What's It Gonna Be When It Comes Up

Animal instinct:
If Bob were a chicken, he’d
Want to hear his sneeze.

This song from the 1967 Basement Tapes sessions is a poor-quality tape recording. I have done my best to get most of the lyrics right, but many are unintelligible. In fact, there is barely anything here in this strange caricature of a lounge singer performance that I could understand, but I wrote a haiku for it anyway. It is available on volume 11 of the Bootleg Series.

No no no don't do that no more
Yes xxxxxxxx baby doll
Baby doll no more
Well xxxxxx
No corporation but my homey rags
Man she's too much
Oh there's xxxx one-room Cadillac.
Taking me in the breeze
If I was a chicken now, I'd just want to hear myself sneeze
MMM, somethin' sure looks good goin' down boys
Bb-b-b-b-bba-ba-boo
mmmmmm
So good to see you tonight doll
Mmmm, gonna tell you when it hurts, it hurts
Wait dog... before my master comes
ba-da-da-da-da-do

Under Control

She's under control.
She doesn't need her hand held
As she's hard to hold.

This song from the 1967 Basement Tapes sessions is a poor-quality tape recording. I have done my best to get most of the lyrics right, but many are unintelligible. It is available on volume 11 of the Bootleg Series.

Under control
And she's graveyard fence
Just how much was that
She hopped on the table
Beneath the floor
Arrows to ashtray
She said once more
She ain't ready to go
Well she' tolld me that she's tabled me
She's already xxxxxxxxx
Too hot to hold
She's under control
She's under control
Police man
Window shade
She said, xxxxx 
she's too hot to hold
In her soul
She's a rhinestone woman
but she's xxxxxxx
Under control
Well tombstone baby
Don't mind me brother
She said one more time
Don't mind me sister
She said once again
She don't need gratitude to hold her hand
She sure don't go

2 Dollars and 99 Cents

Making some change.
Lets start with $2.99.
Your sister has it.

This song from the 1967 Basement Tapes sessions is a poor-quality tape recording. I have done my best to get most of the lyrics right, but many are unintelligible. It is available on volume 11 of the Bootleg Series.

bag a xxxx
2 dollars and 99 cents
all my go down
2 dollars and 99 cents
it's a xxxxx
for xxxxxx
lord lord tomorrow people go
down one a two dollar bill
one ollar 99 cents
ten dollars was a two dollar bill
ten dollars and 99 cents
had a xxxxxxxxxxxx
devil's son
ain't got a bus we'll keep it level
do or die
why oh why
two dollars and 99 cents
well she walk
she got mister two dollars and 99c ents
oh you better go back and ask your sister
for two dollars and 99 cents
do or die

That's the Breaks

I wish you'd love me,
But I don't think that you will.
That's the breaks of life.

This song from the 1967 Basement Tapes sessions is a poor-quality tape recording. I have done my best to get most of the lyrics right, but many are unintelligible. It is available on volume 11 of the Bootleg Series.

All right, let's xxxx this

On my pillow last night
I thought I saw you dreaming
Just a sudden glance of happiness gone by
Suddenly came to me you see
Just a while ago when you left me, say your heart was broken little girl
But that... that's the breaks of life 
When you're breaking me 

Well it's a time of day
You’re nice, but you're not that nice
If you'd only come and go a while with me
But when you're old and gray, sweetheart, you're my xxxxxxxxx
But that's the breaks of life, you see, that's the breaks

Well, when I saw xxxxxx xxxx
And you know it ain't xxxxxx
Honey you know it's true for a while
What I say is only to my own appetite
Well, in the morning when you xxxxxx 
Please and xxxx be mine
You hang your head by the xxxxxx
And then cry cry please be mine, cry and xxxxxxx
In my pillow
In my great .... whole delight
Please  xxxxxxx
My darling, hold me, by my xxxxxx
But that's the breaks, you see, on the other side of life

Well, when your flowers are falling my way
And your xxxxxx is all ado
When your head is lonesome that way
It's a hard way, might as well to
But when your picture's on the xxxxx
Like your xxxxxxxxxxx on your waist
Oh xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Don't you think that's a disgrace?

Now you were xxx from me at midnight, broke my heart
And it's too late to cover up all you see
But when you're see future hanging low xxxxxxx
But it's always right down in my xxxxx
But that's the breaks on the other side of life

Susie Q

Susie’s qualities
From her walk to her talk make
Me love her true.

This song was sung by Eric von Schmidt and Bob Dylan at von Schmidt's Sarasota, Florida, home and released on the ultra-rare "50th Anniversary Collection 1964" copyright extension collection. Most people know the version by Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was written by Louisiana's Dale Hawkins. Some of the lyrics were hard to capture because of the poor quality of the recording.

Oh Susie Q
Oh Susie Q
Oh Susie Q
Baby I love you
My Susie Q

I like the way you walk
I like the way you walk
I like the way you walk
I like the way you talk
Susie Q
Oh Susie Q
My Susie Q
Oh Susie Q
Baby I love you
My Susie Q

I like the way you reel
I like the way you reel
I like the way you feel
My Susie Q
Oh Susie Q
My Susie Q
My Susie Q
Baby I love you
My Susie Q

I like the way you stand
I like the way you stand
I like the way you stand
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
Oh Susie Q
Oh Susie Q
Oh Susie Q
Baby I love you
My Susie Q

Oh Susie Q
My Susie Q
Oh Susie Q
Baby I love you
I know Eric does too

I like the way you talk
I like the way you walk
I like the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I never called a bark

Oh Susie Q
My Susie Q
Oh Susie Q
Baby I love you
My Susie Q

I don't want her too
I don't want to hurt you
I don't want to hurt you
Or want to make you blue
My Susie Q

There’s only thing I'll do
There's only one thing I'll do
That's XXXXXX
And I will let you be you.

I will let you be you.
I will let you be you.
I will let you be you
I'll let you be you
Well Paul will too.

Oh Susie Q
Oh Susie Q
Oh Susie Q
Baby I love you
My Susie Q

Who are you?

XXXXXXXXXXX
You wake up in the morning
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I can't sing anymore
I can't sing anymore
I can't sing anymore
XXXXXXXXXX
Can't sing no more

Stoned on the Mountain

On the mountain, in
The valley, or wherever,
You might end up stoned.

This song was sung by Eric von Schmidt and Bob Dylan at von Schmidt's Sarasota, Florida, home and released on the ultra-rare "50th Anniversary Collection 1964" copyright extension collection. I was unable to hear the lyrics all the way through because of the poor recording quality of what was not intended to be a commercial release.

xxxxxxxxx
Must have been a junkie
Xxxxxx
Must have been a junkie
xxxxxx
Must have been a junkie
All his followers
They was stoned, stoned on the mountain
Smashed in the valley
Stoned on the mountain
Smashed in the valley
Stoned on the mountain
Smashed in the valley
Smashed, oh brother
Stoned, take a little sniff
Take a little sniff
And you draw it down deep
When you take a little sniff
Draw it down deep
Well you take a little sniff
And you draw it down deep
Well you take too much,
Oh brother, you go to sleep
Stoned on the mountain
Walkin' in the valley
Stoned on the mountain
Sleepin' in the valley
Stoned on the mountain
Wanderin' through the valley
You're going to smash old... xxxxxxx
When you're stoned
What is this stoned business?
Well, there's a whole lot of stones all layin' arond
In the valley?
Yes, they roll 'em down.
Yes, I know they roll them.
In Colombia.
My God, vacation land.
Well you better watch out
That stone get stoned
That you don't get stoned
Better watch out
That you don't get stoned
You better watch out
That you don't get stoned
You might find you might you might lose your home.
Don't do drugs
you better watch out
For the sign of falling rocks
You better watch out
For the sign of falling rocks
You better watch out
For the sign of falling rocks
Oh wow.
I couldn't say what I was thinking.

She's on My Mind Again

It's before sunrise.
She's on his mind again.
He is packing up.

This song from the 1967 Basement Tapes sessions is a poor-quality tape recording. I have done my best to get most of the lyrics right, but many -- nearly all in this one -- are unintelligible. It is available on volume 11 of the Bootleg Series.

Morning roll
Dangle me
Poted by but she don't cost me
She don't mind where she go
Anyway she want to try
Laze away too long 
Go make some but my gone
She don't mind where she go
Happen in a fall
Raining's on my open hey holler he tried too hard
On my bail
Any in the summertime
Molly knows is all my pay
No babe don't happening straight
She's on my mind my mind, she's all
Ready for the morning time
Now old wind 
She's all stays in front
No it is not morningtime
rainy time comes once a year
she's got an old medium xxxx walking down my face
anytime the summertime
rich man lost on a way she
alone she comes 
working hard
she's already some old time
Now all my troubles and peace she bought
Kitchen up Molly went down abroad
She's on my way to 
Gonna pack I'm on a rainy sea
One time easy but it's two time one
It's already 
Anybody but her knows
Well odds are we could be home by a week
To come upon a donkey
She's on my mind, you know
Avenue where everybody else goes down
Any way you want to go

Roll on Train

This train is rolling,
This train is out of control.
This train rolls all night.

This song from the 1967 Basement Tapes sessions is a poor-quality tape recording. I have done my best to get most of the lyrics right, but many are unintelligible. It is available on volume 11 of the Bootleg Series. It doesn't sound like the Elton Anderson song of the same name, but who knows...

Roll on train
Rollin all night
Roll out your wheel
Get on board
Roll on train
Get you on the way
Get you 
It's hard to see
Roll roll
But she's on the run
Lady lady
When she's on the
When she's passing the gate
Roll on train

Pretty Mary

Don't be long, Mary.
Don't be blue either because
I'm coming to you.

This song from the 1967 Basement Tapes sessions is a poor-quality tape recording. I have done my best to get most of the lyrics right, but many are unintelligible. It is available on volume 11 of the Bootleg Series.

Pretty Mary pretty Mary
With the real white and gold
Tell me pretty Mary
Whether we XXXXXX of gold

But I'm coming with midnight
And the cold winds in twilight
And the dream of the world
Of Pretty Mary

Pretty Mary, don't be lonely
Pretty Mary, don't be cruel
You're my only destination
And I'm coming to you

I'm waitin' for the devil
On my bed one 
She'll all XXXXXXXXXX
xxxxxxxxxxxx

But she knows it's xxxxxxxxxxx
Now the cold winds to the crossways
To the valleys go southwards
And I think you're good lookin', pretty Mary

I wish that my whole life
On a xxxxx so real
How she come and get me 
With the 
But I know it's all right
If I bring you home tonight
I'll at least be with pretty Mary.

More and More

Know why I feel good?
Because I’m forgetting how
It sucked when you left.

This song by Merle Kilgore -- and sung by Webb Pierce -- was recorded by Eric von Schmidt and Bob Dylan at von Schmidt's Sarasota, Florida, home and released on the ultra-rare "50th Anniversary Collection 1964" copyright extension collection.

More and more
I'm forgettin' the past
More and more
I'm living at last
Day by day
I'm losing my blues
More and more
I'm forgettin' 'bout you

Oh how I tried
To keep you by my side
And oh I cried
The day you said goodbye
Day by day
I'm losing my blues
More and more
I'm forgetting about you

Money Honey

Landlord wants money,
So guy wants it too. He asks
His woman for some.

This Jesse Stone song, recorded by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters, Elvis Presley and others, was sung by Eric von Schmidt and Bob Dylan at von Schmidt's Sarasota, Florida, home and released on the ultra-rare "50th Anniversary Collection 1964" copyright extension collection.

You know, the landlord rang my front door bell.
I let it ring for a long, long spell.
I went to the window,
I peeped through the blind,
And asked him to tell me what's on his mind.
He said,

Money, honey.
Money, honey.
Money, honey, if you want to get along with me.

Well, I screamed and I hollered,
I was so hard-pressed.
I called the woman that I loved the best.
I finally got my baby about half past three,
She said I'd like to know what you want with me.
I said,

Money, honey.
Money, honey.
Money, honey,
If you want to get along with me.

Well, I said tell me baby, what's wrong with you?
From this day on our romance is through
I said, tell me baby, face to face
How could another man take my place?
She said,

Money, honey.
Money, honey.
Money, honey,
If you want to get a long with me.

Well, I've learned my lesson and now I know
The sun may shine and the winds may blow.
The women may come and the women may go,
But before I say I love you so,
I want

Money, honey.
Money, honey.
Money, honey,
If you want to get along with me.

Johnny Cuckoo

Dirty Johnny wants
To join the army on a
Cold and stormy night.

This folk song was sung by Eric von Schmidt and Bob Dylan at von Schmidt's Sarasota, Florida, home and released on the ultra-rare "50th Anniversary Collection 1964" copyright extension collection.

Here come long Johnny Cuckoo
Cuckoo
Well here come long Johnny Cuckoo
Cuckoo
Yes I said here come long Johnny Cuckoo
One cold and stormy night

Well, what did you come for?
Come for?
Well, what did you come for
On a cold and stormy night?
I come for to be a soldier
I come for to be a soldier
On a cold and stormy night.

Well you look so black and dirty
Dirty
Dirty
Well you look so black and dirty
On a cold and stormy night

Well I'm just as clean as you are
You are
You are
Well I'm just as clean as you are
On a cold and stormy night

You do a different chord than I do

That's a G, you know

I said here comes Johnny Cuckoo
Cuckoo
Well now, here come Johnny Cuckoo
On a cold and stormy night

Well, what did you come for?
Come for
Come for
What did you come for on a cold and stormy night
I come for a soldier...
I come to be a soldier
On a cold and stormy night.

Glory Glory (Lay My Burden Down)

So much for burdens.
I’m laying mine down, then I’m
Going to heaven.

This spiritual was sung by Eric von Schmidt and Bob Dylan at von Schmidt's Sarasota, Florida, home and released on the ultra-rare "50th Anniversary Collection 1964" copyright extension collection.

Glory glory
Hallelujah
Well I lay my burden down
Glory glory
Hallelujah
Well I lay my burden down
Going home now
To see my father
When I lay my body down
I'm going home now
To see my father
When I lay my body down
Well a-glory glory hallelujah
When I lay my burden down
Glory hallelujah
When I lay my burden down
Well I'm going on
To see my mama
When I lay my burden down
Going home
To see the one I love
When I lay my burden down
Well a-glory glory hallelujah
When I lay my burden down
Glory glory hallelujah
When I lay my burden down

Dr. Strangelove Blues

Some like it hot and
Some like it cold, but Strangelove
Likes it very weird.

This improvised song was sung by Eric von Schmidt and Bob Dylan at von Schmidt's Sarasota, Florida, home and released on the ultra-rare "50th Anniversary Collection 1964" copyright extension collection. I couldn't make out all of the lyrics so I did my best.

Some say he's a woman
Some say he's a man

I tell you some like it hot, oo yeah
Some like it hot.
Some like it cold.
Some like it hot.
Others they may like it cold.
And there's some people like it in a party
And some like it nine days old.

Some like it skinny
Some like it short and small
Strangelove
Strangelove
Some like it skinny
Some like it short and small
Well some like it too much
And some don't like it at all

Dr. Strangelove
Try me to the xxxxxxx
He travels all over
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Tell you about Dr. Strangelove now,
Well you always have Dr. Strangelove
xXXXXXXXXXXXX

Well you all know about
The XXXXXX fairy queen
Well you all know about
The XXXXXX King Kong XXXXXXX
Well I'm worried about that girl now,
That neither(?) Shetland Pony to maintain....

Well Dr. Strangelove
He sure is weird
Well Dr. Strangelove
Oh lord, he sure is weird.
He put me in bed with Charles Laughton
When he turned out to be King Lear.

He got.... XXXXXX
Well, all kind of strange things are going on.
Well, he got something for me...
Strange things going on.
Well the old black mama's XXXXXXXXXX
And the little kids are digging King Kong.

Strangelove
Strange
Strange
Strange
Goodbye, Dr. Strangelove
We'll see you again.

Denise

Denise’s facial
Cues suggest she has something
She keeps to herself.

Here's a different version of "Black Crow Blues" from the 1964 album "Another Side of Bob Dylan." I mean different different: another title, other lyrics, and so on. This outtake did not make the album. It was released on the "50th Anniversary Collection 1964" copyright extension anthology.

Denise, Denise,
Gal, what's on your mind?
Denise, Denise,
Gal, what's on your mind?
You got your eyes closed,
Heaven knows that you ain't blind.
Well, I can see you smiling,
But oh your mouth is inside out.
I can see you smiling,
But you're smiling inside out.
Well, I know you're laughin'
But what are you laughin' about.
Well, if you're tryin' to throw me,
Babe, I've already been tossed.
If you're tryin' to throw me,
Babe, I've already been tossed.
Babe, you're tryin' to lose me.
Babe, I'm already lost.
Well, what are you doing,
Are you flying or have you flipped?
Oh, what are you doing,
Are you flying or have you flipped?
Well, you call my name
And then say your tongue just slipped.
Denise, Denise,
You're concealed here on the shelf.
Denise, Denise,
You're concealed here on the shelf.
I'm looking deep in your eyes, babe,
And all I can see is myself.

Bob and Eric Blues #1

Bob and Eric ask
Betsy to hang out with them
Over at her place.

This song was sung by Eric von Schmidt and Bob Dylan at von Schmidt's Sarasota, Florida, home and released on the ultra-rare "50th Anniversary Collection 1964" copyright extension collection. It's an improvised courtship of sweet Betsy, with Bob and Eric apparently content to fight politely over her in her parlor. The two men switch identities toward the end.

Hey baby
I'm gonna see, see sweet Betsy's face

I'm a see
Betsy, where you been?
Come and see,
Betsy, where in the world you been?
Aw now, come home to Bob and me.

Well in her parlor
We did not mean no harm
Well sittin' in her parlor
Did not mean no harm
Oh now, you come home to us, funny farm.

Funny at the farm
I said funny at the farm
Funny at the farm
Funny at the farm
I swear now, we do not mean you no harm.

Well now, down in the lap of XXXX
Oh lord, you should have seen old Bobby and me.
Well we were right there.
We're sitting out now on them big ol' high chairs.

Well I'm on a high chair
And Bob's on the low
Well I'm on a high chair
Eric is on the low.
xxxxxxx
Just the way it goes.

Well now I know
It don't cause you no disgrace
Well now I know
It don't cause no disgrace
Cause neither one of us are here,
We just take each other's place

I call him Eric
You know he calls me Bob
I call him Eric
You know he calls me Bob

Black Betty

Betty’s a pistol,

But she shoots her mouth off, and

Annoys the captain.

Old folk song, apparently about a gun or a bottle of whiskey or a prison whip or something. In this version, as with Nick Cave's version, Betty is a woman. This song was sung by Eric von Schmidt and Bob Dylan at von Schmidt's Sarasota, Florida, home and released on the ultra-rare "50th Anniversary Collection 1964" copyright extension collection.

Black Betty Black Betty

Bam-a-lam

Betty gone crazy

Betty gone crazy

Black Betty got lazy

Black Betty

Bam-a-lam

Black Betty jump steady

Now the captain got mad

Thinkin' about the things that he could have had.

Black Betty got sorry, had to go

Now you see her on the radio

Black Betty Black Betty

I'm too out of my skull at the moment

You Win Again

Everytime you cheat,
I can't bring myself to go.
So you keep winning.

This cover of the Hank Williams song "You Win Again" appears on the 11th volume of the Bootleg series, which compiles the Basement Tapes recordings of Bob Dylan and the Band from 1967.

The news is out, all over town
That you've been seen, a-runnin' 'round
I know that I should leave, but then
I just can't go, you win again

This heart of mine, could never see
What everybody knew but me
Just trusting you was my great sin
What can I do, you win again

I'm sorry for your victim now
'Cause soon his head, like mine will bow
He'll give his heart, but all in vain
And someday say, you win again

You have no heart, you have no shame
You take true love, and give the blame
I guess that I, should not complain
I love you still, you win again

Young But Daily Growing

Girl marries young boy
Half her age. They have some kids.
He's dead at 18.

"Young But Daily Growing," also known as "The Trees They Do Grow High," "Daily Growing" and "Bonny Boy is Young (But Growing)", dates back at least to the 18th century, according to the ever reliable Wikipedia. The entry for this song says it was found in the Scottish manuscript collection of the 1770s of David Herd. It also formed the basis of the Robert Burns poemm, "Lady Mary Ann" from 1792. The song is about a boy who is married to a girl who is a bit older than he is. He's usually 11 or 12 or some absurdly young age to get married. It's a moving, haunting song, particularly in the sucker punch near the end:

At the age of sixteen, he was a married man
And at the age of seventeen he was a father to a son,
And at the age of eighteen the grass grew over him,
Cruel death soon put an end to his growing.
Growing, growing,
Cruel death soon put an end to his growing.


Version One
The trees they grow high,
the leaves they do grow green
Many is the time my true love I've seen
Many an hour I have watched him all alone
He's young,
but he's daily growing.

Father, dear father,
you've done me great wrong
You have married me to a boy who is too young
I'm twice twelve and he is but fourteen
He's young,
but he's daily growing.

Daughter, dear daughter,
I've done you no wrong
I have married you to a great lord's son
He'll be a man for you when I am dead and gone
He's young,
but he's daily growing.

Father, dear father, if you see fit
We'll send him to college for another year yet
I'll tie blue ribbons all around his head
To let the maidens know that he's married.

One day I was looking o'er my father's castle wall
I spied all the boys a-playing at the ball
My own true love was the flower of them all
He's young, but he's daily growing.

And so early in the morning
at the dawning of the day
They went out into the hayfield
to have some sport and play;
And what they did there,
she never would declare
But she never more complained of his growing.

At the age of fourteen, he was a married man
At the age of fifteen, the father of a son
At the age of sixteen, his grave it was green
Have gone, to be wasted in battle.
And death had put an end to his growing.

I'll buy my love some flannel
and I will make a shroud
With every stitch I put in it,
the tears they will pour down
With every stitch I put in it,
how the tears will flow
Cruel fate has put an end to his growing.

Version Two
The trees they grow so high and the leaves they do grow green,
And many a cold winter's night my love and I have seen.
Of a cold winter's night, my love, you and I alone have been,
Whilst my bonny boy is young, he's a-growing.
Growing, growing,
Whilst my bonny boy is young, he's a-growing.

O father, dearest father, you've done to me great wrong,
You've tied me to a boy when you know he is too young.
O daughter, dearest daughter, if you wait a little while,
A lady you shall be while he's growing.
Growing, growing,
A lady you shall be while he's growing.

I'll send your love to college all for a year or two
And then in the meantime he will do for you;
I'll buy him white ribbons, tie them round his bonny waist
To let the ladies know that he's married.
Married, married,
To let the ladies know that he's married.

I went up to the college and I looked over the wall,
Saw four and twenty gentlemen playing at bat and ball.
I called to my true love, but they would not let him come,
All because he was a young boy and growing.
Growing, growing,
All because he was a young boy and growing.

At the age of sixteen, he was a married man
And at the age of seventeen he was a father to a son,
And at the age of eighteen the grass grew over him,
Cruel death soon put an end to his growing.
Growing, growing,
Cruel death soon put an end to his growing.

And now my love is dead and in his grave doth lie,
The green grass grows o'er him so very, very high.
I'll sit and I'll mourn his fate until the day I die,
And I'll watch o'er his child while he's growing.
Growing, growing,
And I'll watch o'er his child while he's growing.

Dylan's version, recorded during the 1967 Basement Tapes sessions with the Band, is not substantially different.

Will the Circle Be Unbroken

Family's mother dies.
They're all sad, but happy that
She's gone to heaven.

"Will the Circle Be Unbroken" is a popular folk song from the Carter Family. It appears on the 11th volume of the Bootleg Series, which is a collection of the 1967 Basement Tapes recordings with the Band.

I was standing at my window
one cold and cloudy day
and I saw the hearse come rolling
for to take my mother away.

Will the circle be unbroken,
by and by, lord, by and by
there's a better home a-waiting
in the sky lord, in the sky.

I followed close behind her,
tried to hold up and be brave.
But I could not hide my sorrow
when they lowered her in her grave.

Will the circle be unbroken,
by and by, lord, by and by
there's a better home a-waiting
in the sky lord, in the sky.