D

"Starlight In The East"
Directory of Bob Dylan’s Unreleased Songs: D

Compiled by Alan Fraser

Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes [Various Artists], Electromagnetic Recordings/Harvest Records 2537950140 (USA/Europe) containing the "lost" Dylan song DOWN ON THE BOTTOM completed by Jim James

Revised: 17 September, 2024

For the meanings of the song title colours and the circulation codes used in this directory, please see the header page for this section (click on "Up" below).

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(Indefinite and definite articles at the beginning of song titles are ignored, so A WOMAN LIKE YOU is on the "W" page, and THE KING IS ON THE THRONE is on the "K" page.)

DADADA GRATEFUL DEAD	Bob Dylan?, 1983	S
Song recorded during the "Infidels" sessions at The Power Station, New York, 16 Apr 1983

DADDY’S GOING ON ONE MORE RIDE	Shel Silverstein, 1978	C
Soundchecked at Carbondale, IL, 28 Oct 1978 - identified by Heylin as a new work-in-progress, but Dundas identifies the song as this one by Shel Silverstein, also known to Dylan fans as ONE MORE TIME

DARK GROOVE	1983	S
Instrumental recorded during the "Infidels" sessions at The Power Station, New York, 16 Apr 1983, not copyrighted until 29 Jan 1985

DARK WOODS	1969-71	Y
Lyrics from a black hardbound notebook ca. 1969-71 held at the Bob Dylan Archive, University of Tulsa, OK. Thanks to Derek Barker and "Isis" magazine for information

DEAD FOR A DOLLAR	1961	N? Y
Lyrics in a manuscript left by Bob at the home of Eve and Mac McKenzie after staying there in Summer 1961

DEAD MAN'S HAND	1962	O
Alternate rejected title of RAMBLING, GAMBLING WILLIE, released on "The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3"

DEATH BY FIRE	Earth Opera, 1968	N
Actually a track by Earth Opera, not Bob Dylan - see AS IT IS BEFORE

DEATH LETTER BLUES

Traditional

This is one of the titles on a hoax tape called "The Pittsburgh Radio Tape" listed by Paul Cable in his book "Bob Dylan - His Unreleased Recordings" - the song does exist, but is traditional, not by Bob Dylan. Other song titles included on the tape are:

Hard Times Blues
Hard Travellin' (song by Woody Guthrie, performed by Bob in 1962)
Jack Of Diamonds (see the entry for this Dylan/Carruthers song on the J page)
Mr. Ragamuffin Man (a song recorded by Manfred Mann)
Snakeskin Blues
Stuck Inside The Twilight Zone

Bob put DEATH LETTER BLUES on a cue-sheet for 5 Aug 1997, but has not yet performed it live - lyrics and further information at

Warner Bros/7 Arts Music 10" acetate of THE DEATH OF EMMETT TILL, scan by A. J. LaRue

THE DEATH OF EMMETT TILL	1962	O
Witmark demo recorded Dec 1962, surfaced on a Warner Bros/7 Arts Music acetate LP, 1967, and also appeared in a different version from May 1962 on a Folkways album called "Broadside Reunion", 1971 (see "Searching For A Gem" 1967 and 1971) - believed to have been written in January 1962 (see below). Illustrated is a scan of a Warner Bros/7 Arts Music 10" acetate including the Witmark demo. Now officially released on "The Bootleg Series Vol. 9 - The Witmark Demos 1962-1964" in Oct 2010

THE DEATH OF ROBERT JOHNSON	1962	N?
Reported in Izzy Young's diary "Other Scenes", published 1968, in the entry for 01 Feb 1962 along with THE DEATH OF EMMETT TILL (see above) - believed to have been written in January 1962

DEEP FEELING	Bob Dylan?, 1986	H
Performed at a jam in the bar of the Park Royal Hotel, Wellington, NZ, 06 Feb 1986

DEFINITELY VAN GOGH	1966	H
Song worked on in a hotel room in Denver, CO, 12-13 Mar 1966 - the definite title is unknown, and this is almost certainly a guess, in this case by Clinton Heylin in his book "Revolution In The Air - The Songs Of Bob Dylan Vol. 1: 1957-73" (Constable, 2009). Also known as MOST DEFINITELY NOT VAN GOGH, POSITIVELY VAN GOGH and SPURIOUSLY SEVENTEEN WINDOWS (THE PAINTING BY VAN GOGH)!

DEMAIN C'EST LOIN	Bob Dylan, 1962/Elisabeth Vigna, 1978	O
French version of TOMORROW IS A LONG TIME with lyrics by Elisabeth Vigna. Bob's version is only available officially as a live performance from New York Town Hall, 12 Apr 1963, released on "Greatest Hits Vol. 2"/"More Greatest Hits" in 1971. Bob didn't record a studio version in the early 1960s, but he did so in both 1970 and 1978, performances which remain unreleased

Michel Montecrossa's Bob Dylan Fest 2001 6CD boxed set on the Mira Sound Germany label containing his version of Bob Dylan's then unreleased song DENISE. The set also contains versions of BOB DYLAN'S NEW ORLEANS RAG, EAST LAREDO BLUES, HERO BLUES and WANTED MAN

50th Anniversary Collection 1964, Columbia/Legacy limited edition 9LP set, Dec 2014, with DENISE

DENISE/DENISE DENISE	1964	S
Out-take from "Another Side Of Bob Dylan", recorded at Columbia Studios, New York, 09 Jun 1964 (CO82213), lyrics on bobdylan.com here - Greil Marcus' Rolling Stone article called it DENISE DENISE. Available as a cover by Italian rocker Michel Montecrossa - see above. Now officially released on Side 7 of the Columbia/Legacy Europe limited edition 9LP set "50th Anniversary Collection 1964", Dec 2014

DEVITO'S SONG	1975	N?
Song listed during the "playback" session during the "Desire" sessions at Columbia Studios, New York, on 1 Aug, 1975. In his book "Still On The Road - The Songs Of Bob Dylan Vol. 2: 1974-2008" (Constable, 2010), Clinton Heylin says this could also be the song known as WIRETAPPIN' (IT CAN HAPPEN)

Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes [Various Artists], Electromagnetic Recordings/Harvest Records 2537950140 (USA/Europe) containing the "lost" Dylan song DIAMOND RING completed by Taylor Goldsmith

DIAMOND RING	Bob Dylan/Taylor Goldsmith, 1967/2014	Y
T-Bone Burnett has produced an album called "Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes", released in Nov 2014, consisting of unreleased Bob songs from lyrics unused during the Basement Tapes sessions with The Band in Woodstock, New York in 1967, completed by Elvis Costello, Rhiannon Giddens, Taylor Goldsmith, Jim James and Marcus Mumford. DIAMOND RING has been completed by Taylor Goldsmith of the band Dawes. Thanks to Tim Dunn for information that two more versions of DIAMOND RING completed by Elvis Costello and Jim James are included in the Showtime documentary "Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued"

DIME STORE	1965	O
Recording session sheet title of LOVE MINUS ZERO/NO LIMIT, released on "Bringing It All Back Home"

DIRGE FOR MARTHA	1973	O
Recording session sheet title of DIRGE, released on "Planet Waves", 1974

Put Your Needle Down (Republic/Universal B0020400-02, USA, 2014) by The Secret Sisters with their cover of DIRTY LIE

DIRTY LIE (DIRTY LIES)	1984	R
Rehearsed at the Arena di Verona, Verona, Italy, 27 May 1984, and included in a list of songs to be played on tour handed out to journalists at a press conference in Italy, May 1984, but not performed in public. Sometimes misplaced and dated as Beverly Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, 23-25 May 1984. Now released in an revised version by The Secret Sisters on their 2014 Republic/Universal US album "Put Your Needle Down", produced by T-Bone Burnett

DOES SHE NEED ME?	1966	H
Bob is seen developing this with Robbie Robertson in a Glasgow hotel room in May 1966 in "Eat The Document". Also known as I CAN'T LEAVE HER BEHIND - both phrases occur in the lyrics. See also the song copyrighted as ON A RAINY AFTERNOON (1)

DOIN' ALRIGHT	1997	O
Alternate copyrighted title of 'TIL I FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU, released on "Time Out Of Mind", 1997. In his book "Still On The Road - The Songs Of Bob Dylan Vol. 2: 1974-2008" (Constable, 2010), Clinton Heylin thinks it was actually an alternate title of MARCHING TO THE CITY, finally released on "The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 - Tell Tale Signs" in 2008

DON'T BELIEVE THAT STUFF

1993

Lines written in pencil on an index card dating from the early 1990s, part of a lot sold at Sotheby's in London and reported in "Isis" 182, Oct 2015. The lines read:

"He said there's no such thing as supply & demand
You got to be a fool if you don't understand
The way the game is played - if you got it in your hand
You got the supply, you create the demand..."

This appears never have to have been developed into a song! The lot included 18 index cards with notes and thoughts including incomplete drafts of songs, such as two lines about the 1993 siege in Waco, Texas.

DON'T DRINK NO CHEVY	Bob Dylan?, 1983	N?
Song recorded during the "Infidels" sessions at The Power Station, New York, 29 Apr 1983 (also listed as DON'T DRIVE NO CHEVY)


Nikki Jean, whose 2011 S-Curve US album Pennies In A Jar* includes STEEL AND FEATHERS (DON'T EVER), her version of DON'T EVER TAKE YOURSELF AWAY*		"Hawaii Five-O: Original Songs From The Television Series", CBS Records, USA, 2011, with Bob's version of DON'T EVER TAKE YOURSELF AWAY	The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 - Springtime In New York 1980-1985 (Europe, 2021) - 2CD Standard Edition with Bob's version of DON'T EVER TAKE YOURSELF AWAY

DON’T EVER TAKE YOURSELF AWAY	1981	O
Out-take from "Shot Of Love" sessions, recorded at Clover Recorder, Los Angeles, CA,, 23 Apr 1981 - sometimes misidentified as Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA, April-May 1981. Now recorded by Nikki Jean (Nicholle Jean Leary) with revised lyrics as STEEL AND FEATHERS (DON'T EVER) for her S-Curve US album "Pennies In A Jar", released on 12 Jul 2011. Thanks to Tim Dunn for the information. Bob's version is now released on "Hawaii Five-O: Original Songs From The Television Series", CBS Records, USA, 4 Oct 2011, and on the 2CD Standard Edition of "The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 - Springtime In New York 1980-1985", released in Sep 2021

DON’T FLY UNLESS IT’S SAFE	1983	S
Instrumental recorded during the "Infidels" sessions at The Power Station, New York, 15 Apr 1983

DON’T KEEP ME WAITING TOO LONG	Bob Dylan?, 1987	R
Performed during rehearsals with The Grateful Dead, Club Front, San Rafael, CA, May 1987 - also known as GO AHEAD, BABY, GO AHEAD

DON’T LET ANYONE WRITE YOUR STORY	Gerry Goffin/Carole King/Bob Dylan, 1960s	N?
Thanks to Peter Gilmer for information about this song listed on Carole King's web-site. It appears to be from the 1960s, since the Dylan copyright is M. Witmark & Sons (ASCAP). Lyrics are on Carole King's web-site , but there are no details of any recordings

DON’T LET HER KNOW	1981	O
Recorded during "Shot Of Love" sessions, at Clover Recorder, Los Angeles, CA, 01 May 1981 - thanks to Sean for pointing out this is almost certainly an alternate recording session title for HEART OF MINE!

Robert Johnson The Complete Recordings, Columbia/Legacy boxed set of his two Vocalion sessions containing the original LAST FAIR DEAL GONE DOWN

DON'T LET MY DEAL GO DOWN	1961	N? Y
Lyrics in a manuscript left by Bob at the home of Eve and Mac McKenzie after staying there in Summer 1961, reported to be a reworking of Robert Johnson's LAST FAIR DEAL GONE DOWN. This doesn't appear to be the same song as DON'T LET YOUR DEAL GO DOWN performed live by Bob in 1992 (this is a bluegrass song listed by Dundas as "traditional" - first recorded by North Carolinian banjoist Charlie Poole in 1925, and performed by the Grateful Dead among others)

"Sunset March" by Charlie Poole - this Columbia single 15184-D has DON'T LET YOUR DEAL GO DOWN on the B-side
(this style of record label is of course now reproduced on Bob Dylan's latest Columbia CDs)

DON'T LET THE RAIN COME DOWN	?	?
Otherwise unknown song copyrighted by Bob at ASCAP before he left for SESAC in 1997. Thanks to Tim Dunn for the information

Regina McCrary with Bob around 1979, picture from the "Nashville Ledger", 8 Dec 2017
"In The Throes" by Buddy & Julie Miller (New West Records, USA, 2023) with their revised version of DON'T MAKE HER CRY

DON'T MAKE HER CRY	Bob Dylan/Regina McCrary, 2017; Bob Dylan/Regina McCrary/Julie Miller, 2023	O
Tim Dunn said in 2017: "Browsing the BMI Repertoire this afternoon I located a Dylan/Regina McCrary song called DON'T MAKE HER CRY. According to the BMI Repertoire the publisher is "Songs Of Universal, Inc.", but I would say it is likely additional publishers could be involved (maybe Gina Mac Publishing Co. and Special Rider Music, both copyright claimants for their song GIVE HIM MY ALL). According to the Nashville Ledger, 8 Dec 2017, the song was written in 2017. It was inspired by her father, Rev. Sam McCrary of the gospel group Fairfield Four, saying to Dylan "don't make her cry" when Regina was going on the road with Dylan for the gospel tours (Dylan replied "Yes, sir"). Regina McCrary is quoted: "It hasn't been recorded yet." Thanks to Jack from Canada for news that the song will be released in the USA by Buddy and Julie Miller on 22 Sep 2023 on their New West album "In The Throes". This 2023 version has added lyrics and new music by Julie Miller

DON'T TELL HIM, TELL ME	1966	H
Recorded in a hotel room in Denver, CO, 12-13 Mar 1966, listed by Tim Dunn in his book "The Bob Dylan Copyright Files 1962-2007" (AuthorHouse, 2008), copyrighted as part of the Dwarf Music catalogue in October 1988. See also CHURCH WITH NO UPSTAIRS. Now included on CD18 of the Columbia/Legacy 18CD set "The Bootleg Series Vol. 12 - Bob Dylan 1965-1966 The Cutting Edge Collector's Edition", Nov 2015

DON’T WANT NO MARRIED WOMAN	1974	N? Y
Lyrics of this song are reported by Clinton Heylin to have been found in a notebook containing lyrics of the "Blood On The Tracks" songs, but no studio or live version is known

DON'T YA TELL HENRY	1967	H
Basement Tapes song recorded with The Band, Big Pink, West Saugerties, NY, Jul-Oct 1967 - the version on the 1975 Basement Tapes album is performed by The Band with vocals by Levon Helm, not Bob An alternate take with Bob on vocals has now been released on CD4 of "The Bootleg Series Vol. 11 - Bob Dylan And The Band: The Basement Tapes Complete", released Nov 2014

DON’T YOU TRY ME NOW	1967	H
Basement Tapes song recorded with The Band, Big Pink, West Saugerties, NY, Jul-Oct 1967

DON'T YOU PLAY WITH ME	1967	H
Basement Tapes song recorded with The Band, Big Pink, West Saugerties, NY, Jul-Oct 1967 - also known as DON'T YOU TRY ME NOW

New Multitudes [Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker and Yim Yames] - Rounder Records 1166191292 (USA, 2012) limted edition 2CD set including DOPE FIEND ROBBER , picture from www.discogs.com (the single CD/LP release does not include this song)

DOPE FIEND ROBBER	Woody Guthrie	Y
Lyrics in a manuscript left by Bob at the home of Eve and Mac McKenzie after staying there in Summer 1961, but not actually written by Bob. The song's narrator becomes addicted to morphine after being wounded in World War 2, and becomes a robber to support his habit. Thanks to James Dring for information that the song was actually written by Woody Guthrie and a version appears on CD2 of the limited 2CD edition of "New Multitudes", a 2012 Rounder Records US album by Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker and Yim Yames of songs written but not recorded by Woody. Thanks also to Aaron Galbraith for information about this performance by Nick Juno with additional lyrics: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2izltIDdUZI

DOWN AT WASHINGTON SQUARE	1961	N?
Reported by Clinton Heylin in his "Day By Day" book as having been written in Apr 1961. Thanks to Tim Dunn for information that the page with the handwritten lyrics of this song were auctioned on the Internet on 24 Jun 2006 - no recording or performance is known. The song is about when the weekly Sunday communal gathering of folksingers in Washington Square, New York City, was broken up by the police on 9 Apr 1961

DOWN IN THE HOLLOW	1967	O
Missing Basement Tapes song listed in "Isis" 176, not included in the 6CD set "The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete", Nov 2014

Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes [Various Artists], Electromagnetic Recordings/Harvest Records 2537950140 (USA/Europe, 2014) containing the "lost" Dylan song DOWN ON THE BOTTOM completed by Jim James

Purse [Elvis Costello & The Imposters], Concord Music 12" EP (USA/Europe, 2019) containing a different version of the "lost" Dylan song DOWN ON THE BOTTOM performed by Elvis Costello

DOWN ON THE BOTTOM	Bob Dylan/Jim James, 1967/2014	Y
T-Bone Burnett has produced an album called "Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes", released in Nov 2014, consisting of unreleased Bob songs from lyrics unused during the Basement Tapes sessions with The Band in Woodstock, New York in 1967, completed by Elvis Costello, Rhiannon Giddens, Taylor Goldsmith, Jim James and Marcus Mumford. DOWN ON THE BOTTOM has been completed by Jim James of the band My Morning Jacket. Thanks to Fred Muller for information that a different version of DOWN ON THE BOTTOM with music by Elvis Costello is included on his Concord Music 12" EP "Purse" released on Record Store Day, 13 Apr 2019

DRESS IT UP, BETTER HAVE IT ALL	Bob Dylan, 1967	H
Previously unknown song copyrighted as part of the Dwarf Music catalogue in October 1988 - thanks to Tim Dunn for the information. Now released on "The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Raw/Complete", 2014, on both the 2CD Standard Edition and the 6CD Limited Deluxe Edition

DRINKIN' OUT OF TWO CUPS	1980	S
Unreleased song recorded by Bob at Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA, in Jan 1980 - thanks to David Freeman for information

THE DRUNKARD'S SON	1955	N? Y
Manuscript written by "Bobby Zimmerman" supposedly inspired by a Jimmie Rodgers' song MY DRUNKARD'S CHILD, Bob's earliest known composition. Lyrics from the song are quoted in Clinton Heylin's book "Bob Dylan Behind The Shades: The Biography Take Two" (Viking, 2000/Penguin, 2001). Other sources say that Bob simply copied the words from a radio performance by Hank Snow of his then-unreleased song THE DRUNKARD'S SON and left it on the kitchen table of a Julie Znidar!

DUMB DIDDY DUMB	1967	O
Missing Basement Tapes song listed in "Isis" 176, not included in the 6CD set "The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete", Nov 2014

Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes [Various Artists], Electromagnetic Recordings/Harvest Records 2537950140 (USA/Europe) containing the "lost" Dylan song DUNCAN AND JIMMY completed by Rhiannon Giddens

DUNCAN AND JIMMY	Bob Dylan/Rhiannon Giddens, 1967/2014	Y
T-Bone Burnett has produced an album called "Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes", released in Nov 2014, consisting of unreleased Bob songs from lyrics unused during the Basement Tapes sessions with The Band in Woodstock, New York in 1967, completed by Elvis Costello, Rhiannon Giddens, Taylor Goldsmith, Jim James and Marcus Mumford. DUNCAN AND JIMMY has been completed by Rhiannon Giddens formerly of the group Carolina Chocolate Drops

"No More, No Less" by Blue Ash (Mercury, 1973) - this includes their cover of DUSTY OLD FAIRGROUNDS, scan by Michael Smith

The Songs Of Bob Dylan, Start Records (UK), 1989, 2LP set with DUSTY OLD FAIRGROUNDS by Blue Ash as well as three other still-unreleased Dylan songs

Michel Montecrossa's Bob Dylan & Michel Fest 2002 6CD set (Mira Sound Germany, 2002), which contains his cover of DUSTY OLD FAIRGROUNDS and the 2002 song from The Divine Secrets Of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood film soundtrack, WAITIN' FOR YOU (see 2002)

50th Anniversary Collection 1963, Columbia/Legacy limited edition 6LP set, Dec 2013, with DUSTY OLD FAIRGROUNDS

DUSTY OLD FAIRGROUNDS	1963	L
The only known performance of this song was at New York Town Hall, 12 Apr 1963, and this was scheduled for release on the shelved 1964 live album "Bob Dylan In Concert", see "Searching For A Gem", 1964. No Dylan studio version exists but the song has been released as a cover by by 1970s Ohio rockers Blue Ash on their album "No More, No Less", Mercury, 1973 (see top of page), and also compiled on "The Songs Of Bob Dylan", Start Records, UK, 1989. Lyrics on bobdylan.com are here. Also covered by Michel Montecrossa on his 6CD set "Bob Dylan & Michel Fest 2002" (Mira Sound Germany, 2002). Thanks to Michael Smith for the information that a digitally remastered compilation of songs by Blue Ash with previously unreleased material may appear shortly and may include this track. Now officially released on Side 5 of the Columbia/Legacy Europe limited edition 6LP set "50th Anniversary Collection 1963", Dec 2013

A Flying Pig production

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