“Bob’s bad stuff is better than other musicians’ best”

Down in the Groove is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan‘s 25th studio album, released by Columbia Records 30 May 1988. Egil here at Johannasvisions rate it as maybe Dylan’s lowest point. Me? I’m not so sure anymore…

It got pretty terrible reviews upon it’s release. Many reviewers compared it to his previous album, Knocked Out Loaded, and not in a favourable way.

Wikipedia:
“A highly collaborative effort, it was Dylan’s second consecutive album to receive almost unanimous negative reviews. Released during a period when his recording career was experiencing a slump, sales were disappointing, reaching only #61 in the US and #32 in the UK.”

How is it in hindsight? Was it unfairly slated? I think it’s better than reported and as usual Dylan’s standards were expected to be higher than anybody else’s. We cannot expect a masterpiece every time. Can we?

The album was delayed for more than six months and the track listing changed at least three times. The tracks that made the final album come from many different recording sessions spread out over a long time (six years?).

I’ve always thought of it as a strangely confusing album, but it gets less confusing with each listen session. It has some very good cover songs. Let’s Stick together opens the record in an energetic way, I would love to hear it live!

The comes the song I think is not very good at all, the cover When did you leave heaven. Very eighties drum sound, strange production, it just sounds a bit off, I don’t think the song suits Dylan, and it ends kind of funny.

Sally Sue Brown, the third track is another rockn’roll/soul standard that gets a good run through. I prefer Arthur Alexanders classic, but it is not bad at all.

The last three songs on the album are also cover songs (Ninety Miles an Hour (Down a dead end street), Shenandoah and Rank Strangers To Me, and they are all quite good actually.

I like Rank Strangers To Me best (the closing track). Dylan sings beautifully.

Let’s also include a fine live version from Wembley 1997:


In between all this there are some terrific originals, Silvio and Death Is Not The End being the best, I think.

Silvio has been part of Bob Dylan ‘s set list many times and deservedly so, written in collaboration with Grateful Dead’s Robert Hunter, as was The Ugliest Girl In The World a more rock’n roll number.

“And yet, and yet, there’s a glimmer–the Dylan-Hunter throwaway “Ugliest Girl in the World,” guaranteed to remind the faithful how much fun the one-take ethos used to be.” – Robert Christgau

“…sort of “Subterranean Homesick Blues” meets American Beauty “
– Rolling Stone Magazine on Silvio

A very fine version of Silvio (1996?) :

Other artists have also seen the quality in Death Is Not The End (which reminds me of Blur’s Tender by the way, especially the background vocals).

Let’s hear two fine cover versions.

Nick Cave, Kylie Minogue, Blixa Bargeld, Mick Harvey and Shane MacGowan – Death is not the end:

The Waterboys – Death is not the end (audio):

Bob Dylan’s great original:

Allmusic starts of by saying it is not so good, but ends on rather positive note:

“…at best hoping to capture the mellow roots rock of the Grateful Dead (which it does, on Dylan’s irresistible collaborations with Robert Hunter, “Ugliest Girl in the World” and “Silvio”). The rest of the record strolls through covers with amiable ease, whether he’s backed by ex-punks or lifetime pros. That may not make for a great record by any stretch, but it’s a rather ingratiating one, a little more focused than Knocked Out  Loaded and a little looser and funkier than Empire Burlesque. Actually, not as heavy on great moments as either (especially Burlesque), but it’s still rather nice in its low-key way.”

There is one more song on the album, the bluesy shuffle, Had A Dream About You Baby taken from the soundtrack of Hearts of Fire. Nice enough rock’n roller but not very special.

Could it have been a better album if the original track listing was kept?

From searchingforagem:

The rumour at the time was that Down In The Groove was intended by Bob to be a double album but was cut down to a single album by Columbia. Certainly promos were released with these two alternative track listings before the final track list was decided and the album was eventually released in Jun 1988. Got Love If You Want It, Important Words and The Usual (see below) were replaced, and there are several unreleased covers from the sessions in circulation which may have been planned for inclusion on a two disc set. However, I have yet to see any physical evidence of anything other than a single album, so any “culling” must have been done before masters were created.

R-0191-3 The Usual (John Hiatt) – from the album Hearts Of Fire: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack , this replaced Important Words from the first promo version
Also appeared on singles and the 1993 Japanese promo CD Mr. D’s Collection # 3

The second promo release track listing was:
Side 1 – Let’s Stick Together; When Did You Leave Heaven?; Got Love If You Want It; Ninety Miles An Hour; Sally Sue Brown.
Side 2 – Ugliest Girl In The World; Silvio; The Usual; Shenandoah; Rank Strangers.

You decide…

Got Love If You Want It instead of Had A Dream About You Baby?

Yes from me on that one.

Important Words instead of Death Is Not The End?

A clear no on this from me, I prefer Death Is Not The End.

The Usual instead of Had A Dream About You Baby?

I really like the song and would have liked to see it on the album along with Got Love if You Want It.

And yes I think the album would have been better with those two songs included.

There are several more outtakes mostly covers of old rock’n roll songs and available for those who seek on the internet.

Listen to Down In The Groove again, give it another chance, it might surprise you.

Other 30 May:

Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the “King of Swing”.

In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America. His January 16, 1938 concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City is described by critic Bruce Eder as “the single most important jazz or popular music concert in history: jazz’s ‘coming out’ party to the world of ‘respectable’ music.”

Goodman’s bands launched the careers of many major names in jazz, and during an era of segregation, he also led one of the first well-known racially-integrated jazz groups. Goodman continued to perform to nearly the end of his life, including exploring his interest in classical music.

Nicholas Bowen “Topper” Headon (born 30 May 1955), known as “Topper” due to his resemblance to Mickey the Monkey from the Topper comic, is a British rock and roll drummer, best known for his membership in the punk rock band The Clash. He is commonly recognised as the most inspirational and technically inventive punk rock drummer of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Writing for Allmusic Greg Pato stated that record producer Sandy Pearlman dubbed Headon as “The Human Drum Machine”, due to his impeccable timing and drumming skills.

– Hallgeir

Sources: Wikipedia, Rolling Stone Magazine, Allmusic, Serchingforagem, Clinton Heylin’s Bob Dylan Behind The Shades, Robert Christgaus webpage, Bonhams Auctions webpage, Olof’s files