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Rating: "Self Portrait" was an album to forget. Only a few months pass and Dylan returns with a better record. Not extraordinary. A technical rehearsal for a resurrection?
We'll have to wait a bit longer. Dylan is doing few concerts at this time (1970), he's shaken off heavy labels and tries again with something different. He abandons the crooner voice and releases "New Morning": only three of the songs from this album will be performed live... maybe even Dylan doesn't love it too much. Yet, in his autobiography, he dedicates an entire chapter to it, explaining that it was supposed to be music for a theatrical opera, a shelved project, but the songs remained.
Strengths: "Day Of The Locusts", which speaks about the day of his honorary degree at Princeton with irony that's not too veiled, "Time Passes Slowly", "The Man In Me", the two final recitatives, "Three Angels" and "Father Of Day", undoubtedly fascinating.
The others do not rise from the limbo of mediocrity, suffering from a hurried arrangement. For those who don't know, "Winterlude" is the mother of "Buonanotte fiorellino", "If Not For You" resembles "Tutto quello che un uomo" by Cammariere (there's an identical, and horrible, verse). The children beat the mothers 2 to 0. Nothing more, nothing less. A transition album, pure and not simple: Dylanesque.
PS: I gave it 3/5 but I know there are some true fans of the album who might protest... "If not for you, my sky would fall, rain would gather too, oh what would I do if not for you!"
. Come on, Bob can do better!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 If Not for You (02:44)
If not for you,
Babe, I couldn't find the door,
Couldn't even see the floor,
I'd be sad and blue,
If not for you.
If not for you,
Babe, I'd lay awake all night,
Wait for the mornin' light
To shine in through,
But it would not be new,
If not for you.
If not for you
My sky would fall,
Rain would gather too.
Without your love I'd be nowhere at all,
I'd be lost if not for you,
And you know it's true.
If not for you
My sky would fall,
Rain would gather too.
Without your love I'd be nowhere at all,
Oh! What would I do
If not for you.
If not for you,
Winter would have no spring,
Couldn't hear the robin sing,
I just wouldn't have a clue,
Anyway it wouldn't ring true,
If not for you.
05 Winterlude (02:26)
Winterlude, Winterlude, oh darlin',
Winterlude by the road tonight.
Tonight there will be no quarrelin',
Ev'rything is gonna be all right.
Oh, I see by the angel beside me
That love has a reason to shine.
You're the one I adore, come over here and give me more,
Then Winterlude, this dude thinks you're fine.
Winterlude, Winterlude, my little apple,
Winterlude by the corn in the field,
Winterlude, let's go down to the chapel,
Then come back and cook up a meal.
Well, come out when the skating rink glistens
By the sun, near the old crossroads sign.
The snow is so cold, but our love can be bold,
Winterlude, this dude thinks your'e fine.
Winterlude, Winterlude, my little daisy,
Winterlude by the telephone wire,
Winterlude, it's makin' me lazy,
Come on, sit by the logs in the fire.
The moonlight reflects from the window
Where the snowflakes, they cover the sand.
Come out tonight, ev'rything will be tight,
Winterlude, this dude thinks you're grand.
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