Bob Dylan – I Walk the Line / Blue Moon of Kentucky Review

Country classics are in safe hands when Bob Dylan adapts them to his stage routine. The likes of I Walk the Line and Blue Moon of Kentucky are so closely tied to his rise and influenced early years, that it makes sense to pay tribute to them on stage. With his own versions crackling through the latter years of the 1990s, Dylan praises Johnny Cash and Bill Monroe. Morphing two songs into one is a particularly unique skill usually reserved for Daft Punk and other talented DJs. But it marks an acoustic flick of wonder for Dylan here. A chance to credit two of his influences with one swift and classy-sounding acoustic piece.  

His croaky voice suits I Walk the Line well and the backing vocals accompanying this performance strengthen it. Dylan at this point is not for everyone. Some feel the vocal range is lessened and, as such, so too is his art. But it could not be further from the truth. He reaches deep with the likes of I Walk the Line and Blue Moon of Kentucky, a mashup of wonderful yet brief proportions. The percussion swing which changes up the instrumental section from one track to another is beautiful. Subtle yet effective in moving the performance along. All it misses is the constant hum Cash added to the track to pay tribute to his physician. Yet without it comes room to grow into, a challenge for the vocalist pair at the heart of this cover. A responsible, effective cover. 

Fill the cold of the arena with the warmth of country. While Dylan remained adjacent to the genre in his early years and certainly had more than a few trips to the studio with Cash, his latter-day arrangements have moved more towards swing and deserted urban intrigue. Rough and Rowdy Ways certainly offers the same disconnect and desire as the Nighthawks painting, and so it comes as a surprise to hear Dylan lace himself up with a country classic. Two, no less. Expertly pieced together so the transitional instrumental glides through, barely noticeable on a first listen but to be applauded when returning to this cover. Genuinely tremendous guitar work stretches through this one and it makes for such a sweet listen.  

Dylan is no stranger to classy arrangements on the stage, especially now given the showmanship which rewards his instrumentalists more than he who sits behind the piano. I Walk the Line and Blue Moon of Kentucky benefits from the blend and within this suddenness comes a grand appreciation of classic country ballads. Dylan adds these pieces in still now, like a cameo for his collected audience. A little nod to their knowledge and on they go, back into the fold of studio recordings. Dylan as a presence on stage often shocks and these recordings are no exception. The well of Cash songs is pilfered again and again. Rightly so. These are the essentials of the stage and the more artists keeping them alive, particularly those who traded musical blows with the great titan, are welcome.