All You Have To Do Is Dream

New - Old music


For those of you who don't know, and how would you, I'll tell you the name of my favorite lifetime record release - Music From Big Pink by The Band. Being my favorite album [which also contains my two favorite songs] it stands to reason that I likewise revere the 'Big Pink' sessions [recorded in 1967 and released in 1975] as The Basement Tapes by Bob Dylan as one of the most historically significant sessions in musical history.




Imagine then, my longtime disappointment at not being able to get my hands on a copy of the available, but officially unreleased remainder of the Basement Tape sessions after searching for nearly 20 years !

The closest we got was an excellent recent release a few months ago of I'm Not There from the biographical film of the same name.

Until NOW ! As the opening song on the 5 disk (unofficial) set The Genuine Basement Tapes says All You Have To Do Is Dream ...and, it seems, wait long enough.

I won't go into much more detail here - I've just begun to wade into the 103 song collection, but from what I've heard so far, the wait and the money spent were well worth it !

This post wouldn't be complete without a nod to John L. who told me about the store where I found them and especially my wife Cathy who patiently waits while I roam near and far and dawdle in unkempt out of the way places in search of music. I wouldn't want to count the collective hours over our entire time together she's sacrificed to my endless panning - but a big Thanks is due ! This time I came up with pure gold !


Some examples -

It was just a coincidence that I had this post to contrast my last, but we span 40 years between the two. Here's Bob Dylan circa 1967 hiding out with his buddies and reinventing himself and music - again ! He's been recording for maybe 5 years and he's already on his third radical change in direction. I've included lyrics again because these are SO different from anything in music now or then - only Dylan could write down these words and say - that's a song ! ...and then never release it.

Finding this song is like peeling the top layer off of a master painting to find another sketch or rough prelude to the well known strokes we all know - it really gives us a new view of the the artist and his process.


Song Preview:All You Have To Do Is Dream


All you have to do is dream - Bob Dylan

If the farmer has no silo
And his fuel cost runs up high
Well, that's just how much I would love you
If you'd just only let me try.

In some nice young up to date kitchen
Let us get acquainted, dear
And them old floor birds will just quit eatin'
And just grin from ear to ear.

Two floor birds and a prudent baby chick
Yes that ain't, that ain't much to bust
But restriction causes damage
And damage causes lust.

So poor little girl, come blow this horn
Hard as any whole night seems
It's very easily done actually
All you have to do is dream.

Well, them old back scrapers are a dime a dozen
And I can get a call for a nickle
Yes, but look what an earful I get and it's all awful too
Every time I try to go get me a little tickle.

So, gimme one sweet loaf of bread
Just one sweet loaf, fill it up and I'll be gone
Yes, just like some of these old floor birds
Who fly from dawn to dawn.
Oh yes, who fly from dawn to dawn
Yes, who fly from dawn to dawn
Oh, fly from dawn to dawn. 


The second example has Dylan singing [what an understatement !] a version of a traditional sea shanty style song - but his delivery and passion make the song live and breathe ! Listen to this performance and it's clear [as if we needed any further proof] that Bob Dylan is a born musician.

So it's rise up my lads
Let your hearts never fail...

Song Preview:Bonnie Ship the Diamond

Basement Tape info:The Genuine Basement Tapes