At least this one's less than a week late....
This week's tune was a pleasant surprise--Dylan had just released three straight religious albums (none of them particularly interesting or good) after his "conversion" to Christianity, and I expected very little from this week's featured album. It opened my eyes in many ways--no, it wasn't Blood on the Tracks (how many albums are?), but it was at least a little bit of a return to form, and this week's tune would eventually become one my favorites of his. I suppose it illustrates that one is never too old to be surprised by rock and roll....
This will mark the fifth time I've written about Bob Dylan (one, two, three, and four), which doesn't include my post on the Traveling Wilburys (here). Needless to say, I have nothing more to pontificate about when it comes to Robert Zimmerman.
"Sweetheart Like You" was the second single from Dylan's rather rebelliously named 1983 album, Infidels. The single would reach #55 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100, while the LP would peak at #20 on the Billboard 200.
(Two) Fun Facts: The video made for "Sweetheart Like You" was the first of Dylan's long career. And, in something of an oddity, Dylan has never performed the song live--which is really saying something (to steal a phrase) considering he tours almost nonstop.
Produced by Mark Knopfler (it's a small world--featured on last week's post, coincidence, not planned), "Sweetheart Like You" does have something of a Dire Straits feel to it, but the moment Dylan starts singing you know it's all his. Arguably one of Dylan's better vocals, it's understated but at times piercing (could be an effect of the lyrics). The guitar (both the solo and its backing play) in the song is to die for--I learned, as I was doing my half-assed research, that Knopfler did not perform the guitar solo (I assumed he had, and further assumed that the woman playing in the video was just a stand in for him) but rather Mick Taylor (of Rolling Stones and acclaimed session player fame) who performed it. Sheer brilliance. There is quite a bit of difference opinion on what the song is about (Central America, Christian Church, music business friend of Dylan's) but I'm going to go Occam's razor on it and just say it's about a beautiful woman who's fallen on hard times. No matter--it was a nice comeback for Dylan and is musically, lyrically, and vocally an absolute triumph.
Lyric Sheet: "You know you could make a name for yourself/You can hear them tires squeal/You can be known as the most beautiful woman/Whoever crawled across cut glass to make a deal..."
Enjoy:
Republicans = Nazis
Peace,
emaycee
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