NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Empire Burlesque

Empire Burlesque is Bob Dylan's 23rd studio album, released in 1985 on Columbia Records. Image File history File links PetSounds 7/5/05 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A studio album is a collection of previously unreleased, studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, author, musician, and poet who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year (162nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... Disco is a genre of dance-oriented pop music that blends elements of funk and soul music that was first popularized in dance clubs (discothÃ¨ques) in the mid-1970s. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, author, musician, and poet who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 4. ... This article is about the magazine. ... Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, author, musician, and poet who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. ... Real Live is a live album by Bob Dylan. ... Biograph is a collection of Bob Dylan tracks, both rare and popular, that was released in 1985. ... Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, author, musician, and poet who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ...

The production techniques used on Empire Burlesque are typical of the 1980s, and contemporary critics find it to be one of the few Dylan albums that now sound quite dated. However, the songwriting is generally considered to be some of Dylan's strongest of the decade, with such notable compositions as "Tight Connection to My Heart" and "Dark Eyes." This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Fans and critics continue to debate the album's merits, especially when compared to Dylan's classics of the 1960s, 70s and 2000s. It peaked at #33 in the US and #11 in the UK. The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979. ... The 2000s are the current decade, spanning from 2000 to 2009. ...

The recording sessions

Before embarking on a European tour in the summer of 1984, Dylan had spent a substantial amount of time recording demos of new songs in his Malibu home, accompanied at times by other musicians.

In rehearsals for the tour, Dylan attempted at least three of these new songs, and he occasionally found time to polish their lyrics during the tour.

When the tour was over, Dylan returned to New York and began work on his next studio album. As Clinton Heylin reports, Dylan recorded in sporadic sessions, as had become his norm, rather than "block-booking studio time" and recording in one concentrated period. The result was "an unprecedented expenditure of" time for recording a Dylan album, from July of 1984 to March of 1985.

To accommodate the casual nature of this process, Dylan chose to produce the sessions himself. Arthur Baker, who had previously worked with New Order and Afrika Bambaataa, was later recruited for these sessions, but much of the production work would actually be Dylan's. Arthur Baker was the creator of a distinctive and dramatic style of brush and pen calligraphy. ... New Order are an English rock group formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner (vocals, guitars, synthesizers), Peter Hook (bass, electronic drums), and Stephen Morris (drums, synthesizers). ... Afrika Bambaataa (born on April 17 in 1957)[1] is a DJ and community leader from the South Bronx, who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1970s. ...

One of his first decisions was to forgo the use of a stable set of musicians. Instead, Dylan recorded with an eclectic mix of studio professionals. An aborted session with Al Green's band was held at Intergalactic Studios on July 24, 1984. A session with Ron Wood (formerly of Faces and currently with The Rolling Stones), Anton Fig (best-known as the drummer for David Letterman's house band), and John Paris was held at Delta Sound Studios on July 26th. Al Green in concert at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California on July 27, 2006. ... is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar). ... Ronald David Ron Wood (born June 1, 1947 in Hillingdon, London) is an English rock guitarist and bassist best known as a member of The Rolling Stones, The Faces and The Jeff Beck Group. ... Small Faces album cover The Faces were an early 1970s rock, hard rock, blues rock, band formed in 1969 from the remaining members of The Small Faces after Steve Marriott left to form Humble Pie; new members Ron Wood (guitar) and Rod Stewart (vocals) (both from The Jeff Beck Group... â€œRolling Stonesâ€ redirects here. ... David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947, in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA) is an award-winning American comedian, late night talk show host, television producer, philanthropist, and Indy race car owner. ...

The Delta session produced two notable tracks: “Driftin’ Too Far From Shore” and “Clean Cut Kid.” The former was set aside and would not be finished until 1986, when Dylan recorded his next album, Knocked Out Loaded. The latter had originally been recorded during the Infidels sessions in 1983, but not completed until now. Knocked Out Loaded is a 1986 album release by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. ... â€¹The template below has been proposed for deletion. ...

Wood later described his surprise at Dylan's lack of authority during the mixing process. "[The engineers would] say, 'Hey Bob, we don't need this,' and he'd say, 'Oh, okay.' And they'd make a mix to their ears, and he'd just stand outside and let them do it. And I'd be saying, 'Hey! You can't let these guys...Look!! They've left off the background vocals!' or 'What about the drums?!' But there would be something going on in the back of his head which didn't allow him to interfere. And yet if he'd have gone into the control room with the dominance that he had while we were cutting the stuff, it could have been mind-bending."

During one session between July and September of 1984 (either at Delta Sound or the Power Station), Dylan demoed a song called "Go 'Way Little Boy," which he donated to cowpunk rockers Lone Justice. Dylan would play on Lone Justice's recording of "Go 'Way Little Boy," which was ultimately released as a B-side to their single, “Sweet Sweet Baby (I’m Falling)”. Guitarist Ryan Hedgecock and singer Maria McKee, half-sister of Loves Bryan MacLean, formed Lone Justice in 1982. ... Guitarist Ryan Hedgecock and singer Maria McKee, half-sister of Loves Bryan MacLean, formed Lone Justice in 1982. ...

In terms of his own album, the New York sessions had so far been fairly unproductive. After six months of work, Dylan had only a few recordings that were deemed acceptable, and only two would eventually appear on Empire Burlesque. "Sometimes nothing comes out, and other times I get a lot of stuff that I keep," Dylan said at the time. "I just put down the songs that I felt as I wanted to put them down. Then I'd listen and decide if I liked them. And if I didn't like them I'd either rerecord them or change something about them." In November, Dylan returned to Los Angeles and began recording there.

An early session at Ocean Way Studios produced little if any work that was used for Empire Burlesque. Much time was spent covering other artists’ songs, including “In The Summertime” by Ray Dorset (not to be confused with Dylan’s own song of the same name), “Freedom For The Stallion” by Allen Toussaint, and “Help Me Make It Through The Night” by Kris Kristofferson. Ocean Way Recording is the name of a series of recording studios in Hollywood, California and Nashville, Tennessee. ...

Work became much more productive when Dylan continued work at Cherokee Studios in Hollywood. Recruiting Lone Justice drummer Don Heffington for the early December sessions, Dylan recorded an ambitious song he had co-written with playwright Sam Shepard, titled "New Danville Girl." Acceptable takes were recorded for both songs, though despite positive feedback from his peers, Dylan ultimately omitted "New Danville Girl" from Empire Burlesque. Guitarist Ryan Hedgecock and singer Maria McKee, half-sister of Loves Bryan MacLean, formed Lone Justice in 1982. ... Actor Sam Shepard mulls over a scene in the motion picture Stealth, while filming on June 15, 2004, aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. ...

Regardless, he also found success on the next song, recorded at Cherokee on December 14th. Benmont Tench, Mike Campbell, and Howie Epstein, from Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, joined Heffington for the session. "Something's Burning, Baby" would evolve into a key track on the album. Thomas Tom Earl Petty (born October 20, 1950) is a singer and guitarist. ...

Over the rest of the winter, Dylan recorded most of the tracks that were ultimately used for Empire Burlesque. On January 28th, 1985, another session at Cherokee produced the master take for “Seeing The Real You At Last.” This was followed by a brief stop at A&M Studios on the 28th and/or the 29th to record his contribution to “We Are the World.” On February 5th, Dylan recorded master takes for two more tracks: “Trust Yourself” and “I’ll Remember You.” On the 14th -- Valentine’s Day -- Dylan recorded love songs, including Johnny Cash’s “Straight A’s In Love," but also one of his own, “Emotionally Yours.” With the exception of the “We Are the World” session, all of these songs were recorded with Heffington, the three Heartbreakers, and a few other session players at Cherokee Studios in Hollywood. We Are the World is a 1985 song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, produced and conducted by Quincy Jones and recorded by a supergroup of popular musicians billed as USA for Africa. ... It has been suggested that Johnny Cash family be merged into this article or section. ...

Sometime between the 14th and the 19th of February, Dylan returned to New York City, resuming work at the Power Station. On the 19th, he held a session with Roy Bittan on piano and Steve Van Zandt on guitar, both members of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. They recorded at least one usable take of "When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky," but Bittan and Van Zandt would not return for the remainder of the sessions. Steven van Zandt (born November 22, 1950 in Boston, Massachusetts) is one of the founding members of Bruce Springsteens E-Street Band and plays guitar and mandolin. ... Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. ...

The following day, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, better known as reggae recording artists Sly & Robbie, joined the sessions. They had previously worked with Dylan on Infidels. Along with female vocalists Queen Ester Marrow, Debra Byrd, and Carolyn Dennis, the group recorded “Never Gonna Be The Same Again." Sly and Robbie are probably reggaes most prolific and long lasting production team. ...

On February 23rd, Dylan returned to the Power Station with Sly & Robbie, his back-up singers, and a number of session players, including Al Kooper, who filled in on guitar. The day’s work produced a significantly different version of “When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky,” which was ultimately chosen over the ‘Van Zandt version’ from a few days before. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Around this time, Dylan also revived from the Infidels sessions "Someone's Got A Hold Of My Heart." "A song about being torn apart by irreconcilable demands," according to Clinton Heylin, in revision it was stripped of "just about every religious allusion from the original." Dylan retitled it "Tight Connection to My Heart" and set it aside for further overdubbing.

One final song was recorded on March 3rd, a brand-new composition no more than a few days old. Recorded live-to-tape with no editing, overdubbing, or embellishment, “Dark Eyes” was also sequenced as the last song of the album.

Some further overdubbing was scheduled, but with recording essentially finished, Arthur Baker was left to mix the album. "I'm not too experienced at having records sound good," said Dylan. "I don't know how to go about doing that. With Arthur Baker...I just went out and recorded a bunch of stuff all over the place, and then when it was time to put this record together, I brought it all to him and he made it sound like a record." Arthur Baker was the creator of a distinctive and dramatic style of brush and pen calligraphy. ...

The songs

The opening track, "Tight Connection to My Heart", was originally recorded for 1983's Infidels. It was re-written and re-recorded several times before finding its way on to Empire Burlesque. A lushly produced pop song riding a reggae groove courtesty of Robbie Shakespeare and Sly Dunbar (better known as Sly & Robbie), the love song was singled out as the best track on the album by the most recent edition of The Rolling Stone Album Guide. It was also chosen as the first single for Empire Burlesque. â€¹The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... Sly and Robbie are probably reggaes most prolific and long lasting production team. ...

Clinton Heylin describes "Seeing The Real You At Last" as "a compendium of images half remembered from Hollywood movies," as many of the lyrics made "allusions to Humphrey Bogart movies, Shane, even Clint Eastwood's Bronco Billy." Humphrey DeForest Bogart (December 25, 1899 â€“ January 14, 1957) was an American actor. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Clint Eastwood (born Clinton Eastwood, Jr. ... Bronco Billy is a 1980 film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood and written by Dennis Hackin. ...

The love ballad, "I'll Remember You," is still played quite a bit in concert, more so than all but one other song from Empire Burlesque. It was also featured, in an acoustic version, in the movie Masked & Anonymous, though not included on the released soundtrack. Masked & Anonymous is a film written by Bob Dylan and directed by Larry Charles, though they both credited themselves as writers under pseudonyms Sergei Petrov and Rene Fontaine. ...

"Clean-Cut Kid" was another song recorded during the Infidels sessions. The lyrics weren't finished until much later, and the finished result was included on Empire Burlesque. A novelty song wrapped around sharp political commentary, the 'clean-cut kid' is an average American kid who's radically altered by his experience in the Vietnam War. Village Voice critic Robert Christgau praised it as "the toughest Vietnam-vet song yet." â€¹The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Peopleâ€™s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... The Village Voice is a New York City-based weekly newspaper featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City. ...

When members of the press, as well as Dylan's own fans, dubbed Empire Burlesque as 'Disco Dylan,' it was mainly for the song "When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky." An evocative song filled with apocalyptic imagery, it was originally an upbeat, piledriving rocker recorded with Steven Van Zandt and Roy Bittan, both members of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. Unsatisfied with the recording, Dylan and Baker radically recast the song as a contemporary dance track. (The earlier version was later released on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991.) Steven Van Zandt (born November 22, 1950) is an American musician, songwriter, arranger, record producer, actor, and radio disc jockey, who frequently goes by the stage names Little Steven or Miami Steve. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. ... The E Street Band is a backing band that has toured and recorded with rock musician Bruce Springsteen since 1972. ... The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991 is a compilation box set by Bob Dylan. ...

The penultimate song, "Something's Burning, Baby", is another song filled with apocalyptic imagery. A slow-building march accented with synthesizers, it was singled out by biographer Clinton Heylin as the strongest track on Empire Burlesque: "An ominous tale set to a slow march beat, [it] was a welcome reminder of his ongoing preoccupations with that dreadful day."

"Dark Eyes" features only Dylan on guitar and harmonica. According to earlier interviews and Dylan's autobiography, Chronicles, it was written virtually on demand when Arthur Baker suggested something simpler for the album's final track. Dylan liked the idea of closing the album with a stark, acoustic track, particularly when the rest of the album was so heavily produced. Arthur Baker was the creator of a distinctive and dramatic style of brush and pen calligraphy. ...

However, Dylan didn't have an appropriate song. He returned to his hotel in Manhattan after midnight, and according to Dylan:

"As I stepped out of the elevator, a call girl was coming toward me in the hallway - pale yellow hair wearing a fox coat - high heeled shoes that could pierce your heart. She had blue circles around her eyes, black eyeliner, dark eyes. She looked like she'd been beaten up and was afraid that she'd get beat up again. In her hand, crimson purple wine in a glass. 'I'm just dying for a drink,' she said as she passed me in the hall. She had a beautifulness, but not for this kind of world."

The brief, chance encounter inspired Dylan to write "Dark Eyes," which was quickly recorded without any studio embellishment. Structured like a children's song, with very rudimentary guitar work and very simple notes, it's often quoted for its last chorus: "A million faces at my feet, but all I see are dark eyes."

A number of critics have noted the bizarre sources of inspiration behind some of the songs. As mentioned, some lines were lifted from old Humphrey Bogart pictures, but at least a few were taken from the sci-fi television show, Star Trek. Author Clinton Heylin wrote that "one of the best couplets - ‘I’ll go along with the charade / Until I can think my way out’ (from "Tight Connection to My Heart") - actually comes verbatim from a Star Trek episode, ‘Squire of Gothos’." Humphrey DeForest Bogart (December 25, 1899 â€“ January 14, 1957) was an American actor. ... The current Star Trek franchise logo Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment series and media franchise. ... The current Star Trek franchise logo Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment series and media franchise. ...

Outtakes

As with most Dylan albums, outtakes and rough mixes from Empire Burlesque were eventually bootlegged. However, Empire Burlesque is notable for containing a very large number of Dylan songs that are not only officially unreleased, by wholly unknown even in collector circles. Like "Shot of Love", Dylan recorded a great deal of surplus material for "Empire Burlesque". This is a list of known outtakes. Quite a few are not circulating. It is not known if the uncirculating tracks are Dylan originals unless otherwise noted..

One of the most famous outtakes from the EB sessions is "New Danville Girl." A satirical epic co-written with playwright Sam Shepard, it was originally an attempt at answering Lou Reed's song, "Doin' The Things That We Want To." (Reed was inspired to write "Doin' The Things That We Want To" after seeing one of Shepard's plays.) Knocked Out Loaded is a 1986 album release by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. ... Another Side of Bob Dylan is Bob Dylans 4th studio album, released in 1964 by Columbia Records. ... Actor Sam Shepard mulls over a scene in the motion picture Stealth, while filming on June 15, 2004, aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. ... Lewis Allan Lou Reed[1] (born March 2, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. ...

"It has to do with a guy standing on line and waiting to see an old Gregory Peck movie [called The Gunfighter] that he can't quite remember, only pieces of it," says Shepard. "Then this whole memory thing happens, unfolding before his very eyes. He starts speaking internally to a woman...reliving the whole journey they'd gone on...We spent two days writing the lyrics, Bob had previously composed the melody line, which was already down on tape." Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 â€“ June 12, 2003) was an Oscar-winning American film actor. ...

As Clinton Heylin notes, "allowing each line to raise questions that lead the listener across the flatlands of Texas and time, Shepard contributes a conversational tone that hints at the very mundanity the song's characters are seeking to transcend."

Session guitarist Ira Ingber recalls, "When we first recorded '[New Danville Girl],' we...made a cassette. And he took it out and started playing it. He came back the next day we were working and said, 'Yeah, a lot of people like this thing.' And then he didn't do anything with it. It's like he was doing it to spite people who were all liking it, and he just held on to it."

"New Danville Girl" would actually be re-written and re-recorded as "Brownsville Girl" for Dylan's next album, Knocked Out Loaded. Knocked Out Loaded is a 1986 album release by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. ...

Another outtake, "Driftin' Too Far From Shore," was still unfinished when it was recorded in July of 1984 at Delta Studios. The same recording would later be issued on Knocked Out Loaded after several major overdubs. Knocked Out Loaded is a 1986 album release by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. ...

In addition to recording "Go 'Way Little Boy" during the Empire sessions, Dylan also recorded several other songs that did not make the final cut. He covered the 1950s classic "Straight A's in Love." He recorded a song with two widely different lyrics. The first was entitled "Waiting to Get Beat". Using the same music, he wrote new lyrics, and recorded a second version entitled "The Very Thought of You." Dylan also recorded a six minute song entitled "Who Loves You More", which is a virtually finished take.

Three takes of "In the Summertime" are circulating, as are two full takes of "Freedom for the Stallion" and also a brief take.

All the cut songs from Empire are circulating, including alternate takes to every song that made the album.

Dylan had numerous recordings from his Malibu recordings preceding his European tour in 1984. Though they were very informal, they were also used to demo songs and work out ideas that would later develop on Empire Burlesque. One composition titled "Angel of Rain (Almost Done)" was composed at these sessions. There’s no documentation suggesting Dylan recorded this during the formal Empire Burlesque sessions, but it clearly held his interest during the rehearsals for the European tour. "Angel of Rain" made a deep impression on keyboardist Ian McLagen in what was supposed to be a rehearsal for previously released material. "There was one beautiful song he played occasionally that he'd never recorded and never [fully] rehearsed with us either," recalls McLagen. "It was a tricky little number, we never knew the title, but he'd launch into it from time to time, leaving us totally in the dark."

In 1991, one significant outtake from the Empire Burlesque sessions was released on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991. An early version of "When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky," it featured Roy Bittan on piano and Steve Van Zandt on guitar; both men were better known as members of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. "The Van Zandt 'When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky,' [an] apocalyptic vision bristling with drama, sung without restraint, could have provided Dylan with another epic to counterbalance the mawkish filler he'd been recording since 'New Danville Girl'," writes Heylin. "Instead, Dylan again second-guessed some of his better lines...and absolutely one of his best vocals from a fraught decade, rerecording the song...with a whomping synthesizer and horns track..." NPR's Tim Riley argued, "the alternate take...has such an undeniably raunchy attitude (and guitar solo by Miami Steve Van Zandt) you wonder why Dylan stuck with the lifeless take that makes Empire Burlesque drift off on side two." The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991 is a compilation box set by Bob Dylan. ... Steven van Zandt (born November 22, 1950 in Boston, Massachusetts) is one of the founding members of Bruce Springsteens E-Street Band and plays guitar and mandolin. ... Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. ... Steven van Zandt (born November 22, 1950 in Boston, Massachusetts) is one of the founding members of Bruce Springsteens E-Street Band and plays guitar and mandolin. ...

Aftermath

Empire Burlesque received its share of positive reviews, most notably a full-page review in Time Magazine, but overall the critical reception was mixed. A pocket watch, a device used to tell time Look up time in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Members of the press accused Dylan of trying to achieve a then-contemporary sound on Empire Burlesque; Dylan jokingly replied that he didn't know anything about new music, adding "I still listen to Charley Patton." Charley Patton Charley Patton (May 1, 1891–April 28, 1934) was an American delta blues musician, and one of the first mainstream stars of the genre. ...

In his Consumer Guide column for The Village Voice, critic Robert Christgau wrote, "At best [Dylan]'s achieved the professionalism he's always claimed as his goal...he's certainly talented enough to come up with a good bunch of songs. Hence, his best album since Blood on the Tracks. I wish that was a bigger compliment, but debunking comparisons to Street-Legal are also way off--the arrangements and especially the singing are, yes, tasteful enough to support material that puts Elton John to shame. I mean how did he get that ominous calm, that soupcon of prophecy? And how did he come up with the toughest Vietnam-vet song yet?" The Village Voice is a weekly newspaper in New York City featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City. ... Robert Christgau (2007) Robert Christgau (sometimes abbreviated in print to Xgau), born April 18, 1942, is an American essayist, music journalist, and the self-declared Dean of American Rock Critics[1] His first reviews were published by Esquire in 1967. ... Blood on the Tracks is a 1975 album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. ... Street Legal can refer to: Street Legal, a 1978 album by Bob Dylan Street Legal, a Canadian television show that ran from 1987 to 1994 Street Legal, a New Zealand television series. ... Sir Elton Hercules[1] John CBE [2] (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is a multiple Grammy and Academy Award-winning English pop/rock singer, composer and pianist. ...

As promotion for Empire Burlesque, music videos for "Tight Connection to My Heart," "When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky," and "Emotionally Yours" were produced and broadcast on MTV, with Paul Schrader (best known for his work with Martin Scorsese) directing the video for "Tight Connection to My Heart." However, album sales remained fairly modest. Paul Joseph Schrader (born July 22, 1946 in Grand Rapids, Michigan) is a screenwriter and film director, renowned for his characters that fall into desperation while their world crumbles around them. ... Martin Marcantonio Luciano Scorsese (IPA: AmE: ; Ita: []) (born November 17, 1942) is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Directors Guild of America award winning American film director, writer and producer and founder World Cinema Foundation. ...

In terms of media coverage, Empire Burlesque was overshadowed by a number of Dylan-related projects from that same year. Charitable causes had become en vogue in American pop music, and Dylan participated in a number of high profile causes.

First was the "We Are the World" single, recorded in January of that year. Organized to raise funds for starving Ethiopians, the record received massive publicity, and it became one of the biggest hits of the year. Dylan was prominently featured in the recording, but he expressed some doubts regarding the single's merits. "People buying a song and the money going to starving people in Africa...is a worthwhile idea but I wasn't so convinced about the message of the song," Dylan would later say. "To tell you the truth, I don't think people can save themselves."

Dylan joined Artists United Against Apartheid in recording Sun City, a record protesting South Africa's policies of apartheid. Recorded sometime during the summertime, it would be released in October to great critical acclaim. Produced by Arthur Baker, Dylan's participation would also be prominent on the recording. Artists United Against Apartheid was a protest group founded by activist performer Steven van Zandt to protest the existence of apartheid in South Africa. ... A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ... Arthur Baker was the creator of a distinctive and dramatic style of brush and pen calligraphy. ...

In April, Dylan participated in a recording session with Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare (better known as Sly & Robbie), playing harmonica on “No Name On The Bullet.” The song was released on ‘’Language Barrier’’, issued in August on Island Records. Sly and Robbie are probably reggaes most prolific and long lasting production team. ...

In July, Dylan performed at the benefit concert Live Aid, which also raised funds for starving Ethiopians. Held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dylan's set was accompanied by Ron Wood and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. Technical problems sabotaged his performance, as the musicians were unable to hear their own performances. Dylan performed three songs, and as Heylin notes, "two were very strange choices. 'Ballad of Hollis Brown' dealt with a starving American farmer who chose not to save himself, while the vengeful 'When The Ship Comes In' seemed distinctly at odds with all this universal hand-holding." After his set, Dylan asked the "billions watching to remember those in their own country struggling from economic events beyond their control. In particular, he chose to cite the plight of the American farmers." Dylan's remarks helped inspire Willie Nelson to organize Farm Aid, a benefit concert raising funds for struggling farmers. A benefit concert is a concert featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. ... Ethiopia, as its borders were in 1985. ... Ronald David Ron Wood (born June 1, 1947 in Hillingdon, London) is an English rock guitarist and bassist best known as a member of The Rolling Stones, The Faces and The Jeff Beck Group. ... Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943) is an English guitarist, songwriter, singer and a founding member of The Rolling Stones in 1962. ... â€œRolling Stonesâ€ redirects here. ... Willie Nelson (born William Hugh Nelson, 30 April 1933) is an American entertainer and songwriter, born and raised in Abbott, Texas. ... Farm Aid started as a benefit concert on September 22, 1985, in Champaign, Illinois, held to raise money for family farmers in the United States. ...

Dylan soon found himself performing at Farm Aid, as well, which was broadcast live on national prime-time television on September 22, 1985. For this performance, Dylan was accompanied by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, on the advice of concert promoter Bill Graham. Mindful of the circumstances behind his Live Aid performance, Dylan and the Heartbreakers rehearsed extensively on their six song set. Only four songs would be broadcast on TV, but the performance as a whole was widely regarded as a triumph, featuring lauded performances of "Clean Cut Kid," "I'll Remember You," and "Trust Yourself" from Empire Burlesque. Farm Aid started as a benefit concert on September 22, 1985, in Champaign, Illinois, held to raise money for family farmers in the United States. ... Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (born October 20, 1953 in Gainesville, Florida) is an American musician. ... Cover of Bill Graham Presents Bill Graham (January 8, 1931â€“October 25, 1991) was a well-known rock concert promoter, who flourished from the 1960s until his death. ... Ethiopia, as its borders were in 1985. ...

In November, Columbia released Biograph, a heavily-promoted, five-LP boxed set retrospective that became only the second boxed set to sell half a million copies in the U.S. (the other being Elvis Presley's Elvis Aron Presley). It was also the first to hit #33 on Billboard's album charts, matching the same peak as Empire Burlesque. Biograph may refer to: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, a silent movie era production company widely known as Biograph or Biograph Studios. ... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 â€“ August 16, 1977), often known simply as Elvis and also called The King of Rock n Roll or simply The King, was an American singer, musician and actor. ... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), also known as The King of Rock and Roll, or as just simply The King, was an American singer who had an immeasurable effect on world culture. ...

Finally, November also saw publication of a revised edition of 1973's Writings & Drawings, retitled Lyrics.

Though few regard 1985 as one of Dylan's landmark years, he has never matched the same dizzying array of projects in a single year. If Empire Burlesque was lost in the shuffle, it did set the stage for Dylan's resurgence as a live performer. Though the Heartbreakers were recommended to him by Bill Graham, he already had worked with them on Empire Burlesque. Two major tours with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers would follow, one in 1986 and a more celebrated tour in 1987. As Dylan would later acknowledge in his autobiography, Chronicles, he would regain his powers as a vocalist and an interpreter during these tours as he revisited his own back catalog of songs. Cover of Bill Graham Presents Bill Graham (January 8, 1931â€“October 25, 1991) was a well-known rock concert promoter, who flourished from the 1960s until his death. ... Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (born October 20, 1953 in Gainesville, Florida) is an American musician. ...

Track listing

Personnel

Categories: Bob Dylan albums | 1985 albums | Columbia Records albums Michael (Mike) Campbell (born February 1, 1950 in Panama City, Florida in the U.S.) is a guitarist and record producer, best known for his work with Tom Petty. ... Also known as Carol Dennis. ... Lowell Sly Fillmore Dunbar was born on 10 May 1952, in Kingston, Jamaica. ... Arthur Baker was the creator of a distinctive and dramatic style of brush and pen calligraphy. ... Howard Norman Epstein (1955-2003), was one of the most noted bass guitarists in rock music. ... Jim Keltner (born April 27, 1942 in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is a distinguished session drummer who has contributed to the work of many well-known artists. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Sly and Robbie are reggaes most prolific and long lasting production team. ... Michael Mick Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949 in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire) is an English musician best known as the former lead and rhythm guitarist for The Rolling Stones. ... Benjamin Montmorency Tench III (born September 7, 1953) an American keyboardist, best known as a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, along with Tom Petty, Mike Campbell and Ron Blair of the current lineup. ... Ronald David Ron Wood (born June 1, 1947 in Hillingdon, London) is an English rock guitarist and bassist best known as a member of The Rolling Stones, The Faces and The Jeff Beck Group. ... Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, author, musician, and poet who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. ... Bob Dylan is the eponymous debut album from American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. ... The Freewheelin Bob Dylan, released May 27, 1963, was folk musician Bob Dylans second LP. This release established him as a songwriter of premier importance. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Another Side of Bob Dylan is Bob Dylans 4th studio album, released in 1964 by Columbia Records. ... Bringing It All Back Home is Bob Dylans fifth studio album, released in 1965 by Columbia Records. ... Highway 61 Revisited is Bob Dylans sixth studio album, released in 1965 by Columbia Records. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... John Wesley Harding is an album of original songs by Bob Dylan, produced by Bob Johnston and released on December 27, 1967. ... Nashville Skyline is an album by Bob Dylan, released in 1969. ... Self-portrait by Vincent Van Gogh A portrait is a painting, photograph, or other artistic representation of a person. ... New Morning was released in October 1970 by Bob Dylan, only four months after the controversial Self Portrait. ... Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid is a soundtrack album released by Bob Dylan in 1973 for the Sam Peckinpah film of the same name. ... Dylan (known as A Fool Such as I in Europe) is rock musician Bob Dylans 13th studio album, released by Columbia Records in 1973. ... Planet Waves (1974) is an album by Bob Dylan, and was recorded with The Band at Village Recorder in Los Angeles during three different sessions in November 1973. ... Blood on the Tracks is a 1975 album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. ... The Basement Tapes are a series of recordings by North American folk-rockers Bob Dylan and The Band, recorded in mid-1967. ... Desire is an album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on the Columbia Records label in 1976. ... Street Legal, a rock album, was released by Bob Dylan on June 15, 1978. ... Slow Train Coming is singer-songwriter Bob Dylans 19th studio album, released in 1979 by Columbia Records. ... Saved was Bob Dylans first album of the 1980s, and his 24th overall. ... Shot of Love is Bob Dylans 21st studio album, released by Columbia Records in 1981. ... â€¹The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... Knocked Out Loaded is a 1986 album release by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. ... // Down in the Groove Down in the Groove is a 1988 album release by Bob Dylan. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Under the Red Sky is a 1990 album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. ... Good as I Been to You is a traditional folk music album made by Bob Dylan in 1992. ... World Gone Wrong is the twenty-ninth studio album (according to the list below)by Bob Dylan, released in 1993 by Columbia Records. ... Time Out of Mind is Bob Dylans critically-acclaimed comeback album, released in 1997. ... Love and Theft is an album by Bob Dylan, released in 2001. ... Modern Times is Bob Dylans 32nd studio album, released on August 29, 2006 by Sony BMG. The album was Dylans third straight (following Time out of Mind and Love and Theft) to be met with nearly universal praise from fans and critics. ... Alternate cover Cover of the 2005 remaster of The Concert for Bangla Desh The Concert For Bangla Desh is a live triple album and double DVD by George Harrison and celebrity friends performed in aid of the homeless Bengali refugees of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. ... Before the Flood is the title of a 1974 live album by Bob Dylan and The Band. ... Hard Rain is a live album by American musician Bob Dylan, captured during the second leg of the Rolling Thunder Revue. ... Bob Dylan At Budokan is an audio recording taken from two different shows on February 28 and March 1, 1978. ... Real Live is a live album by Bob Dylan. ... Dylan & The Dead is a collaborative live album by Bob Dylan and The Grateful Dead, released in 1989 by Columbia Records. ... The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration is a live double-album release in recognition of Bob Dylans 30 years as a recording artist. ... MTV Unplugged is Bob Dylans 1995 unplugged release, recorded and issued at the peak of that formats popularity. ... Live at The Gaslight 1962 is a single CD release including ten songs from early Bob Dylan performances at the Gaslight cafe in New York Citys Greenwich Village. ... Live at Carnegie Hall 1963 is a six-song live set by Bob Dylan. ... Bob Dylans Greatest Hits (1967) was the first compilation album released by Bob Dylan. ... Bob Dylans Greatest Hits Vol. ... Masterpieces was released in Japan and Australia in anticipation for Bob Dylans 1978 tour. ... Biograph is a collection of Bob Dylan tracks, both rare and popular, that was released in 1985. ... Bob Dylans Greatest Hits Volume 3 is the third official compliation album by Bob Dylan, released in 1994. ... The Essential Bob Dylan is the fourth official compilation by Bob Dylan, released as a double-CD set in 2000. ... Dylan is a 2007 compilation album by Bob Dylan. ... The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991 is a compilation box set by Bob Dylan. ... Dont Look Back (sic) is a 1967 documentary film by D.A. Pennebaker that covers Bob Dylans 1965 concert tour of England. ... Eat the Document is a rarely exhibited documentary of Bob Dylans 1966 tour of England with the Hawks. ... Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is a 1973 film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring James Coburn and Kris Kristofferson. ... Renaldo and Clara is a surrealist movie, by and starring Bob Dylan. ... Originally written by Scott Richardson, Hearts of Fire was rewritten by Joe Eszterhas because the studio felt that Richardson was, in their eyes, a baby writer and not experienced enough to take on the responsibility of a starring vehicle for Bob Dylan. ... Masked and Anonymous is a 2003 film written and directed by Seinfeld writer Larry Charles. ... DVD cover No Direction Home is a documentary by Martin Scorsese that traces the life of Bob Dylan, and how he managed to make such a big impact in the 20th century. ... Tarantula is an experimental novel by Bob Dylan, written early in his musical career. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... // Bob Dylan (1962) UK #13 The Freewheelin Bob Dylan (1963) US #22; UK #1 -Platinum The Times They Are a-Changin (1964) US #20; UK #4 -Gold Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964) US #43; UK #8 -Gold Bringing It All Back Home (1965) US #6; UK #1 -Platinum Highway...

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