The second Dylan covers album in ten days, to add to two originals. The sleeve notes claim this to be the first one. I don't know where Peter, Paul and Mary fit into the sequence.
It's interesting that, even at this early stage, when Dylan's style can't have been anything like as established and entrenched as it is now, Odetta writes, "Because of the strength of Bob Dylan's songs, especially in his presentation of them, it is sometimes quite difficult to resist imitating him." However, Odetta rises to the challenge well — much better than Steve Gibbons.
I don't know where I heard it — it could have been in No Direction Home, it could have been in Chronicles
and it could have been when Odetta played at the Barbican Dylan tribute gig 18 months ago — but there was a story about Dylan being present when Odetta was recording these songs, and seeking to give her some directions. She bid him leave the studio. And he was sufficiently in awe of her to obey. I've mentioned before that Stephin Merritt also worships her. So having two such towering songwriters as fans says quite a lot about Odetta's way with a song.
Unfortunately the CD booklet doesn't credit the musicians playing on the album, so I don't know if the bass player is Bill Lee again. Whoever it is, s/he plays very well. In fact the bass and guitar playing at some points reminds me of the jazz-folk style of Astral Weeks.
I've heard few versions of Dylan that swing like these songs do. There's something about them that makes even Masters of War sound like it could be an old spiritual — which is a tribute to what both singer and writer have achieved. The version of Mr Tambourine Man, nearly eleven minutes long, is a tour de force.
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