarce believed their eyes, they’d come so many miles
And the miracle they prized was nothing but a child

Nothing but a child could wash these tears away
Or guide a weary world into the light of day
And nothing but a child could help erase these miles
So once again we all can be children for awhile

Now all around the world, in every Iittle town
Everyday is heard a precious little sound
And every mother kind and every father proud
Looks down in awe to find another chance allowed

Another fine live version from 1988 (MTV):

– Hallgeir

Today: Bruce Springsteen played Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco in 1978 – 34 years ago

bruce winterland

Bruce’s Winterland-78 concert is by many fans & “concert tape collectors” regarded as one of his best shows ever… It is indeed a cornerstone in any collection of concert bootlegs (regardless of artist). Number 2 on my list of the best Springsteen’s concerts I’ve collected (and.. yes, I’ve got a decent collection).

Here is a BRILLIANT – Prove It All Night:

Racing In The Street:

BS winterland

FM Broadcast (KSAN radio) and soundboard tapes – this is a master reel recording and includes three tracks not broadcast. What can you say! The versions of “The Promised Land” and “Prove It All Night” are exceptional and “Backstreets” is better than that. Probably the most famous show Bruce will ever do. It should be noted that the source tape appears to run slightly slow. Released on CD ‘Live At Winterland’ (Golden Stars), ‘Live In The Promised Land’ (Great Dane Records), ‘Winterland Night’ (Crystal Cat) and most recently (and in best quality) on CDR ‘Prodigal Son at Winterland – 25th Anniversary Remaster’ (Prodigal Son). This is a remaster of ‘Winterland Night’.
-From Brucebase

Darkness On The Edge Of Town:

Winterland-Poster

Setlist:

  1. Badlands
  2. Streets of Fire
  3. Spirit in the Night
  4. Darkness on the Edge of Town
  5. Factory
  6. The Promised Land
  7. Prove It All Night
  8. Racing in the Street
  9. Thunder Road
  10. Jungleland
  11. The Ties That Bind
  12. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (J. Fred Coots & Haven Gillespie cover)
  13. The Fever
  14. Fire
  15. Candy’s Room
  16. Because the Night
  17. Point Blank
  18. Mona / Preacher’s Daughter / She’s The One / I Get Mad
  19. Backstreets
  20. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)Encore:
  21. Born to Run
  22. Detroit Medley
  23. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
  24. Raise Your Hand  (Eddie Floyd cover)
  25. Quarter to Three

The Promised Land:

Backstreets:

Santa Claus is Coming To Town:

Other December 15:

Continue reading Today: Bruce Springsteen played Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco in 1978 – 34 years ago

Great Christmas song: When the Thames Froze by Smith & Burrows


When The Thames Froze
Today we give you a new Christmas song (well, it’s about one year old) and what a gem it is!

Former Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows and Editors frontman Tom Smith  released their record Funny Looking Angels  under the name Smith & Burrows. One of the best songs on the album is, When The Thames Froze .
Smith & Burrows gives us a wonderful Christmas Carol with a darker undertone. A song fit for the recent economic resessions.

Q Magazine described the song as ”a Christmas anthem for modern times”.

We have chosen two version, first the official video, and second, an acoustic live version (Smith & Burrows performing ‘When The Thames Froze’ at The Station Sessions as part of the Secret Season supporting Shelter):

And Spotify:

Beautiful!

– Hallgeir

Video Premiere: John Grant – Pale Green Ghosts

John Grant

John Grant is releasing his second solo album, called Pale Green Ghosts, on March 13th 2013 via the Bella Union label.

I loved his last album,Queen Of Denmark and I saw him at a concert in Bergen, Norway a couple of years ago, he was mesmerizing, simply fantastic and it’s fair to say I have quite a bit of anticipation for Pale Green Ghosts.

And what’s it going to sound like? Well if the first song is representative, we will get a more electronic sounding album.

 Pale Green Ghosts the first song from the new album by the same title:

I like it, and it keeps getting better and better.

– Hallgeir

Focusing on Bob Dylan & related music