You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go

This song by Bob Dylan was released on his 15th (yes, 15th) studio album Blood on the Tracks in 1975.

Surprisingly, I had never heard this song until last week when I went to the Miley concert, but I love it.  She first cover the song on the Bob Dylan tribute album Chimes of Freedom which was released in January 2012.

The album is four discs with a total of 73 tracks.  Singers, musicians, and bands on the album include, but are not limited to:  Johnny Cash, The Avett Brothers, Patti Smith, Pete Townshend, Ziggy Marley, Sting, The Gaslight Anthem, Lenny Kravitz, Miley Cyrus, Elvis Costello, Natasha Bedingfield, Jackson Browne, Jack's Mannequin, Adele, Carly Simon, Bad Religion, My Chemical Romance, RedOne, Nils Lofgren, Darren Criss, Sinéad O'Connor, Kesha, Maroon 5, Dave Matthews Band, and of course Bob Dylan.

The album was for charity with the proceeds going to the organization Amnesty International.  The record debuted in the United States at number 11 with 22,000 copies, while the 2-CD Starbucks version debuted at 38 with more than 10,200 copies sold.

[Source:  Google]

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

I recently read a short story by Joyce Carol Oates called Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been about a fifteen-year-old beauty named Connie who finds herself responding to someone who shouldn't even know she exists.  He, Arnold Friend, persuades her to go with him, away from her family because they don't really care about her and he will love her.  Intense, isn't it?

But in the beginning of the story, Oates says, "For Bob Dylan."  Why?  Oates has stated that after listening to Dylan's 1965 song "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," she was inspired to write this story in '66.  I have been trying to figure out why she was inspired by this song in particular.  The tone and mood can definitely be part of it.  But when you look at the lyrics of the song, they relate to Connie's situation:

“Leave your stepping stones behind, something calls for you.

Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you.

The vagabond who's rapping at your door

Is standing in the clothes that you once wore.

Strike another match, go start anew

And it's all over now, Baby Blue."

1. "Leave your stepping stones behind, something calls for you" is mentioned throughout the story, as Friend          keeps asking Connie to follow him.  As she keeps staring at him, she starts to think he's not eighteen like        he said.

2. Friend uses yet another method of persuasion where he tells her how her family won't follow her and the       life he will give her can't compare.  Sounds like "Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you."

3. Arnold Friend later approaches a door when Connie backs away and threatens to call the police which         pertains to the line, "The vagabond who's rapping at your door."

4. Do I want to give the end away?!  The heck, you're not going to read it!  He goes with her.  "Strike               another match, go start anew.  And it's all over now Baby Blue."  Connie looks beyond Arnold as she           opens the door and sees a world she never did before.  And as she walks to him, he talks about her             BLUE eyes...but she has brown eyes.  

People say how there are several Dylan references in this story.  Maybe I will talk about those another day.

Happy Birthday

I just want to take a moment to wish Brian Mackey a very happy birthday!  I posted about Brian and his great music back on August 29th.  If you have not already, I really suggest listening to his music and buy some songs!  I have two reasons why you should.  One, his songs are very good - sound a little Bob Dylan-ish.  And two, you only live once. YOLO.  That's really my answer for everything.

Well, happy birthday, Brian!  I hope you have a great day.  Here's a video of Bob Dylan singing "Happy Birthday" to you.  Actually it's to Eric Clapton but we can pretend it's to you.

"Honest Love" for this artist

I find every artist I like on either Twitter or Instagram.  Where would I be without those social networks?

Brian Mackey is a New York based artist who originated from the Sunshine State.  On his website he says, "My songwriting is really just an autobiographical musical.  Ironically enough I've never been a fan of musicals," which I find to be kind of comedic.  Funny.

Honest Love is his most recent, and third, EP.  Feng Shui for Slobs was a 2008 release and Brian Mackey Red is from 2009.  I guess you could say he's gotten a lot done in the past six years.

Mackey also stated about Honest Love on his website, "When you strike a balance between thought and emotion, then you have something that translates to others."  I honestly don't think I could have ever said it better myself.  I mean, think about it.  Only the greatest artists have been able to accomplish that balance.  Jackson Browne did so with the song "The Pretender."  Don McLean succeeded with "American Pie."  "American Pie" translated perfectly to every single person when it was released back in 1971.  When listening to Brian's songs earlier, I can not tell you how accurate his word is.  He, to me, achieved something that has only been done, to me, by the "greats."  He found that "balance between thought and emotion" and he ran with it.  Kudos to you, Brian.

As if that isn't cool enough, his songs "Color Blue" and "Honest Love" off Honest Love have been used in movies with actress Sara Paxton and movies directed by Oliver Robins.  In my eyes, this guy has a lot to brag about.

One of his favorite artists is Bob Dylan.  Now, before I knew that information, when I first listened to his music, the only name that popped into my head was Bob Dylan.  Mackey is a more modern version of Dylan, yet he still has the sound of classic Bob Dylan.  He has the sound that I want to see more in singers.

He is one of those artists I would love to collaborate with and I mean what I say as far as collaborations are concerned.  His sound and his lyrics are what I love so much.

Follow him on Twitter at @brianmackeynyc
Visit his website www.brianmackeymusic.com

[Video:  youtube.com]

Highway 61 Revisited

The sixth album of folk-rock artist Bob Dylan released by Columbia in 1965.  Considered to be one of the greatest records of all time, Dylan recorded the entire thing in six days.  The whole thing is brilliantly done and includes famous guitarist Mike Bloomfield.  Chart-topper "Like a Rolling Stone" is only one of the reasons why this album is outstanding.  "Desolation Row" was an all-acoustic track but only became that way because of a last minute decision by Dylan himself.




(photo: Daniel Kramer)

December 17th

1962: Bob Dylan arrived in England for the first time.

1968: The Who played their Xmas party at the Marquee Club in London.

1977: Elvis Costello, performing on "Saturday Night Live", stopped his performance of "Less Than Zero" saying "there's no reason to do this" and began performing "Radio Radio" which he was told not to perform.

1982: 30 years ago, Karen Carpenter made her last live appearance with The Carpenters in Sherman, CA.

2000: Bob the Builder went to Number-one on the UK charts with the theme song, "Can We Fix It".

The Last Waltz

The Band is definitely an amazing band. This past Thanksgiving was the 36th anniversary of their "The Last Waltz" concert - their final concert as a band before breaking up.
The Band started in 1964 and in 1965 they were hired to be the back-up band for Bob Dylan on his US and world tours. On Thanksgiving Day in 1976, the Band, consisting of Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, and Robbie Robertson, got together at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, CA for one final concert entitled "The Last Waltz" and was described as their "farewell concert appearance".
At 5:00 p.m., the audience of 5,000 was served turkey dinner and at 9:00, the Band started their show, opening with "Up on Cripple Creek". Eleven more of their most famous songs followed including "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down".
But the concert wasn't over yet as many other famous performers made appearances. Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond, Emmylou Harris, Muddy Waters, The Staples, Ringo Starr, Ron Wood, Dr. John, Paul Butterfield, and Ronnie Hawkins were all included in this important night.
After five-hours, The Last Waltz came to an end. Robbie Robertson said, "We knew this was the most powerful musical experience of our days together and a very satisfying and beautiful way to bring it all to a conclusion."

Give thanks

Happy Thanksgiving!  I am thankful for a lot of things: my family, my friends, my house, my school, and of course music.  There are many classic artists I am thankful for (in no particular order):

1. The Beatles - They revolutionized rock music
2. The Rolling Stones - They ARE rock music
3. Buddy Holly - He created rock music
4. Beethoven - His music changed the way we see some music
5. Michael Jackson - He's the "King of Pop"
6. Elvis Presley - He's the "King"
7. Bruce Springsteen - He's the "Boss"
8. Queen - One of the most relevant bands of all time
9. Elton John - His lyrics are incomparable
10. Led Zeppelin - A lot of singers covered their songs
11. Bob Dylan - Was an idol for a lot of singers
12. Frank Sinatra - He owns New York