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Today we hit one of my favorite shows of Rolling Thunder 1976. It’s got an impassioned performance, a partial soundboard, and a bit of unique BobTalk. But I won’t bury the lead. The big news is the setlist. Three songs in particular, all not only new to the tour but also his first time played ever (at his own concerts, at least—we’ll get there).
First up, near the top of the show, is one of my single favorite performances of the entire tour. Top 5 for sure. It’s the only “Spanish Is the Loving Tongue” he played the entire tour.
If all you know is the glossy studio version on the unsanctioned 1973 Dylanalbum (that’s the one where the chirpy backing singers lurch in like a jumpscare), get ready for a revelation. It’s also not much like the jaunty Basement Tapes outtake. It’s closest to the solo-piano outtake that appeared on Another Self-Portrait—but even better (and on guitar, not piano). It’s one of his best vocal performances of the entire tour, and the only time he’s ever played the song live in a proper concert. He did a much worse version at the drunken 1974 Friends of Chile benefit. This is a million times better.
After that opening, Bob intros “Maggie’s Farm” by saying, “Gonna play this for Augie.” Presumably that’s the late organist Augie Meyers, the San Antonio native who would later play on Time Out of Mind and Love & Theft. Bob unfortunately missed the opportunity to sing the song as “Augie’s Farm.”
Next up, another cover only ever played at that 1974 Friends of Chile benefit—and there sung by Arlo Guthrie, accompanied by Dylan on guitar—gets its proper live debut. This one, however, would become a Rolling Thunder setlist staple. It’s the Woody Guthrie song “Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos).”
It was surely no coincidence he debuted this in Texas, near that Mexico border Woody writes about, and that it segued right into “I Pity the Poor Immigrant.” Both songs were duets with Joan Baez, and one imagines she played some role in nudging him toward this politically-minded combo. My favorite Bob-Joan ’76 duet remains “Railroad Boy,” but “Deportee” is a close second.
Finally, perhaps most exciting on paper but, to me, least impressive in execution is the concert debut of an original Dylan composition: “I Want You.” Shockingly, it took 10 full years for Bob to play that at his own show! (He’d jammed on it with Neil Young and co. at the 1975 SNACK benefit, but Bob’s mic was turned off so I barely even count that one.)
It’s great to hear, but they basically mirror the Blonde on Blonde arrangement. I would have loved to hear a fiery 1976-style version. Nevertheless, “I Want You” made semi-regular appearances through the end of the tour.
Listen to the tracks and subscribe here . . . .
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