Bob Dylan (Live 1961) - Fixin' To Die

Bob Dylan singing 'Fixin' To Die' at the Carnegie Recital Hall on November 4th 1961

Feeling funny in my mind, Lord,
I believe I'm fixing to die, fixing to die
Feeling funny in my mind, Lord
I believe I'm fixing to die
Well, I don't mind dying
But I hate to leave my children crying
Well, I look over yonder to that burying ground
Look over yonder to that burying ground
Sure seems lonesome, Lord, when the sun goes down

Feeling funny in my eyes, Lord,
I believe I'm fixing to die, fixing to die
Feeling funny in my eyes, Lord
I believe I'm fixing to die
Well, I don't mind dying but
I hate to leave my children crying
There's a black smoke rising, Lord
It's rising up above my head, up above my head
It's rising up above my head, up above my head
And tell Jesus make up my dying bed.

I'm walking kind of funny, Lord
I believe I'm fixing to die, fixing to die
Yes I'm walking kind of funny, Lord
I believe I'm fixing to die
Fixing to die, fixing to die
Well, I don't mind dying
But I hate to leave my children crying.

BOB DYLAN & HELENA SPRINGS

If I Don't Be There By Morning
by Bob Dylan and Helena Springs

Blue sky upon the horizon,
Private eye is on my trail,
And if I don't be there by morning
You know that I must have spent the night in jail.


I've been running from Memphis to L. A.
Had an appointment set sometime for today,
And if I don't be there by morning
You know that I must have gone the other way.


Finding my way back to you girl,
Lonely and blue and mistreated too.
Sometimes I think of you girl,
Is it true that you think of me too?


I got a woman living in L. A.
I got a woman waiting for my pay,
And if I don't be there by morning,
Pack my clothes, get down on your knees and pray.


Chorus

I left my woman with a twenty dollar bill.
I left her waiting, I hope she's waiting for me still.
If I don't be there by morning
You know that I, I never will.

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WALK OUT IN THE RAIN - Eric Clapton
by Bob Dylan and Helena Springs

Walk out if it doesn't feel right,
I can tell you're only lying.
If you've got something better tonight
Then don't mess up my mind with your crying.

Just walk out in the rain,
Walk out with your dreams,
Walk out of my life if you don't feel right.
And catch the next train;
Oh, darling, walk out in the rain.

I have come from so far away
Just to put a ring on your finger.
If you've said all that you've got to say
Then please don't feel the need to linger.


Chorus

It's raining outside of the city;
My poor feet have walked till they're sore.
If you don't want my love, it's a pity.
I guess I can't see you no more.

Chorus

Out-take from "Street-Legal", recorded at Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA, 01 May 1978 - covered by Eric Clapton on his "Backless" (Uni/A&M, 1978) album along with IF I DON’T BE THERE BY MORNING (a picture of the album cover is on the "I" page). Lyrics on bobdylan.com A bluegrass version by Ronnie and Bob McCoury was released in 1995 on their album of the same name (Rounder Records CD-0353). The Groovie Ghoulies released a version in 1996 on their Lookout Records album "Born In The Basement" (this album also had a cover of Bob's film soundtrack song BAND OF THE HAND under the title HELL TIME! - see "Searching For A Gem", 1986). May 2001 saw two covers of this song released: a previously unreleased 1978 live recording by the Belgian singer Ann Christy on the BMG Germany release "May Your Song Always Be Sung Again: The Songs Of Bob Dylan Vol. 2", and a version by Kenny Neal on his Telarc album "One Step Closer".
Paul Cable reported in his book "Bob Dylan: His Unreleased Recordings" that a rough studio recording of Bob performing this song with Helena Springs was in circulation

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COMING FROM THE HEART
by Dylan and Helena Springs

We have got to come together
How long can we stay apart?
You may get it maybe never
But it's coming from the heart.

Your life is full of indecision
You can't make up your mind.
We must get it in position
And move it on down the line.

'Cause the road is long, it's a long hard climb
I been on that road too long of a time
Yes the road is long, and it winds and winds
When I think of the love that I left behind.

Make me up a bed of roses
And hang them down from the vine
Of all my loves you've been the closest
That's ever been on my mind.

Please don't talk about tomorrow
I'm really not one to care
This world is filled with too much sorrow
That nobody's heart should bear.

'Cause the road is long, it's a long hard climb
I been on that road too long of a time
Yes the road is long, and it winds and winds
When I think of the love that I left behind.

Please, please give me indication
Stop and talk to me
Like a river that is flowing
My love will never cease to be.

You will always be my honey
No one could take your part
Our love can't be bought with money
'Cause it's coming from the heart.

'Cause the road is long, it's a long hard climb
I been on that road too long of a time
Yes the road is long, and it winds and winds
When I think of the love that I left behind.

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RED HAIRED GIRL
Bob Dylan/Helena Springs, 1978

Otherwise unknown song title named by Helena Springs in an interview with Chris Cooper printed in "Wanted Man: In Search Of Bob Dylan" edited by John Bauldie (Black Spring Press, UK, 1990) - may be included on a demo tape by Helena Springs performing her joint compositions with Bob, no Dylan performance known
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RESPONSIBILITY
Bob Dylan/Helena Springs, 1979

Recorded at Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA, October 1979, with vocal by Helena Springs

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PAIN AND LOVE
Bob Dylan/Helena Springs, 1978

Otherwise unknown song title named by Helena Springs in an interview with Chris Cooper printed in "Wanted Man: In Search Of Bob Dylan" edited by John Bauldie (Black Spring Press, UK, 1990) - may be included on a demo tape by Helena Springs performing her joint compositions with Bob, no Dylan performance known

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LOVE YOU TOO MUCH
Bob Dylan/Helena Springs, 1978

No known studio version - performed live on two occasions only, at Binghamton, NY, 24 Sep 1978, and at Madison Square Garden, New York, 29 Sep 1978. Also soundchecked but not performed at New Haven, CT, 17 Sep 1978. Greg Lake released a cover with amended lyrics on his 1981 UK "Greg" album, now available on CD on his compilation album "From The Beginning" (WEA/Atlantic/Rhino, USA, 1997). Another version by The Band is on their "High On The Hog" album (Pyramid/Rhino 72404, USA, 1996, reissued in 2006 as Titan/Pyramid 501042, USA). Lyrics of this song are in the book "Lyrics 1962-1985" although not on bobdylan.com. Also known as I MUST LOVE YOU TOO MUCH. Thanks to David Plentus and Jack from Canada for information and scans

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THE WANDERING KIND
Bob Dylan/Helena Springs, 1979

Recorded at Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA, October 1979, with vocal by Helena Springs - available officially as a cover by Paul Butterfield on his album "The Legendary Paul Butterfield Rides Again" (see top of this page), Amherst Records AMH 3305, 1986. Lyrics on bobdylan.com

Bob Dylan's Paintings On Exhibition

I HEAR THAT HE SINGS, TOO | November 8th 2007
Detail from "Train Tracks", Bob Dylan 2007, Black Buffalo Collection
A German art gallery in the town of Chemnitz mounts the first-ever exhibition of water-colour and gouache paintings by Bob Dylan. Cornelia Rudat throws the bums a dime, and goes to take a look ... Special to MORE INTELLIGENT LIFE
Chemnitz, of all places!

This little-known Saxon city, called Karl-Marx-Stadt in the communist era, has a miserable image as a poor, dilapidated, rustbelt town. Its population has shrunk from 330,000 to 240,000 since German unification. But in the arts world its fame is spreading. The beautiful KÜnig Albert Museum houses the Chemnitz City Art Gallery, where Ingrid MÜssinger, its clever director since 1996, has been very busy.

Since her arrival the gallery has had remarkable exhibitions of work by Pablo Picasso, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Edvard Munch and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. The permanent collection includes 65,000 works of 20th-century art, including a large collection of paintings by Chemnitz-born Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, one of the founding members of the famous Brücke group, in 1905, which marked the beginning of German expressionism.

Last year MÜssinger came across Bob Dylan's 1965 album, "Bringing it All Back Home" (her first and--still--only Dylan album). She was touched, especially by the first song, "Subterranean Homesick Blues". "Someone who uses such metaphoric and abstract language might also be drawing", she explained to me. She searched for evidence in several Dylan biographies and was not at all surprised when she discovered "Drawn Blank", a book published by Random House in 1994, with 92 drawings and sketches Dylan made while on tour between 1989 and 1992. She finally got hold of a copy at the Morgan Library in New York.

Persuaded of Dylan's talent as a draftsman, MÜssinger wanted him to "eventually complete" his sketches--something he had indicated a desire to do in his book's preface. It took her a while to get hold of him, but once she did, she received a positive reply within two days. Dylan was inspired by her commitment. "I was fascinated to learn of Ingrid's interest in my work, and it gave me the impetus to realise the vision I had for these drawings many years ago. If not for this interest, I don't know if I even would have revisited them", the singer is quoted as saying in the museum's literature. Over eight months Dylan elaborated on his 322 works.

With the help of digital fine-art print, he enlarged 85 drawings and printed them on deckle-edged paper. He produced three or four variations of a single motif by adding water colours or gouache and sometimes repainted one or two details. MÜssinger chose 140 paintings (all titled and signed by the artist) for her show and 170 for the catalogue, available in German and English.


The exhibition's audio guide is available in German only. But even without a guide, the real Dylan fan is going to find songs (or lines from them) visualised in this or that painting. Take a long look at "Woman in Red Lion Pub", for instance, probably the show's highlight, and songs including "Visions of Johanna" and "Just Like a Woman" from "Blonde on Blonde" (1966) are bound to cross your mind. Or did Dylan think of "Sara" (from "Desire", 1976) when he painted this erotic woman?

Art critics have been quick to see the influence of German expressionists, especially Kirchner and Max Beckmann, in the bright colours and the bold, dark contours. Three variations of "Corner Flat" depict three different men of different ages in the same environment. They all look sad and introverted, and they don't seem to notice what's going on outside the (hotel?) room. Are they a metaphor for Dylan's "lonesome hobo" on "John Wesley Harding" (1967)?

The exhibition ends with three variations of "Train Tracks" (pictured at the top of this page), whichtrail away to the horizon, like the trains and journeys running through so many ofDylan's lyrics.


Overall, Dylan's portraits and nudes seem clear and calm, but his interiors and landscapes often radiate a certain chaos and restlessness. He's got the measure of other people, it's the universe that worries him. That fits with the musician whose most evocative lyric is still probably this one:

"How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?"


("The Drawn Blank Series" until March 24th 2008 at Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz, Theaterplatz 1, 09111 Chemnitz. Tel.: +49-371-488 44 24.)

BOB DYLAN FINE & PERFORMING ARTS MUSEUM

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Music legend Bob Dylan’s paintings are on exhibition at a museum in Chemnitz in eastern Germany.

This is the first time when as many as 170 watercolour and pastel drawings, made by Dylan in his spare time for years, are on display.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is a painting of a curvaceous woman viewed by Dylan from behind, while he was drinking in the Red Lion pub in Blackpool in 1992.

Just think how many people would really feel great if they could see a Picasso in their daily diner.

Dylan, who once put a childlike picture of his own on the cover of his appropriately named Self Portrait album of songs, was persuaded to mount his first show by Ingrid Mossinger, curator of the museum in the town that was known as Karl-Marx-Stadt when it was behind the iron curtain.

Mossinger saw pencil and charcoal drawings, made by Dylan for a book called Drawn Blank, during her visit to New York in the early Nineties. She approached him and asked him to finish the works.

Over the next eight months, Dylan made 320 artwork that included portraits, landscapes, and still lives.

Dylan took art classes in the Seventies with Norman Raeben, a teacher in New York city.

He, however, has not always been very keen on appearing in an exhibition.

"Great paintings should be where people hang out," Time Online quoted him as saying in the Sixtees.

"Just think how many people would really feel great if they could see a Picasso in their daily diner. It's not the bomb that has to go, man; it's the museums," he said.

Bob Dylan: Dignity 1994

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY7tErBvxS0