Continuing with my review of the Golden Decade of Music 1965-1974Golden Decade of Music 1965-1974, where I am selecting the artists alphabetically and playing selections of their songs I liked or found influential from that Golden Decade. I am now moving into the D’s and will play one from the next artist, Bob Dylan; an American singer-songwriter that has been influential in music and culture for more than 5 decades. Most of his celebrated work took place in the 1960s, when he was both a chronicler and reluctant figurehead of social unrest, with his early songs becoming anthems for the American civil rights and anti-war movements. The next song of Dylan’s I am selecting is Lay Lady Lay, a song written by Dylan and originally released in 1969 on his Nashville Skyline album. Like many of the tracks on the album, Dylan sings the song in a low croon, rather than in the high nasal singing style associated with his earlier recordings. Lay Lady Lay was originally written for the soundtrack of the movie Midnight Cowboy, but wasnt submitted in time to be included in the finished film. Dylans recording was released as a single in July 1969 and quickly became one of his top U.S. hits, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. According to country musician Johnny Cash, Dylan played the song first in a circle of singer-songwriters at Cashs house outside of Nashville. Cash claimed that several other musicians also played their own new, unheard songs with Shel Silverstein playing A Boy Named Sue, Joni Mitchell played Both Sides, Now, Graham Nash played Marrakesh Express and Kris Kristofferson played Me and Bobby McGee. Drummer Kenny Buttrey has said that he had a difficult time coming up with a drum part for the song. Dylan had suggested bongos, while producer Bob Johnson said cowbells. In order to show them how bad their ideas were, Buttrey used both instruments together. Kristofferson, who was working as a janitor in the studio at the time, was enlisted to hold the bongos in one hand and the cowbell in the other. Buttrey moved the sole overhead drum mic over to these new instruments. When he switches back to the drums for the choruses the drumset sounds distant due to not being directly micd. The take heard on the album is the first take and is one of Buttreys own favorite performances. https://youtube/watch?v=WrZnnvEyTUs
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 12:25:16 +0000
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