Greil Marcus tells the story of the recording of “Like a Rolling Stone.” If you’ve ever been in a situation which required rehearsal, you’ll recognize some of this. One part gets it, the others don’t, then vice versa, then a pretty good rendition, then disgust with the whole project, then a couple more tries, then a recognition that it was right that once, so leave it the hell alone.
Takes me back to the old Colonial Chorale in high school, it does.
Update: The Christian Science Monitor reviews Marcus’s book about the song.
It’s bad enough arguing with myself!!
Yeah, but look who the particpants were. Now that would be an interesting argument.
Reading the excerpt from Greil’s book takes the act of listening to the recording of LARS to an entirely new plane. That this masterpiece, this magnum opus, the single greatest rock and roll song ever created was in fact the only successful take in hours of trying makes it all the more astonishing an accomplishment.
Just imagine if Tom Wilson hadn’t started the tape (another song, To Be Alone With You from Nashville Skyline, begins with Dylan asking producer Bob Johnston “Is it rolling, Bob?”).