Bob Dylan Live at the Newport Folk Festival 1963 - 1965

[Steve_L]

Here is some superb film and excellent quality sound (for it's day) from the Newport Archives. A young film producer Murray Lerner filmed Dylan and captured the performances across 3 amazing years.

In 1963, Dylan was the new young kid on the East Coast NY scene. He hasn't really started shaving yet, he has little stage presence, and he is simplistically singing older Woodie Guthrie songs along with a few of his own. He is adopted by the folk community, but not being taken too seriously yet. North Country Blues, With God on Our Side, Who Killed Davey Moore, Blowin' in the Wind and others.

Then, along comes 1964. Dylan has grown as a young man, is more sure of himself and has developed more stage presense and style. he has quite a few of his own songs to sing, and among them. He blows the crowd away with Chimes of Freedom and the crowd roars and doesn't want anyone else on stage. Odetta and Pete Seeger are up next and the crowd just wants more Bob Dylan. Mr. Tambourine Man, It Ain't Me Babe, With God On Our Side, Chimes of Freedom. Impressive performance, excellent sound, simple black and white filming that doesn't get in the way of the simplicity of the times or the music.

1965. Bob Dylan owns the town, the nation, the world. He has become a misunderstood symbol and non-self-proclaimed poet of the times. he is writing sophisticated, oblique, abstract songs and mixing it with older folk music and some lovely ballads. The Beatles have about 4 number 1 hits on the airwaves, and Kennedy has been shot the year before. The world is in turmoil and Bob is just a young many growing and trying new things. All I Really Want To Do, If You Gotta Go, Love Minus Zero, Maggie's Farm (electric with the Butterfiled band behind him, minus Butterfield), Like a Rolling Stone. he comes back and does and encore ACCOUSTIC of Mr. Tambourine Man and It's All Over Now, Baby Blue.

A simple documentary. An interview with Murray Lerner at the end.

Highly recommended for us old hippies, or you younger guys that might like to understand the 60s better.