Of course. “Love and Theft” was released on 9/11/2001. I was working in radio and was on the air when the planes hit the towers. It was an oldies station, but all music stopped and we took calls from listeners for the rest of the morning.
After an intense day on the air, when I finally got a break, I rushed to the local record store because I knew two albums were going to be released that day: the new Dylan and the new John Hiatt. Dylan’s album title was pored over by many - myself included - as prescient to the day’s events. The same came be said of Hiatt’s “The Tiki Bar is Open”, though, which seemed to offer the perfect solace as escape from this hellscape of circumstances, at least for a little while.
Great piece! And, to be frank, I lean more toward this one than Time Out of Mind. But the whole trilogy is truly classic Dylan in every way.
Can't really imagine how surreal that whole day must have been. On the air is probably as good a place as any to have been at the time, and being able to connect with callers and listeners to get through the day and events together. I always thought it was quite spooky that the album included the line "sky's full of fire, pain pouring down" considering the day it was released on.
I'm with you on this over Time Out of Mind. It might just be my favourite Dylan album full stop, alongside Rough and Rowdy Ways.
Wonderful work, Matthew! You capture so well what makes L&T such a shining gem in Dylan's treasure chest. Like your other commenters, when anyone mentions 2001 my mind instantly goes back to 9/11. Thanks for reminding us that it was also an amazing year for music. I still listen regularly to those Gillian Welch and Wilco albums, and Ryan Adams's Gold, too. Damn near perfect records. Impressive Devon playlists, too! Sounds like you were shaped by great music from the start, Matthew.
Thank you, Graley - I'm so pleased you think so. There really were some great records that year, weren't there? We used to have that Gold album on all the time. Definitely did get a good head-start with all the music the family had on!
Nice piece. "Love & Theft" is terrific - one of my favourite Dylan records.
With the help of other Dylan obsessives - and my own sleuthing - I've been compiling a Spotify list of Dylan's song sources. For "Mississippi," I have found the following...
"Lincoln Limousine" - Jerry Lee Lewis
"Rosie" - prisoners (Miss. state penitentiary
"Leavin' Town Blues" - Ishman Bracey
"Weave Room Blues" - New Lost City Ramblers
"I Got Love" - Glen Frey
"Stick with Me Baby" - Richard Farina, Eric Von Schmidt
Another great Dylan piece, Matthew. I’ve long thought of those albums as a trilogy as well. For some reason the next one, Together Through Life, doesn’t feel like part of the group. The story about the album being danceable reminds of something I saw at Bob’s show at Madison Square Garden on November 19, 2001. I swear this is true. The Garden wasn’t full that night and I had a seat in the upper bowl. The band swung into “ Summer Days” and I turned around to see the crowd’s reaction to this rocking yet new and obscure tune. Since there were few people behind me it was impossible to miss a row of at least eight or nine college age girls absolutely getting down to “Summer Days”. They all seemed to be the same age, high school or college, so I wondered if it was some sort of class trip or assignment. Either way, it was heartening to see young people thoroughly enjoying such “old” music.
Sorry for the length here but final thought: “Mississippi” is one of Bob’s greatest songs and IMO no song of his is as great yet so obscure. Willing to bet that there are many for whom Rolling Stone and Blonde on Blonde or Blood on the Tracks are touchstones, yet don’t know “Mississippi”.
Thanks, Sherman! I'm with you on that - TTL definitely feels like it's own thing doesn't it? That's a great memory from the MSG show - would have loved to have seen him around then. It's always great to see Dylan bringing this old style music to a new and young crowd, and if any song will get you up out of your seat it's Summer Days! Mississippi is a masterpiece, every line is perfect. I was lucky enough to catch him play that in Philadelphia in 2012 (incidentally, also on November 19) which was a real surprise and a real treat.
Michael, you and I had a similar day on 9/11/2001. Only difference is I was working on a theater piece, not a radio show. After sitting stunned in front of the TV all day I went to by beloved record store, which was a solace, then when I listened to Love and Theft for the first of countless times I was stunned in a different way. I remember thinking something like, "But of course. We still live in biblical times."
Great piece, Matthew. And I adore Ten New Songs, too. "Alexandra Leaving" is like "Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum" to me...less flashy and ponderous, kind of lost in a vast catalog, but constantly knocking on my door and reasserting itself.
I think it’s cause both songs have two opposed but entwined characters and a narrator who could only know what he knows if he was one of the characters.
Of course. “Love and Theft” was released on 9/11/2001. I was working in radio and was on the air when the planes hit the towers. It was an oldies station, but all music stopped and we took calls from listeners for the rest of the morning.
After an intense day on the air, when I finally got a break, I rushed to the local record store because I knew two albums were going to be released that day: the new Dylan and the new John Hiatt. Dylan’s album title was pored over by many - myself included - as prescient to the day’s events. The same came be said of Hiatt’s “The Tiki Bar is Open”, though, which seemed to offer the perfect solace as escape from this hellscape of circumstances, at least for a little while.
Great piece! And, to be frank, I lean more toward this one than Time Out of Mind. But the whole trilogy is truly classic Dylan in every way.
Can't really imagine how surreal that whole day must have been. On the air is probably as good a place as any to have been at the time, and being able to connect with callers and listeners to get through the day and events together. I always thought it was quite spooky that the album included the line "sky's full of fire, pain pouring down" considering the day it was released on.
I'm with you on this over Time Out of Mind. It might just be my favourite Dylan album full stop, alongside Rough and Rowdy Ways.
Wonderful work, Matthew! You capture so well what makes L&T such a shining gem in Dylan's treasure chest. Like your other commenters, when anyone mentions 2001 my mind instantly goes back to 9/11. Thanks for reminding us that it was also an amazing year for music. I still listen regularly to those Gillian Welch and Wilco albums, and Ryan Adams's Gold, too. Damn near perfect records. Impressive Devon playlists, too! Sounds like you were shaped by great music from the start, Matthew.
Thank you, Graley - I'm so pleased you think so. There really were some great records that year, weren't there? We used to have that Gold album on all the time. Definitely did get a good head-start with all the music the family had on!
Wow. One of the best posts I've ever read on here. Captivating. I'm digging the record out now.
Wow, thank you so much! This is so amazing to hear. Enjoy listening to the record!
Nice piece. "Love & Theft" is terrific - one of my favourite Dylan records.
With the help of other Dylan obsessives - and my own sleuthing - I've been compiling a Spotify list of Dylan's song sources. For "Mississippi," I have found the following...
"Lincoln Limousine" - Jerry Lee Lewis
"Rosie" - prisoners (Miss. state penitentiary
"Leavin' Town Blues" - Ishman Bracey
"Weave Room Blues" - New Lost City Ramblers
"I Got Love" - Glen Frey
"Stick with Me Baby" - Richard Farina, Eric Von Schmidt
"Tom Dooley" - Doc Watson
"Pig Meat Papa" - Lead Belly
Ha, amazing! I'd love to listen to that playlist if you have a link
Some are guesses.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Q971B1yk4S3uMDqXj25T1?si=M8R5AX-ATYi5eU024pX-GQ
Another great Dylan piece, Matthew. I’ve long thought of those albums as a trilogy as well. For some reason the next one, Together Through Life, doesn’t feel like part of the group. The story about the album being danceable reminds of something I saw at Bob’s show at Madison Square Garden on November 19, 2001. I swear this is true. The Garden wasn’t full that night and I had a seat in the upper bowl. The band swung into “ Summer Days” and I turned around to see the crowd’s reaction to this rocking yet new and obscure tune. Since there were few people behind me it was impossible to miss a row of at least eight or nine college age girls absolutely getting down to “Summer Days”. They all seemed to be the same age, high school or college, so I wondered if it was some sort of class trip or assignment. Either way, it was heartening to see young people thoroughly enjoying such “old” music.
Sorry for the length here but final thought: “Mississippi” is one of Bob’s greatest songs and IMO no song of his is as great yet so obscure. Willing to bet that there are many for whom Rolling Stone and Blonde on Blonde or Blood on the Tracks are touchstones, yet don’t know “Mississippi”.
Thanks, Sherman! I'm with you on that - TTL definitely feels like it's own thing doesn't it? That's a great memory from the MSG show - would have loved to have seen him around then. It's always great to see Dylan bringing this old style music to a new and young crowd, and if any song will get you up out of your seat it's Summer Days! Mississippi is a masterpiece, every line is perfect. I was lucky enough to catch him play that in Philadelphia in 2012 (incidentally, also on November 19) which was a real surprise and a real treat.
Michael, you and I had a similar day on 9/11/2001. Only difference is I was working on a theater piece, not a radio show. After sitting stunned in front of the TV all day I went to by beloved record store, which was a solace, then when I listened to Love and Theft for the first of countless times I was stunned in a different way. I remember thinking something like, "But of course. We still live in biblical times."
Great piece, Matthew. And I adore Ten New Songs, too. "Alexandra Leaving" is like "Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum" to me...less flashy and ponderous, kind of lost in a vast catalog, but constantly knocking on my door and reasserting itself.
Thanks, Jeff! That's a really interesting comparison between Alexandra Leaving and Tweedle Dee, I'll have to give them a listen back to back!
I think it’s cause both songs have two opposed but entwined characters and a narrator who could only know what he knows if he was one of the characters.