This page is part of Lonesome Sparrow's Web Site.
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This page deals with the various unofficial CDs of which the main
content exists of recordings from the concerts Bob Dylan gave on
19 and 20 April 1966 in Melbourne, Australia.
First the recordings are discussed, and then the CDs on which they
appear.
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THE RECORDINGS OF THE CONCERTS
On 19 April 1966 Bob Dylan and the Hawks gave a concert at the
Festival Hall in Melbourne, Australia. The next day they did
another concert at the same location. Soundboard recordings of
parts of these concerts have come into circulation. Some of these
were obtained from radio broadcasts, others from an acetate,
others maybe from yet another source. Some songs are complete,
some are not.
Ben Taylor wrote (rec.music.dylan, 30 September 1995):
> "DylanBase" claims the circulating Melbourne '66 recording is all
> from 19 April 1966".
In this same posting he gave a track list, presumably the one given
by DylanBase:
Acoustic set:
1. She Belongs To Me (2:29)
2. Fourth Time Around (4:56)
3. Visions Of Johanna (8:11)
4. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (5:25)
5. Desolation Row (11:23)
6. Just Like A Woman (5:28)
7. Mr. Tambourine Man (0:21)
Electric set:
8. Tell Me Momma (1:38)
9. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (3:19)
10. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues (5:55)
These recordings contain the following spoken comments by Dylan
(again from Ben Taylors posting, presumably taken from DylanBase):
> Intro to Fourth Time Around: "This is called Fourth Time Around".
>
> At start of Visions of Johanna: "This used to be called Visions
> Of Johanna and now it's called Mother Revisited".
>
>At start of Desolation Row: "What's the big idea? How come?"
And also this one at the start of Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
(posted by Craig Jamieson to rec.music.dylan, 27 December 1995):
> This is about a painter -- down in Mexico City, who travelled from
> North Mexico up to Del Rio, Texas all the time, his name's Tom Thumb,
> and uh, right now he's about 125 years old but he's still going, and
> uh, everybody likes him a lot down there, he's got lots of friends,
> and uh, this is when he was going through his BLUE period, of
> painting, and uh, he's made COUNTLESS amount of paintings, you
> couldn't think of 'em all. This is his blue period painting, I just
> dedicate this song to him, it's called Just Like Tom Thumb's BLUES.
> [very odd woman screaming, provoking audience laughter and applause]
> You, you know Tom Thumb?"
John Howells doubted in a posting to rec.music.dylan on 18 September
1995 whether this introduction was really from the Melbourne concerts.
Patricia Jungwirth reacted to that posting. Here's John Howell's
answer to that reaction, in which the previous postings are quoted:
> <>does anyone else agree that the spoken intro to "Tom Thumb" is actually
> <from >Liverpool and was spliced onto the beginning of the Melbourne
> <performance to >give the impression it came from the same show? There are a
> <number of reasons >for believing this:
>
> <But what would be the reason for DOING it?
>
> Maybe because there wasn't a complete "Tom Thumb" from Melbourne and
> whoever made the tape spliced an intro on to the beginning to make it
> seem complete, much like the ending of the Edinburgh "Rolling Stone"
> has an ending from a different performance tacked on because the
> Edinburgh tape was incomplete. I'm just guessing on this.
>
> I admit that it would be odd to take Liverpool's intro, especially since
> it doesn't exist in any other form, but as to why - why not? Bootleggers
> do funny things.
>
> <>
> <> 1) There is an obvious splice and change of tempo, key, and sound quality
> <>just before the singing starts.
>
> <There are a lot of 'stops' in the tape of this performance
>
> Not like what I'm referring to, though. It's an obvious splice and the
> tonal quality is completely different.
>
> <>
> <> 2) The opening instrumental intro before the splice sounds *identical*
> <>to the intro to the Liverpool version used as the single B-side
> <>
>
> <Don't know if I agree with 'identical' - sounds very close, though
>
> The reason I say identical is because of what Garth Hudson is playing.
> He *never* played the song the same way twice! His organ intros were all
> absolutely unique.
>
> <> 3) Liverpool was supposed to be one of his friendlier crowds on
> <>the European tour and there seems to be some rowdy approval during the
> <>spoken intro. Also, Dylan sounds very stoned and by that time in the tour
> <>he was pretty much sounding that way all the time.
>
> <Well, like I've said before, specific details of the show I saw have been
> <largely lost in the foggy ruins of time. But I do remember how amusing he was.
> <Dylan was very 'chatty' at the Melbourne show, keeping the audience amused
> <with strange little pantomimes and monologues, bits of business with props,
> <falling off piano stools etc. He was either very stoned or putting on a
> <great act, one which totally charmed the audience, at least during the
> <acoustic half. Apart from those who staged a very un-subtle 'walk-out'
> <immediately the band started playing in the second half, he had great
> <rapport with many in the audience in Melbourne. By the time of 'Tom Thumb'
> <the dissenters had largely left (totally incomprehensible to a young
> <teenager why anyone would walk out). I can't say for sure if the 'screaming'
> <incident did happen in Melbourne (it could have been the night I wasn't
> <there) but it's just the sort of thing that COULD have happened. It would
> <fit right into the mood, plus the very rambling, SLOW intros to songs.
> <Unlike the English shows, where he used the 'gabbling' to stop the slow
> <hand-clappers, here the monologues were clear and audible ("My guitar got
> <broken here in Australia..."), friendly rather than combative.
>
> The above is convincing, though. You were there and you know what he was
> like. Still, points one and two convince me that something funny was
> done to the tape.
>
> <But mainly, the question is still WHY? would you take it off Liverpool and
> <splice it onto Melbourne?
>
> Why not?
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THE LIVING LEGENDS CD
Title on cover: Bob Dylan's Dream
Historic Live Performances Vol. 1
Title on disc: Bob Dylan's Dream
Historic Live Performances Vol. I
Label: Living Legends Records
Order number: LLR CD 005
Matrix: INTERPRESS LLRCD-005 11
Year of manufacture: 1988
Townsend number: T-118
In 1989 it was made again, same contents, but with a somewhat different
presentation, as follows:
Title on cover: Bob Dylan's Dream
Historic Live Performances Vol. 1
Title on disc: Bob Dylan
Historic Live Performances Vol. 1
The Bob Dylan Live Collection
Label: Living Legend Records
Order number: LLR CD 005
Matrix: CDT-BERLIN LLR CD005 01
Year of manufacture: 1989
Townsend number: T-118
Track list:
1. She Belongs to Me
2. 4th Time Around
3. Visions of Johanna
4. It's All Over Now Baby Blue
5. Desolation Row
6. Just Like a Woman
7. Tell Me Mama
8. Baby Let Me Follow You Down
9. Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues
10. Press Conference Adeladie 1966
Tracks 1-9 are from the Melbourne concerts. Not all songs are
complete.
Parts of a press conference at the Adelaide airport were broadcast at
the local radio. I presume track 10 is this broadcast. I don't know
of any other CD that contains it.
This CD has the same contents as the German vinyl bootleg LP "Stars of 66
Volume Three" that was made in 1987. Whether it is copied from the LP
or from the source for this LP I don't know.
Anthony Kapolka wrote about the second quality (rec.music.dylan, 6
August 1991):
> Perhaps the worst sound ever issued on CD".
Craig Jamieson wrote (rec.music.dylan, 11 May 1995):
> The press conference's sound quality and editing are appalling.
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THE SCORPIO CD
Title on cover: Bob Dylan in "Melbourne, Australia"
Title on spine: Melbourne, Australia
Title on disc: Melbourne '66
Label: Scorpio (not named anywhere)
Order number: BD-93-15-02
Matrix: BD931502 17881 <01>
Year of manufacture or release: 1993
Townsend number: T-236
On the cover is also the text "The Enigmatic Story of a Boy and
his Dog... - with a cast of thousands!"
I assume the track list is the same as on the first CD (the one from
Living Legend Records), but without the press conference.
Craig Jamieson wrote about this CD (rec.music.dylan, 11 May 1995):
> "...and that's some mighty rare stuff recorded 12 years ago on
> his first Australian tour in 1966 at Festival Hall in Melbourne,
> Bob Dylan ther....." that's apparently the radio DJ at the end of
> the CD. Fades in and out pretty sharply.
>
> Bob Dylan and the Hawks [later The Band]. Most will prefer the
> better source of T-290, but the above closing words from the
> radio are not found on that CD. Also this CD has three green and
> white photographs of Dylan playing in his wonderful hound's tooth
> suit!
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THE FIRST WANTED MAN CD
Title on cover: Dylan in "Melbourne, Australia"
Title on disc and insert: Melbourne, Australia
Label: Wanted Man Music
Order number: WMM 007
Matrix: DL CD A13523
Year of manufacture or release: 1992
Craig Jamieson wrote about this CD (rec.music.dylan, 11 May 1995):
> Bob Dylan and the Hawks [later The Band]. Another remake of the
> Melbourne show, copied directly from the Scorpio CD: Melbourne,
> Australia [T-236]. This was replaced by Wanted Man Music in 1993
> with a remastered from tape version entitled: Melbourne [T-290].
>
> The cover shows a cartoon of Bob Dylan's face emerging from a
> kangaro's pouch. "Permission for front-cover publishing given by
> William". The picture is taken from the cover of the vinyl boot
> LP: Melbourne Australia (TMQ 61002, 1974), which included tracks
> 2-5. It has been cut down to remove completely the "Bob" from the
> upper left corner of that cover and the "The Enigmatic Story of a
> Boy and his Dog... - with a cast of thousands!" from the bottom!
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THE SECOND WANTED MAN CD
Title on cover: Bob Dylan in "Melbourne, Australia"
The Enigmatic Story of a Boy and his Dog...
- with a cast of thousands!
Title on disc and spine: Melbourne
Label: Wanted Man Music
Order number: WMM 023
Year of manufacture: 1993
Matrix: DL CD B 23123
Townsend number: T-290
On the bottom of the cover is also the text "The Enigmatic Story of
a Boy and his Dog... - with a cast of thousands!"
Track list:
1. She Belongs To Me (incomplete) (2:52)
2. Fourth Time Around (5:53)
3. Visions of Johanna (10:40)
4. It's All Over Now Baby Blue (6:26)
5. Desolation Row (13:23)
6. Just Like A Woman (6:08)
7. Tell Me Momma (incomplete) (1:47)
8. Baby Let Me Follow You Down (3:19)
9. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues (6:43)
10. Like A Rolling Stone (7:26)
Tracks 1-9 are from the Melbourne concerts.
Track 10 is from Edinburgh, 20 May 1966, though the CDs notes don't
say so. Bob Stacy wrote (rec.music.dylan, 4 September 1998):
> On 5/20/66 (as opposed to the other World Tour shows), it's possible to
> compare a line recorded track to a well-documented audience tape of the
> same performance. Those who've made the comparison tell us that the
> LARS on WMM 023 is the long-circulated Edinburgh line recording. I tend
> to agree ;-)
The durations in the track list above I have taken from a posting
from Craig Jamieson (rec.music.dylan, 27 December 1995). Note that
they are considerably longer than those in the list above from
DylanBase. I assume that the shorter ones give the durations of
the song proper and the longer ones the durations of the CD tracks
including the time in between songs.
In that same posting Craig Jamieson wrote:
> In the CD Boots cross-reference guide to Strangers And
> Prophets Vol. 2 (1994), p. 13, Phill Townsend tells us the
> Melbourne disc [T-290], "does not carry the songs in the
> correct running sequence (Tell Me Momma, which should open
> the electric set, is placed at the end of the tracks). Such
> sloppy finishing to what is an otherwise excellent document
> is very frustrating". Indeed! No one else reports this track
> order on that CD. Very odd... He also believes the Edinburgh
> Like A Rolling Stone (10) is from the 20 April 1966
> Melbourne concert (Strangers And Prophets Vol. 2 (1994),
> p. 96).
Looks to me like Phil Townsend has confused the second Wanted Man
CD with the first and hasn't doubted the Melbourne attribution of
track 10.
In another posting (rec.music.dylan, 11 May 1995) Craig Jamieson
wrote about this CD:
> Bob Dylan and the Hawks [later The Band]. The best of the four
> available CDs of this famous show for sound quality, the tape
> seems to have been remastered, so this could be highly
> recommended. Wanted Man Music has replaced their own Melbourne,
> Australia [T-237] with this! Bob Dylan's Dream : Historic Live
> Performances Vol. 1 [T-118] is not easily available any more so
> this CD may be the best you can get of this 1966 show. Melbourne,
> Australia [T-236] is no longer common either.
> This CD's source is
> said to be a tape, not an acetate, but there is a "skip" during
> Tell Me, Momma at :59 into the song. "...you're just gonna make
> everybody jump and roa//but you're so hard to find. Tell Me,
> Momma..." This is the case on all four CDs of this concert. Is it
> a tape splice and not a skip?
>
> The cover shows a William Stout cartoon of Bob Dylan's face
> emerging from a kangaro's pouch, with a green background, a
> reduced size picture from the one on WMM 007 (Melbourne,
> Australia [T-237]). The picture is taken from the cover of the
> vinyl boot LP: Melbourne Australia (TMQ 61002, 1974), which
> included tracks 2-5.
Patricia Jungwirth wrote about this CD (rec.music.dylan, 19 September
1995):
> The quality on this 1993 pressing is far superior to previously circulating
> tapes and is thought to be from a different source. So, if you like this
> show (as someone else said, the sound quality, considering the time is great
> and the performance awesome) it's definitely worth looking for the CD.
> It's not known which night this recording is from (I was at the show on the
> 19th, but the mists of time prevent me making any judgement, however the
> show is far from complete. 'Mr. Tambourine Man' & 'Ballad of a Thin Man'
> were performed both nights).
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THE TOM THUMB CD-R
Format: 1CD-R
Title: Bob Dylan: Oh, You Know Tom Thumb
Track list:
1. She Belongs To Me (3:09)
2. Fourth Time Around (7:15)
3. Visions Of Johanna (8:57)
4. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (5:50)
5. Desolation Row (12:37)
6. Just Like A Woman (6:03)
7. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (4:22)
8. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues (5:52)
9. Tell Me, Momma (1:42)
10. Positively 4th Street (4:46)
11. Like A Rolling Stone (6:42)
12. Ballad Of A Thin Man (6:51)
Tracks 1-9 are from the Melbourne concerts
Tracks 10-11: Live, 6 February 1966, Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh,
Philadelphia, U.S.A.
Track 12: Live, 1 May 1966, KB-Hallen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Line
recording
Bill (monicasdude@mailcity.com) wrote about this CD (rec.music.dylan,
9 February 1999):
> The Melbourne and Pittsburgh tracks are good, but I think the
> Copenhagen track comes from an acetate with a skip in it. Or
> did my ears deceive me? The short liner notes aren't particularly
> useful or accurate, though.
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THE LAVENDER/GOLDEN ARCHIVES CD
The Bob Dylan Boot Database lists this as follows:
> Bob Dylan in "Melbourne, Australia" / Bob Dylan
> [19 Apr 66 - 20 Apr 66] Lavender/Golden Archives DL CD R 22122 CD []
Does this mean this CD has been released on a label called Lavender
and a label called Golden Archives?
Or does it mean it has been released on a label called Lavender in a
series from this label called Golden Archives?
Alan Fraser wrote about the second Wanted Man CD (rec.music.dylan,
4 September 1998):
> This version of the album, with the Edinburgh track, is also available on
> the Lavender label. It has a card cover with a picture in a green border
> of Bob's head poking out of the pocket of a rather miserable-looking
> kangaroo!
So apparently this CD is a copy of the second Wanted Man CD.
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