Bob Dylan’s 1978 shows at Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan are beloved, and the best from two of those shows was compiled on the Bob Dylan at Budokan released album later that year. But there was always more where that came from. Soon, it’ll get a proper release.
Videos by American Songwriter
The Complete Budokan 1978, a new live album comprised of every song from the February 28 and March 1 sets from ’78, will be released November 17 via Columbia Records.
[RELATED: Bob Dylan and Post Malone Nearly Collaborated on a Song]
“We mixed the record with the keyword ‘passion’ in mind,” Tom Suzuki, the chief engineer, said in a statement, per Pitchfork. “The result is a mix that surpasses the original 1978 release, providing a crisper and clearer sound where each instrument and Bob Dylan’s voice are distinctly audible.”
You can hear this on a track from that collection released this week, “The Man in Me,” which differs from its studio version released on New Morning in 1970. While the original version ambles along with a smooth gospel stride, the live Budokan version spends a little more time luxuriating in its own vibe. That comes complete with a buttery saxophone solo from Steve Douglas and wonderfully lush background vocals from singers Helena Springs, Jo Ann Harris, and Debi Dye as well.
“The Man in Me,” in addition to being a great tune, reached a sort of cult recognition after being featured in the opening credits of the Coen Brothers’ film The Big Lebowski in 1998. The song is set to an ambient sequence at a bowling alley.
[RELATED: Bob Dylan Continues Rough and Rowdy Tour in North American Through 2024]
Ian Devaney of the indie rock band Nation of Language wrote in Stereogum in 2021 about why “The Man in Me” is his favorite Dylan song. “The main reason this song sticks with me is the three-note descension on the line “nearly any task” and how endlessly satisfying it is,” he wrote. “The instruments spend most of the song playfully dancing and weaving but these three big notes feel like crashing into a chair and taking a moment to appreciate that you’re capable of being vulnerable and happy.”
Dylan is also gearing up for more tour dates in support of his 2020 album Rough and Rowdy Ways, including a kickoff show in Kansas City, Missouri on October 1. That run will conclude in Schenectady at the end of October, but the tour is slated to extend into 2024 as well.
Photo by Fred Tanneau/AFP/GettyImages
