Watch the Bob Dylan 1981 concert video extravaganza

1981 was one of Bob Dylan's great tours, in fact I'd put it up there with '66 and '75, I'd even probably rate it higher than the 1978 tour.

1981 was one of the great Bob Dylan tours, with one of the greatest Bob Dylan backing bands. It was a peak year of creativity and transition and it would be the last time we’d hear from Bob Dylan the performing artist for 3 years.

When he returned ito the stage it was with a stripped back British backing band, which to many was slightly underwhelming given the recent groundbreaking Infidels release featuring Sly and Robbie, Mark Knopfler and Mick Taylor.

Compared to 1981, 1984 pales. Here’s some examples of just why that’s the case. Dylan was in fine voice, really playing with how he sang, and backed by some of the finest players he ever worked with: Fred Tackett (guitar), Steve Ripley (guitar), Willie Smith (keyboards), Tim Drummond (bass), Jim Keltner (drums), Clydie King, Carolyn Dennis, Regina McCrary and Madelyn Quebec (background vocals).

1981: The Last Really Great Dylan Tour?

Mannheim July 18th 1981

1. I Believe In You

2. Like A Rolling Stone

3. Girl From The North Country

4. Ballad Of A Thin Man

5. We Just Disagree

6. Shot Of Love

7. Forever Young

8. The Times They Are A-Changin’

9. Let’s Begin

10. Lenny Bruce

11. Mr Tambourine Man

12. What Can I Do For You?

13. Solid Rock

Bob concert talk: Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you, this is Regina McCrary who’s been singing with me for a while now.

Every place we go she sings at least one song a night. She’s gonna sing a song called “Keep on Falling in Love Until I Get it Right”.

Thank you. That was an old Dave Mason song I know. I thought we’d do it. We just did a new album called Shot Of Love. This is the main title song called Shot Of Love.

Thank you! I’d like to introduce a young lady who worked with me for about six years now. Every night we play she sings, too. Carolyn Dennis, she’s going to sing a song called “Walking Around Heaven All Day”. Carolyn Dennis!

Thank you, that was Clydie King. (after Let’s Begin)

All right, we’re gonna ..., I want the keyboards man to sing one here, he wants to sing so bad, he’s been bothering me now for over a week. He’s gonna sing a song that he wrote himself, called Saved By The Grace Of Your Love. Willie Smith on keyboards.

Hey that was Willie Smith on vocals. Oh, speaking about love, here’s another song about love. Watered-Down Love. You don’t want a love that’s pure, you wanna drown love, you want a watered-down love.

All right, we don’t wanna leave tonight, without playing this here song. If the microphone’s working. (plays Heart Of Mine) Thank you! That’s a single. Our so called new single.

Thank you. On the background vocals tonight, as every night, on the left Carolyn Dennis. Of course standing next to her is Madelyn Quebec, Regina McCrary. Clydie King. We gonna say goodnight now. I hope we played something that you came to hear. Anyway, on the guitar tonight Fred Tackett. On the other guitar, Steve Ripley. Both these guys are gonna give lessons right after the show. Right out there. On the drums tonight, I can’t get away without introducing my drummer. From Tulsa, Oklahoma, I could say a whole lot more things about him, but I won’t. Anyway, Jim Keltner. On the keyboards, Willie Smith. If any of you are ever, ever Stateside we’re usually playing someplace somewhere all the time so. You go and see us in one of them States. There’s forty-eight or fifty States I guess there’s fifty of them now, or sixty. There’s fifty or sixty. Alright on the bass guitar, from Cincinnati Ohio. And he plays the part him self. The only member of the band that’s older than me, Tim Drummond. That’s all right, I said a mistake. The only member of this band that’s younger than me. Ha-ha. But I’m catching up to them. Goodnight! (at the end of In The Garden).

Loreley, West Germany, July 17th 1981

1. I Believe In You

2. Like A Rolling Stone

3. Till I Get It Right (Red Lane/Larry Henley)

4. Man Gave Names To All The Animals

5. Maggie’s Farm

6. Girl From The North Country

7. Ballad Of A Thin Man

8. In The Summertime

9. Dead Man, Dead Man
   Carolyn Dennis: Walk Around Heaven All Day (Rev. James Cleveland/Cassietta George)

10. The Times They Are A-Changin’

Bob concert talk:
Thank you. We’re gonna slow things down just a little bit. This is Regina McCrary. She usually sings with me every night. She’s gonna sing a song called Keep On Falling In Love Until I Get It Right.

Thank you. This is another animal song. Thinking about animals, a farm song. My three favorite songs. Love songs, farm songs, baby songs. (before Maggie’s Farm)

..... a new album we just made, should be released soon, called, Shot Of Love. This is a song called Dead Man Dead Man When Will You Arise, 1, 2.

Thank you I wanna introduce another young girl tonight, Carolyn Dennis. Been singing with me for now five years, she was here last time I was here, four or five years anyway. She sings this every place we go every night. One of the great singers of the end times Carolyn Dennis.

Thank you. Mr. Tambourine Man that was Steve Ripley on lead guitar. He’s been waiting all his life to play that part.

Thank you. This is Willie Smith on the keyboards up here. He’s gonna sing a song for you now called Saved By The Grace Of Your Love. Willie Smith is gonna sing this one.

Yeah. This is another song off that new album that’s coming out called Watered Down Love. You don’t want a love that’s pure, you wanna drown love. You want a watered-down love.

Thank you very much for coming. I want to introduce the keyboard player to you now, Willie Smith. From Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On guitar tonight, Fred Tackett. I hope we played something that you came to hear. I know we left a lot out that I personally wanted to hear. I hope we come back, when we come back I’ll play it again. Anyway on the left here, you met her earlier, Carolyn Dennis. Standing next to her is Madelyn Quebec. From Nashville, the music capital of the USA, Regina McCrary. Playing the other guitar tonight is Steve Ripley, from Little Rock, Arkansas. On backing vocals and instrumental miss Clydie King. On the drums tonight, give him a big hand, ladies and gentlemen , he come a long way, he’s been around, Jim Keltner. On the bass guitar, last of the best, and the best of the last, Tim Drummond. I wanna say goodnight now. (at the end of In The Garden)

Palais des Sports, Morières-lès-Avignon, Francce, July 25th 1981

1. Saved

2. I Believe in You

3. Like A Rolling Stone

4. Till I Get It Right

5. Maggies Farm

6. Girl From The North Country

7. Ballad of a Thin Man

8. In The Summertime

9. Shot of Love

10. The Times They Are A Changin’

11. Let’s Begin (Jimmy Webb)

12. Lenny Bruce

13. Slow Train

14. Mr Tambourine Man

15. Solid Rock

16. Just Like A Woman

17. Watered Down Love

18. Jesus Is The One

19. Heart of Mine

Bob concert talk: All right we just, we just made a new record before coming over here called, Shot Of Love. Oh, by the way, I’d like to thank, what’s their name? Edward, ... Edwin and Shirley Trucking (?). Nice young couple, they been following us all the way from Toulouse, France I think. Anyway we want to salute them and thank them a whole lot. I guess they ..., you know. Well anyway, this is called Shot Of Love. It’s the main title song. I hope they release it as a single, I’m not sure, but they might an they might not. So.

Thank you. I wanna say hello to my good friend David Oppenheim, if he’s someplace sitting out there. Stand up and take a bow David, if you’re out there. (before Mr. Tambourine Man).

Thank you. We’re all ready to go now. I wanna thank you for bearing with us tonight through the lighting shortage. I hope somebody saw the light tonight anyway. I hope I did. Anyway, I wanna introduce this group to you now. Over on the left, young girl who’s been with me now for oh, many many years, Miss Carolyn Dennis. Standing next to her is another girl who’s been with me just as long, Madelyn Quebec. This young lady, she’s been with me the shortest time, but the most distance, from Nashville, Tennessee Regina McCrary. I wanna thank Patrick Stansfield, let’s give him a big hand. I know you never heard of him but clap for him anyway. But ..., he gets the stage here set up, we been doing all these shows. We’re going back to the US pretty soon, I hope we can come back. If we do you come and see us, and if you’re ever in the United States come and see us there, we’re usually some place all the time. From Dallas, Texas, I wanna introduce to you, a great singer, Clydie King. On the keyboards, from Wilmington, Delaware, give him a big hand, Willie Smith. Also from Wilmington Delaware, on guitar, Fred Tackett. All right, on guitar from Marseilles, Steve Ripley. He’s not from Marseilles actually, he’s moving there next month. Anyway, on drums I wanna introduce to you one of the best drummers around, Jim Keltner. Ahh yes! On bass guitar, I know you been dying to know who this man is. Anyway ha-ha-ha. This man knows more songs than I do. Anyway, on bass guitar Tim Drummond. Boom boom. Well, I’ve enjoyed being here, I’m glad to say that. Thank you very much. (at the end of In The Garden.

The songs that made Shot of Love