Crane: Did you start out with a guitar or did you start out playing something else?

Dylan: Piano. Piano and guitar.

Crane: Where are you from? Where were you born?

Dylan: Minnesota.

Crane: Did you go to school there?

Dylan: Yeah.

Crane: How far did you get through school?

Dylan: Oh, I got all the way.

Crane: High school?

Dylan: Yeah.

Crane: To college and all?

Dylan: No, not really, no.

Crane: Then, you kinda got on the road, huh?

Dylan: Well, I got on the road, I got on, you know (audience laughter). I did it! (giggles) Whatever.

Crane: When did you start writing original tunes?

Dylan: Well, I started writing a long time ago. You know, you write different things down, when you really don’t know what else to do. That’s when I started writing. I started writing songs … that’s a different story, you know … I started writing songs after I heard Hank Williams.

Crane: Hank Williams? Did he really inspired you?

Dylan: Yeah.

Crane: Cold Cold Heart? Jambalaya? Things like that?

Dylan: Yeah. Cole Porter.

Crane: Cole Porter??

Dylan: Yeah.

Crane: Now you’re putting me on!

Dylan: No. (audience laughter).

Crane: Yeah, you are!

Dylan: No, I’m not!

Crane: Did you see Judy Collins sing Hard Rain?

Dylan: I did. I saw that!

Crane: You watch the show.

Dylan: All the time. Yeah I do.

Crane: Where do you see it mostly?

Dylan: I saw it last time I was in New York City. I was there to make another record. I saw the show. I saw her singing.

Crane: Where were you when you watched the show? You remember the last time?

Dylan: Somebody’s house.

Crane: They told me you were in a pool hall last time you saw it.

Dylan: Oh, I did see the show from a pool hall. Your show goes into the pool halls! (audience laughter)

Crane: Yeah?

Dylan: Because, it goes right in and it stays on … and … not even the late movie can get it out.

Crane: We’re very big in the pool halls.

Dylan: Very big in the pool halls (audience laughter) and … around … south side bars (audience laughter).

Crane: South side bars? Yeah? (audience laughter)

Dylan: Right there. Down that East End.

Crane: You think that means anything?

Dylan: No, no (audience laughter).

Crane: You think we’re gonna make it with this show?

Dylan: I think so!

Crane: Yeah?

Dylan: Yeah! I think so! (giggles) (audience laughter)

Crane: What’s the matter?

Dylan: Oh, nothin’! (audience laughter)

Crane: Are you nervous?

Dylan: I’m not nervous, no! I’m …. eh … the carpet!

Crane: The carpet??

Dylan: Yellow … you know …

Crane: Yeah?

Dylan: I’ve never seen .., eh … I never reflected before when I’ve seen the show that it was so yellow. (audience laughter)

Crane: The floor. I assume he’s … you’re referring to the floor?

Dylan: Yeah.

Crane: Did you get the painting crew in here? (audience laughter)

Dylan: No.

Crane: I mean, is it good or bad?

Dylan: It’s fine, It’s fine! Just, you know, it’s …. I did see the show and it’s so … tight! That’s all. It seems like it’s very big.

Crane: Everybody says that. Apparently it looks bigger on the television than it does here in the studio. But it’s a pretty big studio. We have one of the largest studios audiences of any television… What do you think about it, do you watch much television?

Dylan: Oh, I do once in a while you know.

Crane: What kind of shows do you like mostly?

Dylan: Oh, I like the movies.

Crane: Yeah.

Dylan: Like the movies … I see good movies on television. Best place to see good movies these days, on television!

Crane: Yeah … We’ll be right back, Bob Dylan and I in just about a minute from right now.

—–< break >—–

Crane: Bob, when you hear other people do your stuff, do you enjoy listening to Peter Paul And Mary do all your things.

Dylan: Sure, yeah.

Crane: Yeah?

Dylan: Yeah!

Crane: I think that’s a real compliment to have so many people recording your things. Besides, you get all that money too.

Dylan: Yeah.

Crane: What are you doing with all that money by the way?

Dylan: Oh, buying boots, bananas, fruit, pears.

Crane: Boots, bananas, fruit, pears …

Dylan: Bought some very fancy ashtrays the other day.

Crane: Did you really? Well, where do you keep all that? I understand you don’t have a place to keep all that … You travel all the time.

Dylan: I do, yeah.

Crane: What, you strap it all on the motorcycle.

Dylan: No, I don’t really ride my motorcycle that much. I have one though.

Crane: You do.

Dylan: Yeah. I’m thinking of getting a car.

Crane: A car!

Dylan: But I don’t know what kind to get.

Crane: Yeah.

Dylan: Yeah, I’m thinking about a Maserati; You ever heard of one of those?

Crane: Yeah.

Dylan: Well, I never saw one, but I like the name.

Crane: Mas-er-rati!

Dylan: Yeah. Maserati. Bob Dylan and his Maserati.

Crane: Because it’s Italian? Bob Dylan and his swinging Maserati. No, I don’t want you in a Maserati.

Dylan: No?

Crane: No, I don’t. I … you know I shouldn’t say this because I …

Dylan: He wants me in one! (referring to someone shouting ‘yeah’ in the audience).

Crane: Well, that’s because he didn’t get the same kind of chilling thought I just got which I probably shouldn’t bring up.

Dylan: What?

Crane: But I will anyway.

Dylan: Yeah?

Crane: I think you represent to America and to American youth something very very vital and the last guy that had this kind of impact on the youth of this country was James Dean …

Dylan: Aahh.

Crane: And I don’t want you riding around in any hot sports cars.

Dylan: OK! I won’t. I won’t, Les! (audience laughter).

Crane: OK?

Dylan: Well, you know.

Crane: It’s Volkswagen time for you! (audience laughter)

Dylan: That’s what I’ve been told.

Crane: A detoned Volkswagen.

Dylan: What about one of those little three wheeled jobs? You know those little …

Crane: Yeah, a Messerschmidt they call those. Did I say that right? Yes I did. We’re still on so apparently I did (audience laughter). Listen, how does it feel, Bob, when you’re 22 years old and you go out on the stage at the Lincoln Center …

Dylan: Old?

Crane: Well, you were 22 then.

Dylan: Oh, yeah.

Crane: And there are thousands of people jamming that place, paying top dollar, and according you one of the greatest ovations that … What does it feel like when you’re getting this kind of ovation at this kind of an age when you have the kind of respect and adulation you have? That’s a tough question.

Dylan: Yeah.

Crane: But answer it.

Dylan: Well … well, I’ll tell ya Les (giggles, audience laughs) … I can’t answer that.

Crane: Yes, you can.

Dylan: Oh. Well it feels just delicious, wonderful. It feels … marvelous, splendid, swinging, groovy, fantastic

Crane: Groovy, marvelous, splendid, fantastic

Dylan: Bobby Neuwirth (laughs)

Crane: Yeah, I’ll buy. I’ll buy all those things. What do you do mostly, you travel a lot don’cha?

Dylan: I do yes.

Crane: Give a lot of concerts?

Dylan: Aahh. I do, yes. Yeah.

Crane: Where mostly.

Dylan: Oh, it really ranges, you know. Everyplace from college theaters to Vaudeville halls.

Crane: Yeah. What kind of crowds, mostly young people or are the older people starting to get your message?

Dylan: Oh, good crowds, good crowds. I don’t really know, uh, I don’t really know what … young people, or old people, but they’re all right people. You know. They’re all right.

Crane: Yeah.

Dylan: Yeah.

Crane: Most of your songs…. I don’t want to hang you up with corny questions, but it’s true that most of your songs say something ….

Dylan: Uh-hum.

Crane: There is a message …

Dylan: Yeah.

Crane: … in almost everything you say. What is your main message?

Dylan: Eat?

Crane: No, I don’t think that’s it. And that’s a cute answer but that’s not the message.

Dylan: Yeah. Aah. My main message is, ah, you know (giggles), you want it in one word (giggles, audience laughs), one word!

Crane: No.

Dylan: Well, I’ll tell ya Les.

Crane: Yeah, Bob.

Dylan: One word message. It’s just, ah, ‘Be’, you know.

Crane: Be?

Dylan: Be. Be period. Is.

Crane: How about love?

Dylan: Love? That’s an OK word, yeah, That’s all right I guess, but it’s been used a LOT, it’s been used a lot.

Crane: But that’s part of your message, isn’t it?

Dylan: Love? Well, yeah, but everybody says that.

Crane: That doesn’t make it anything wrong with it.

Dylan: No, yeah, anybody can say it.

Crane: What about ‘swing’?

Dylan: Swing? That’s a good message.

Crane: Is that part of your message?

Dylan: Swing. Swing. Love. Be. Is. Was. Were. Double.

Crane: Double?

Dylan: Double up, once in a while.

Crane: Yeah (audience laughter). You’re gonna sit there and I, I put on these duds for you tonight.

Dylan: You did?

Crane: In a tribute to you and you’re gonna sit there and put me on, right?

Dylan: No, I’m not putting you *on*, everybody always thinks that (audience laughter).

Crane: Everybody always thinks you’re putting them …

Dylan: Yeah, yeah, it’s weird, weird. That’s a nice tie though.

Crane: You like that tie?

Dylan: Yeah. Like the tie.

Crane: You never wear a tie.

Dylan: No. Once in a while I do. I watch television in a tie (applause). Hey, that’s OK. I work, hey! You gonna gimme that tie?

Crane: Swing! Love!

Dylan: Thank you very much! fantastic. What about those boots Les? (audience roars with laughter). Your’s don’t have a hook on …

Crane: What size are yours?

Dylan: 8 1/2.

Crane: You couldn’t get in … it’s the same boots! You know that?

Dylan: They are?

Crane: It’s the same boots.

Dylan: Yours are a little shinier than mine though.

Crane: Hey Bob, that’s a nice harmonica.

Dylan: It is.

Crane: [ plays some tune on it ] We’ll be back right after this brief message ….

—–< break >—-

Crane: We’re back! Tommy Sands, Caterina Valente, Bob Dylan, Cy Pulman …

—-< talk with Tommy Sands, break >—-

Dylan: No, no. I’m not married.

Crane: You say that as though you don’t approve of it.

Dylan: Oh, I approve.

Crane: You just haven’t found the lady yet? Is that it?

Dylan: Oh, that’s not true either. I just am not married you know (audience laughter).

Crane: (to part of the audience) What are you breaking up about over there? You’re really cracking up.

—-< talk with Caterina Valente >—-

Crane: (to Dylan) What did you do when I looked over there?

Dylan: Nothing, Les. (audience laughter). I didn’t do anything.

Crane: You are really cracking up this audience!

Dylan: Nah, nah, I’m not.

Crane: Yes you are

Tommy Sands: You know why he’s cracking up this audience

Crane : Why

Sands: I was sitting back there watching him. Of course, I say you know why he’s cracking up this audience, I can’t speak for this audience. But I think I recognize talent. And I think as big and as successful as Bob Dylan is as a singer and writer of folk songs I think that he has a tremendous future as an actor. [Audience Applause]

Sands: In fact you know, I don’t; know I was never familiar with Bob Dylan.I’ve seen record albums and I’d heard songs and everything But I was never familiar with the man, and I’ve never seen him And after watching him, I’m sure that other producers right now, .its wild. , because tonight somebody might see him and offer him the thing he wants, not that he would take anything. He does remind me of Jimmy Dean and he’s very funny

Crane: How do you like that Bobby?

Dylan: Well, (briskly) Thank You Very Much (audience laughter).

Crane: Have you ever given any thought to acting. Think you might enjoy acting?

Dylan: Well, I’m gonna try to make a movie this summer. Which Allen Ginsberg is writing. I’m rewriting …

Crane: Allen Ginsberg, the poet?

Dylan: Yeah, yeah.

Crane: He was on this program you know.

Dylan: Yeah.

Crane: Extolling the virtues of marijuana one night.

Dylan: Really? Allen?? (audience laughter). Sounds like a lie to me (audience laughter).

Crane: That’s really … You think I’m lying?

Dylan: No, I didn’t mean that.

Crane: Allen Ginsberg was sitting in that chair where Caterina Valente is sitting right now and he said that he thought that we ought to legalize pot.

Dylan: He said that?

Crane: Right on the television.

Dylan: Pheeeww!

Crane: Can you imagine that?

Dylan: Nah. Allen is a little funny sometimes (audience roars with laughter).

Crane: Allen’s funny sometimes, huh? Yes … what is this movie going to be about?

Dylan: Oh it’s a, sort of a horror cowboy movie (audience laughter). Takes place on the New York Thruway.

Crane: A horror cowboy movie that takes place .. I don’t think that’s exactly what Tommy Sands had in mind.

Dylan: No, well, its, that’s the kind of movie it’s gonna be though. You know.

Crane: It’s gonna be one of those underground pictures, right?

Dylan: No. It’s gonna be all straight. On the up and up.

Crane: Yeah? Are you gonna star in it?

Dylan: Yeah, yeah, I’m a hero.

Crane: You’re the hero? You play the horrible cowboy?

Dylan: I play my mother (audience laughter).

Crane: You play your mother? In the movie?

Dylan: In the movie. You gotta see the movie (audience laughter).

Crane: He’s quite the put on artist, isn’t he?

Dylan: Nah, God.

Crane: You’re terrible.

Dylan: Nah. Don’t want to be categorized.

Tommy Sands: Hey, can I ask you a question? may I ask you a question, Bob?

Dylan: Sure.

Tommy Sands: …. so many of the present artists seem to do the same thing as the country artists, yet they seem to have a wider appeal. Why is that?

Dylan: I Don’t know. No. No.

Crane: I’ll tell you why. It’s because the country artists haven’t had the kind of exposure, lately, that the folk artists have had. They travel in different circles …

—-< talk continues with Caterina Valente & others >—-

Dylan: [sings It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)]

Broadcasted live by WABC-TV. Bruce Langhorn back up on electric guitar.
Sources: Tape. Transcript printed in ‘Bob Dylan’ by Barry Miles.

-– A Days of the Crazy-Wild blog post: sounds, visuals and/or news –-