Bob Dylan: A Tree with Roots

The Genuine Basement Tape Remasters

[Front cover] [Back cover] [CD] [Booklet 1 front] [Booklet 1 back] [Booklet 2 front] [Booklet 2 back] [2002 box] [2002 box back]

4CD Dylan bootleg set released in 2001 on both the White Bear and the Wild Wolf label, then again in 2002 in box format by Vagabond Wilbury Records, with minor additions. The boot is probably in some way connected to the Bob Dylan CDR tree distribution page "To the Tree with Roots".

It's a complete overhaul of the basement tapes, 128 tracks in total, completely remastered with a major leap forward in sound quality compared to the original 5CD set. It's also put together in a much more organised and logical sequence. High quality packaging, 2 booklets, extensive original source notes and reprints of important press coverage. The original pressing was limited to 500 copies.

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Lock your door *
2. Baby, won't you be my baby *
3. Try me little girl *,
4. Young but daily growin'**
5. Bonnie ship The Diamond *
6. The hills of Mexico*
7. Down on me *
8. I can't make it alone *
9. Don't you try me now *
10. One for the road
11. I'm alright *
12. One single river *
13. People get ready *
14. I don't hurt anymore*
15. Be careful of the stones you throw *
16. One man's loss *
17. Baby ain't that fine **
18. Rock salt and nails *
19. A fool such as I*
20. Silhouette *
21. Bring it on home *
22. King of France *
23. Nine hundred miles *
24. Goin' down the road *
25. Spanish is the loving tongue **
26. Po' Lazarus.
27. Santa Fee * [added on 2002 box set]
28. Instrumental Jam [added on 2002 box set]

Disc 2

1. On a rainy afternoon *
2. I can't come in with a broken heart *
3. Come all ye fair and tender ladies ***
4. Under control *
5. Ol' Roison the beau **
6. I'm guilty of loving you **
7. Johnny Todd **
8. Cool water **
9. Banks of the Royal Canal **
10. Belchezaar
11. I forgot to remember to forget her
12. You win again,
13. Still in town still around
14. Waltzin' with sin
15. Big river - take 1 **
16. Big river - take 2 **
17. Folsom Prison blues **
18. Bells of Rhymney *
19. I'm a fool for you - false start & take
20. Can't Come In With A Broken Heart, false start + take 2 (this track is not in the cover notes)
21. Next time on the highway
22. Tupelo
23. You gotta quit kicking my dog around
24. See you later Allen Ginsburg
25. Tiny Montgomery (c)
26. The Spanish song - take 1
27. The Spanish song - take 2
28. I'm your teenage prayer.

Disc 3

1. Four strong winds
2. The French girl - take 1 (c)
3. The French girl – take 2 (c)
4. Joshua gone Barbados
5. I'm in the mood for love
6. All American boy(c),
7. Sign on the cross **
8. Santa Fe * (c)
9. Silent weekend * (c),
10. Don't ya tell Henry * (c)
11. Bourbon Street * (c)
12. Million dollar bash - take 1 (c)
13. Yea heavy and a bottle of bread - take 1 (c)
14. Million dollar bash - take 2 **
15. Yea heavy and a bottle of bread - take 2 **
16. I'm not there**(c)
17. Please Mrs Henry ** (c)
18. Crash on the levee - take 1 ** (c)
19. Lo and behold - take1**(c)
20. Lo and behold - take 2 **
21. You ain't going nowhere - take 1 * (c),
22. Too much of nothing - take 1 **(c)
23. This wheels on fire **(c)
24. You ain't going nowhere - take 2 *
25. I shall be released **(c).

Disc 4

1. Too much of nothing - take 2**
2. Tears of rage - take 1 (c)
3. Tears of rage - take 2
4. Tears of rage - take 3
5. Quinn the Eskimo - take 1 (c)
6. Quinn the Eskimo - take 2
7. Open the door Homer - take 1 (c)
8. Open the door Homer - take 2,
9. Open the door Homer - take 3
10. Nothing was delivered - take 1 (c),
11. Nothing was delivered - take 2
12. Goin' to Acapulco (c)
13. Gonna get you now,
14. Wildwood flower
15. See that my grave is kept clean
16. Comin' round the mountain
17. Instrumental jam
18. Flight of the bumble bee
19. Confidential to me
20. Odds and ends - take 1 (c)
21. Nothing was delivered - take 3
22. Odds and ends – take 2,
23. Get your rocks off **(c)
24. Clothesline saga **(c)
25. Apple suckling tree – take 1(c),
26. Apple suckling tree - take 2
27. All you have to is dream - take 1*,
28. All you have to do is dream - take 2 *.

The following source tapes have been drawn upon, in varying degrees, to arrive at this set.

1. A Ten-Song Demo:

   Million Dollar Bash (2) / Yea! Heavy And A Bottle Of Bread (2) / Please Mrs Henry (2) / Crash On The Levee (2) / Lo And Behold (2) / Tiny Montgomery / This Wheel's On Fire / You Ain't Going Nowhere (2) / I Shall Be Released / Too Much Of Nothing (2).

   Note: This demo tape was copyrighted in October 1967, and was utilized as a source for all subsequent acetates / Dwarf Music demo tapes that circulated in the ensuing years. Unfortunately, all songs were folded into mono from their panned stereo.

2. A Five-Song Demo

   Tears Of Rage (3) / Quinn The Eskimo (2) / Open The Door Homer (3) / Nothing Was Delivered (1) / Get Your Rocks Off.

   Note: This demo tape was copyrighted in January 1968. The first four songs, along with the previous demo-tape, comprised a 14-song acetate from which many bootlegs were drawn. Again the songs were folded into mono from their original panned stereo.

3. The "Basement" Safety

   Million Dollar Bash (2) / Yea! Heavy And A Bottle Of Bread (2) / I'm Not There (1956) / Please Mrs Henry / Crash On The Levee (2) / Lo And Behold! (2) / This Wheel's On Fire / You Ain't Going Nowhere (2) / I Shall Be Released / Too Much Of Nothing (2) / Nothing Was Delivered (3) / Odds And Ends (2) / Get Your Rocks Off / Clothesline Saga / Apple Suckling Tree (1) / Apple Suckling Tree (2) / Open The Door Homer (1*) / Open The Door Homer (2*) / Open The Door Homer (3*) / Nothing Was Delivered (1*) / Nothing Was Delivered (2*) / Tears Of Rage (1*) / Tears Of Rage (2*) / Quinn The Eskimo (1*) / Quinn The Eskimo (2*)

   Note: This 15 i.p.s. transfer from the original tapes (save for the asterisked songs, which appear to be from a generational copy) was made at some point in 1968. All songs are in their original stereo. However, there are at least two strange omissions. Tiny Montgomery, already an acetate song, and Sign On The Cross. The tape boxes are reproduced in Clinton Heylin's: The Recording Sessions 1960-1994.

4. A Dwarf Music Demo-Tape

   Signs On The Cross / Don't Ya Tell Henry

   Note: Two songs copyrighted in 1970. The demo-tape, thought generational, is stereo.

5. The Robertson-Fraboni Compilation Reels

   Odds And Ends (1) / Nothing Was Delivered (3) / Odds And Ends (2) / Get Your Rocks Off / Clothesline Saga / Apple Suckling Tree (1) / Apple Suckling Tree (2) / Try Me Little Girl / Young But Daily Growin' / Tiny Montgomery / Don't Ya Tell Henry / Bourbon Street / Million Dollar Bash (1) / Yea! Heavy And A Bottle Of Bread (1) / Million Dollar Bash (2) / Yea! Heavy And A Bottle Of Bread (2) / I'm Not There (1956) / Please Mrs Henry / Crash On The Levee (1) / Crash On The Levee (2) / Lo And Behold (1) / Lo And Behold (2) / One Single River / Baby Ain't That Fine / You Ain't Going Nowhere (1) / This Wheel's On Fire / You Ain't Going Nowhere (2) / I Shall Be Released / Too Much Of Nothing (1) / Too Much Of Nothing (2) / Tears Of Rage (3) / Quinn The Eskimo (1) / Open The Door Homer (3) / Nothing Was Delivered (1) / Folsom Prison Blues / Sign On The Cross / Santa Fee / Silent Weekend / Silouette / Bring It On Home / King Of France / Going To Acapulco / Gonna Get You Now / Banks Of The Royal Canal

   Note: Compiled in preparation for the official 1975 double-set on Columbia, these reels presumably represents the songs short-listed. Though songs had been panned in, not all songs were the full-on mono of the official set. Though a version of this tape was drawn upon for the 5-CD set, it was a poor generational dub, now superceded by a significantly superior version.

6. The Band Roadie Reels

   Lock Your Door / Baby Won't You Be My Baby / Try Me Little Girl / I Can't Make It Alone / Young But Daily Growin' / Bonnie Ship The Diamond / The Hills Of Mexico / Down On Me / One For The Road / I'm Alright / One Single River / People Get Ready / I Don't Hurt Anymore / The Stones That You Throw / One Man's Loss / All You Have To Do Is Dream (2) / I'm Not There (1956) / Please Mrs Henry / Down In The Flood (2) / Lo And Behold (2) / Odds And Ends (2) / Get Your Rocks Off / Clothesline Saga / Apple Suckling Tree (2) / Tiny Montgomery / Sign On The Cross / This Wheel's On Fire / You Ain't Going Nowhere (2) / I Shall Be Released / Instrumental Jam / Baby Ain't That Fine / Salt And Nails / A Fool Such As I / Going To Acapulco / Gonna Get You Now / Million Dollar Bash (2) / Yea! Heavy And A Bottle Of Bread (2)

   Note: These reels, accessed in 1986 and subsequently bootlegged on two double-albums, are in their original stereo. Songs on this release from the 1986 reels appear direct from master for the first time.

7. The 1991 Cassettes

   Cassette 1
   Million Dollar Bash (1) / Yea! Heavy And A Bottle Of Bread (1) / Million Dollar Bash (2) / Yea! Heavy And A Bottle Of Bread (2) / I'm Not There (1956) / Please Mrs Henry / Crash On The Levee (1) / Crash On The Levee (2) / Lo And Behold (1) / Lo And Behold (2)

   Cassette 2
   I'm A Fool For You (1+2) / Next Time On The Highway / Tupelo / You Gotta Quit Kickin' My Dog Aroun' / See You Later, Allan Ginsberg / Tiny Montgomery / The Spanish Song (1) / Spanish Song (2) / I'm Your Teenage Prayer / Four Strong Winds / The French Girl (1) / The French Girl (2) / Joshua Gone Barbados / I'm In The Mood For Love / All-American Boy / Sign On The Cross

   Cassette 3
   Tears Of Rage (1) / Tears Of Rage (2) / Tears Of Rage (3) / Quinn The Eskimo (1) / Quinn The Eskimo (2) / Open The Door Homer (1) / Open The Door Homer (2) / Open The Door Homer (3) / Nothing Was Delivered (2)

   Cassette 4
   Going To Acapulco / Gonna Get You Now / Wildflood Flower / Se That My Grave Is Kept Clean / Comin' Round The Mountain / Instrumental Jam / Flight Of The Bumble Bee / Confidential To Me / Odds And Ends (1) / Nothing Was Delivered (3) / Odds And Ends (2) / Get Your Rocks Off / Clothesline Saga / Apple Suckling Tree (1) / Apple Suckling Tree (2)

   Cassette 5
   Belchezaar / I Forgot To Remember To Forget Her / You Win Again / Still In Town, Still Around / Waltzin' With Sin / Big River (1) / Big River (2) / Folsom Prison Blues / Bells Of Rhymney / Nine Hundred Miles / Goin' Down The Road / Spanish Is The Living Tongue / I Can't Come In With A Broken Heart / Come All Ye Fair And Tender Ladies / Under Control / Ol' Roison The Beau / I'm Guilty Of Loving You / Johnny Todd / Cool Water / Banks Of The Royal Canal / Po' Lazarus

   Note: The primary source for the Genuine Basement Tapes Vol. 1-5, the cassettes are all in the original stereo, though some suffer from over-recording in their transfer from reel. An alternate dub of the same material for this set has yielded some better transfers. Also included in this collection of cassettes was misc. Dylan/Band material from 1965-66 as well as a dub of the 10-song Dwarf Music demo.

Bob Dylan - A Tree with Roots - 2001 - White Bear 01/02/03/04
Also released on the Wild Wolf label, with different packaging.
Re-released in box format in 2002 by Vagabound Wilbury Record Co as Lucky VW011.