Searching For A Gem"

Bob Dylan's Officially Released Rarities and Obscurities

Audio: 2021

All the songs listed in the Official Rarities section are cross-referenced by song title in these alphabetical pages.
A-E F-J K-O P-S T-Z

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2020.htmThis yearly page now contains only the main Rarities List. Promotional Items (Albums and Singles) are now here. All Honourable Mentions are now here.

If you have any entries to add to the list or additions/corrections to existing entries, please let me know! Please note I cannot value your Dylan rarities - see the Mission page for reasons why. Contact the dealers on my Trading page for assistance!

Revised: 30 September, 2024.

Titles in red are not available on a currently released Bob Dylan CD (for these see bobdylan.com )

Key to symbols used:
Links to other World Wide Web pages -
Links to email addresses -
Performances currently available on commercial CD are marked by (these are the ones that count as obscurities rather than as rarities)

Audience recordings are indicated by (A).

"Bob Dylan 1970" - 3CD sets: Columbia/Legacy 19439856412 (USA), 26 Feb 2021; Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 19439856412 (Europe), 19 Mar 2021; Sony Music SICP 31421~3 (Japan), 26 Feb 2021:
The release date for the UK only was put back to 19 Mar 2021.

Columbia/Legacy 19439856412 (USA) - front with sticker, scan by Jack from Canada

This set was previously released on 4 Dec 2020 in Europe only as 50th Anniversary Collection 1970 (see 2020). It will still apparently be a limited release so the 74 tracks it contains may remain rarities. Full details are also in International Album Releases (Regular).

Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 19439856412 (Europe) - front with sticker, scan by Dr. Walter Roedl

Sony Music SICP 31421~3 (Japan) - front with obi and sticker, scan by Sonny Boy McFitzson

There are two new tracks on CD3:

R-2300 If Not For You (take 1) - recorded at Columbia Studios, New York, 2 Jun 1970 (track omitted from 50th Anniversary Collection 1970 in error)

R-2301 If Not For You (take 2) - recorded at Columbia Studios, New York, 2 Jun 1970 (track omitted from 50th Anniversary Collection 1970 in error)

Thanks to Jack from Canada, Dr. Walter Roedl, Sonny Boy McFitzson and Arie de Reus for information and scans.

Various Artists - "Dylan ...Revisited" - CD given away with "Uncut" magazine, June 2021, UNCUT 2012 06 (UK), 16 Apr 2021:

"Uncut" magazine (UK), June 2021 - front with cover CD (my copy)

Thanks to Jacques Colinet for information that the June 2021 issue of the UK music magazine "Uncut", on sale 15 Apr 2021, will include a cover CD called Dylan ...Revisited celebrating Bob's 80th birthday with fourteen newly recorded Dylan songs by artists such as Richard Thompson and The Flaming Lips, all exclusive to this CD. The highlight will be a previously unreleased Dylan performance, Too Late (Acoustic Version) from the forthcoming Bootleg Series 16 release covering the Infidels sessions. Thanks to Derek Barker of "Isis" magazine for reminding me that "Too Late" was the working title of Foot Of Pride. The song is very different from Foot Of Pride, but does contain some of the same lyrics. According to Michael Krogsgaard's recording sessions articles this performance is likely to be from The Power Station, New York, 23 Apr 1983, where it was listed as "Too Late" on the session sheets as on 22 Apr 1983. Takes 8-12 on 23 Apr 1983 were labelled "acoustic", two of which were marked complete.

UNCUT 2012 06 (UK) - front of card sleeve

UNCUT 2012 06 (UK) - rear of card sleeve

UNCUT 2012 06 (UK) - CD

R-2334 Too Late - edited version (4:00) of track from The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 - Springtime In New York 1980-1985 from Dylan ...Revisited, CD given away with "Uncut" magazine (UK), Jun 2021

Peter Coulthard confirms the version included on this Uncut CD (4:00) was edited specifically for this CD. The acoustic version included on The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 - Springtime In New York 1980-1985 is 5:50 in length and has an additional couple of verses but no refrain after the fourth verse. The refrain after the third verse has been copied and then pasted after the fourth verse. Both the acoustic and band versions are included on the 5CD The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 - Springtime In New York 1980-1985 Deluxe Edition but only the band version is on the 2CD set.

Thanks also to Derek Barker of "Isis" magazine, Harold Lepidus, André Wilbers and Peter Coulthard.

"Jokerman"/"I And I" (The Reggae Remix EP by Doctor Dread) - 12" stereo vinyl EP releases: Columbia/Legacy 19439868941 (USA)/ Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 19439868941 (USA/Europe), 17 Jul 2021:

Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 19439868941 (Europe) - front with sticker (my copy)	Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 19439868941 (Europe) - rear	Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 19439868941 (Europe) - A-side (R-2325, R-2326)	Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 19439868941 (Europe) - B-side (R-0664, R-0665)	Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 19439868941 (Europe) - download card	Picture from Record Store Day 2021 web-site
Columbia/Legacy 19439868941 (USA) - front with sticker, picture from www.discogs.com	Columbia/Legacy 19439868941 (USA) - rear picture from www.discogs.com	Columbia/Legacy 19439868941 (USA) - A-side picture from www.discogs.com (R-2325, R-2326)	Columbia/Legacy 19439868941 (USA) - B-side picture from www.discogs.com (R-0664, R-0665)	RAS/Sanctuary RZDDD008 (UK) - front of 2CD set with sticker (my copy, 2004)	RAS/Sanctuary Records 06076-89943-2 (USA) - front with sticker, scan by Hans Seegers (2005)

This 12” exclusive to Record Store Day 2021 features two reggae remixes each of Jokerman and I And I, by Doctor Dread. The original versions of both tracks appeared on Dylan’s Infidels album, with Sly & Robbie (Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare) as the rhythm section. The two I And I remixes were previously released on Is It Rolling Bob: A Reggae Tribute To Bob Dylan (see 2004), while the Jokerman remixes are newly commissioned and previously unreleased.

Doctor Dread has worked with Bob Marley, Black Uhuru, Jimmy Cliff, Inner Circle, Gregory Isaacs, Luciano, Mad Cobra, Freddy McGregor, Sly and Robbie, Steel Pulse, The Wailers and many others. Tim Dunn informs me Doctor Dread did his work on Jokerman at Prairie Sun Studios in Cotati, CA, on 2 days in February 2021.

Side A: 1. Jokerman [Reggae Remix] 2. Jokerman [Instrumental Dub]”
Side B: 1. I and I [Reggae Remix] 2. I and I [Reggae Dub]

R-2325 Jokerman [Reggae Remix] - remix by Doctor Dread of alternate take of track from Infidels

R-2326 Jokerman [Instrumental Dub] - dub remix by Doctor Dread of alternate take of track from Infidels

Peter Coulthard says: "The Jokerman track is not the one from Infidels, but the so-called alternate earlier original take with different vocals and lyrics. It has been circulating for years on bootlegs. It is difficult to know exactly which take it is, but I believe it is a composite of two takes from 13 April, 1983 and was the original "keeper" take for the album. In June 1983, it was revisited and a new vocal and harmonica track was overdubbed for the final released version." I shall check The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 - Springtime In New York 1980-1985, but I believe it to be CD1, track 8, of the 2CD Standard Edition and CD3, track 1, of the 5CD Deluxe Edition. The R-numbers are new and do not need to be changed.

R-0664-2 I And I - reggae remix of track from Infidels from Is It Rolling, Bob? A Reggae Tribute To Bob Dylan Vol. 1, see 2004)
This track was also one of the 42 rarities included for download with the Aug 2006 Apple iTunes Bob Dylan Collection, see Online Performances (Other).

R-0665-3 I And I - dub remix by Doctor Dread of R-0664 from bonus disc with Is It Rolling, Bob? A Reggae Tribute To Bob Dylan Vol. 1, see 2004, also previously released separately on Is It Rolling, Bob? Dub Versions: Visions Of Jamaica, see 2005
R-0665 was re-released by Doctor Dread with a Theremin remix as "I For An Eye" (R-1093) on his 2013 Tsosume Records USA album Theremin In Dub, see 2013.

Thanks to Badlands, Paul S. Levine, Tim Dunn and Sonny Boy McFitzson for information.

Various Artists - "Best Live Performances 1960-2000" - Amazon Music 29-track download, Amazon (UK), 13 Aug 2021:

Picture from www.amazon.co.uk

This collection of live performances includes a Dylan rarity: R-0479-2 Like A Rolling Stone - recorded live with The Band at their New Year's Eve concert at the Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York City, 31 Dec 1971/1 Jan 1972, from  the 2001 expanded CD release of The Band's 1972 live album Rock Of Ages, see 2001

Thanks to Fred Muller for information.

"Blind Willie McTell (Take 1)"/"Blind Willie McTell (Take 5)" - 7" stereo vinyl single: Third Man Records TMR-740 (USA), 20 Aug 2021:

Third Man Records TMR-740 (USA) - front (my copy)	Third Man Records of Detroit, MI, have announced the release of an exclusive limited edition 7" stereo single with two takes of Blind Willie McTell. Take 1 on the A-side is unique to this single, Take 5 on the B-side is from The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 - Springtime In New York 1980-1985. R-2348 Blind Willie McTell - Take 1, recorded at The Power Station, New York, 11 Apr 1983, exclusive to Third Man Records USA 7" stereo single, Aug 2021			Third Man Records TMR-740 (USA) - rear
Third Man Records TMR-740 (USA) - A-side (R-2348)	Third Man Records TMR-740 (USA) - B-side	Third Man Records TMR-740 (USA) - both sides of promo postcard, photo by Sonny Boy McFitzson	Columbia CSK 4042 (USA, 1991) - front insert scan by David Plentus	Secret 7 (UK, 2020) 7" single front in plastic sleeve with auction number - photo by David Flanagan (design by Joe Boyd)

Both Take 1 and Take 5 are band versions recorded on 11 Apr 1983. The acoustic take from 5 May 1983 released on The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3 in 1991 appeared on a CD single in that year, and also as a limited edition Secret 7 UK 7" single in 2020.

Thanks to Aaron Derfel and Steve Perrin for pointing out that a quote from the song is etched in the vinyl on both sides with “ALL THE WAY FROM NEW ORLEANS” on the A-side and “TO NEW JERUSALEM” on the B-side, in addition to the catalogue number. In full, the handwritten matrix numbers are: A-side - TMR -740-A  ALL THE WAY FROM NEW ORLEANS  TMR WTS, B-side - TMR-740-B  TO NEW JERUSALEM  TMR WTS. "WTS" are the initials of Third Man mastering engineer William Thomas Skibbe.

According to the sleeves notes Mick Taylor plays guitar on Take 1 while Mark Knopfler plays guitar on Take 5. The liner notes for The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 - Springtime In New York 1980-1985 credit Mick Taylor for guitar on Take 5, but I believe this is wrong and the single notes are correct.

Éamonn Ó Catháin has four copies of this single and all are misaligned on the B-side, making it unplayable - my copy is fine.

Thanks to David Plentus, David Flanagan, Éamonn Ó Catháin, Aaron Derfel, Sonny Boy McFitzson and Steve Perrin for information and pictures.

"The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 - Springtime In New York 1980-1985" - 5CD sets: Columbia/Legacy 19439865802 (USA), 17 Sep 2021; Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 19439865802 (Europe), 17 Sep 2021; Sony Music SICP-31485〜9 (Japan), 22 Sep 2021:

Columbia/Legacy 19439865802 (USA) - front of box with sticker, picture from www.discogs.com

The 5CD Deluxe Edition will be a limited release so the additional tracks it contains will be rarities and will also be listed here. For full details of the various releases, see the link below.

Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 19439865802 (Europe) - front of box with sticker (my copy)

Sony Music SICP-31485〜89 (Japan) - front of box in outer card sleeve, picture from merurido.jp

Several tracks are listed as previously released but none are identical to the previously released versions, so the originals remain rarities. They are listed here for information.

CBS A 1406 (NL, 1981) - front scan by Roland Hiss (includes R-0154)

R-0154 Let It Be Me (Pierre Delanoë/Gilbert Bécaud/M. Curtis)-  Shot Of Love out-take recorded May 1981 - not the 1970 Self Portrait version This track was previously released on international 7" singles as the B-side of Heart Of Mine, see 1981.

CBS A 3904 (Italy, 1983) - front scan by Hans Seegers (includes R-0156)

Columbia OC 40957 (USA, 1988) - front scan by Patrick Helfrich (includes 5:10 edited version of Death Is Not The End)

CBS Records CBSR034 (USA, 2011) - front (my copy, includes R-0897)

R-0156 Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground [Willie Nelson] (Infidels Outtake) (3:30)
This track was previously released on international 7" singles as the B-sides of four singles: I And I, Union Sundown, Sweetheart Like You and Jokerman in 1983. The 2021-released version is an alternate take.

R-0897 Don't Ever Take Yourself Away - previously unreleased out-take from Shot Of Love, recorded Clover Recorder, Los Angeles, CA, 23 Apr 1981, released on the soundtrack of the CBS release Hawaii Five-O: Original Songs From The Television Series, see 2011

All these tracks appear on The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 - Springtime In New York 1980-1985 in different forms from their original releases.

Also, Death Is Not The End in now the full version (7:08), not the eited version released on Down In The Groove (5:10).

Thanks to Sonny Boy McFitzson, Roland Hiss, Hans Seegers and Patrick Helfrich for information and scan.

Promotional/Regular Items for 2021

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