Recommended “hits” compilations: #2 Masterpieces

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

“Yesterday I identified "Tomorrow Is A Long Time" as a highlight of “More Greatest Hits”.

“"Tomorrow Is A Long Time"'s other appearance on disc is on what very much looks like a precursor to 1985's Biograph box set, the Japan and Australia-only "Masterpieces" release from 1978.

“This 3CD set is also essential for Dylan fans, including as it does an intelligently selected collection of songs spanning Dylan's career from "Bob Dylan" to the most recent at the time official release, the live "Hard Rain" LP.

“Again, there are first time on an album outings for singles "Mixed Up Confusion" (proof that Dylan's rockabilly credentials go as far back as 1962), "Positively 4th Street" and "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window".

“This collection is essential for a clutch of rarities which to date have still not been made available on any other Dylan album - a 1966 live recording of "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues", which was the B side of the "I Want You" single, the superb piano/vocal version of "Spanish Is A Loving Tongue", which was the B side of the "Watching The River Flow" single, and the stomping "Rita May", recorded during the "Desire" sessions and released as a B side to the live version of "Stuck Inside Of Mobile", extracted from the "Hard Rain" LP.

“The one other unique recording on this set is the band version of "George Jackson", released in 1971 as a double sided single with the far superior acoustic version of the same song (which is sadly still awaiting its first album release).

“In fact, this album only puts a foot wrong in its inclusion of a live "Like A Rolling Stone", recorded by Dylan and the Band at the Isle Of Wight festival (previously made available on the "Self Portrait" album), in which Dylan (frankly) hilariously uses his "Nashville Skyline" voice to croon his way through one of his greatest songs, and repeatedly forgets the words in a way that has to be heard to be believed!”