For the past couple years, Bob Dylan has stuck to a pretty standard setlist on tour – kind of a bummer from an artist famous for switching it up night to night. And when he kicked off his new European tour over the weekend, he finally did just that. He’s brought in more songs from his terrific new Frank Sinatra cover album, and in Germany he debuted a cover of Willie Nelson‘s 1973 classic “Sad Songs and Waltzes.”
With a lot of pedal steel, it’s faithful to the original, and finds Dylan singing as beautifully has he did on the Sinatra album. Come to think of it, Ol’ Blue Eyes himself could have killed this song, so it kind of fits with the current theme (also the band Cake’s biggest album featured a cover of this and a song called “Frank Sinatra”…so there’s that).
Listen below (audio only). And as a bonus, hear the Sinatra covers he’s given live debuts this week as well: “Full Moon and Empty Arms,” “I’m a Fool to Want You,” and “Where Are You?”
Check out Bob Dylan’s current tour dates here.
smiles and heartbreak