Bob Dylan – The Naked Empire
The Definitive Empire Burlesque Outtakes Remastered
1984-85 various recording studios
Label: Godfather Records, GR 218

Audio Source: soundboard
Lineage: for example: Silver –> XLD (test before copy, cache disabled, suspicious sectors verified, AccurateRip confirmed) –> FLAC 8
Number of Discs: 1

Artwork: original scans of the tri-fold gatefold sleeve and extra jewelcase version as 300 dpi PNGs included

Total running time: 74m 38s

Notes: The Naked Empire on the Godfather label is another release of the Empire Burlesque outtakes that have been released previously. The first title with these outtakes can be found on Clean Cuts (Sick Cat GRAB003 http://www.angelfire.com/wa/monicasdude/210.htm ) in 1992.
While the sound quality on that release was good it ran too fast. Outside the Empire (Wanted Man WMM 60 http://www.angelfire.com/wa/monicasdude/406.htm ) followed two years later and the great Dylan label corrected the speed of the tape and produced an excellent edition. Wanted Man was copied on Tempest Storm (no label) in 1997 and this was followed in 1998 by Tempest Storm (Theremin / Golden Archive Vol. 14 http://www.angelfire.com/wa/monicasdude/536.htm ).
Godfather present the same track listing with nothing new, but the correct speed has been preserved and the sound quality is an improvement over the Wanted Man issue.

The main complaint against Dylan’s 1985 album is the over production of the songs with an abundance of synthesizers, canned horns and that annoying mid-eighties loud pop drum sound. Those who do not like that style found it a shame because the actual songs were an improvement to those found on the 1983 release Infidels. The main virtue of this collection of alternate mixes, and why Godfather calls this The Naked Empire, is to hear the songs in their penultimate form before the final productions that went into the album tracks before Arthur Baker got his hands on them. The tape contains versions of each of the album tracks except for “Dark Eyes,” two songs that later appeared on 1986’s Knocked Out Loaded “New Danville Girl” (“Brownsville Girl”) and “Drifting Too Far From Shore,” four songs that haven’t been released “Waiting To Get Beat,” “Straight A’s In Love,” “The Very Thought Of You,” and “Who Loves You More.” The final song “Go ‘Way Little Boy” he wrote for Lone Justice.

The sessions for Empire Burlesque were held in New York and Hollywood from July 1984 to April 1985.

There are many songs that were recorded that so far have not circulated including, “Queen Of Rock’n’Roll,” “Look Yonder,” “Gravity Song,” “The Girl I Left Behind,” “Prince Of Plunder,” “I See Fire In Your Eyes,” “Waiting To Get Beat,” and a song called “When The Line Forms.”

The Naked Empire claims to be remastered on the cover, and the sound quality is very good with very little hiss. There are good notes printed on the inside cover of the tri-fold gatefold sleeve giving accurate recording information for each track. The design is good too, with various publicity photographs from the era and an appropriate eighties color scheme. (GS)

http://www.collectorsmusicreviews.com/dylan-bob/bob-dylan-the-naked-empire-godfather-records-gr-218/

Info:
See also:

1984 Recording Sessions
http://www.bjorner.com/DSN07335%20-%201984%20Recording%20Sessions.htm

1985 Empire Burlesque sessions
http://www.bjorner.com/DSN07397%20-%201985%20Empire%20Burlesque%20sessions.htm

Tracklisting:

1. New Danville Girl 12:08
2. Tight Connection To My Heart 5:25
3. Clean Cut Kid 5:12
4. I’ll Remember You 3:59
5. Seeing The Real You At Last 4:52
6. Something’s Burning Baby 4:51
7. Trust Yourself 2:58
8. Emotionally Yours 4:23
9. When The Night Comes Falling 6:56
10. Never Gonna Be The Same Again 3:02
11. Waiting To Get Beat 2:12
12. Straight A’s In Love 3:30
13. The Very Thought Of You 2:14
14. Driftin’ Too Far From Shore 3:50
15. Who Loves You More 5:56
16. Go ‘Way Little Boy 3:02