Excellent, thoughtful piece on what is indeed one of Zimmy's finest. My reaction to the song, which I've loved since I was 13 (long time ago) is a bit, though by no means entirely, different from yours (which speaks to your thoughts about Dylan's lyrics' invitation to interpret them in multiple ways). As you do, I hear that final line as a surrender, but I find no solace or comfort in the line, just bad old defeat. In 2009, I published a biography of Andy Warhol, "POP: The Genius of Andy Warhol" whose Chapter 7 details the Velvet Underground's disastrous 1966 West Coast trip, during which Bill Graham called them "You disgusting germs from New York [Graham grew up in the Bronx] with your disgusting minds.... " When the Velvets limped back to NYC with their collective tail between their collective leg, Lou Reed checked into Beth Israel with hepatitis (he always claimed to be one of the first Medicare patients). In any case, before I'd finished writing the chapter, I knew what I'd use as the epigraph. Right: "I'm going back to New York City/I do believe I've had enough."
Re that session band for Highway 61: Stellar indeed. Re the keyboardists, I think you'll enjoy two recent pieces of mine. The first is on the brilliant and tragic figure, Paul Griffin, whom I knew. Here's the link. https://tonyscherman.substack.com/p/the-heroic-lonesome-tale-of-paul
Enjoy the pieces! A last, small observation. In Nina's stoically mournful version, she sings simply, "up on Project Hill." The original Dylan line is "up on Housing Project Hill." Dylan was a white outsider to the ghetto, singing to other whites, hence his use of the full, explanatory term "housing project." Nina was a sister, who spoke a different dialect. To her, the single word "project" indicated plenty clearly the locale she was referring to.
Hi Tony, I already wrote you an email, having read the Paul Griffin story, since he came to mind for the first time in decades, two days ago, when I wrote this. Interesting note about Ms. Simone's version: there are times when I want to go deep-thought, and times I just wanna tell a story. But I also noticed she leaves out "in the rain" in Juarez in the first line of her version. She can sing a song anyway she wants, and who would say no? I also emailed you some links you would enjoy from the now 185 or so posts. Great to read you!
Thank you! I have too many favorite Nina Simone songs to even begin naming them. Her younger brother, btw, Sam Waymon (Nina's given name was Eunice Waymon) lives in my town, Nyack. He's a gifted singer and keyboardist (He's very much a presence on my favorite Nina album, Nuff Said, playing organ.... Will be delighted to read your posts ASAP
Yes. For sure. I bought the ‘I Want You’ single when it came out. I turned it over and there was ‘Just Like Thumb’s Blues’ live from the UK a month before, the song transformed from a languid, floating bad dream to a defiant nightmare, the most fully realized piece of rock ‘n’ roll since Little Richard stepped out of New Orleans and Jesse Belvin waved back from LA.
WKCR's (Columbia University) annual birthday broadcast, midnight-to-midnight, has a few hours left https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/wkcr/ or if in range 89.9 FM. Where you came from doesn't matter. If you're a New Yorker who's ever been in a situation where "I'm going back to New York City, I do believe I've had enough." was meaningful, "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" is the only song.
There are so many birthday tributes this weekend. And WWOZ, the great New Orleans oldies station, is streaming a Dylan tribute tonight from a club with local musicians. Probably somewhere on Rue Morgue Ave.
Excellent, thoughtful piece on what is indeed one of Zimmy's finest. My reaction to the song, which I've loved since I was 13 (long time ago) is a bit, though by no means entirely, different from yours (which speaks to your thoughts about Dylan's lyrics' invitation to interpret them in multiple ways). As you do, I hear that final line as a surrender, but I find no solace or comfort in the line, just bad old defeat. In 2009, I published a biography of Andy Warhol, "POP: The Genius of Andy Warhol" whose Chapter 7 details the Velvet Underground's disastrous 1966 West Coast trip, during which Bill Graham called them "You disgusting germs from New York [Graham grew up in the Bronx] with your disgusting minds.... " When the Velvets limped back to NYC with their collective tail between their collective leg, Lou Reed checked into Beth Israel with hepatitis (he always claimed to be one of the first Medicare patients). In any case, before I'd finished writing the chapter, I knew what I'd use as the epigraph. Right: "I'm going back to New York City/I do believe I've had enough."
Re that session band for Highway 61: Stellar indeed. Re the keyboardists, I think you'll enjoy two recent pieces of mine. The first is on the brilliant and tragic figure, Paul Griffin, whom I knew. Here's the link. https://tonyscherman.substack.com/p/the-heroic-lonesome-tale-of-paul
The second is about someone whom you'd agree is a less tragic figure, whose "Highway 61" story intertwines closely, of course, with Griffin's. I speak of Dr. Kooper. The link: https://tonyscherman.substack.com/p/al-kooper-before-during-and-after
Enjoy the pieces! A last, small observation. In Nina's stoically mournful version, she sings simply, "up on Project Hill." The original Dylan line is "up on Housing Project Hill." Dylan was a white outsider to the ghetto, singing to other whites, hence his use of the full, explanatory term "housing project." Nina was a sister, who spoke a different dialect. To her, the single word "project" indicated plenty clearly the locale she was referring to.
Hi Tony, I already wrote you an email, having read the Paul Griffin story, since he came to mind for the first time in decades, two days ago, when I wrote this. Interesting note about Ms. Simone's version: there are times when I want to go deep-thought, and times I just wanna tell a story. But I also noticed she leaves out "in the rain" in Juarez in the first line of her version. She can sing a song anyway she wants, and who would say no? I also emailed you some links you would enjoy from the now 185 or so posts. Great to read you!
Thank you! I have too many favorite Nina Simone songs to even begin naming them. Her younger brother, btw, Sam Waymon (Nina's given name was Eunice Waymon) lives in my town, Nyack. He's a gifted singer and keyboardist (He's very much a presence on my favorite Nina album, Nuff Said, playing organ.... Will be delighted to read your posts ASAP
Yes. For sure. I bought the ‘I Want You’ single when it came out. I turned it over and there was ‘Just Like Thumb’s Blues’ live from the UK a month before, the song transformed from a languid, floating bad dream to a defiant nightmare, the most fully realized piece of rock ‘n’ roll since Little Richard stepped out of New Orleans and Jesse Belvin waved back from LA.
Thanks Greil. Ah, to buy the “I Want You” single . . . a concept lost to time . . . Turn it over, and find Tom Thumb live!
Nice. I'll have another, please.
Thanks Lucian😎
WKCR's (Columbia University) annual birthday broadcast, midnight-to-midnight, has a few hours left https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/wkcr/ or if in range 89.9 FM. Where you came from doesn't matter. If you're a New Yorker who's ever been in a situation where "I'm going back to New York City, I do believe I've had enough." was meaningful, "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" is the only song.
There are so many birthday tributes this weekend. And WWOZ, the great New Orleans oldies station, is streaming a Dylan tribute tonight from a club with local musicians. Probably somewhere on Rue Morgue Ave.
I chuckled. (The rue-avenue redundancy is funny too. Never noticed before.)
One More Cup Of Coffee
I’ll take a sip of that.