By Michael Lello
Columbia Records announced this week that it will release Bob Dylan’s “Another Self-Portrait” on Aug. 27, Vol. 10 in Dylan’s “Bootleg Series” and a follow-up of sorts to “Self Portrait,” the 1970 album “Self-Portrait” met with such confusion — Greil Marcus led his Rolling Stone review with “What is this shit?” – that some suggested that Dylan put out a bad record on purpose in order to destroy his own reputation and escape the spotlight.
“The unreleased recordings, demos and alternate takes on Another Self Portrait — drawn mainly from the 1970 studio recording sessions that resulted in the official 1970 albums Self Portrait and New Morning — shed new light on an essential and pivotal period in the artist’s ongoing musical evolution,” according to Dylan’s website.
A trailer for the upcoming release and the complete track list can be viewed below.
“Another Self Portrait” will be available in a standard two-disc configuration as well as a four-disc deluxe boxed set which will feature the previously released Bob Dylan and The Band Aug. 31, 1969 performance from the Isle of Wight Festival.
“Housed in a slipcase, the deluxe edition will include the newly remastered version of the 1970 Self Portrait album, in its entirety with original sequencing, in addition to two hardcover books featuring revisionist liner notes penned by Greil Marcus,” according to the website. A vinyl version of “Another Self-Portrait” will include the album’s 35 tracks on three LPs plus a 12-inch-by-12-inch booklet.
“Another Self Portrait” tracks include previously unreleased versions of “Nashville Skyline” songs “Country Pie” and “I Threw It All Away”; traditional folk runes “Little Sadie” and “Pretty Saro”; Tom Paxton’s “Annie’s Gonna Sing Her Song” and Eric Anderson’s “Thirsty Boots”; and then-new Dylan compositions “Went To See The Gypsy” and “Sign On The Window.” Also featured are a previously unreleased version of “Only A Hobo” and the demo version of “When I Paint My Masterpiece.”
As he did for “Self-Portrait,” Dylan has created a new painting to adorn the cover.
The Bootleg Series, Vol. 10 – Another Self Portrait (1969-1971)
CD 1
1 Went To See The Gypsy (demo)
2 In Search Of Little Sadie (without overdubs, Self Portrait)
3 Pretty Saro (unreleased, Self Portrait)
4 Alberta #3 (alternate version, Self Portrait)
5 Spanish Is The Loving Tongue (unreleased, Self Portrait)
6 Annie’s Going To Sing Her Song (unreleased, Self Portrait)
7 Time Passes Slowly #1 (alternate version, New Morning)
8 Only A Hobo (unreleased, Greatest Hits II)
9 Minstrel Boy (unreleased, The Basement Tapes)
10 I Threw It All Away (alternate version, Nashville Skyline)
11 Railroad Bill (unreleased, Self Portrait)
12 Thirsty Boots (unreleased, Self Portrait)
13 This Evening So Soon (unreleased, Self Portrait)
14 These Hands (unreleased, Self Portrait)
15 Little Sadie (without overdubs, Self Portrait)
16 House Carpenter (unreleased, Self Portrait)
17 All The Tired Horses (without overdubs, Self Portrait)
The Bootleg Series, Vol. 10 – Another Self Portrait (1969-1971)
CD 2
1 If Not For You (alternate version, New Morning)
2 Wallflower (alternate version, 1971)
3 Wigwam (original version without overdubs, Self Portrait)
4 Days Of ’49 (original version without overdubs, Self Portrait)
5 Working On A Guru (unreleased, New Morning)
6 Country Pie (alternate version, Nashville Skyline)
7 I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight (Live With The Band, Isle Of Wight 1969)
8 Highway 61 Revisited (Live With The Band, Isle Of Wight 1969)
9 Copper Kettle (without overdubs, Self Portrait)
10 Bring Me A Little Water (unreleased, New Morning)
11 Sign On The Window (with orchestral overdubs, New Morning)
12 Tattle O’Day (unreleased, Self Portrait)
13 If Dogs Run Free (alternate version, New Morning)
14 New Morning (with horn section overdubs, New Morning)
15 Went To See The Gypsy (alternate version, New Morning)
16 Belle Isle (without overdubs, Self Portrait)
17 Time Passes Slowly #2 (alternate version, New Morning)
18 When I Paint My Masterpiece (demo)
Bob Dylan & The Band
Isle of Wight – August 31, 1969
1 She Belongs To Me
2 I Threw It All Away
3 Maggie’s Farm
4 Wild Mountain Thyme
5 It Ain’t Me, Babe
6 To Ramona/ Mr. Tambourine Man
7 I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine
8 Lay Lady Lay
9 Highway 61 Revisited
10 One Too Many Mornings
11 I Pity The Poor Immigrant
12 Like A Rolling Stone
13 I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
14 Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
15 Minstrel Boy
16 Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
I have had an on again off again fling with this album since I first played it in college about four years ago. It’s not a product that fits within the pop music milieu Dylan was approached through in 1970, but as a work of art approached in isolation it reveals a aspect of playful artistry that seems most evident on his re-working of his own songs in the mid-to-late 70’s tours. The clips in that “trailer” are savory. Reminds me of what McCartney was feeling with RAM–moving out to the country, growing a beard, making music w/o trying to be impressive. Very excited to hear about this!