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Bob Dylan has announced Bootleg Series Volume 18: Through The Open Window, 1956-1963, a massive, 8xCD box set that chronicles Dylan’s early years recording and performing in Minnesota and New York City.
Set to arrive on October 31st, the package is comprised of 139 songs; it features recordings conducted at soundchecks, Columbia Records outtakes, informal performances, renditions of songs from his club shows, impromptu jam sessions with fellow folk greats, and many more rarities, demos, and never-before-heard Dylan cuts. The box set also concludes with the entirety of Dylan’s landmark show at Carnegie Hall on October 26, 1963, another previously-unreleased recording capturing Dylan at a major turning point in his career.
The package will arrive in 8xCD deluxe box set comprised of all 139 tracks, 48 of which have never been released. Also included in the deluxe package is a hardcover book with extensive liner notes courtesy of author and historian Sean Wilentz, as well as over 100 rare photographs from the era. Dylan is also releasing a 42-track 2xCD and 4xLP “Highlight Edition” as an alternative to the 8xCD deluxe edition. Pre-orders are ongoing.
“Of that time and those places, this collection is just a fragment,” Wilentz writes. “Even so, as an aural record of an artist becoming himself — or in Dylan’s case, his first of many artistic selves — the collection aims to collapse time and space, not as a nostalgic reverie but as a living connection between the past and the present, the old and the new, which are never as distinct as we might think.”
As a preview for the new project, Dylan has revealed “Rocks and Gravel (Solid Road),” a previously-unreleased outtake recording during the Freewheelin’ sessions at Columbia Recording Studios on April 25th, 1962. The song’s video features dozens of photographs of a young Bob Dylan recording at Columbia in the early 1960s; stream the song below.
Bob Dylan’s early career was the entire focal point of A Complete Unknown, James Mangold’s recent biopic starring Timothée Chalamet. The period depicted in the film overlaps significantly with the recordings found in Through The Open Window; however, the film condenses and alters the timeline of Dylan moving to New York in the early ’60s, recording at Columbia Studios, and establishing himself in the city’s thriving folk scene.
Dylan is gearing up to close out the final shows of his “Outlaw Festival Tour” with Willie Nelson before heading off to Europe for another run of shows. Get tickets to see him here.
Bootleg Series Volume 18: Through The Open Window, 1956-1963 Artwork:
Bootleg Series Volume 18: Through The Open Window, 1956-1963 Tracklist:
DISC 1
01. Let the Good Times Roll (December 24, 1956 – Terlinde Music Shop, St. Paul, MN)
02. I Got a New Girl (May 1959 – Home of Ric Kangas, Hibbing, MN)
03. San Francisco Bay Blues
04. Jesus Christ (September 1960 – Home of Bob Dylan, Minneapolis, MN)
05. East Virginia Blues
06. K.C. Moan
07. Hard Travelin’ (Late 1960 – Madison, WI)
08. Pastures of Plenty
09. Remember Me (February 1961 – Home of Bob and Sid Gleason, East Orange, NJ)
10. Song to Woody
11. Talkin’ Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues (September 6, 1961 – The Gaslight Cafe, NYC)
12. Ain’t No Grave (Summer 1961 – Home of Mell and Lillian Bailey, NYC)
13. I Ain’t Got No Home (May 13, 1961 – Coffman Theater, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN)
14. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
15. Devilish Mary (May 1961 – Minneapolis, MN)
16. Introduction: Riverside Church
17. Handsome Molly (July 29, 1961 – Saturday of Folk Music (WRVR-FM), Riverside Church, NYC)
18. Introduction: See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
19. See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
20. The Girl I Left Behind
21. Introduction: Pretty Boy Floyd
22. Pretty Boy Floyd
23. Railroading on the Great Divide (October 1, 1961 – Gerdes Folk City, NYC)
24. Introduction: Fixin’ to Die
25. Fixin’ to Die (1961 – Folklore Center, NYC)
26. I’ll Fly Away – Take 1 (Alternate Take) (September 29, 1961 – Carolyn Hester sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
DISC 2
01. Introduction: In the Pines
02. In the Pines
03. Gospel Plow
04. Introduction: Young But Daily Growing
05. Young But Daily Growing
06. Man on the Street
07. This Land Is Your Land
08. Pretty Polly (November 4, 1961 – Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC)
09. Man of Constant Sorrow – Rehearsal (Alternate Take, Nov 20, 1961)
10. House Carpenter – Take 1 (Outtake, Nov 22, 1961)
11. You’re No Good – Take 2 with Take 6 Insert (Alternate Take, Nov 20, 1961)
12. He Was a Friend of Mine – Take 2 (Outtake, Nov 20, 1961)
13. Ramblin’ Round – Take 2 (Outtake, Nov 22, 1961) (Bob Dylan sessions Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
14. Story: East Orange, New Jersey
15. Stealin’
16. Po’ Lazarus
17. Dink’s Song
18. I Was Young When I Left Home
19. In the Evening
20. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
21. Cocaine (December 22, 1961 – Home of Bonnie Beecher, Minneapolis, MN)
DISC 3
01. The Death of Emmett Till
02. Conversation: Folksinger’s Choice, 1
03. Roll On, John
04. Conversation: Folksinger’s Choice, 2
05. Hard Times in New York Town (Broadcast March 11, 1962 – Folksinger’s Choice, WBAI-FM Studios, NYC)
06. Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues (March 1962 – Home of Mell and Lillian Bailey, NYC)
07. Ballad of Donald White (September 20, 1962 – Home of Mac and Eve McKenzie, NYC)
08. Midnight Special – Rehearsals
09. Midnight Special – Take 17 (Alternate Take) (February 2, 1962 – The Midnight Special sessions, Webster Hall, NYC)
10. Wichita (Album Version)
11. It’s Dangerous (Album Version) (March 2, 1962 – Three Kings and the Queen and Kings and the Queen, Volume Two sessions, Cue Recording Studios, NYC)
12. Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance
13. Talkin’ New York
14. Corrina, Corrina
15. Deep Ellum Blues
16. Introduction: Blowin’ in the Wind
17. Blowin’ in the Wind (April 16, 1962 – Gerdes Folk City, NYC)
18. Rambling, Gambling Willie – Take 3 (Outtake)
19. (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle – Take 2 (Outtake) (April 24, 1962 – Freewheelin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
20. Rocks and Gravel – Take 3 (Outtake) (April 25, 1962 – Freewheelin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
21. Paths of Victory
22. Train A-Travelin’ (Album Version) (October-December 1962 – Broadside Office, NYC)
23. Hiram Hubbard
24. Quit Your Low Down Ways
25. Let Me Die in My Footsteps
26. Ramblin’ on My Mind
27. Blue Yodel No. 8 (Mule Skinner Blues) (July 2, 1962 – The Finjan, Montreal, Canada)
DISC 4
01. Baby, Please Don’t Go – Take 3 (Outtake) (April 25, 1962 – Freewheelin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
02. Worried Blues – Take 1 (Outtake)
03. Baby, I’m in the Mood for You – Take 4 (Outtake)
04. Bob Dylan’s Blues – Take 2 (Outtake) (July 9, 1962 – Freewheelin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
05. Introduction: Tomorrow Is a Long Time
06. Tomorrow Is a Long Time
07. This Land Is Your Land – The Last Verses
08. Long Time Gone (August 11, 1962 – Home of Dave Whitaker, Minneapolis, MN)
09. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
10. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
11. Barbara Allen
12. The Cuckoo (October 1962 – The Gaslight Cafe, NYC)
13. That’s All Right – Take 5 (Outtake) (October 26, 1962 – Freewheelin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
14. Mixed-Up Confusion – Take 10 (Single Alternate Take) (November 1, 1962 – Freewheelin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
15. Ballad of Hollis Brown – Take 2 (Outtake)
16. Kingsport Town – Take 2 (Outtake) (November 14, 1962 – Freewheelin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
17. Whatcha Gonna Do? – Remake, Take 1 (Outtake)
18. Hero Blues – Take 4 (Outtake)
19. I Shall Be Free – Take 3 (Alternate Take) (December 6, 1962 – Freewheelin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
DISC 5
01. The Ballad of the Gliding Swan (Broadcast January 13, 1963 – “Madhouse on Castle Street,” BBC-TV Studios, London, England)
02. Only a Hobo (Album Version)
03. John Brown (Album Version) (February 1963 – Broadside Ballads, Vol. 1 sessions, Folkways Studio, NYC)
04. All Over You (February 8, 1963 – NYC)
05. Oxford Town (Demo) (March 1963 – Witmark Studio, NYC)
06. Bob Dylan’s Dream
07. Introduction: Walls of Red Wing
08. Walls of Red Wing
09. Introduction: Tomorrow Is a Long Time
10. Tomorrow Is a Long Time
11. Dusty Old Fairgrounds
12. Introduction: Pretty Peggy-O
13. Pretty Peggy-O
14. Who Killed Davey Moore?
15. Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie (April 12, 1963 – Town Hall, NYC)
16. James Alley Blues (April 18, 1963 – Home of Mac and Eve McKenzie, NYC)
17. I Rode Out One Morning (April 19, 1963 – Home of Mac and Eve McKenzie, NYC)
18. House of the Rising Sun (April 18, 1963 – Home of Mac and Eve McKenzie, NYC)
19. Talkin’ World War III Blues (April 21, 1963 – Club 47, Cambridge, MA)
20. Masters of War – Take 6 (Alternate Take)
21. Girl from the North Country – Take 4 (Alternate Take) (April 24, 1963 – Freewheelin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
DISC 6
01. Introduction by Cordell Reagon
02. Only a Pawn in Their Game
03. Blowin’ in the Wind (July 6, 1963 – SNCC Voter Registration Rally, Greenwood, MS)
04. Eternal Circle
05. Liverpool Gal
06. West Memphis (July 17, 1963 – Home of Tony Glover, Minneapolis, MN)
07. North Country Blues
08. With God on Our Side (July 27, 1963 – Newport Folk Festival, Newport, RI)
09. Playboys and Playgirls (July 28, 1963 – Newport Folk Festival, Newport, RI)
10. Blowin’ in the Wind (July 26, 1963 – Newport Folk Festival, Newport, RI; Bob Dylan: vocals and guitar)
11. Slate: Boots of Spanish Leather
12. Boots of Spanish Leather – Take 1 (Alternate Take)
13. Seven Curses – Take 3 (Outtake)
14. Farewell – Take 5 (Outtake) (August 6, 1963 – The Times They Are A-Changin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
15. Bob Dylan’s New Orleans Rag – Remake, Take 3 (Outtake) (August 7, 1963 – The Times They Are A-Changin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
16. Moonshiner – Remake, Take 1 (Outtake) (August 12, 1963 – The Times They Are A-Changin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
17. Introduction by Joan Baez
18. Troubled and I Don’t Know Why (August 17, 1963 – Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, NYC)
19. Introduction by Ossie Davis
20. When the Ship Comes In (August 28, 1963 – March on Washington, Washington, D.C.)
21. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (September 1963 – Home of Ben Shapiro, Los Angeles)
22. The Times They Are A-Changin’ (September 1963 – California)
23. One Too Many Mornings – Take 1 (Alternate Take) (October 24, 1963 – The Times They Are A-Changin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
24. Key to the Highway – Take 1 (Outtake) (October 23, 1963 – The Times They Are A-Changin’ sessions, Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, NYC)
DISC 7
01. The Times They Are A-Changin’
02. Ballad of Hollis Brown
03. Introduction: Who Killed Davey Moore?
04. Who Killed Davey Moore?
05. Boots of Spanish Leather
06. Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues
07. Lay Down Your Weary Tune
08. Introduction: Blowin’ in the Wind
09. Blowin’ in the Wind
10. Introduction: Percy’s Song
11. Percy’s Song
12. Seven Curses
13. Walls of Red Wing
14. Introduction: North Country Blues
15. North Country Blues
16. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall (October 26, 1963 – Carnegie Hall, NYC)
DISC 8
01. Talkin’ World War III Blues
02. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
03. Story: Hootenanny Hoot
04. With God on Our Side
05. Only a Pawn in Their Game
06. Introduction: Masters of War
07. Masters of War
08. Introduction: The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
09. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
10. Introduction: When the Ship Comes In
11. When the Ship Comes In (October 26, 1963 – Carnegie Hall, NYC)
English (US) · 