Bob Dylan would cement himself as a folk troubadour worth hearing from with his second album. The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan would achieve a view of Dylan which has lasted ever since. Even now, long after his departure from acoustic folk fundamentals, he is perceived as the so-called voice of a generation. That may be true, and listening into the extra cuts of his work from the early period, the tracks where religious fervour and blues-like tones were taken, is more evidence to his purpose as an artist. Tomorrow is a Long Time, an unofficial compilation of these recorded efforts, is a delightful accompaniment to The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. It does not overwhelm the official album, nor does it try to outshine it. No, the purpose of this bootleg is to shine a light on surplus.
Most artists would kill for this sort of backlog. For Dylan, it was all part of the release cycle. Religiously tinged opener Quit Your Low Down Ways calls for a sharper, sensible life in the face of geopolitical worry. Moments in time which informed Dylan are often left on stage or in notebooks. Tomorrow is a Long Time is a thorough evaluation of Dylan’s post-second album stages, grabbing what it can from live performances and leftover studio sessions to piece together a wonderful look at Dylan in these early years. What is maintained by this compilation is the quality songwriting, the closeness of faith for Dylan in those moments which, in hindsight, make the transition to those gospel years less of a surprise. Context is crucial for these moments, and Tomorrow is a Long Time plugs a few gaps. The title track is a tremendous example of this.
A beautiful playing style, a sense of excitement to the wordplay, and a laid-back tone which delivers on the calmer waters Dylan would sometimes sail. Break from the winding road, the sense of hope in standing for what is right, fatigue weighs heavy on the shoulders of protest heroes. They lead by example and yet are just people in their way, prone to mistakes. These are songs of mistakes, of acceptance. These are moments of music which Dylan was not expected to release. Promotional material is perhaps a backhanded term to use when there are quality pieces like the spoken-word, soul for weapons exchange heard on Talking Devil, but these are brief moments in a lengthy career. There are just two verses to it, Dylan points out, before the song ends. That there are, but brevity is a lost art form for the creatives of today, and his brief track here is a delight.
Moments of travel, pieces of protest, that is the point of Tomorrow is a Long Time. The throes of money on Walkin’ Down the Line pair the trailblazer with moments of financial glee. It matters not to the man with a troubled mind, and though these pieces are written with the intent of being thrown away after use, there is heart to them still. You cannot phone in pain. A listener is smart enough to observe what is truth and what is artificial. Even in fictional recounts, as there is for the night into day, no sleep adventures heard here, is an honesty. If not honesty, entertainment. Dylan suffered from too much material at this time, hence the large pile of scraps now available. Tomorrow is a Long Time is a worthwhile listen, a chance to hear what else Dylan had up his sleeve during a tremendously productive period for the songwriter.
