Bob Dylan — If Dogs Run Free, Live. Part One, 2000-2001

(and Take 1, 1970)

Song recorded, 5th June, 1970.

Live debut, 1st October, 2000.

The fourth song from the album New Morning to be played live.

I have always quite liked this song. It seems unusual. I like the words. Listening to live recordings from the early 2000's I have always liked listening to this one when it comes around.. The vocal is often really clear, and his voice can be heard especially well ~ how he is singing. I also have found it interesting that Bob Dylan decided to begin play this song one night in the Autumn of 2000, during the encore, between Like a Rolling Stone, and All Along The Watchtower .. and kept that up for the rest of the tour that year. (I included the first six here.. I was interested in the lyric changes...). The gap between the 5th and 6th version is the time between Europe / US tours. I then I included the last show from 2000. The first show of 2001. Three other shows from 2001.

5th June, 1970. Take 1 0:00

1st October, 2000. Münster, Germany 4:09

2nd October, 2000. Brussels, Belgium 8:22

3rd October, 2000. Paris, France 12:12

5th October, 2000. London, England 16:23

6th October, 2000. London, England 20:06

29th October, 2000. Madison, Wisconsin 23:48

19th November, 2000. Towson, Maryland 27:21

25th February, 2001. Omiya, Japan 31:17

4th May, 2001. Atlanta, Georgia 35:14

25th July, 2001. Perugia, Italy 39:08

23rd November, 2001. Portland, Maine 43:01

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Thank you to the tapers of all these shows!..

(I might post a few of these late 2000 shows in the next few days)

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Take 1 is from the 6th New Morning recording session, produced by Bob Johnson.

https://www.bjorner.com/DSN01790%201970.htm#DSN01835

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New Morning album version,

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Songs from the album New Morning played live,

If Not For You, 89 times, live debut ~ 14th April, 1992 - 17th Nov 2004

If Dogs Run Free, 104 times, live debut ~ 1st Oct, 2000 - 4th Nov 2005

New Morning, 79 times, live debut ~ 19th April, 1991 - 13th August, 2006

The Man in Me, 155 times, live debut ~ 20th Feb 1978 - 27th June 2011

https://www.bobdylan.com/albums/new-morning/

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..I was wondering if anything happened on this day to influence Bob Dylan to begin to play this song. I searched what was happening on the 1st October, 2000 (Not expecting to find anything obvious), I slightly raised an eyebrow or two at a couple of happenings that day,

1st October, 2000 .. It was the last day of the Sydney Olympics, the marathon was run that day...

"Gezahegne Abera of Ethiopia runs 2:10:11 for the gold medal, 0.20s ahead of Kenyan Erick Wainaina with bronze to Ethiopian Tesfaye Tola" .. The Olympics that year was from 15 September to 1 October 2000.

Also, on the 1st October, 2000, Robert Allen, American pianist and songwriter died.

I note the piano playing on the introduction to the album version. Is that Al Kooper on piano?

Bob Dylan (vocal, guitar, harmonica & piano), Charlie E Daniels (bass), David Bromberg (guitar, dobro), Ron Cornelius (guitar), Al Kooper (organ), Russ Kunkel (drums), unidentified background vocalists.

https://www.bjorner.com/DSN01790%201970.htm#DSN01835

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Allen_(song_composer)

https://www.reservoir-media.com/listing/robert-allen/

Chances Are,

(Composer, Robert Allen) ..

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Speaking of Robert Allen, it reminded me of this from Bob Dylan’s book, Chronicles Vol. One,

"One time she asked me why I was using a different name when I played, especially in the neighboring towns. Like, didn’t I want people to know who I was? “Who’s Elston Gunn?” she asked. “That’s not you, is it?” “Ah,” I said, “you’ll see.” The Elston Gunn name thing was only temporary. What I was going to do as soon as I left home was just call myself Robert Allen. As far as I was concerned, that was who I was—that’s what my parents named me. It sounded like the name of a Scottish king and I liked it. There was little of my identity that wasn’t in it."

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If Dogs Run Free. (Original lyrics) —

If dogs run free, then why not we

Across the swooping plain?

My ears hear a symphony

Of two mules, trains and rain

The best is always yet to come

That’s what they explain to me

Just do your thing, you’ll be king

If dogs run free

If dogs run free, why not me

Across the swamp of time?

My mind weaves a symphony

And tapestry of rhyme

Oh, winds which rush my tale to thee

So it may flow and be

To each his own, it’s all unknown

If dogs run free

If dogs run free, then what must be

Must be, and that is all

True love can make a blade of grass

Stand up straight and tall

In harmony with the cosmic sea

True love needs no company

It can cure the soul, it can make it whole

If dogs run free

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Lyrics for the first live performance —

If dogs run free, then why not we

Across the swooping plain?

My ears hear a symphony

Of two mules, trains and rain

The best is always yet to come

That’s what they say to me

Just do your thing, you might be king

If dogs run free

If dogs run free, why not me

Across the swamp of time?

My ears hear a symphony

And tapestry of rhyme

Oh, winds that blow my true love to me

So it might… rolling sea..

To each his own, just throw me a bone

Watch .. watch dogs run free

If dogs run free, why not we

Everywhere we go … my ears hear

A tapestry, and anything .. when it blows

A blade of grass.. every time we pass

It don’t need no company.. It can kill your soul

Others untold, if dogs run free

..

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Painting by Bob Dylan. Shoreline.

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nm.