Ode to the greatest Dylan song many have never heard

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whatwouldcooleydo?
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Ode to the greatest Dylan song many have never heard

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

An Ode to the Greatest Bob Dylan Song You Haven’t Heard

Up to Me is truly one of my favorite songs by anyone, period. It was love at first sound back when I got Biograph in 85. I couldn't agree more with this passage:

Ever since I first heard it, I’ve been obsessed with “Up to Me.” It’s one of my favorite songs by my all-time favorite songwriter, even though it’s had a fraction of the cultural impact of “Like a Rolling Stone” or “Blowin’ in the Wind.” In fact, the lack of cultural impact is precisely part of the appeal. “Up to Me” should be more famous, even if I’m among a small cadre of Dylan nerds who believe that.

I am almost certain that he's never played this gem live, though I've certainly yelled for it at countless Dylan shows I've seen over the years

This passage also really hits home to me:

I find myself referencing “Up to Me” semi-regularly in conversation, even though there’s next-to-zero chance that anyone will know what the hell I’m talking about. I recently fired off a snarky tweet about Saturday Night Live that claimed “in 14 months I’ve only smiled once and I didn’t do it consciously.” Many years ago, I made a mix CD for a woman that was titled “The Only Decent Thing I Did When I Worked As a Postal Clerk.” (Unsurprisingly, I lost touch with her soon after.) This song is an inside joke that I share with only myself.

On the late, great Phil Zone I once posted “in 14 months I’ve only smiled once and I didn’t do it consciously” and two women Zoners sent me emails to check on my emotional state (they didn't know I was quoting the song) :lol: :lol: :lol:


Everything went from bad to worse
Money never changed a thing
Death kept followin', trackin' us down
At least I heard your bluebird sing
Now somebody's got to show their hand
Time is an enemy
I know you're long gone
I guess it must be up to me
If I'd thought about it I never would've done it
I guess I would've let it slide
If I'd-a paid attention to what others were thinkin'
The heart inside me would've died
But I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity
Someone had to reach for the risin' star
I guess it was up to me
Oh, the union central is pullin' out
The orchids are in bloom
I've only got me one good shirt left and it smells of stale perfume
In fourteen months I've only smiled once and I didn't do it consciously
Somebody's got to find your trail
I guess it must be up to me
It was like a revelation
When you betrayed me with your touch
I'd just about convinced myself nothin' had changed that much
The old rounder in the iron mask he slipped me the master key
Somebody had to unlock your heart, he said it was up to me
Now I watched you slowly disappear down into the officers' club
I would've followed you in the door but I didn't have a ticket stub
So I waited all night 'til the break of day, hopin' one of us could get free
When the dawn came over the river bridge
I knew it was up to me
The only decent thing I did when I worked as a postal clerk
Was to haul your picture down off the wall near the cage where I used to work
Was I a fool or not to try to protect your real identity?
You looked a little burned out, my friend
I thought it might be up to me
I met somebody face to face and I had to remove my hat
She's everything I need and love but I can't be swayed by that
It frightens me, the awful truth of how sweet life can be
But she ain't a-gonna make me move, I guess it must be up to me
Now we heard the sermon on the mount and I knew it was too complex
It didn't amount to anything more than what the broken glass reflects
When you bite off more than you can chew you pay the penalty
Somebody's got to tell the tale
I guess it must be up to me
Dupree came in pimpin' tonight to the Thunderbird cafe
Crystal wanted to talk to him, I had to look the other way
Now, I just can't rest without your love, I need your company
But you ain't a-gonna cross the line
I guess it must be up to me
There's a note left in the bottle, you can give it to Estelle
She's the one you been wond'rin' about, but there's really nothin' much to tell
We both heard voices for a while, now the rest is history
Somebody's got to cry some tears
I guess it must be up to me
So go on, boys, and play your hands, life is a pantomime
The ringleaders from the county seat say you don't have all that much time
And the girl with me behind the shades, she ain't my property
One of us has got to hit the road
I guess it must be up to me
If we never meet again, baby, remember me
How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody
And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you free
No one else could play that tune, you know it was up to me
Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing

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whatwouldcooleydo?
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Re: Ode to the greatest Dylan song many have never heard

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

mindblowing that he chose to leave both Up to Me and Blind Willie McTell off of the albums for which they were intended. For most artists either of those songs would have been THE masterpiece, the culmination of a life's work. For Dylan, they were just songs he didn't release.
Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing

LBRod
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Re: Ode to the greatest Dylan song many have never heard

Post by LBRod »


Unfortunately I can no longer make the scene at cousin Jack's. Fuck cancer.
Don't hurt people, and don't take their stuff.

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Rocky
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Re: Ode to the greatest Dylan song many have never heard

Post by Rocky »

I don't know myself or Bob Dylan's catalogue well enough to know why but I know this song. It's familiar to me, I know the melody and I have an mp3 of the recording but I don't know how I acquired it. Steven Hyden is right - it's brilliant.

I now see it was released in 1985 on the box set Biograph.
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Clams
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Re: Ode to the greatest Dylan song many have never heard

Post by Clams »

Just getting around to this thread. Of course I love Dylan but I'm not nearly the fan that some of you guys are. That said, Up To Me has been my absolute favorite Dylan song since the day I bought Biograph in the summer of 1990.

What I love is how each verse seems to have different characters and a different setting, making the song into something of a book where each chapter is an unrelated short story. Or like the verses are all scenes from a bunch of amazing old black and white movies.

And he saves the last verse for himself, where he lets us know that, yes, he's that fucking good - and he knows it.

If we never meet again, baby, remember me
How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody
And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you free
No one else could play that tune, you know it was up to me


Amazing.

Floyd, correct me if I'm wrong but haven't we discussed this song before?
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Clams
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Re: Ode to the greatest Dylan song many have never heard

Post by Clams »

Also, the version on the Blood on the Tracks re-release seems faster (or dare I say more rushed) than the one I remember from Biograph (which doesn't seem to be available on Spotify anymore)
Everyone needs a friend, everyone needs a fuck

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whatwouldcooleydo?
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Re: Ode to the greatest Dylan song many have never heard

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

Clams wrote:Just getting around to this thread. Of course I love Dylan but I'm not nearly the fan that some of you guys are. That said, Up To Me has been my absolute favorite Dylan song since the day I bought Biograph in the summer of 1990.

What I love is how each verse seems to have different characters and a different setting, making the song into something of a book where each chapter is an unrelated short story. Or like the verses are all scenes from a bunch of amazing old black and white movies.

And he saves the last verse for himself, where he lets us know that, yes, he's that fucking good - and he knows it.

If we never meet again, baby, remember me
How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody
And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you free
No one else could play that tune, you know it was up to me


Amazing.

Floyd, correct me if I'm wrong but haven't we discussed this song before?
I do not recall discussing this song, though, as always, I could be wrong
Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing

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Re: Ode to the greatest Dylan song many have never heard

Post by pearlbeer »

whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:
Clams wrote:
Floyd, correct me if I'm wrong but haven't we discussed this song before?
I do not recall discussing this song, though, as always, I could be wrong

I was wrong that time I thought I made a mistake.
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Re: Ode to the greatest Dylan song many have never heard

Post by beantownbubba »

Clams wrote:J

Floyd, correct me if I'm wrong but haven't we discussed this song before?
Yeah, I thought that too. Great mollusks and all that.
whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:mindblowing that he chose to leave both Up to Me and Blind Willie McTell off of the albums for which they were intended. For most artists either of those songs would have been THE masterpiece, the culmination of a life's work. For Dylan, they were just songs he didn't release.
Yep. That's probably as good as any 3 sentence summary of Dylan.
What used to be is gone and what ought to be ought not to be so hard

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whatwouldcooleydo?
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Re: Ode to the greatest Dylan song many have never heard

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

Maybe it was discussed during my hiatus. If so, we are all correct
Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing

chuckrh
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Re: Ode to the greatest Dylan song many have never heard

Post by chuckrh »

is it a tribute? props to tenacious d

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lK4cX5xGiQ

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