Yes, it is an amazing performance, and by far the best version ever recorded of "Forever Young". I love how the performance is always just one beat away from falling apart. I especially enjoy that moment in the first voice where it appears that The Band is playing two or three different songs, and Dylan shoots Robbie Robertson a little nod and smirk that says "close enough for rock and roll, let's go for it". Th song is lifted into another dimension by some of Robertson's best guitar work ever. Something about the tone of the performance really fits the mood of the night...a little sad, but a lot of fun and hope. I wonder who Dylan is waving to in the audience. He NEVER acknowledges anyone in the audience unless he's being heckled..
The next number is great too. Again, notice the "what the hell are we doing" moment when "Forever Young" is over, and no-one's clear how to begin the next song...so they just kind of do it.
Rehersing is so over-rated.
May I add that Dylan is wearing perhaps the most impressive pimp hat ever worn by a white man.
"I must admit, it is in only the last 1½ years I've come to known Dylan's music."
My friend, you are in for a wild ride.
If you enjoy Desire and the performance in this film, then you'd really love the footage from the Rolling Thunder Tour. There are a number of DVD compilations of it. It is around the same,and with the same type of energy (and pimp hats) of Dylan's "Forever Young " performance.
You would probably also enjoy the Bootleg Series V:Rolling Thunder Review. This is a fine live albume of what was probably Dylan's best era as a live performer. Also, check out Bootleg series 4 Live 1966 which is The Band minus Levon performing some of the most vicious, aggresive music ever played to a mostly hostile audience. By the end of the set, Dylan and the guys are playing on sheer hate alone. Great stuff.
And you can pick up the Last Waltz soundtrack easily enough, which does contain "Forever Young", and includes the first part of "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" which is not in the film.
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Shadow953854778
13 years ago
"May I add that Dylan is wearing perhaps the most impressive pimp hat ever worn by a white man."
Yes, the hat is awesome and iconic.
Noticed Ryan Bingham wearing a white hat with a feather in some photos a while back...and thought, "No-one can wear a hat like that now without it being a conscious reference to Dylan in The Last Waltz."
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Milkyway123
13 years ago
Boogie_Knight:
2 years later... Great post! Now I am really familiar with Dylan and have listened to more and more and can talk about him for ages. The Rolling Thunder tour is amazing! You were spot on. The energy and the strong vocals and amazing instruments are there aswell (I love Scarlett's insanse violin playing, it is madness on stage, it is chaos but a controlled one); very reminiscent of his 'Forever Young' here. 'Isis' and especially 'the Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll' are breathtaking! The anger, the cry for justice in that performance is... a fine contrast to the soft accoustic version of the original.
I agree about the pimp hat, and everything else, btw. Hahah. I thought it as well.
Recently I "found" another Dylan song that is in the same vein as all these mentioned performances: 'Can You Please Crawl Out of Your Window?', I accidentally stumbled upon it on Spotify. The lyrics are not that strong, but the performance is just as good. The album 'Bob Dylan - Folksinger's Choice' is also a nice gem that popped out of nowhere with a 20-year old Dylan, have you listened to that?
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