B

"Starlight In The East"
Directory of Bob Dylan’s Unreleased Songs: B

Compiled by Alan Fraser

Michel Montecrossa's 2002 Mira Sound Germany album Fieldmouse From Nebraska, featuring this song and nine other "co-compositions"

Revised: 30 January, 2024

For the meanings of the song title colours and the circulation codes used in this directory, please see the header page for this section (click on "Up" below).

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(Indefinite and definite articles at the beginning of song titles are ignored, so A WOMAN LIKE YOU is on the "W" page, and THE KING IS ON THE THRONE is on the "K" page.)

BABY COMING BACK FROM THE DEAD	Bob Dylan?, 1985	S
Previously unknown song possibly recorded at Cherokee Studios, Hollywood, CA, May-Oct 1985.

BABY DON’T YOU GO	Bob Dylan?, 1986	H
Recorded in a hotel bar, Wellington, NZ, 06 Feb 1986 - possibly a variant of BABY PLEASE DON'T GO

BABY GIVE IT UP	Bob Dylan/Helena Springs, 1979	N?
Recorded in May 1979, probably at Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA, copyrighted 19 Jun 1979

BABY OF MINE	Bob Dylan?, 1961	H
From the "First McKenzie tape", recorded at the home of Eve and Mac McKenzie, New York, 23 Nov 1961

BABY LOU	Bob Dylan/one or more members of The Band, 1969-71	N?
An otherwise unknown song listed by Tim Dunn in his book "The Bob Dylan Copyright Files 1962-2007" (AuthorHouse, 2008) - no recording or performance is known, probably the same song as MARY LOU, I LOVE YOU TOO

BABY WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO	Bob Dylan?, 1983	N?
Song recorded during the "Infidels" sessions at The Power Station, New York, 2 May 1983

BABY WON’T YOU BE MY BABY	1967	H
Most commonly-found name of a Basement Tapes song recorded with The Band, Big Pink, West Saugerties, NY, Jul-Oct 1967, actually copyrighted under the title I LOOKED AS FAR AS I COULD SEE Now released as BABY WON’T YOU BE MY BABY on CD2 of "The Bootleg Series Vol. 11 - Bob Dylan And The Band: The Basement Tapes Complete", Nov 2014

BABYLON	Johnny Cash, 1967	H
One of the songs from "The Genuine Basement Tapes", recorded with The Band, Big Pink, West Saugerties, NY, Jul-Oct 1967, this is a misidentification of Johnny Cash’s BELSHAZZAR Now released as BELSHAZZAR on CD1 of "The Bootleg Series Vol. 11 - Bob Dylan And The Band: The Basement Tapes Complete", Nov 2014

Guild Home Video 8519 (UK) - VHS release of 1987 film Hearts Of Fire with A COUPLE MORE YEARS (my copy)

BACK TO THE WALL [A COUPLE MORE YEARS]	Shel Silverstein/Dennis Locorriere, 1983	N?
Recording sheet title of a song recorded during the "Infidels" sessions at The Power Station, New York, 13 Apr 1983. Tim Charlton is sure this is actually the Dr. Hook song A COUPLE MORE YEARS featured in the 1987 film "Hearts Of Fire", since "back to the wall" is part of the lyrics

BACON FAT	Robbie Robertson/Garth Hudson, 1967	N
Mentioned in the article "Mining The Bob Dylan Copyright Files" in "On The Tracks 9" (Fall, 1996) as an unknown Dylan song, but actually a Basement Tapes song recorded by The Band alone at Big Pink, West Saugerties, NY, Jul-Oct 1967. Recorded by Taj Mahal on his 1969 Columbia album "Giant Step" (information from Tim Dunn and Gil Walker)

Columbia US 1960 acetate of Side 2 of Self Portrait, with LITTLE SADIE listed as BALL & STRIPES RAG, from the "West Houston Street Acetates", 2014, scan by Jeff Gold

BALL & STRIPES RAG	1969	O
Recording session sheet title of LITTLE SADIE, recorded at Columbia Studios, New York, 3 Mar 1970, and released on "Self Portrait" in two versions. Shown is a Columbia US acetate of Side 2 of the album with the BALL & STRIPES RAG title, from a batch of 149 Dylan acetates from the Nashville Skyline/Self Portrait/New Morning era that were found in a New York building in West Houston Street, Greenwich Village, that was once rented by Bob as a studio. Thanks to Jeff Gold for information

BALLAD FOR A FRIEND	1962	O
Leeds demo, recorded Leeds Music offices, New York, January 1962 - also known as SITTING ON THE RAILROAD TRACK. Officially released on "The Bootleg Series Vol. 9 - The Witmark Demos 1962-1964" in Oct 2010

BALLAD OF A GLIDING SWAN	Evan Jones/Bob Dylan, 1962	M
From BBC TV play "Mad House On Castle Street", recorded at BBC Studios, London, 30 Dec 1962, also known as SWAN ON THE LAKE. Largely written by the play's author, Evan Jones, but with some lines added by Bob, To be broadcast on BBC4 in the UK in a documentary called "Dylan In The Madhouse" in Sep 2005

Music From The Soundtrack: Easy Rider film soundtrack album (ABC/Dunhill Records, 1969) - BALLAD OF EASY RIDER performed by Roger McGuinn with Gene Clark, scan by Jack from Canada (2000 MCA CD release)

Columbia Pictures CC 1122 (UK, 1990) - VHS release (my copy)

Columbia Pictures/Criterion Collection 545 (UK, 2016) - Blu-ray release (my copy)

The Byrds' Ballad Of Easy Rider album (Columbia, 1969) - BALLAD OF EASY RIDER performed by The Byrds (my 1997 remastered CD copy)

BALLAD OF EASY RIDER	Bob Dylan/Roger McGuinn, 1969	N
Bob wrote the first two lines of this song before passing it to Roger - it was originally credited to "Dylan/McGuinn" (copyrighted 18 Aug 1969), but Roger told the Internet newsgroup rec.music.dylan that Bob phoned him up in the middle of the night and asked him to take his name off the credits because he didn't need the money! The story of Bob's removal from the credits is now also given in the booklet with the digitally remastered CD reissue of the Byrds album of the same name. Some say that Bob asked for his name to be taken off the song because he disagreed with the ending of the "Easy Rider" film, but Roger says this wasn't the reason (although Bob certainly didn't like the film's ending). Thanks to Jack from Canada for reminding me that the Byrds 1969 Columbia album "Ballad Of Easy Rider" is not actually the film soundtrack album which is a different Various Artists album containing BALLAD OF EASY RIDER and IT'S ALL RIGHT, MA (I'M ONLY BLEEDING) performed by Roger McGuinn with Gene Clark on harmonica as well as a Byrds track. The Byrds album contains a different version of BALLAD OF EASY RIDER performed by The Byrds and the 1997 remastered CD release also contains an alternate take.

BALLAD OF THE OX BOW INCIDENT	1961	N?
Bob mentioned this as a song in progress in an interview with Robert Shelton in December, 1961, but no other evidence of the song is known

BANK ACCOUNT BLUES	1965	O
Recording session sheet title of I’LL KEEP IT WITH MINE, released on "Biograph". Tim Charlton says it has also been associated with DENISE, DENISE

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE by Kenny O'Dell (USA, 1967) - picture from www.discogs.com

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE	Bob Dylan?, 1964	L
Song performed with Joan Baez at the Café Expresso, Woodstock, New York State, 20 Jul 1964. This may be a Joan Baez original, although a song of this name has not been copyrighted by her or Bob. A probably unrelated song called BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE was written by Kenny O'Dell and released by him in 1967. Information from David Freeman

BECAUSE I CARE	?	?
Deliberately misleading song title used on an early vinyl bootleg - I have no information as to which song it is

BELL TOWER BLUES	1974	N? Y
Lyrics of this song are reported by Clinton Heylin to have been found in a notebook containing lyrics of the "Blood On The Tracks" songs, and two lines are reproduced on page 310 of Bob Dylan's "Lyrics 1962-2001" (Simon & Schuster). However, no studio or live version is known, although it may have been the track called BLUES recorded at A&R Studios, New York, 17 Sep 1974. Also known as CLIMBING UP THE BELL TOWER. Antonio J Iriate describes it as an early version of CALL LETTER BLUES, released in 1991 on "The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3"

BE CAREFUL	1981	N?
Recorded during "Shot Of Love" sessions at Clover Recorder, Los Angeles, CA, 23 Apr 1981

BE THAT WAY	1981	N?
Recorded during "Saved" sessions at Muscle Shoals Studios, Sheffield, AL, 14 Feb 1980 - information from Clinton Heylin's book "Still On The Road - The Songs Of Bob Dylan Vol. 2: 1974-2008" (Constable, 2010)

BEGGAR'S KINGDOM	1967-68	Y
Lyrics from the "John Wesley Harding" period held at the Bob Dylan Archive, University of Tulsa, OK. Thanks to Derek Barker and "Isis" magazine for information

BENDING DOWN ON MY STOMICK LOOKING WEST	1965	S
Out-take from "Bringing It All Back Home", recorded at Columbia Studios, New York, 13 Jan 1965 (CO85280), also known as YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT

THE BEST OF ALL	1961	L
Alternate title of TALKIN’ FOLKLORE CENTER, see above

BETTER HAVE IT ALL	1967	N?
Song copyrighted as part of the Dwarf Music catalogue in October 1988 - thanks to Tim Dunn for the information. Identified as a Basement Tapes song in Clinton Heylin's book "Revolution In The Air - The Songs Of Bob Dylan Vol. 1: 1957-73" (Constable, 2009) Now released as DRESS IT UP, BETTER HAVE IT ALL on CD5 of "The Bootleg Series Vol. 11 - Bob Dylan And The Band: The Basement Tapes Complete", Nov 2014

BIG BLACK TRAIN	Bob Dylan/Monte Edwardson, 1957-58	N Y
Song written by Bob with Monte Edwardson when he was a member of the Golden Chords in Hibbing, MN. Some lyrics are given in the article "God Said To Abraham" by Derek Barker in "Isis: A Bob Dylan Anthology" (Helter Skelter Books, UK, 2001)

BIG CITY BLUES	1961	N? Y
Lyrics in a manuscript left by Bob at the home of Eve and Mac McKenzie after staying there in Summer 1961, reproduced on page 2 of Bob Dylan's "Lyrics 1962-2001" (Simon & Schuster)

Rick Weiland performing BIG WHEEL, his version of WAGON WHEEL

BIG WHEEL	Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup/Bob Dylan/Ketcham Secor/Rick Welland, 2014	S
Thanks to Harold Lepidus for news that South Dakota Democratic Senatorial candidate Rick Weiland has recorded a version of the revised "Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid" out-take WAGON WHEEL with rewritten lyrics called BIG WHEEL for a 2014 election campaign ad! See the "W" page for full details

BILLY SURRENDERS	1973	S
Instrumental recorded during "Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid" sessions, CBS Discos Studios, Mexico City, 20 Jan 1973 - also known as SPEEDBALL

BLACK DALLI RUE	1965	O
Recording session sheet title of POSITIVELY 4^TH STREET, released as single and on "Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits" (in UK and elsewhere not until "More Greatest Hits")

BLACK DOG BLUES	1966	O
Recording session sheet title for OBVIOUSLY FIVE BELIEVERS, released on "Blonde On Blonde"

The Birth Of Soul: The Complete Atlantic Rhythm & Blues Recordings 1952-1959, 3CD boxed set on which Ray Charles sings BLACKJACK

J. T. Brown's Windy City Boogie (Delmark DE-714) containing his composition BLACKJACK BLUES - this can also be found on a United Records single #103 with WINDY CITY BOOGIE by "Nature Boy" Brown (I assume a pseudonym)

New York City Blues 1940--1950, French 2CD compilation where Gabriel Brown sings a song called BLACKJACK BLUES

BLACKJACK BLUES

Bob Dylan?, 1960

Reported to have been composed May 1960 - reports talk of "a song about a gambler" and "a song about a train", this is the gambling one! In "Isis" #44 Anthony Scaduto is quoted as saying that Bob told him a song called BLACKJACK BLUES was "his first original folk song". The following lyric fragment was quoted:

"Blackjack blues, yea, yea, yea.
How unlucky can one man be?
Every quarter I make,
Blackjack takes away from me."

However, John White reported in "Isis" #46 that the lyrics are very similar to a song called BLACKJACK recorded by Ray Charles in 1958 and available today on the CD set "The Birth Of Soul: The Complete Atlantic Rhythm & Blues Recordings 1952-1959" (Atlantic 82310-2) so this may not actually be a Dylan original. There is also a song called BLACKJACK BLUES written by J.T. Brown, which turns up on several blues records - this was also performed live by Johnny Winter, Louisville, KY, 6 Apr 1977

Spiritual Songs By The Wayside (Gyroscope Arts, USA, 2010) with their cover of BLESSED IS THE NAME

BLESSED IS THE NAME [BLESSED BE THE NAME]	Bob Dylan, 1979	L
Performed in concert 43 times in late 1979 and in early 1980, copyrighted Special Rider Music, 13 Nov 1979, but never recorded in the studio according to Michael Krogsgaard's series of articles on "Bob Dylan’s Recording Sessions", originally published in "The Telegraph" and now continued in "The Bridge". Thanks to Dirk Krah for information that the song has now been covered by The Wayside (John and Michelle Thompson) on their 2010 Gyroscope Arts US album Spiritual Songs By The Wayside under the title BLESSED IS THE NAME IS THE NAME OF THE LORD FOREVER. A live version from Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA, 20 Nov 1979, was released on the 2CD set "The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 - Trouble No More 1979-1981 (Live)", Oct 2017 (CD2). A second live version from Golden Hall, San Diego, CA, 28 Nov 1979, is included on a bonus disc with orders from bobdylan.com of the 8CD+DVD set "The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 - Trouble No More 1979-1981 (Deluxe Edition)", Nov 2017

BLUES	1969	N?
Instrumental recorded during "Self Portrait" sessions at Columbia Studios, Nashville, TN, 13 Feb 1969 (NCO98926)

Warner Bros/7 Arts Music 10" acetate including BOB DYLAN'S NEW ORLEANS RAG, scan by A.J. LaRue

Fredløs: Dylan På Norsk [Outlaw: Dylan In Norwegian], 1997 Norwegian album by Åge Aleksandersen which contains a cover (in Norwegian) of the then unreleased BOB DYLAN'S NEW ORLEANS RAG, under the title ÅGE ALEKSANDERSENS ISTEDGADE-RAG! Scan by David Plentus

Michel Montecrossa's Bob Dylan Fest 2001 6CD boxed set on the Mira Sound Germany label containing his version of Bob Dylan's then unreleased song BOB DYLAN'S NEW ORLEANS RAG. The set also contains versions of DENISE, EAST LAREDO BLUES, HERO BLUES and WANTED MAN

50th Anniversary Collection 1963, Columbia/Legacy limited edition 6LP set, Dec 2013, with two performances of BOB DYLAN'S NEW ORLEANS RAG

BOB DYLAN’S NEW ORLEANS RAG	1963	S L
Out-take from "The Times They Are A-Changin’", recorded on two occasions at Columbia Studios, New York, firstly on 06, 07 & 12 Aug 1963 (CO78976) and secondly on 24 Oct 1963 (CO79693) - one of the August 1963 takes was short-listed for "The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3". Illustrated is a scan of a Warner Bros/7 Arts Music 10" acetate including this take. The only known live performance of this song was at New York Town Hall on 12 Apr 1963, and this was scheduled for release on the shelved 1964 live album "Bob Dylan In Concert", so NEW ORLEANS RAG missed out on being officially released in both studio and live versions! The song has now been officially released on Side 1 (studio version, 24 Oct 1963) and Side 6 (live, Town Hall, New York, 12 Apr 1963) of the Columbia/Legacy limited edition 6LP set "50th Anniversary Collection 1963", Dec 2013. The lyrics are on bobdylan.com here. It is also available officially as a cover in Norwegian by Åge Aleksandersen, and also covered by Italian rocker Michel Montecrossa on his "Bob Dylan Fest 2001" 6CD boxed set (Mira Sound Germany, 2001). Now officially released on Side 1 (studio version) and Side 5 (live version) of the Columbia/Legacy Europe limited edition 6LP set "50th Anniversary Collection 1963", Dec 2013, so is still a rarity!

BOLERO	1981	N?
Instrumental recorded during "Shot Of Love" sessions at Clover Recorder, Los Angeles, CA, 23 Apr 1981 - Ravel’s BOLERO? J

BONNIE, WHY'D YOU CUT MY HAIR?	1960	H
Song written in late 1960 and performed on the so-called "Minneapolis Party Tape" recorded at Minneapolis, MN, May 1961 - information from Clinton Heylin's book "Revolution In The Air - The Songs Of Bob Dylan Vol. 1: 1957-73" (Constable, 2009)

BORDERLINE	Bob Dylan?, 1983	N?
Song recorded during the "Infidels" sessions at The Power Station, New York, 20 Apr 1983 - this could be ACROSS THE BORDERLINE by Ry Cooder, John Hiatt and Jim Dickinson, which Bob performed in concert with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 1986 and several times in the 90s

BORN IN BETHLEHEM	1967	O
Missing Basement Tapes song listed in "Isis" 176, not included in the 6CD set "The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete", Nov 2014

BORROWED TIME	1981	S
Alternate title of (WE'RE LIVING ON) BORROWED TIME, out-take from "Shot Of Love", recorded Cream Studios, Los Angeles, CA, 01 Apr 1981

BOTTLENECK POLKA	Date?	N?
Song copyrighted by Bob at SESAC - Tim Dunn thinks it's possible it could be one of two instrumentals performed during "Play, Lady, Play", episode 4 of season 3 of the US ABC TV comedy series "Dharma & Greg", first broadcast 12 Oct 1999. Thanks to Dag Braathen and Tim Dunn for information (see BROADWAY STRUT below)

BOUND TO LOSE, BOUND TO WIN	1963	O
Witmark demo, recorded Witmark offices, New York, March 1963, adaptation of a Woody Guthrie song. Officially released on "The Bootleg Series Vol. 9 - The Witmark Demos 1962-1964" in Oct 2010

BOURBON STREET	1967	H
Basement Tapes song recorded with The Band, Big Pink, West Saugerties, NY, Jul-Oct 1967 Now released on CD4 of "The Bootleg Series Vol. 11 - Bob Dylan And The Band: The Basement Tapes Complete", Nov 2014

Michel Montecrossa's 2002 Mira Sound Germany album Fieldmouse From Nebraska, featuring this song and nine other "co-compositions"

BOWLING ALLEY BLUES	Bob Dylan/Michel Montecrossa, 2002	O
Like JACK O' DIAMONDS, not strictly a Dylan song, but a written lyric of Bob's set to music without authorisation by Italian "Cyber-rocker" Michel Montecrossa on his Mira Sound Germany album "Fieldmouse From Nebraska" (Germany, 2002), see - thanks to David Plentus for spotting this item! Along with FIELDMOUSE FROM NEBRASKA, the handwritten lyrics can be found on the endpapers of the hardback edition of Bob's 1973 book "Writings & Drawings"

BRING IT ON HOME	1967	H
Basement Tapes song recorded with The Band, Big Pink, West Saugerties, NY, Jul-Oct 1967, based on Bo Diddley's BRING IT TO JEROME Now released on CD4 of "The Bootleg Series Vol. 11 - Bob Dylan And The Band: The Basement Tapes Complete", Nov 2014

BRING IT HOME TO ME	Bob Dylan?, 1985	S
Previously unknown song possibly recorded at Cherokee Studios, Hollywood, CA, May-Oct 1985.

BRINGDOWN	1965	Y
Lyrics of a previously unknown song from the "Highway 61 Revisited" period held at the Bob Dylan Archive, University of Tulsa, OK. Thanks to Derek Barker and "Isis" magazine for information

BROADWAY STRUT	Date?	N?
Song copyrighted by Bob at SESAC - Tim Dunn thinks it's possible it could be one of two instrumentals performed during "Play, Lady, Play", episode 4 of season 3 of the US ABC TV comedy series "Dharma & Greg", first broadcast 12 Oct 1999. Thanks to Dag Braathen and Tim Dunn for information (see BOTTLENECK BLUES above)

BROKEN [BROKEN DAYS]	1989	S
Early version of EVERYTHING IS BROKEN, released on "Oh Mercy"

BROOKLYN ANTHEM	1983	S
Recording session sheet title of first version of CLEAN CUT KID, out-take from "Infidels", recorded at The Power Station, New York, 14-15 April, 1983 - the second version was eventually released on "Empire Burlesque"

BROOKLYN GIRLS	1961	N?
Thanks to Tim Dunn for information that the page with the handwritten lyrics of this unfinished song were auctioned on the Internet on 24 Jun 2006 - no recording or performance is known

BROWN SKINNED GIRL	Bob Dylan/Helena Springs, 1979	N?
Believed to have been rehearsed at Rundown Studios, Santa Monica, CA, May 1979

B.U.P.	Bob Dylan, 1961	N
Song identified only by its initials on a list drawn up by Bob while staying at the home of Eve and Mac McKenzie, New York, Sep 1961 - information from Clinton Heylin's book "Revolution In The Air - The Songs Of Bob Dylan Vol. 1: 1957-73" (Constable, 2009)

BUTCHER'S CREW
One of the fake titles circulated on the Internet in January 1997 as part of a hoax about a new album to be called "Stormy Season" - see STORMY SEASON for more details

BUTTONS + BUNS	Bob Dylan?, 1983	N?
Song recorded during the "Infidels" sessions at The Power Station, New York, 29 Apr 1983 - could be the 1948 Oscar-winning song BUTTONS AND BOWS from "The Paleface" by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston, as recorded by Bob Hope, Dinah Shore, Gene Autrey, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, etc.

BY THE WAY, THAT'S A CUTE HAT	1983	O
Recording session sheet title of SWEETHEART LIKE YOU, released on "Infidels", also called IN A PLACE or IN A PLACE LIKE THIS

A Flying Pig production

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