Bob Dylan finally releases what we’ve all been waiting for

That is, of course a provocative headline – and few albums in his storied catalogue have split listeners more widely than ‘Bob Dylan At Budokan.‘  On Dylan’s first tour foray outside of the USA since 1966, and also Dylan’s first ever dates in Japan, the ‘At Budokan‘ recordings gave us a new Dylan – right off the back of the legendary Rolling Thunder Revue here was Dylan with soft-rock arrangements, flutes and saxophone to the fore, and a setlist which could easily be regarded as a greatest hits package.  There are those who have scorned this as Dylan’s “Elvis in Las Vegas” phase, and whilst it’s possible to see things that way another assessment is Dylan trying out something new and maybe trying to find a way to present his music that Japanese fans who were going to be at his eleven dates, eight at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo, might connect more fully with.  Whether that was necessary or not is a whole other debate – suffice to say, this is what Dylan did when he was breaking Japan.  Here’s a previously unreleased example of what we’re talking about:

For his 1978 performances, Dylan (rhythm guitar, harmonica, vocals) led an ensemble featuring Billy Cross (lead guitar), Ian Wallace (drums), Alan Pasqua (keyboards), Rob Stoner (bass, vocals), Steven Soles (acoustic rhythm guitar, vocals), David Mansfield (pedal steel, violin, mandolin, guitar, dobro), Steve Douglas (saxophone, flute, recorder), Bobbye Hall (percussion), Helena Springs (vocals), Jo Ann Harris (vocals), and Debi Dye (vocals). The original Bob Dylan At Budokan album was produced by Don DeVito, who also helmed Dylan’s Street-Legal, recorded and released during the 1978 world tour, featuring the same musicians.

‘Bob Dylan At Budokan‘  was a double album gatefold release – and it has been released on other formats over the years.  Now Columbia Records are preparing a whole series of deluxe and expanded editions.  Hold onto your hats, and Bob Cats check your balance, because this is what is coming your way.

Presented in a luxurious deluxe box, The Complete Budokan 1978 includes newly remixed complete live recordings from two Budokan concert dates featuring 36 previously unreleased tracks; facsimile memorabilia such as concert tickets, pamphlets, posters, and flyers; 60-page full-color photo book of previously unpublished photos of Dylan on-stage and behind-the-scenes at the airport, press conferences and more; exclusive liner notes. There’s a deluxe 8LP version too – but that’s a Japan only release, a nod perhaps to the original album’s initial Japan only release.  That’s an expensive import…

And then there’s also the 2LP ‘Another Budokan 1978‘ which features 16 previously unreleased tracks from the Budokan box.

And because we know that you want to know – here’s the track listings, and just note those songs with a * by them – you know what that means, right?  Previously unreleased.  Oh my, so many previously unreleased songs….

The Complete Budokan 1978

4-CD Deluxe Box

Live at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan – February 28, 1978

CD1

1. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall*
2. Repossession Blues*
3. Mr. Tambourine Man*
4. I Threw It All Away*
5. Shelter From The Storm
6. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
7. Girl From The North Country*
8. Ballad Of A Thin Man*
9. Maggie’s Farm*
10. To Ramona*
11. Like A Rolling Stone*
12. I Shall Be Released*
13. Is Your Love In Vain? *
14. Going, Going, Gone*

CD2

1. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) *
2. Blowin’ In The Wind*
3. Just Like A Woman*
4. Oh, Sister*
5. Simple Twist Of Fate
6. You’re A Big Girl Now*
7. All Along The Watchtower*
8. I Want You*
9. All I Really Want To Do*
10. Tomorrow Is A Long Time*
11. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
12. Band introductions*
13. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
14. Forever Young
15. The Times They Are A-Changin’

Live at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan – March 1, 1978

CD3

1. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall*
2. Love Her With A Feeling*
3. Mr. Tambourine Man
4. I Threw It All Away*
5. Love Minus Zero/No Limit*
6. Shelter From The Storm*
7. Girl From The North Country*
8. Ballad Of A Thin Man
9. Maggie’s Farm
10. One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)
11. Like A Rolling Stone
12. I Shall Be Released
13. Is Your Love In Vain?
14. Going, Going, Gone

CD4

1. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) *
2. Blowin’ In The Wind
3. Just Like A Woman
4. Oh, Sister
5. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) *
6. You’re A Big Girl Now*
7. All Along The Watchtower
8. I Want You
9. All I Really Want To Do
10. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
11. The Man In Me*
12. Band introductions*
13. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)*
14. Forever Young*
15. The Times They Are A-Changin’*

*Previously Unreleased

The Complete Budokan 1978

8-LP Deluxe Box

Live at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan – February 28, 1978

LP1 – Side A

1. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall*
2. Repossession Blues*
3. Mr. Tambourine Man*
4. I Threw It All Away*

LP1 – Side B

1. Shelter From The Storm
2. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
3. Girl From The North Country*
4. Ballad Of A Thin Man*

LP2 – Side A

1. Maggie’s Farm*
2. To Ramona*
3. Like A Rolling Stone*

LP2 – Side B

1. I Shall Be Released*
2. Is Your Love In Vain? *
3. Going, Going, Gone*

LP3 – Side A

1. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) *
2. Blowin’ In The Wind*
3. Just Like A Woman*
4. Oh, Sister*

LP3 – Side B

1. Simple Twist Of Fate
2. You’re A Big Girl Now*
3. All Along The Watchtower*
4. I Want You*

LP4 – Side A

1. All I Really Want To Do*
2. Tomorrow Is A Long Time*
3. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
4. Band introductions*

LP4 – Side B

1. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
2. Forever Young
3. The Times They Are A-Changin’

Live at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan – March 1, 1978

LP5 – Side A

1. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall*
2. Love Her With A Feeling*
3. Mr. Tambourine Man
4. I Threw It All Away*

LP5 – Side B

1. Love Minus Zero/No Limit*
2. Shelter From The Storm*
3. Girl From The North Country*
4. Ballad Of A Thin Man

LP6 – Side A

1. Maggie’s Farm
2. One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)
3. Like A Rolling Stone

LP6 – Side B

1. I Shall Be Released
2. Is Your Love In Vain?
3. Going, Going, Gone

LP7 – Side A

1. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) *
2. Blowin’ In The Wind
3. Just Like A Woman
4. Oh, Sister

LP7 – Side B

1. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) *
2. You’re A Big Girl Now*
3. All Along The Watchtower
4. I Want You

LP8 – Side A

1. All I Really Want To Do
2. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
3. The Man In Me*
4. Band introductions*

LP8 – Side B

1. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) *
2. Forever Young*
3. The Times They Are A-Changin’*

*Previously Unreleased

Another Budokan 1978

2-LP with Gatefold Sleeve

All Tracks Previously Unreleased

Live at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan – February 28, 1978

LP1 – Side A

1. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
2. Repossession Blues
3. Ballad Of A Thin Man
4. To Ramona

LP1 – Side B

1. Like A Rolling Stone
2. Blowin’ In The Wind
3. All Along The Watchtower
4. Tomorrow Is A Long Time

Live at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan – March 1, 1978

LP2 – Side A

1. Love Her With A Feeling
2. I Threw It All Away
3. Girl From The North Country
4. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)

LP2 – Side B

1. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
2. You’re A Big Girl Now
3. The Man In Me
4. Forever Young