Last Update: 04/05/2026 at 2:50 PM EST
Dylan's Rare Blues And Talking Songs
Coverage from Oxford American, Untold Dylan, and others
Articles
6
Latest Article
09/03
Active Days
3187
Executive Summary
Rare recordings and live takes show Dylan's early blues and talking song roots, challenging the usual folk poet origin story
- Unreleased second album tracks show Dylan as a young blues singer in Greenwich Village
- The studio recordings were never commercially released but circulated among dedicated fans
- The piece argues later biography has overemphasized Guthrie and protest-song origins
- Robert Shelton's 1961 New York Times review captured Dylan's early live presence at Gerdes Folk City
- Several songs were performed only once or twice, with verified live recordings used as evidence
- Meet Me in the Morning with Jack White is noted as a flawed but notable performance
- From a Buick 6 is documented as Dylan's only live performance and ties to blues lineage
Quick Facts
- What: Rare songs and early blues performances are being revisited
- Where: Greenwich Village and New York venues
- Why: To challenge the standard folk poet origin story
- Who: Bob Dylan and writer Tony Attwood
- When: Early 1960s, especially 1961 to 1965
Coverage Timeline: 3187 Days
Featured Article
In Winter 2016, the Oxford American piece analyzes Dylan's unreleased second album and its early New York reception at Gerde's Folk City.
Additional Articles
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Tony Attwood examines Bob Dylan songs performed only once or twice on bob-dylan.org.uk, listing examples and reflecting on the series.
Tony Attwood reviews Dylan's songs performed once or twice on stage in an online analysis, focusing on From A Buick 6's lone live rendition and Meet Me in the Morning with Jack White.
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Tony Attwood reviews Dylan's rare live performances from 1963, highlighting Seven Curses at New York City Town Hall and noting a studio version in a lower key.
Bob Dylan's Talkin' New York was performed twice in New York on Apr 16, 1962 and Apr 12, 1963, and appears on the Bob Dylan album.
Tony Attwood reviews Dylan's rare one or two time performances, focusing on Sally Sue Brown performed in Seattle and later included on Down in the Groove.