One of the songs from the Basement Tapes era that isn’t on the officially-released The Basement Tapes album is Waltzing with Sin. Although it sounds uncannily like something he could have written during that time, it is not a Bob original. Quick checking indicates that Red Sovine’s version is the best known, and that the song was apparently written by a gentleman named Sonny Burns. (I’m willing to be corrected.)

Anyhow, the version by Bob Dylan and the Band is currently audible on YouTube, along with some slides of Bob’s paintings and what-not. (I think it works quite well.)

Someday you’ll find
That the world’s left you out
No true love, no nothing
Just roaming about

Parties and people
And a cold heart within
And each time you’re dancing
You’re waltzing with sin

…

On another note (although perhaps not so distant at that), Larry Epstein at The Best American Poetry has written a new and interesting piece plumbing biblical echoes and possible contemporary commentary that he hears in the song All Along the Watchtower. Click here to read it: Bob Dylan On the Watchtower.

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