Hidden riches on your Dylan shelves

Becoming acquainted with Tell Tale Signs – the packaging as well as the CDs – reminded me that I routinely overlook hidden riches on the Dylan album shelves.

Quite apart from the high quality recordings, the various album and DVD box set products include well-executed, extensive booklets full of expert discussion of the music, plus beautiful photographs.

I have a high regard for this aspect of Columbia/Sony’s tending of the Dylan legacy.

In case you also tend to overlook these riches, here’s details of what’s under your nose, but largely invisible:


* CDs
Biograph
Liner notes pp4-41 by Cameron Crowe; About The Songs pp42-62,
Cameron Crowe with Bob Dylan, 64pp, 1985

Bootleg Series vols 1-3
Liner notes by John Bauldie, 72pp, 1991

Bootleg Series vol 4 Live 1966
Liner notes by Tony Glover, 56pp, 1998

Bootleg Series vol 5 Live 1975
Liner notes by Larry ‘Ratso’ Sloman, 56pp, 2002

Bootleg Series vol 6 Live 1964,
Liner notes by Sean Wilentz, 56pp, 2004

Bootleg Series vol 7 No Direction Home: The Soundtrack
Liner notes by Andrew Loog Oldham, Eddie Gorodetsky and
Al Kooper, 60pp, 2005

Bootleg Series vol 8 Tell Tale Signs
Liner notes by Larry ‘Ratso’ Sloman, 64pp, 2008

The Essential Bob Dylan
Liner notes by Patrick Humphries, 12pp, 2001

DYLAN Limited Edition Box Set
Liner notes by Bill Flanagan, 40pp, 2007


* DVDs
Bob Dylan - Don’t Look Back (‘65 Tour De Luxe Edition)
Reprint of 1968 book, by D.A. Pennebaker, 159pp, 2007

The Other Side Of The Mirror:
Bob Dylan Live At The Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965
Liner notes by Tom Piazza, 20pp, 2007

Masked And Anonymous: music from the motion picture
Liner notes by Alan Light, 16pp, 2003


I’ve purposely excluded the Traveling Wilburys box, but probably missed some gems - please let me know.



Gerry Smith