Hard Rain & Slow Trains: Bob Dylan & Fellow Travelers

The third episode featuring fellow travelers who first recorded in the 1950s and who are still with us (the previous one is from 5/14/2020). This episode features Harry Belafonte and Mighty Sparrow. Over sixty years is a long time to have a recording career, and these are two of the last ones standing. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to choose between Harry Belafonte's...

In episode 77 we close out our song-by-song consideration of ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring "Murder Most Foul" and other closers for Bob Dylan albums; they tend to be long, so we do not have time to play but a few of them, though. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we ask you to choose between Bob Dylan's and the Grateful Dead's versions of "Desolation Row,&q...

In episode 76 we approach the conclusion of our song-by-song consideration of ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring "False Prophet," second song from the new album and first played during our 5/14/2020 "Last Ones Standing part 2" episode. In this episode, we play songs to which Dylan alludes in "False Prophet" as well as dive into the meaning of the song, especially as...

In episode 75 we continue to explore Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring "Goodbye Jimmy Reed," sixth song from the new album. In this episode, we play songs to which Dylan alludes in "Goodbye Jimmy Reed," play other songs that have lyrical connections to Dylan's song, and contemplate the song...and of course we play Jimmy Reed! This week on "Who...

In episode 74 we continue to explore Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring "Black Rider," fifth song from the new album. In this episode, we play songs to which Dylan alludes in "Black Rider," play other songs that have strong thematic connections to Dylan's song, and read relevant poetry & Biblical passages. This week on "Who Did It Better?&q...

In episode 73 we continue to celebrate the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring "I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You," fourth song from the new album. In this episode, we play both songs to which Dylan alludes in his song and also songs of which he may not even be aware (although, with Dylan, one never knows!) in order to create a thematic, em...

In episode 72 we continue to mark the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring "My Own Version of You" in the context of songs about the Pygmalion myth and Frankenstein story. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we feature two versions of "Rollin' & Tumblin'," the 1950 classic from Muddy Waters and Dylan's rewrite from 200...

We continue to mark the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring one of its songs, "Crossing the Rubicon," in the context of songs about crossing the Rubicon and songs about mysterious meetings and songs about being slow to head back home. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we feature two versions of "I Was Young When I Left Home," Dylan&ap...

We continue to mark the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring one of its songs, "Mother of Muses," in the context of songs that invoke the Muse and even a song about Mnemosyne, mother of the Nine Muses. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we feature two versions of Bob Dylan's song about a Spanish Harlem muse, "Spanish Harlem Incident,&qu...

We continue to mark the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring its opening song, "I Contain Multitudes," in the context of other opening songs from Bob Dylan studio albums. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we feature two versions of the song that launched Bob Dylan's career, "Blowin' in the Wind," and ask you to go to our Twit...

We continue to mark the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring one of its songs, "Key West," playing songs that both help to place it in context and that also are akin to it in theme and sound. This week on "Who Did It Better?" we go from the flatlands of "Key West" to the lowlands and feature two versions of "Sad-eyed Lady of the L...

Tonight we celebrate the release of Dylan's new album ROUGH & ROWDY WAYS by featuring four songs from it. "Twenty Pounds of Headlines" features news from the world of Bob Dylan. This week on "Who Did It Better?" two versions of "Mr. Tambourine Man": Bob Dylan's & that of The Byrds. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it better!

Hard Rain & Slow Trains: Bob Dylan & Fellow Travelers playing music that remains relevant year-in-and-year-out. "Twenty Pounds of Headlines" features news from the world of Bob Dylan. This week on "Who Did It Better?" two versions of "The Times They Are A-Changin'" from Bob Dylan & Odetta. Go to our Twitter page @RainTrains and vote for who did it bet...

Blackout. Song of the week: "Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll"; please vote for "Who Did It Better?" at our Twitter page: https://twitter.com/RainTrains.

Remembering Bucky Baxter (1965-2020), who played pedal steel, steel guitar, dobro, & mandolin with Bob Dylan from 1992-1999, including over 740 shows. Baxter passed away Monday, May 25th and we are featuring his music tonight. This episode features another installment of "Twenty Pounds of Headlines" featuring news from the world of Bob Dylan. This week on "Who Did It Better?&quo...

Bob Dylan turns 79 on Sunday (but who's counting?), and we here at Hard Rain & Slow Trains: Bob Dylan & Fellow Travelers are not going to let the occasion go by unmarked. This episode also features the debut of the new segment, "Twenty Pounds of Headlines" featuring news from the world of Bob Dylan. This week on "Who Did It Better?" two live versions of "Posit...

The second of three episodes that feature both the early & contemporary music of fellow travelers who first recorded in the 1950s and who are still with us. Over sixty years is a long time to have a recording career, and these are some of the last ones standing. In memoriam Little Richard (1932-2020): no longer one of the last ones standing. For the next 7 days, you can go to our Twitter page...

The first of three episodes that play both the early & contemporary music of fellow travelers who first recorded in the 1950s and who are still with us. Over sixty years is a long time to have a recording career, and these are some of the last ones standing. In memoriam Michael McClure. For the next 7 days, you can go to our Twitter page and vote for whose version of "That Lucky Old Sun&q...

This episode features the new Dylan song, "I Contain Multitudes," including reflections on it and some of the songs referenced in it. Also, during "Who Did It Better?" we announce the winner of last week's poll and play the two versions of the new song of the week. You can go to our Twitter page and vote for whose version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"...

During these times, many people are unable to do much traveling. Don't worry, we are going to get your toes tapping and feet stepping to virtual destinations here at Hard Rain & Slow Trains, with our "Virtual Traveling" episode. Also, this week we debut "Who Did It Better?" our new weekly segment where you can listen to two versions of the same song by different perfor...

It's the Paschal season: This is the last day of Passover and the Paschal season so we are going to commemorate it with a bunch of great tunes by Bob Dylan and his fellow travelers, a number of which Dylan himself has performed over the years in concert.

This is the second of our two episodes focusing on Dylan's new ballad; this episode's centerpiece is a "Murder Most Foul" soundscape, with 141 audio references woven as ghostly echoes throughout the seventeen-minute song. We also remember John Prine this evening, who passed away on April 7, 2020.

With the surprise release last week of the first new Bob Dylan song in eight years, we are devoting this first of two episodes to the evocative & elegiac song; also, as John Prine fights for his life against COVID-19, we kick off the show with a John Prine tune, sending him our admiration and best wishes.

Marking the first week of spring with this selection of tunes from Bob Dylan & his fellow travelers.

The world is social distancing, but we are bridging the gap with songs that reflect on the ongoing pandemic this week on Hard Rain & Slow Trains: Bob Dylan & Fellow Travelers. We hope that each and everyone of you is safe and well.