After winning a 1994 Grammy for his traditional folk album, World Gone Wrong, Bob Dylan turned a fresh corner in his career, playing to a brand new generation of college-aged fans in the early days of the Information Age. With his appearance on MTV Unplugged came a burst of renewed popularity, while these fresh arrangements of his classic hits locked him in tightly with what would become his most diehard fan base ever.
The Unplugged Sessions
If timing is everything, Dylan's couldn't have been better. With the new cafe culture fully emerged and the mid-'90s folk and Beat renaissance in full swing, Dylan's performance on MTV Unplugged met with enthusiasm as next-generation initiates latched onto any living remnants of 1960s and '70s counterculture.
Recorded over two nights at New York's Sony Studios on November 17-18, 1994 before a small live audience, Dylan and an early incarnation of the Never Ending Tour Band thrilled the crowd with a mix of classic hits, contemporary tracks, and rarities. In fact, the Unplugged performance of “John Brown” from Dylan's 1962 debut album is only the fourth time this vintage song has ever been recorded. Except for two or three songs, the bulk of these performances were brand new arrangements, with Dylan tossing up the rhythms, melodies, and lyrics. For instance the ska-like version of “Desolation Row,” while “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” comes off like a quiet lullaby.
November 17, 1994
Tombstone Blues
I Want You
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Desolation Row
Hazel
Everything Is Broken
The Times They Are A-Changin'
Love Minus Zero/No Limit
Dignity
With God on Our Side
November 18, 1994
Absolutely Sweet Marie
Shooting Star
All Along the Watchtower
My Back Pages
Rain Day Women #12 & 35
John Brown
The Times They Are A-Changin'
Dignity
Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Like a Rolling Stone
Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You
Desolation Row
I Want You
The Live DVD
Released by Columbia on May 2, 1995, both the CD and DVD are a 12-song mix of the strongest performances from both nights. In the film version, to make it appear as one seamless show, Dylan wore the same polka dot shirt on both nights. However, if you look at his hair, you can distinguish which night is which. During the first session, there's a ball of hair rolled together at the crown of Dylan's head which at certain angles resembles a bun, while during the second session, it's flattened down.
For authenticity purposes, the editors left in the false start of “Like a Rolling Stone,” with Dylan chiming in after stopping the song, “Can we start again, the band was way ahead of me. Let's tune these instruments, too.” For those who don't know the song titles, the producers were also kind enough to display them at the bottom of the screen before each track.
Tombstone Blues
Shooting Star
All Along the Watchtower
The Times They Are A-Changin'
John Brown
Desolation Row
Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35 (plays harp 1st time in this song)
Love Minus Zero/No Limit ( very quiet, slow version, lullaby-like)
Dignity
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Like a Rolling Stone
With God on Our Side
The Musicians
One of the first incarnations of Dylan's Never Ending Tour Band, the group backing Dylan for the MTV Unplugged sessions includes longtime Dylan bassist Tony Garnier, along with native Arizona drummer Winston Watson. On another note, in 2009, Watson released the documentary, The Never Ending Tour Diaries. During his five years on the road and 400 shows played with Dylan from 1992-97, Watson kept a diary every night, also capturing the tour with his 8mm video camera. Based on his experiences, the film solidly documents Dylan's 1990s career revival.
Bob Dylan – guitar, vocals, harmonica
Tony Garnier – bass
John Jackson – guitar
Bucky Baxter – dobro, pedal steel
Winston Watson – drums, percussion
Brendan O'Brien – organ