The Finjan tape, similar to the early party tapes in that it’s a small group of people, and Dylan’s aware of the tape recorder and is trying to think of interesting songs to play, has many delights, particularly an electrifying version of Muddy Waters’s “Two Trains Running,” a fine loose rendering of “Let Me Die in My Footsteps,” and a haunting fragment of Robert Johnson’s “Rambling on My Mind.” On “Two Trains” Dylan sings, “I’m afraid of everybody/and I can’t trust myself.” The tape also features one of Dylan’s most powerful original blues (if you can draw the line between blues songs he writes and ones be assembles from existing songs; definitely a matter of degree, as is true with most blues singers): “Quit Your Low Down Ways.”
~Paul Williams (Bob Dylan Performing Artist I: The Early Years 1960-1973
I’m sitting here drinking coffee and listening to this fine recording of early Bob Dylan. For fans of early Dylan, this is a gem . It’s a trip back in time to what Dylan sounded like playing in the small clubs before he became famous. Listening to this CD I can imagine sitting in this dark club and hearing Bob Dylan perform songs that would become well known, and others that wouldn’t get any attention at all in the coming years.
Several of these tunes were recorded for Dylan’s first and second albums. Rocks and Gravel was meant to be on his second album, but was replaced by Girl From the North Country. Robert Johnson’s Ramblin’ On My Mind is performed here for the first time by Bob Dylan. The recording of Hiram Hubbard is the only known performance of this song by Bob Dylan. He Was A Friend of Mine was also left off Dylan’s first album.
I drink my coffee and marvel at the “time travel”, at the sureness of the young Bob Dylan. He definitely had “it” already then.
It is on Amazon for just 15 dollars.
Finjan Club
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
2 July 1962
Released on DYLAN, BOB – FINJAN CLUB
(The release is unauthorized and is not associated with or approved by Bob Dylan or his current recording label)
Continue reading July 2: Great recording of Bob Dylan’s set at the Finjan Club, Montreal in 1962
)