Tag Archives: Song To Woody

Audio: Bob Dylan At The Gaslight, Sept. 1961 – Full Set – ‘Song To Woody,’ ‘Pretty Polly’ & More

This weekend I’ve been celebrating the 54th anniversary of Bob Dylan’s arrival in New York on January 24, 1961.

Toward the end of that year, after he’d been gigging around, after he’d met John Hammond and been signed to Columbia Records, but prior to recording his first album, on September 6, 1961, Bob Dylan performed at the Gaslight in New York.

His set, which included an appearance by Dave Van Ronk playing guitar and singing harmony vocals on “Car, Car,” was recorded on a reel-to-reel and you can hear it right now.

Some of these songs appeared on the first official Bootleg series set. Others have yet to be officially released.

The order of the songs has apparently been rearranged by whoever put up this YouTube clip.

Set List (apparently the songs have been ordered differently than when they were performed).

He Was A Friend Of Mine
Car, Car
Man On The Street
Song To Woody
Talkin’ Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues
Pretty Polly

This is the correct order of the set according to www.BobDylan.com:

Man On The Street
He Was A Friend Of Mine
Talkin’ Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues
Song To Woody
Pretty Polly
Car, Car

[Last August I published my rock ‘n’ roll novel, True Love Scars.” Rolling Stone has a great review of the book. Read it here. There’s info about True Love Scars here.]

Audio: 54 Years Ago Bob Dylan Arrives In New York – ‘Talkin’ New York,’ ‘Spanish Harlem Incident’ & More

1961

Fifty-four years ago, on January 24, 1961, Bob Dylan arrived in New York, where within a few months he would not only get a rave review in the New York Times and meet the legendary record man and producer, John Hammond, but would be signed by Hammond to Columbia Records and by the end of the year he’d record his first album, Bob Dylan.

Dylan recorded his first six albums in New York, and the city was his base of operations from ’61 into ’66.

I thought I’d pull together some of Bob’s recordings that are either about or take place in New York in some way, or were recorded in New York.

“Talkin New York” live at Town Hall, April 12, 1963:

“Song To Woody”:

“Hard Times In New York” recorded by Cynthia Gooding, March 11, 1962:

“Spanish Harlem Incident,” alternate take:

“Ballad In Plain D,” alternate take 2 (partial):

“She Belongs To Me,” Free Trade Hall, Manchester, May 7, 1965:

“It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” Free Trade Hall, Manchester, May 7, 1965:

“Freeze Out 1,” (“Visions Of Johanna” outtake):

ttp://youtu.be/WYifDaD96rM

“Love Minus Zero/ No Limit” and “Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window” and “From A Buick 6” (alternate takes):

–A Days Of The Crazy-Wild blog post —