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

West Texas

Going to Texas,
Looking for adventure, and
I’m not coming home.

I'm goin' down to West Texas
Behind the Louisiana line
I'm goin' down to West Texas
Behind the Louisiana line
Get me a fortune tellin' woman
One that's gonna read my mind

If you ever go to Dallas
Take the right hand road
If you ever go to Dallas
Take the right hand road
Those western Dallas streets, boys
They' bound ta kill ya fo' sho'

I'm goin' down to Jack Rabbit's
Past the west Texas line
I'm goin' down to Jack Rabbit's
Behind the Texas line
Eh they's stars up above
Lord it's my a-leavin' m' sign

Well you never miss your water
'till the well runs dry
An' you never miss your water
'Till the well runs dry
An' you never miss your man
'till he says "Good-bye"

You can write an' tell m' Mama
I won't be comin' home tonight
You can write an' tell my Mother
I won't be home tonight

Wade in the Water

Should kids be wading
If God troubles the waters?
Songwriter says yes.

Here's a spiritual-style song that was recorded in 1961 and released on a live performance compilation in 2001.

Wade in the water
Wade in the water, children
Wade in the water
God's a-gonna trouble the water
God's a-gonna trouble the water

Well, who are these children all dressed in red?
God's a-gonna trouble the water
Must-a-be the children that Moses led
God's a-gonna trouble the water

Wade in the water
Wade in the water, children
Wade in the water
God's a-gonna trouble the water
God's a-gonna trouble the water

Well out of the mountain come fire an' smoke
God's a-gonna trouble the water
Jehovah nobody but he could've spoke
God's a-gonna trouble the water

Wade in the water
Wade in the water, children
Wade in the water
God's a-gonna trouble the water
God's a-gonna trouble the water

Well, I'm walkin' down the highway an' the water's gettin' low
God's a-gonna trouble the water
Walkin' down the highway, nowhere to go
God's a-gonna trouble the water

But it's wade in the water
Wade in the water, children
Wade in the water
God's a-gonna trouble the water
God's a-gonna trouble the water
God's a-gonna trouble the water

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.

Standing on the Highway

Bob's standing around.
Trying to thumb himself a ride.
His life rolls on by.

Here's another lonely hitchhiker thumb-a-ride song that Bob Dylan recorded as a demo for the Witmark publishing company in 1962. It’s the old, well known lament of blues singer Robert Johnson: Standing on the highway, trying to bum a ride, but nobody knows him, and everyone passes him by. The second verse is more metaphorical: he’s trying to be brave, as he notes that one road goes to “bright lights” and the other goes to the grave.
It goes on like that.

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

Runaway

She left him, it rains
He wah-wah-wah-wah-wonders
Why she ran away.

Del Shannon's classic rock-and-roll song, done Wilburys-style. First released on a single, it was later included on the box set compilation of their work in 2007.

As I walk along, I wonder
A-what went wrong with our love
A love that was so strong

And as I still walk on, I think of
The things we've done together
While our hearts were young

I'm a-walkin' in the rain
Tears are fallin' and I feel the pain
Wishin' you were here by me
To end this misery

I wonder
I wah-wah-wah-wah-wonder
Why
Why, why, why, why, why
She ran away

And I wonder
Where she will stay
My little runaway
A-run, run, run, run, runaway

I'm a-walkin' in the rain
Tears are fallin' and I feel the pain
Wishin' you were here by me
To end this misery

And I wonder
I wah-wah-wah-wah-wonder
Why
Why, why, why, why, why
She ran away

And I wonder
Where she will stay
My little runaway
A-run, run, run, run, runaway
A-run, run, run, run, runaway
A-run, run, run, run, runaway

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.

Nobody's Child

Crying orphan boy
Says nobody wants him, and
He’s one of many.

A Traveling Wilbury's song, this was first released on the compilation "Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal," a benefit album for Romanian orphans, many of them HIV-positive. The song later was included on a 2007 box set collecting the two Traveling Wilburys albums and some singles miscellany. The song was written by Cy Coben and Mel Foree, and performed by Hank Snow in 1949.

As I was slowly passing, an orphan’s home today
I stopped for just a little while to watch the children play
A lone boy standin', and when I asked him why
He turned with eyes that could not see, and he began to cry

I'm nobody's child, I'm nobody's child
Just like a flower I'm growin' wild
No mama's arms to hold me no daddy's smile
Nobody wants me, I'm nobody's child

In every town and village
There are places just like this
With rows and rows of children
And babies in their cribs

They've long since stopped their cryin'
As no-one ever hears
And no-one there to notice them or take away their fears

Nobody's child, they're nobody's child
Just like a flower they're growin wild
No mama's arms to hold them, no daddy's smile
Nobody wants them they're nobody's child

Nobody's child, they're nobody's child
Just like a flower they're growin wild
No mama's arms to hold them, no daddy's smile
Nobody wants them they're nobody's child
Nobody wants them they're nobody's child

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.

Grand Coulee Dam

They’re dam fine wonders,
Columbia River and
The Grand Coulee Dam.

Bob Dylan and the Band recorded this Woody Guthrie song at a tribute to the folksinger. There's an album of the concert, but it wasn't released under Dylan's name. I have included this song here because it was part of the album "Bob Dylan Live 1961-2000: 39 Years of Great Concert Performances."

Well the world owns seven wonders as the travellers always tell.
Some gardens and some towers, I guess you know them well.
But now the greatest wonder is in Uncle Sam's fair land.
That King Columbia river and the great Grand Coulee Dam.

She come up the Canadian Rockies where the crystal waters glide,
Comes a-roaring down the canyon to meet that salty tide
From the great Pacific Ocean to where the sun sets in the west,
That big Grand Coulee country in that land I love the best.

In the misty glitter of that wild and windward spray,
Men have fought the pounding waters and met a watery grave.
Once she tore men's boats to splinters but she gave men dreams to dream,
That day that Grand Coulee dam went across that wild and restless stream.

Oh Uncle Sam took up the notion in the year of thirty three,
For the factory and the farmer and for all of you and me.
He said: roll it on Columbia, you can roll out to the sea
But river, while you're rolling you can do some work for me.

Now from Washington and Oregon you can hear them factories a-hum,
Making corn and making manganese and light aluminum.
Always a flying fortress to blast for Uncle Sam,
That King Columbia river and the great Grand Coulee dam.

Well the world owns seven wonders as the travellers always tell.
Some gardens and some towers, I guess you know them well.
But now the greatest wonder is in Uncle Sam's fair land.
That King Columbia river and the great Grand Coulee Dam

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.