CHRIS GREGORY at BOB DYLAN NIGHT Shepton Mallet 22/10/2022

Chris performs Bob Dylan’s POEM FOR JOANIE at BOB DYLAN NIGHT

Chris performs an extract from TARANTULA (with audience participation!!!) at BOB DYLAN NIGHT

Chris reads the extract on RESTLESS FAREWELL from DETERMINED TO STAND: THE REINVENTION OF BOB DYLAN at BOB DYLAN NIGHT

Chris reads the STANDING IN THE DOORWAY extract from ‘DETERMINED TO STAND’ at BOB DYLAN NIGHT

The BOB DYLAN NIGHT at the Art Bank Shepton Mallet was an experimental event featuring readings and performances by Chris and music by Bob Dylan and his interpreters presented by legendary local DJ DR. LOVE. Much fun was had by all. There was a (very hard!) quiz and later even some dancing!!!

If you’d like us to put on a similar event in your area leave a comment on this site….

DAILY DYLAN NEWS at the wonderful EXPECTING RAIN

THE BOB DYLAN PROJECT- COMPREHENSIVE LISTINGS

THE OFFICIAL SITE

BOB DYLAN ARCHIVE

STILL ON THE ROAD – ALL DYLAN’S GIGS

WIKIPEDIA

MICHAEL GRAY

BOB DYLAN CONCORDANCE

ISIS – DYLAN MAGAZINE

DEFINITELY DYLAN

BORN TO LISTEN

SKIPPING REELS OF RHYME

UNTOLD DYLAN

BADLANDS

BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME

THE BRIDGE

DYLAN COVER ALBUMS

THE BOB DYLAN STARTING POINT

COME WRITERS AND CRITICS

BREADCRUMB SINS (ITALIAN)

MY BACK PAGES

MAGGIE’S FARM (ITALIAN)

SEARCHING FOR A GEM

THE BOB DYLAN CENTER

TABLEAU PICASSO

THE CAMBRIDGE BOB DYLAN SOCIETY

A THOUSAND HIGHWAYS

Comments (2)

Michael Aderhold

January 17, 2023

Hello, Chris
I am thoroughly impressed by “Determined to Stand” (wished it were longer) and have been reading your work since 2008/2009 (examinations of Tell Tale Signs, track-by-track). Your most recent post re: Tangled Up in Blue draws comparisons to Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne (specifically, the latter’s “Fountain of Sorrow”). Curiously, I have often had one of those “moments” while listening to either “Fountain of Sorrow” or “Tangled Up in Blue” where each song seems to reference the other.

Probably a stretch, but Browne’s first-verse image in Fountain of Sorrow – an indelible image that carries the entire song – seems very similar to an image in Tangled Up in Blue.

Fountain of Sorrow
“You were turning ’round to see who was behind you
And I took your childish laughter by surprise
And at the moment that my camera happened to find you
There was just a trace of sorrow in your eyes”

Tangled Up in Blue
“She turned around to look at me
As I was walking away
I heard her say over my shoulder
‘We’ll meet again someday
On the avenue’
Tangled up in blue”

Similar? Yes. Coincidence? Maybe.

Note that Dylan’s lyrics for TUiB were slightly different in Sept 1974 in New York:
“And she turned around to look at him
As he was walkin’ away
She said, ‘This can’t be the end
We’ll meet on another day, on the avenue’
Tangled up in blue.”

Regardless of whether this is merely speculation or strong enough to amount to a theory, I imagine the following scenario:
Dylan records Blood on the Tracks in NY in September, 1974, but is not entirely happy with the results. Browne’s Late for the Sky is released in September, 1974 and peaks in early December at #14 on the Billboard charts. I’ve read where Dylan respects Browne as a songwriter, and there’s probably a good chance he listened to Late for the Sky some time between September and January, at which time he re-recorded TUiB in Minneapolis while modifying the lyrics. If that is the case (we know that Dylan listens to everything) – my guess is that he liked FoS, was struck by the image and its similarity to his own song, and proceeded (subconsciously) to modify his own lyrics, turning a flat image into a fuller, rounder image.

Inspiration comes from many places, so, maybe? I don’t know. I do note that Dylan’s character doesn’t even bother to turn around, while Browne’s character snaps a photo, so there’s that. And now that I’m reading this, I’m not even sure I’ve convinced myself (yet have invested way too much time on this comment to delete).

Anyway, I enjoy your insight and your voice in everything you write and look forward to the big analytical book on Dylan’s lyrics that is sure to come.
-summerteeth-

Alupo Sarah

December 3, 2022

So grateful to watch your performance

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