May 2011 sees the 70th birthday of Bob Dylan. To celebrate, we're taking you on a journey through the lesser celebrated avenues of his back catalogue. A journey down Highway 61 that won't stop off at 'Blowin' In The Wind', 'All Along The Watchtower' or 'Knockin' On Heaven's Door' but will call by...
If Not For You (1970)
By no means a buried treasure, this song appeared on both Bob Dylan’s ‘New Morning’ album and George Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’ record. The best version by far though can be heard on the original edition of ‘The Bootleg Series 1-3’ with Bob and George both taking centre stage. That take makes Bob’s better known studio version sound over produced, as here the tempo is slowed a little, the loose vibe extending to Dylan asking “are you ready George?” before Harrison’s gorgeous slide guitar arrives sailing the song on its course. The footage below is a nice outtake from 1971’s ‘Concert For Bangladesh’ with the two future Travelling Wilburys rehearsing together. But for the full majesty of the pair making ‘If Not For You’ blossom, go back and find that ‘Bootleg Series’ version.
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