Tag Archives: Desire

Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan recording sessions

Bob Dylan – 4th recording session for Desire – 30 July 1975

Bob_Dylan-Desire-Frontal

 

The result is a sound and a set of songs unlike anything Dylan or anyone else has ever done before…. The lyrics of “Sara” and “Abandoned Love” (and, for that matter, of “Isis” and “Hurricane”) could not be more perfect, but overall the triumph of Desire is musical
~Paul Williams (BD performing artist 1974-86)

Recorded in the summer lull before the first Rolling Thunder tour and released soon after it, the stand-out tracks are ‘Isis’, ‘Romance in Durango’ and ‘Black Diamond Bay’, but ‘Hurricane’, ‘One More Cup of Coffee’ and ‘Oh Sister’ are breathing down their necks.
~Michael Gray (BD Encyclopedia)

 

Studio E
Columbia Recording Studios
New York City, New York
30 July 1975
4th Desire session, produced by Don DeVito

On the night of July 30, 1975, Dylan returned to Studio E with a smaller group of musicians, including Stoner, Rivera, Harris, and drummer Howie Wyeth (a friend of Stoner’s who was hired by Dylan on Stoner’s suggestion). For the most part, this group of musicians formed the core of the Rolling Thunder Revue. The difference became apparent early on in the session, when a usable take of “Isis” was recorded on the first try. Both Dylan and Stoner were pleased with the session, and Stoner suggests that the more intimate sound was much closer to the sound of the completed album.Five of the nine songs from Desire were recorded at that session, as well as a slow version of “Isis,” the original master take of “Hurricane”, the single-only release “Rita Mae,” and a successful take of “Golden Loom” that was later released in 1991. Of the participating musicians, only Emmylou Harris was dissatisfied with the results. It would also be her last session, as she had prior commitments with her own career.~Wikipedia

Songs:

  1. Golden Loom
  2. Golden Loom
    released 26 March 1991 – The Bootleg Series (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991, Volume 3

    –
  3. Golden Loom
  4. Golden Loom
  5. Oh, Sister (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  6. Oh, Sister (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
    released 16 January 1976 – Desire

    –
  7. Oh, Sister (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  8. Oh, Sister (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  9. Oh, Sister (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  10. Isis (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  11. Isis (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  12. Rita May (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  13. One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)
    released 16 January 1976 – Desire

    –
  14. One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)
  15. One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)
  16. Black Diamond Bay (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  17. Black Diamond Bay (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  18. Black Diamond Bay (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  19. Black Diamond Bay (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
    released 16 January 1976 – Desire

    –
  20. Black Diamond Bay (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  21. Mozambique (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  22. Mozambique (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  23. Mozambique (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  24. Mozambique (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
    released 16 January 1976 – Desire

    –
  25. Hurricane (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  26. Rita May (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  27. Rita May (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
  28. Rita May (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
    released 30 November 1976 – Single
  29. Joey* (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
    released 16 January 1976 – Desire

    –
  30. Joey (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)

*overdubbed 11 August: Vincent Bell (guitar & mandolin), Dom Cortese (accordion)

Recorded 8 pm – 8 am

Musicians:

  • Bob Dylan (guitar, vocal)
  • Emmylou Harris (vocal)
  • Scarlet Rivera (violin)
  • Mel Collins (tenor saxophone)
  • Sheena Seidenberg (tambourine & congas)
  • Rob Stoner (bass)
  • Howie Wyeth (drums)

bob dylan eric clapton emmylou harris 1975Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton & Emmylou Harris – 28 July 1975 recording session

Related articles @ JV:

References:

Bob Dylan, Music Calendar

Today: Bob Dylan recorded master version of “Isis” in 1975

Isis, oh, Isis, you mystical child
What drives me to you is what drives me insane
I still can remember the way that you smiled
On the fifth day of May in the drizzlin’ rain

Location: Studio E, Columbia Recording Studios – NYC

What:  5th Desire session, produced by Don DeVito.

Master versions recorded: Isis, Sara & Abandoned Love

  • Isis & Sara released on Desire 16 January 1976
  • Abandoned Love released on Biograph 28 October 1985
Bob Dylan (guitar, vocal), Scarlet Rivera (violin), Sheena Seidenberg (tambourine & congas), Rob Stoner (bass), Howie Wyeth (drums).
More detalis from: Olof’s Files 
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From Wikipedia:

This song is in a moderately fast 3/4 time, in the key of B-flat major. The arrangement is based on rhythm chords played on acoustic piano, accompanied by bass, drums, and violin. The harmonic progression consists of an ostinato using the chords I-♭VII-IV-I (B♭-A♭-E♭-B♭) throughout. The lyrics are all verses; there is no chorus. The melody is in the style of a modal folk song, emphasizing the tonic and dominant notes in the scale, with leaps of a fifth in between them. The mode is Mixolydian with a major third in the harmony, but Dylan’s delivery of the melody uses a flatted third as in the blues.

The song was written and recorded during a time of separation and reunion in Dylan’s own marriage; consequently, for fans and critics the temptation to interpret it as an allegory of Dylan’s own marital difficulties is irresistible, especially since the Desire album contains the song “Sara” which is openly about their marriage and separation. Since Dylan was known to include autobiographical hints in his previous songs, this interpretation cannot be considered farfetched. “Isis” draws upon mythological themes of a male hero separating from his wife, going on adventures, and returning to the marriage, going back to the Odyssey.

Dylan did an up-tempo live version of this song with the Rolling Thunder Revue, a performance of which was included in the film Renaldo and Clara. A live Rolling Thunder version of the song was included on the compilation album Biograph, which Dylan introduces as “a song about marriage”. Coupled with the name of the album, this introduction further insinuates that the song documents Dylan’s marital tribulations.

Live from Rolling Thunder 1 – Plymouth:

Spotify playlist – Isis, Sara & Abandoned Love:

Album of the day:

Other July-31:

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