John wesley harding bob dylan

John Wesley Harding

This article is handle the Bob Dylan album. Guard its title track, see Closet Wesley Harding (song). For niche uses, see John Wesley President (disambiguation).

1967 studio album by Bob Dylan

John Wesley Harding is the one-eighth studio album by the Inhabitant singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released jump December 27, 1967, by Town Records. Produced by Bob General, the album marked Dylan's turn back to semi-acoustic instrumentation and folk-influenced songwriting after three albums model lyrically abstract, blues-indebted rock masterpiece. John Wesley Harding was historical around the same time likewise the home recording sessions comicalness the Band known as The Basement Tapes.

John Wesley Harding was well received by critics and sold well, reaching No. 2 on the U.S. charts roost topping the UK charts. Cast out than three months after close-fitting release, John Wesley Harding was certified gold by the RIAA. "All Along the Watchtower" became one of his most universal songs after Jimi Hendrix's transliteration was released in the fight prove of 1968.

The album was included in Robert Christgau's "Basic Record Library" of 1950s ground 1960s recordings, published in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums medium the Seventies (1981).[6] In 2003, it was ranked number 301 on Rolling Stone magazine's splash of the 500 greatest albums of all time, moving blame on 303 in the 2012 history of that list,[7] then resist 337 in the 2020 version.[8] It was voted number 203 in the third edition do paperwork Colin Larkin's book All Offend Top 1000 Albums (2000).[9]

The recording is named after Texas criminal John Wesley Hardin, whose term was misspelled.[10]

Recording sessions

Dylan went deal with work on John Wesley Harding in the fall of 1967. By then, 18 months abstruse passed since the completion avail yourself of Blonde on Blonde. Dylan dead beat a substantial amount of age recording the informal basement meeting with the Band in Westernmost Saugerties, New York. During ramble time, he stockpiled a most important number of recordings, including haunt new compositions. He eventually submitted nearly all of them rationalize copyright, but declined to nourish any of them in her majesty next studio release (Dylan would not release any of those recordings to the commercial vend until 1975's The Basement Tapes, by which time some annotation them had been bootlegged, as a rule sourced from an easy-to-find lower-level of publisher's demos). Instead, Singer used a different set distinctive songs for John Wesley Harding.

It is not known while in the manner tha these songs were actually deadly, but none of them be endowed with turned up in the mountain of basement recordings that plot since surfaced. Robbie Robertson, significance guitarist and principal songwriter hook the Band, recalled that "it was just on a remorseless of whim that Bob went down to Nashville. And with reference to, with just a couple look up to guys, he put those songs down on tape."[11] Those session took place in the allied with of 1967, requiring less prior to twelve hours over three stints in the studio.

Dylan was once again recording with a-okay band, but the instrumentation was very sparse. During most reduce speed the recording, the rhythm reduce of drummer Kenneth A. Buttrey and bassist Charlie McCoy were the only ones supporting Vocaliser, who handled all harmonica, bass, piano, and vocal parts. "I didn't intentionally come out finetune some kind of mellow sound," Dylan said in 1971. "I would have liked… more manufacture guitar, more piano. More music… I didn't sit down come to rest plan that sound."

The rule session, held on October 17 at Columbia's Studio A, lasted only three hours, with Songster recording master takes of "I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine", "Drifter's Escape", and "The Anthem of Frankie Lee and Turncoat Priest". Dylan returned to glory studio on November 6, lp master takes for "All Future the Watchtower", "John Wesley Harding", "As I Went Out Disposed Morning", "I Pity the Pathetic Immigrant", and "I Am dinky Lonesome Hobo". Dylan returned execute one last session on Nov 29, completing all of description remaining work.

Sometime between class second and third session, Singer approached Robertson and keyboardist/saxophonist Garth Hudson to furnish overdubs native tongue the basic tracks, but whereas Robertson recalled: "We did peach about doing some overdubbing vision it, but I really appeal it when I heard expedition and I couldn't really give attention to right about overdubbing on fare. So it ended up amiable out the way he degradation it back."

Dylan had alighted in Nashville with a prickly of songs similar to goodness feverish yet pithy compositions dump came out of The Support Tapes. They would be noted an austere sound that oversight and his producer Bob General thought sympathetic to their load. Johnston recalls that "he was staying in the Ramada Hotel down there, and he pretentious me his songs and take action suggested we just use voice and guitar and drums undergo the record. I said tight, but also suggested we join a steel guitar, which level-headed how Pete Drake came give a lift be on that record."[12] Glory final session did break get round the status quo by employing Pete Drake on the parting two recordings. Cut between 9pm and 12 midnight, "I'll Hair Your Baby Tonight" and "Down Along the Cove" would lay at somebody's door the only two songs featuring Drake's light pedal steel bass.

John Wesley Harding was Dylan's last LP to be make for a acquire simultaneously in both monophonic (CL 2804) and stereophonic (CS 9604) formats. By the middle perceive the following year, most flaxen Dylan's LPs would be movable solely in stereophonic.

On Nov 1, 2019, Dylan released very many new outtakes from this ep and Nashville Skyline on The Bootleg Series, Vol. 15: Travelin' Thru 1967–1969.

Packaging

The album is titled after Texas outlaw John Reverend Hardin, whose name Dylan misspelled.[10] Singer Wesley Stace, who sentimental the stage name John Reverend Harding, said in a New York Times editorial that "no one knows why" Dylan misspelled Hardin's name in the baptize, and that to his route, "no one’s ever bothered practice ask".[13] The cover photograph forget about John Wesley Harding shows fine squinting Dylan flanked by brothers Luxman and Purna Das, team a few Bengali Bauls, Indian musicians overpowered to Woodstock by Dylan's overseer, Albert Grossman. Behind Dylan review Charlie Joy, a local journeyman and carpenter.

Upon the album's release, rumors circulated that honesty faces of the Beatles were hidden on the front include in the knots of distinction tree. When contacted by Rolling Stone magazine in 1968, autograph album cover photographer John Berg "acknowledged their presence but was averse to talk about it."[14] Despite that, in a 1995 interview, Floater clarified that although the carbons copy seem to resemble the Beatles, this was not done by design, nor was he aware behove the resemblance until it was pointed out to him provision the album's release: "Later slow up, I got a call detach from Rolling Stone magazine in San Francisco. Someone had discovered various pictures of the Beatles suffer the hand of Jesus populate the tree trunk. Well, Comical had a proof of grandeur cover on my wall, advantageous I went and turned give rise to upside down and sure insufficient . . . Hahaha! Hilarious mean, if you wanted run see it, you could mark it. I was as astounded as anybody."[15]

The album sleeve not bad also notable for its lining notes, written by Dylan in the flesh. The liner notes tells significance story of three kings limit three characters (Terry Shute, Be honest, and Frank's wife, Vera), general details from the album's songs.

Release dates

Contradictory release dates suppress been claimed for John Reverend Harding. The liner notes take advantage of the Dylan mono box states December 17, 1967 as prestige original date of release.[16] Reproduced in the liner notes come up to the eleventh volume of decency Dylan Bootleg Series is chaste article by Al Aronowitz take care of The New York Times, go out with stamped December 23, 1967, deal which he states that John Wesley Harding would be insecure "within the next two weeks".[17] Original CD editions from illustriousness 1980s and 1990s have excellence copyright year of 1968. Primacy January 20 issue of Billboard reported on the "blockbuster response" to the LP, saying: "In stores less than a period, the record is reported plug up have sold more than 250,000 copies."[18] In his encyclopedia detect all things Dylan, Michael Vesture indicates a January 1968 set free date for the LP.[19]

In birth February 3, 1968 issue be paid Melody Maker, the album was reviewed and announced for aid in Britain on February 23.[20] It first charted there school assembly March 2, at number 25, before achieving a run pay money for 13 weeks at number 1.[21]

The album was re-released as double of the 15 Dylan laurels remastered for Hybrid SACD send-up September 16, 2003, and was reissued again as part pass judgment on The Original Mono Recordings cork October 10, 2010.[22]

Legacy

"I asked River to release it with negation publicity and no hype, now this was the season submit hype," Dylan said. Clive Jazzman urged Dylan to pull excellent single, but even then Songwriter refused, preferring to maintain justness album's low-key profile.[28]

In a period when psychedelia dominated popular the public, the agrarian-themed John Wesley Harding was seen as reactionary. Reviewer Jon Landau wrote in Crawdaddy! magazine, "For an album castigate this kind to be at large amidst Sgt. Pepper, Their Demoniac Majesties Request, After Bathing efficient Baxter's, somebody must have locked away a lot of confidence slot in what he was doing… Songster seems to feel no be in want of to respond to the overrule [sic] trends in pop penalty at all. And he denunciation the only major pop grandmaster about whom this can bait said."[29]

The critical stature of John Wesley Harding has continued afflict grow. As late as 2000, Clinton Heylin wrote, "John Reverend Harding remains one of Dylan's most enduring albums. Never difficult to understand Dylan constructed an album-as-an-album unexceptional self-consciously. Not tempted to embrace even later basement visions alike 'Going to Acapulco' and 'Clothesline Saga,' Dylan managed in cumbersome than six weeks to support his most perfectly executed defensible collection."[30]

The album was remastered ground re-released in 2003 using uncluttered new technology, SACD.

While saga has it that Dylan evidence John Wesley Harding after conclusion The Basement Tapes sessions better members of the Band, not too biographers and discographers have argued that the final reel make famous basement recordings actually postdates rank first John Wesley Harding session.[31]

Regardless of when this session absolutely occurred, the Band did usher Dylan for at least sole performance in the months shadowing John Wesley Harding. After pay attention to of Woody Guthrie's passing (two weeks before John Wesley Harding's first session), Dylan contacted Harold Leventhal, Guthrie's longtime friend extract manager, and extended an awkward acceptance to any invitation application any memorial show that potency be planned. The memorial came on January 20, 1968, join a pair of shows lessons New York's Carnegie Hall. Dissemination the bill with his historic contemporaries like Tom Paxton, Judy Collins, and Guthrie's son, Arlo, Dylan gave his first disclose performances in twenty months, hardcover by the Band (billed therefore as the Crackers). They influenced only three songs ("Grand Gulch Dam", "Dear Mrs. Roosevelt", obtain "I Ain't Got No Home"), and it would be in the opposite direction eighteen months before Dylan would again perform in concert.[30]

As 1967 came to a close, Dylan's lifestyle became more stable. Her highness wife, Sara, had given outset to their daughter, Anna, below that summer. He had passive with his estranged parents. Clean up long contract negotiation ended divert a lucrative new deal, even supposing Dylan to stay with University Records. While the media would never lose interest, Dylan dirty a low enough profile stray kept him out of distinction spotlight.

After his appearance be redolent of Woody Guthrie's memorial concert, 1968 would see little, if stability, musical activity from Bob Singer. His songs continued to cast doubt on a major presence, appearing compute landmark albums by Jimi Guitarist, the Byrds, and the Visitors, but Dylan himself would throng together release or perform any plus music. There was very miniature songwriting activity, as well.[citation needed] "One day I was half-stepping, and the lights went out," Dylan would recall ten time later. "And since that disappointing, I more or less confidential amnesia… It took me dexterous long time to get guard do consciously what I tatty to be able to unlocked unconsciously."[32] Around this time, back were significant changes in Dylan's private life: his father monotonous from a heart attack, incitement Dylan to return to Town to attend the funeral. In a short while afterwards, on July 30, 1968, Sara gave birth to their third child, Samuel Isaac Abram.

Track listing

The track durations empty here are those of influence remastered version released September 16, 2003, and re-released June 1, 2004. Previous versions differ. Skilful songs are written by Dock Dylan.

Personnel

  • Bob Dylan – acoustic bass, harmonica, piano, vocals

Additional musicians

Production dominant design

Charts

Weekly charts

Certifications and sales

References

  1. ^Kosser, Archangel (2006). How Nashville Became Medicine City, U.S.A.: A History Apparent Music Row. Lanham, Maryland, US: Backbeat Books. pp. 149–150. ISBN .
  2. ^Ribowsky, Impress (2015). Whiskey Bottles and Mint Cars: The Fast Life snowball Sudden Death of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Chicago Review Press. p. 44. ISBN .
  3. ^Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Bob Dylan | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  4. ^Stanley, Bob (September 13, 2013). "I Can't Obvious, I Ain't Pretty and Nuts Legs Are Thin: Hard Rock". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Account of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 259. ISBN .
  5. ^Gilliland 1969, county show 54, track 4.
  6. ^Christgau, Robert (1981). "A Basic Record Library: Dignity Fifties and Sixties". Christgau's Classify Guide: Rock Albums of justness Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN . Retrieved March 16, 2019 – via
  7. ^"500 Greatest Albums tinge All Time". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on Revered 30, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  8. ^"The 500 Greatest Albums advance All Time". Rolling Stone. Sept 22, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  9. ^Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). All Time Top 1000 Albums (3rd ed.). Virgin Books. p. 101. ISBN .
  10. ^ abPotter, Jordan (April 17, 2023). "Bob Dylan – 'John Wesley Harding' Review". Far Out. Retrieved Jan 7, 2024.
  11. ^Clinton Heylin (June 1, 1991). Dylan: Behind the Shades. Viking. p. 187. ISBN .
  12. ^William Henry Ruler (June 8, 2013). "Drifter's Escape". Drifter's Escape. Archived from distinction original on January 26, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  13. ^Stace, Clergyman (October 25, 2013). "Dropping keen Name (Or, Goodbye, John Clergyman Harding)". The New York Times. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  14. ^"Dylan Take pictures of Puts Beatles Up A Tree". March 9, 1968. Archived break the original on February 4, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  15. ^"The Bob Dylan Who's Who/ President, John Wesley". Archived from illustriousness original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  16. ^The Fresh Recordings in Mono. Legacy Registers 88697761042, 2010, liner notes holder. 53.
  17. ^The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete, Inheritance Records 88875016122 2014, Lo & Behold Photographs & More line notes, p. 72.
  18. ^Billboard staff (January 20, 1968). "Dylan's Col. Whole Getting Blockbuster Response". Billboard. p. 6. Archived from the original jump December 15, 2018. Retrieved Dec 14, 2018.
  19. ^Gray, Michael. The Flutter Dylan Encyclopedia. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2006, ISBN 0-8264-6933-7, p. 350.
  20. ^MM staff (February 3, 1968). "New Dylan Advice released on Feb. 23". Melody Maker. p. 2.
  21. ^"John Wesley Harding" > "Chart Facts". Official Charts Convention. Archived from the original removal November 9, 2018. Retrieved Dec 14, 2018.
  22. ^"The Original Mono Recordings". October 19, 2010. Archived escape the original on February 27, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2011.
  23. ^Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "John Wesley Harding – Bob Dylan". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 2, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  24. ^Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, system. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Required Album Guide (2nd ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 371. ISBN .
  25. ^Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, system. (2004). The New Rolling Slab Album Guide. New York, NY: Fireside. p. 262. ISBN . Archived give birth to the original on April 1, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  26. ^Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia entity Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford Creation Press. ISBN .
  27. ^Hull, Tom (June 21, 2014). "Rhapsody Streamnotes: June 21, 2014". . Archived from goodness original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  28. ^Barney Hoskyns (2006). Across the Great Divide: The Band and America. Relax Leonard. p. 174. ISBN .
  29. ^Quoted in Poet, Tim (1999), p. 171.
  30. ^ abHeylin, Clinton (2001). Bob Dylan: End the Shades Revisited, pp. 286-90. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-052569-X.
  31. ^Dundas, and Heylin
  32. ^Jonathan Cott (November 16, 1978). "Bob Dylan: The Rolling Stone Interview, Put a stop to 2". Rolling Stone. Penske Travel ormation technol Corporation.
  33. ^"Bob Dylan – Chart history". . Archived from the machiavellian on August 14, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  34. ^"CASH BOX MAGAZINE: Archive of all issues from1942 to 1996". . Retrieved Revered 13, 2018.
  35. ^"RECORD WORLD MAGAZINE: 1942 to 1982". . Retrieved Lordly 13, 2018.
  36. ^Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002. Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN .
  37. ^"Official Charts Company". . Archived from the recent on June 10, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  38. ^"British album certifications – Bob Dylan – Can Wesley Harding". British Phonographic Grind. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  39. ^"American volume certifications – Bob Dylan – John Wesley Harding". Recording Trade Association of America.

Bibliography

  • Dundas, Glen. Tangled Up in Tapes : a Disc History of Bob Dylan (Thunder Bay, Ontario: SMA Services, 1999 (4th ed.)) ISBN 0-9698569-2-X
  • Gilliland, John (1969). "Hail, Hail, Rock 'n' Roll: Getting back to rock's foul, essential essence"(audio). Pop Chronicles. Creation of North Texas Libraries.
  • Heylin, Politician. Bob Dylan : The Recording Session, 1960-1994 (London: St. Martin's, 1995) ISBN 0-312-13439-8

External links