Bob Dylan – Fourth Time Around – North America September & October 1978

Bob Dylan
1978 FOURTH TIME AROUND
NORTH AMERICA SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER
Pink Panther Records

There is an enormous amount of rubbish written about the first half of the 1978 North American tour.

Yes, the American press regarded Bob as a dinosaur who was past his prime & was now “selling-out like Elvis”, not that Elvis ever did sell out. The recently released Renaldo & Clara commercial disaster did not help.

Remember, Bob had just returned from a hugely successful tour of Europe which was praised by critics & fans alike.

Yes, Bob attacked the band about this criticism, accusing them of being boring & formulaic. These included some of the best musicians on the planet.

Yes, Bob’s harem was very disruptive to the karma of the band.

Yes, everybody (including Bob) got the flu & fans delighted in Ian Wallace vomiting into the bucket beside his drums.

But, being objective about the whole thing from the perspective of the surviving tapes, the music is simply beautiful.

Bob’s singing on this tour leg is inspired. In September, the band played some wonderful music
which sounded integrated & harmonious as only players who understand each other can – they had now been playing together for over six months.

& when Bob put the boot in they sure responded – the harmony started to disappear in October to be replaced by more & more improvisation. The jazz players in the band knew what to do & did it brilliantly but October was really the month of Billy Cross – his guitar playing is more than often exquisite.

Paul Williams understood this & he was absolutely right.

Bob was no doubt going through a period of great personal turmoil, but, as it has happened before of since, this just took his art to higher places.

Not as wild & feral & religious as November & December, but more majestic. Bob is in the process of changing into something quite different.

Contains September & October versions of each song (if they were played in both months)
so don’t complain about the sound quality of The Man In Me & It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry – it is what it is – sometimes it is lo-fi.

Don’t miss this.

FLAC from best available sound sources.

Statistics for this compilation (yes, lies, damn lies & statistics masquerading as facts)

80 ball-tearing, sensational tracks
46 different songs
17 concerts are represented here (from the total of 33 concerts)
6 hours & 24 minutes of music
1 bob

All songs played on the tour leg are represented here. Sound quality is, for the most part, very good to excellent

Civic Center
Augusta, Maine
15 September 1978

01.Rainy Day Women #12 & 35

Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 instrumental without Bob Dylan.

Cumberland Civic Center
Portland, Maine
16 September 1978

02.I Threw It All Away

Veterans Memorial Coliseum
New Haven, Connecticut
17 September 1978

03.The Man In Me

Onondaga County War Memorial Auditorium
Syracuse, New York
22 September 1978

04.Fourth Time Around
05.Simple Twist Of Fate

Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena
Binghamton, New York
24 September 1978

6.It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
7.Girl Of The North Country
8.Love You Too Much

Civic Center
Springfield, Massachusetts
26 September 1978

9.My Back Pages
10.Iím Ready (Willie Dixon)
11.Is Your Love In Vain?
12.Love Minus Zero/No Limit
13.Tangled Up In Blue
14.I Donít Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
15.Like A Rolling Stone
16.True Love Tends To Forget
17.It Ain’t Me, Babe
18.Blowin’ In The Wind
19.I Want You
20.SeÒor (Tales Of Yankee Power)
21.Masters Of War
22.Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
23.All I Really Want To Do
24.It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
25.Changing Of The Guards

Madison Square Garden
New York City, New York
29 September 1978

26.Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
27.SeÒor (Tales Of Yankee Power)

Madison Square Garden
New York City, New York
30 September 1978

28.Iím Ready (Willie Dixon)
29.Ballad Of A Thin Man
30.Maggie’s Farm
31.I Shall Be Released
32.Going, Going, Gone
33.One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)
34.Am I Your Stepchild?
35.One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)
36.Masters Of War
37.Just Like A Woman
38.Baby Stop Crying
39.All Along The Watchtower
40.Forever Young

Scope Arena
Norfolk, Virginia
3 October 1978

41.The Man In Me

The Spectrum
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
6 October 1978

42.It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry

Civic Center
Providence, Rhode Island
7 October 1978

43.Iím Ready (Willie Dixon)
44.Is Your Love In Vain?
45.Shelter From The Storm
46.It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
47.It Ain’t Me, Babe
48.Am I Your Stepchild?
49.SeÒor (Tales Of Yankee Power)
50.Masters Of War
51.Just Like A Woman
52.All Along The Watchtower
53.All I Really Want To Do
54.Changing Of The Guards

Maple Leaf Gardens
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
12 October 1978

55.Going, Going, Gone
56.To Ramona

Chicago Stadium
Chicago, Illinois
18 October 1978

57.The Times They Are A-Changin’
58.Girl Of The North Country

Richfield Coliseum
Richfield, Ohio
20 October 1978

59.My Back Pages
60.Mr Tambourine Man
61.Shelter From The Storm
62.Tangled Up In Blue
63.Ballad Of A Thin Man
64.I Shall Be Released
65.Where Are You Tonight? (Journey Through Dark Heat)
66.Simple Twist Of Fate

Centennial Arena
University Of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
21 October 1978

67.Love Minus Zero/No Limit
68.Maggie’s Farm
69.I Donít Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
70.Like A Rolling Stone
71.One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)
72.One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)
73.Blowin’ In The Wind
74.Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
75.It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
76.Forever Young

The Checkerdome
St Louis, Missouri
29 October 1978

77.True Love Tends To Forget

Civic Center
St. Paul, Minnesota
31 October 1978

78.Sheís Love Crazy (Tampa Red)
79.Coming From The Heart (The Road Is Long) (Bob Dylan/Helena Springs)
80.I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight

Rock on, Bob!