Expecting Rain

Just got this recently. I see the album doesn't get much praise for the most part, but I quite enjoyed it. Maybe it's because I've heard all of these songs a ridiculous amount of times that it was refreshing to hear them all in a new way. Was wondering what other people's thoughts of his Double Live album were, or what everyone's favorites were. After 1 go round my favorites were in no particular order.

Mr. Tambourine Man
Shelter From The Storm
Like A Rolling Stone
All I Really Want To Do
It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)

some of them didn't work, but most of them were at the very least decent I thought. And those 5 were flat out good. I might even go so far as to say it's my preferred version of 'All I Really Want to Do'

Reggae tinged "Don't Think Twice" always raises a smile. The later US dates were better. Try Sweet Charlotte: http://www.bobsboots.com/CDs/cd-h50.html

I was there at the Budokan and I remember I Want You and Simple Twist of Fate being the standouts at the time. They still sound the most convincing performances to my ears. Many of the other songs sound "interesting" in the Eric-Clapton-doing-an-acoustic-Layla sort of way, but most of the songs don't seem truly at home in their new lodgings. Also, the flute gets irritating.

This album has been discussed here before, but it's good ti bring this topic back up. It was my first ever Dylan-album and of all his live albums it's still my favourite.

I agree with your selection of best songs.

MEZ really likes this album quite a bit. Nice "change of pace", hearing the warhorses in a different way.. 3-4 of the arangements are awful though as you eluded too... MEZ

it's unlistenable, a lousy plastic piece of junk. It might work if Leo Sayer were singing the songs, or maybe Meat Loaf. A great example of what can be accomplished by draining all blues out of Dylan music and replacing it with melismatic spastics. Clearly the lyrics weren't enough so let's bowdlerize. I try it every 10 years to confirm, and typically can't bear more than a minute of any one of the songs. I did get to the final sax solo on one of the sides and it wins my all time prize for desecrations. I'd rather listen to Stuttgart 1991 when his tongue stopped functioning.

It's occurred to me that maybe Meat Loaf was the inspiration, those Jim Steinman kitsch epics, as in "what if I sang my songs Meat Loaf style?" A perfect fit for 1978, the Billy Joel era in American music.

Pretty awesome live album. I like most if not all the songs.

I love this one. Personally, I think those versions of It's Alright Ma, Maggies Farm, Tambourine Man and Simple Twist are amongst the best he's ever done. Especially It's Alright, Ma.

Simple Twist is also the one I like. Maybe even better than on BOTT.

Always liked this album and felt it was unfairly labeled as a failure at the time. You might not like the arrangements, but it's not like they were bad performances. That is a great band that was still getting their feet under them. A Bootleg Series release from later in the tour would create a complete re-examination in the rock press, if that still exists, for this tour. The "going Vegas" label was a bit of an overreaction. It was more a case of Dylan going along with the style at the time of concerts, and not creating a trend. The fact is he went through this phase, but this sound was basically the feel/style for the 1979-1981 tours which people love.

for some reason, this live album seems to be panned by so many Dylan fans... i have gotten into heated discussions in the past on other discussion sites...
i loved it when it first came out( happened to stumble upon it when only an import was available) and remain very much a fan Budokan...
his singing is great, and love all the variations...
Tambourine man is a stand out
THinMan is great
I Shall be Released is wonderful
well OF IT actually.

I really wish for a release of one of the better shows of the 1978 tour, especially one which has a lot of the Street-Legal songs. I like the new arrangements of old songs for the most part, but Budokan lacks the passion that is present in other 78 shows.

Although it is certainly not his best live stuff, but I do agree that it is underrated for the most part. I find the new arrangements really interesting and refreshing as you say. The version of Ballad of A Thin Man is a personal favourite.

Without this album I'm not sure the world would have had Bob Marley... and the version of All I Really Want To Do is nothing short of joyously joyous... a smile-producing, toe-tapping make-over for an easily overlooked song... viva la Bob... both of 'em!

Marley was well known in 1978; arguably his best records all predate Budokan. It's a bit of a stretch to believe Dylan taught Marley reggae.

I Want You is fantastic. I like it. But those Paris shows and fall US shows are better. Thank god we got the mp3s!

I'm not sure that is correct... I have a brilliant album by Marley called Legend, and that came out way, way after Budokan... around the mid-80's... a great album... every song a gem... not a poor song on it.

I'll help. Most of Legend was recorded prior to Budokan, from 1973 on. Legend was a kind of "greatest hits" collection.

I believe the Legend album released in the mid-80s was a greatest hits package. Marley died in 81. Most of his output was released prior to the recording of the Budokan concert.

Guys, thickboy is having you on

Remember getting this on vinyl, and putting it on, made me feel like I was something else, I was hooked on Dylan after this. I remember reading reviews of it and thinking god if people think this is shit, I can't wait to hear what his best stuff is!
But's it beautiful. I Want You and Simple Twist of Fate are really beautiful. I wish there was the version of Tangled Up In Blue on the record that he did from that year. But if my memory serves me well, he didn't play on that leg of the tour.
Vinyls always sound better no matter what, but this really does sound another a album on vinyl.

It's right up there with Legend.

True, nobody can really be that thick

Seconded - last verse rewrite is a stunner and otherwise perfecto

Nahhh, I don't reckon. This is Bob Dylan, The Beloved Entertainer. The next couple of years was Bob Dylan, Coming to Nail You To a Tree. Much more energy and committed singing (and sincerity), and less grandiose arrangements. Although the 81 tour had the best of both worlds (Fall 80 too), some of the most underrated shows right there, methinks. A good Bootleg Series candidate lurks within, probably the New Orleans show that Daniel Lanois mixed during the Oh Mercy sessions. The Dead Man on the B-side of Everything is Broken is the only officially released song from this remix that I'm aware of, and it's a right little pearler.

Cheers, SLuggy