"Searching For A Gem"

Bob Dylan's Officially Released Rarities and Obscurities

Audio: 1984

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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 This 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: 18 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)


Eric Clapton - "O Rock De Eric Clapton" - 2LP set: Polyfar 8214881 (Brazil), 1984:


Polyfar 8214881 (Brazil) - front of gatefold sleeve, scan by Ronald Born
R-0122-2 Sign Language - Bob duets with Eric Clapton on this version of his otherwise unreleased song from Eric's 1976 RSO album No Reason To Cry. Also see 1976 for all other releases of this track.
The lyrics of this song on bobdylan.com are
here.

This double album with a gatefold sleeve is unique to Brazil and was released by Polyfar, a budget label that was part of PolyGram. The records are housed in thin plastic sleeves and have green Polyfar labels. Sign Language is on Side 2 of the first LP. Manuel García Jara and Ronald Born sent in scans of their copies of the album at the same time so scans from both are shown - they both have the same gatefold sleeve, but the record labels of the Manuel's copy have "IND. BRASILEIRA" in the circumference text at top right, and the record labels of Ronald's copy have "INDUSTRIA BRASILEIRA" in the same place! The sleeve of the set is numbered "8214881" but the two records are individually numbered "821 489-1" and "821 490-1".


Polyfar 8214881 (Brazil) - detail of front of gatefold sleeve, scan by Ronald Born

Polyfar 8214881 (Brazil) - detail of rear of gatefold sleeve, scan by Ronald Born


Polyfar 8214881 (Brazil) - outside of gatefold sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara


Polyfar 8214881 (Brazil) - inside of gatefold sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara


Polyfar 821 489-1 (Brazil) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (no Dylan)

Polyfar 821 489-1 (Brazil) - detail of Side 1, scan by Manuel García Jara ("IND. BRASILEIRA")

Polyfar 821 489-1 (Brazil) - detail of Side 1, scan by Manuel García Jara (alternate Side 1 is similar)

Polyfar 821 489-1 (Brazil) - Side 2 scan by Manuel García Jara (includes R-0122)

Polyfar 821 489-1 (Brazil) - detail of Side 2, scan by Manuel García Jara (includes R-0122 - alternate Side 2 is similar)

Polyfar 821 490-1 (Brazil) - Side 3 scan by Manuel García Jara (no Dylan)

Polyfar 821 489-1 (Brazil) - detail of alternate Side 1, scan by Ronald Born ("INDUSTRIA BRASILEIRA")

Polyfar 821 489-1 (Brazil) - alternate Side 1 scan by Ronald Born (no Dylan)

Polyfar 821 489-1 (Brazil) - alternate Side 2 scan by Ronald Born (Includes R-0122)

Polyfar 821 490-1 (Brazil) - alternate Side 3 scan by Ronald Born (no Dylan)

Polyfar 821 490-1 (Brazil) - alternate Side 4 scan by Ronald Born (no Dylan)

Polyfar 821 490-1 (Brazil) - Side 4 scan by Manuel García Jara (no Dylan)

 
Polyfar 8214881 (Brazil) - detail of rear of gatefold sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara

Thanks to Manuel García Jara and Ronald Born for information and scans.


"Jokerman" - 7" promo singles, CBS A 4055 (UK), Apr 1984:

JokerUKEdit.JPG (32604 bytes)
CBS A4055 (UK) - promo ADJ-side with radio edit R-0161 (my copy)


CBS A4055 (UK) - detail of promo ADJ-side with radio edit R-0161 (4:30)


CBS A4055 (UK) - detail of promo A-side with full-length version (6:12)

Jokerman7UKPromoA.jpg (26896 bytes)
CBS A4055 (UK) - promo A-side with full-length version

CBS A4055 (UK) - alternate promo ADJ-side with radio edit R-0161, scan by Stefan Haras

CBS A4055 (UK) - detail of alternate promo ADJ-side with radio edit R-0161 (4:30), scan by Stefan Haras


CBS A4055 (UK) - detail of alternate promo A-side with full-length version (6:12), scan by Stefan Haras


CBS A4055 (UK) - alternate promo A-side with full-length version, scan by Stefan Haras

R-0161 Jokerman - single edit, faded out at 4:30, album version is 6:12

The CBS A4055 UK promo single has the radio edit (4:30) on one side (ADJ), with the full album version (6:12) on the other side (A). Both labels have the large "A" normally on the A-side only. The song length is shown correctly at 4:30. It doesn't have a picture sleeve. Stefan Haras has a copy of the UK promo single that is significantly different from mine in that almost all the black text elements are differently placed and "A4055" is much smaller.

Thanks to David Burgess for clarifying that the UK commercial single is not a rarity, as previously misreported! (I was told it had R-0161 as the A-side, whereas it actually has the full album version.) For a picture of the regular UK single CBS A4055, see International Singles & EPs 1984-86. Thanks also to Magnus Sjöberg and to Stefan Haras for scans of an alternate UK promo copy.


"Jokerman"/"License To Kill" - 7" promo single, CBS A 4055 (Spain), Apr 1984:

JokerSpainPromoFront.JPG (27964 bytes)
CBS A4055 (Spain) - front of sleeve (my promo copy)

R-0161-2 Jokerman - single edit, faded out at 4:30, album version is 6:12

The CBS A4055 promo 45 (Spain) has the radio edit (4:30) on one side, with the album version of License To Kill (3:31) from Infidels on the other. The Jokerman radio edit song length on the Spanish single is misprinted as 4:00 but it is the 4:30 edit (I played it and timed it!). I can only assume that the intention was to use the 4:05 edit (R-0605, see the US, Dutch and Italian singles below). The Spanish label does not have the catalogue number, it's part of the matrix number on the vinyl itself.

JokerSpainPromoBack.JPG (27589 bytes)
CBS A4055 (Spain) - rear of promo sleeve

JokerSpainPromoLabel.JPG (22952 bytes)
CBS A4055 (Spain) - promo A-side with R-0161


CBS A4055 (Spain) - promo B-side with album track


"Jokerman"/"License To Kill" - 7" promo singles, CBS SSC 5581 (South Africa/Zimbabwe), 1984:


CBS SSC 5581 (South Africa) - A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (R-0775)
R-0775 Jokerman - unique second edit, faded out at 5:09 (album version is 6:12)

This edit is listed on the record label as 5:00, but is timed at 5:09. The B-side was the regular album track from Infidels.

Both these singles were marketed and distributed by the Gramophone Record Co. (Pty.) Ltd., part of EMI, on behalf of CBS Records. They had generic sleeves and orange/yellow CBS labels. The very rare Zimbabwean record was issued after the country formerly known as Rhodesia had gained independence in 1980.

Thanks to Manuel García Jara, Tom Willems and Jan Welter for information and scans.


CBS SSC 5581 (South Africa) - B-side scan by Manuel García Jara


CBS SSC 5581 (Zimbabwe) - A-side scan by Tom Willems (R-0775)


CBS SSC 5581 (Zimbabwe) - B-side scan by Tom Willems

"Jokerman" - 7" stereo promo single, Columbia 38-04425 (USA), 26 Mar 1984:


Columbia 38-04425 (USA) - promo single scan by Stefan Haras
R-0605 Jokerman - third single edit (4:05), album version is 6:12
On this US promo single (which had no picture sleeve) this edit is timed on the label as 4:05, and Hans Seegers assures me this is the correct timing.

This white label single had R-0605 on both sides. One side has handwritten text "3/26/84" (26 Mar 1984), "MOR" (Middle of the Road!) and "COLD START".


Columbia 38-04425 (USA) - detail of promo single A-side, scan by Stefan Haras (same both sides)
 
Columbia 38-04425 (USA) - promo single scan by Stefan Haras (side with handwriting)

Thanks to Stefan Haras and Hans Seegers for information and scans.


"Jokerman"/"Isis (live)" - 10" acetate: Columbia ZSS 171660/1 (USA), 1983-84; 7" stereo demo and commercial singles: Columbia 38-04425 (USA), 1 Jun 1984:


Columbia ZSS 171660 (USA) - 10" acetate A-side scan by Bruce Mulle (4:07)

R-0605-2 Jokerman - third single edit (4:05), album version is 6:12

Hans Seegers has two copies of this single, one with "DEMONSTRATION - NOT FOR SALE" stamped over the barcodes on both sides. For a promo single with R-0605 on both sides, see above. Bruce Mulle has a 10" double-sided acetate with the commercial matrix numbers: ZSS 171660 and ZSS 171661. The acetate A-side is timed at 4:07 (R-0605) and the B-side at 5:19. Both sides play at 45RPM and are the commercially released mixes.


Columbia ZSS 171661 (USA) - 10" acetate B-side scan by Bruce Mulle (5:19)
Jokerman7USPromoSideA.jpg (24333 bytes)
Columbia 38-04425 (USA) - A-side with demo stamp, scan by Hans Seegers

Jokerman7USPromoSideB.jpg (23287 bytes)
Columbia 38-04425 (USA) - B-side with demo stamp, scan by Hans Seegers


Columbia 38-04425 (USA) - jukebox strip scan by Hans Seegers (this strip lists the wrong B-side)
Jokerman7USSideA.jpg (23358 bytes)
Columbia 38-04425 (USA) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (commercial single)
Jokerman7USSideB.jpg (23061 bytes)
Columbia 38-04425 (USA) - B-side scan by Hans Seegers (commercial single)

This single and the Dutch/Italian singles below had the 1975 live version of Isis from the 1978 promo EP 4 Songs From "Renaldo And Clara" as the B-side (see 1978). This was then a rarity as it was not released on Biograph until 1985 (see 1985). Biograph mistakenly claims that this version "was issued only on a promotional sampler issued to radio", the compiler of the notes having overlooked this US single and the Dutch/Italian singles below! This performance of Isis has now also been released in a new mix on the bonus DVD with the Limited Edition of The Bootleg Series Vol. 5 - Bob Dylan Live 1975: The Rolling Thunder Revue (see 2002).

The jukebox strip for "Columbia 4425" wrongly shows License To Kill as the B-side (as the Spanish and UK singles above), so is extremely collectable. That combination of tracks was not actually released as the US single, which implies the B-side was changed to Isis in a last minute decision.

Thanks to Hans Seegers and Éamonn Ó Catháin for information and to Hans Seegers and Bruce Mulle for scans.


"Jokerman"/"Isis (live)" - 7" promo and commercial stereo singles, CBS A 4402 (NL/Italy), 1 Jun 1984:

CBS A 4402 (NL):


CBS A 4402 (NL) - front scan by Yan Friis

R-0605-3 Jokerman - third single edit (4:05), album version is 6:12

This single is the same as the US single above with the 1975 live version of Isis from the 1978 promo EP 4 Songs From "Renaldo And Clara" as the B-side (see 1978), also released on Biograph (see 1985) and on the bonus DVD with the Limited Edition of The Bootleg Series Vol. 5 - Bob Dylan Live 1975: The Rolling Thunder Revue (see 2002). The commercial UK single, CBS A4055, had the full length version of Jokerman (6:12) on the A-side and the album version of License To Kill on the B-side (see US & International 7" & 12" Stereo Singles & EPs 1984-86).


CBS A 4402 (NL) - rear scan by Hans Seegers

Jokerman7NLSideA.jpg (23972 bytes)
CBS A 4402 (NL) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (R-0605)

Jokerman7NLSideB.jpg (22085 bytes)
CBS A 4402 (NL) - B-side scan by Hans Seegers

CBS A 4402 (NL/Italy):


CBS A 4402 (Italy) - front scan by Sergio Mariano Romay (promo copy)

Sergio Mariano Romay's Italian promo copy has a "needle stamp" through the sleeve with the words "CAMPIONE GRATUITO [FREE SAMPLE]". The record has the same labels as the commercial copy without any promo stamp. The handwritten matrix numbers are: A-side - CI A 4402-1N  16-5-84, B-side - CI A 4402-2N  16-5-84. "16-5-84" must be the mastering date (16 May 1984).


CBS A 4402 (Italy) - detail of front with needle stamp, scan by Sergio Mariano Romay (promo copy)


CBS A 4402 (Italy) - rear scan by Sergio Mariano Romay (promo copy)


CBS A 4402 (Italy) - detail of rear with needle stamp, scan by Sergio Mariano Romay (promo copy)


CBS A 4402 (Italy) - front scan by Tom Willems (commercial copy)


CBS A 4402 (Italy) - rear scan by Tom Willems (commercial copy)


CBS A 4402 (Italy) - A-side scan by Tom Willems (promo and commercial copies, R-0605)


CBS A 4402 (Italy) - front with stickers, scan by Aaron Derfel (copy in double pack)

CBS A 4402 (Italy) - front sticker scan by Aaron Derfel (copy in double pack)

CBS A 4402 (Italy) - front sticker scan by Aaron Derfel (copy in double pack)

CBS A 3904 (Italy) - front scan by Aaron Derfel (copy in double pack, see 1983)

CBS A 4402 (Italy) - front with stickers (copy in double pack illustrated in book with 2008 Deluxe Edition of Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 - 1989-2006, my copy)


CBS A 4402 (Italy) - B-side scan by Tom Willems (promo and commercial copies)

Aaron Derfel spotted that when Columbia released Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 - 1989-2006 the Deluxe Edition included a book of Collected Singles Sleeves compiled by Geoff Gans. Page 142 of the book shows the Jokerman single from Italy in a sleeve with two stickers: on the bottom left-hand corner, the sticker reads, "STRICTLY LIMITED EDITION" and on the top right-hand corner, a round yellow sticker with a star in the middle has the words "LIMITED EDITION" and "DOUBLE PACK." Aaron has now acquired the same Limited Edition Double Pack from Italy: the 1984 Jokerman single (B side is Isis from Renaldo and Clara) as well as a second record, the 1983 I And I single with Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground" as the B-side. Both records are from Italy and come housed in a transparent plastic gate-fold sleeve with a thin gold sash on the spine. The stickers are stuck to the plastic of the gate-fold sleeve, not the sleeve of the Jokerman single. As can be seen, the stickers on Aaron's pack are at the opposite ends to the ones illustrated in the "Collected Singles Sleeves" book. Aaron's guess is that this item was either offered as a promo or sold as a limited-edition double-pack in Italy in 1984.

Thanks to Hans Seegers, Yan Friis, Tom Willems and Sergio Mariano Romay for information and scans. Thanks to Michael Palinkas for pointing out this single A-side is R-0605 and not R-0161 as previously listed.


"Mixed Up Confusion etc." - 1962 Columbia acetates (USA), surfaced Jun 1984:

This entry covers seven acetates which surfaced in Jun 1984. The acetates themselves were probably single-sided discs and did not circulate, but were copied on to tape. Each track sounds as though it was recorded from disc separately, rather than each set being a continuous recording from a single disc. Whoever had the discs just put the songs all together on a tape, probably in an arbitrary sequence. An earlier nine acetates surfaced in Nov 1983, previously listed here.

R-0963   That's All Right, Mama (Arthur Crudup) - out-take from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, recorded at Columbia Studios, New York, 1 Nov 1962 (take 3 - the "fast" version).
According to Roger Ford this is not a remix on 1 Nov 1962 of R-0956 from 26 Nov 1962, but a "remake", a new take, despite the take number. Despite being listed as CD2, track 15,
R-0963 has not after all been released on the Sony Music Europe 4CD-R set The 50th Anniversary Collection in Dec 2012. CD2, track 15 is in fact a repeat of R-0956 (CD2, track 6).

R-0574   Mixed Up Confusion - third alternate take to the original US single (R-0007, see 1962), with an opening harmonica solo as R-0007 but with different lyrics, unique to this acetate, recorded Columbia Recording Studios, New York, 14 Nov 1962 (probably take 11)
For details of all the alternate takes of this song, see 1962. Many thanks to Roger Ford, Les Kokay, Bob Stacy and Ian Woodward for all their information about the alternate takes of Mixed Up Confusion, and for permission to reproduce their findings. Seven takes of Mixed Up Confusion from Columbia Recording Studios, New York, 26 Oct 1962, 1 Nov 1962 and 14 Nov 1962, but not this one, were released on the Sony Music Europe 4CD-R set The 50th Anniversary Collection in Dec 2012.

R-0581   Ballad Of Hollis Brown - early version, 1962 out-take from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (the final version was released in Feb 1964 on The Times They Are A-Changin'), then unique to this acetate, recorded Columbia Studios, New York, 14 Nov 1962 (CO77003)
R-0581 has now been released on the Sony Music Europe 4CD-R set The 50th Anniversary Collection in Dec 2012.

R-0583-2 Baby, I'm In The Mood For You - out-take from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, alternate take to the one released on Biograph in 1985 (CO75717 - take 3), unique to this acetate, recorded Columbia Studios, New York, 9 Jul 1962 ( take 4)
This occurred as part of the Nov 1983 nine acetates, and then again as part of the Jun 1984 set of six acetates. R-0583 has now been released on the Sony Music Europe 4CD-R set The 50th Anniversary Collection in Dec 2012.

R-0017M-2 Solid Road [Rocks And Gravel] Lyrics on bobdylan.com here (where it's copyrighted by Bob Dylan, although other authorities list the song writers as Brownie McGhee and Leroy Carr - Glen Dundas and Michael Gray list it as "Traditional") - still unreleased performance (mono), recorded at Columbia Studios, New York, 1 Nov 1962 (take 1)
R-0017(M) was not released on the Sony Music Europe 4CD-R set The 50th Anniversary Collection in Dec 2012.

R-0582-2 That's All Right, Mama (Arthur Crudup) - unreleased 1962 out-take from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, then unique to this acetate, recorded Columbia Studios, New York, 26 Oct 1962 (CO76983 take 1 - the "slow" version)
This occurred as part of the Nov 1983 nine acetates, and then again as part of the Jun 1984 set of six acetates. R-0582 has now been released on the Sony Music Europe 4CD-R set The 50th Anniversary Collection in Dec 2012.

Thanks to Les Kokay, Roger Ford, Bob Stacy and Ian Woodward for information.


Harry Belafonte – "The Belafonte Song Book" - stereo vinyl 2LP compilation, RCA Special Products/Pair Records PDL2-1060 (USA), 1984; CD compilation: RCA Special Products/Pair Records PDC2-1060 (USA), 1988:


RCA Special Products/Pair Records PDL2-1060 (USA) - front scan by Ger Hemel (1984 2LP release)

RCA Special Products/Pair Records PDL2-1060 (USA) - rear scan by Ger Hemel (1984 2LP release)

RCA Special Products/Pair Records PDL2-1060 (USA) - Side 2 scan by Ger Hemel (1984 2LP release)

RCA Special Products/Pair Records PDC2-1060 (USA) - front scan by Peter Oudejans (1988 CD release)

RCA Special Products/Pair Records PDC2-1060 (USA) - rear insert scan by Peter Oudejans (1988 CD release)

RCA Special Products/Pair Records PDC2-1060 (USA) - CD scan by Peter Oudejans (1988 CD release)


RCA Special Products/Pair Records PDL2-1060 (USA) - detail of rear, scan by Ger Hemel (1984 2LP release)

R-0001-6 Midnight Special (Huddie Ledbetter "Lead Belly")  - Bob plays harmonica on the title track of Harry Belafonte's 1962 The Midnight Special album (stereo version)

R-0001 is on Side 2 of Record 1 of the 1984 2LP set. This 2LP set was re-released in 1988 on a single CD.

For details of the original album, see 1962.

Thanks to Ger Hemel and Peter Oudejans for information and scans.


Various Artists - "Crossroads: White Blues In The 1960s" - stereo vinyl 3LP compilation, Elektra 60383-1-U (USA), 1984:


Elektra 60383-1-U (USA) - front of box picture from www.discogs.com
R-0038-2 Downtown Blues (Frank Stokes) - Bob plays piano as "Bob Landy" for Geoff Muldaur (stereo version, 2:28), recorded Mastertone Studios, New York, Aug/Sep 1963

For the original Elektra The Blues Project stereo album containing this track, see 1964. This 3LP set celebrates the work of Jac Holzman, co-producer of the album with Paul A. Rothchild. Bob is credited by name in the notes here, on the 1964 album he's credited as "Bob Landy".

R-0038 is also included in the 5CD Rhino compilation Forever Changing: The Golden Age Of Elektra Records 1963-1973, see 2006.

For Journey To Love: Rare & Early Elektra Classics, a compilation CD given away with the UK music magazine "Mojo" in Nov 2010 also containing R-0038, see 2010.

The 1964 stereo Blues Project album was not reissued on CD until it was included in the 2015 Elektra Europe set of five original 1960s albums, The Greenwich Village Folk Scene: Original Album Series, see 2015.

Thanks to Tom Willems for information.


Promotional/Regular Items for 1984


Living In Another Country: International Stereo Releases

Stereo promo items for 1984 which don't contain rare material but which are still very collectable are now included with promo releases of regular albums and commercially released singles on the appropriate page in International Stereo Releases. Real Live 1984
Real Live
(1984)

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