Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid Soundtrack (1973)

Mama, put my guns in the ground I can’t shoot them anymore
 That long black cloud is comin’ down I feel like I’m knockin’ on heaven’s door

1. Main Title Theme (Billy) (6:05)

2. Cantina Theme (Workin' for the Law) (2:56)

3. Billy 1 (3:55)

4. Bunkhouse Theme (2:15)

5. River Theme (1:28)

6. Turkey Chase (3:34)

7. Knockin' on Heaven's Door (2:32)

8. Final Theme (5:23)

9. Billy 4 (5:03)

10. Billy 7 (2:08)

Review: Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid is a soundtrack album released by Bob Dylan to go along with the Sam Peckinpah film of the same name.  Its unlike any other Dylan album in that it is mostly instrumental, with only 'Billy' 1, 4 and 7, and 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door' having lyrics.  The rest of the song functions as background music and little more.  As such, the album cannot be fairly compared with the rest of Bob's catalog.  But, I will attempt to write about the album as per my normal process, because that is what I do here.

'Main Title Theme' is a 'Billy' song without any words (you'll know what that means when you here the other 'Billy's').  It's a fine introduction to the album, and certainly one of the better instrumentals, but the other Billy songs must be judged superior because Bob sings on them.  The song introduces the album themes of acoustic guitars leading the way, backed up by drums and bass.

'Cantina Theme' is a light continuation of the same elements introduced in the first track.  Pleasant country-western background music.

Finally, we get to 'Billy 1.'  Bob is unmistakable on the harp from the beginning of the track, blowing out the melody we will come to know so well on the rest of the album.  The song is 4 minutes long, but it takes nearly halfway through until Bob starts singing.  "There's guns across the river aimin' atcha' ... Billy they don't like ya to be so free."  The song is a forlorn tale of a doomed gunslinger.  Classic Dylan, really.  It's over practically before you know it.

'Bunkhouse Theme' is a slight little ditty, and 'River Theme' is more of the same although on this one we at least get some humming by Bob and background vocalists.  Its a good melody, but its not expanded on much in the context on an album like this one.

'Turkey Chase' features fast fiddling and banjo.  The speed and aggressiveness of the song make it seem a bit out of place amongst the other numbers.

Next we get the legendary 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door.'  The original version too, in all its glory.  Its probably one of the most covered songs in all of rock, with Guns N Roses, Eric Clapton, and Roger Waters among those who have performed it.  What more can be said about it?  The ghostly background vocals, Bob approaching his peak vocally ... it truly is a legendary record.  Bob would go on to perform this song often throughout his years on the road.  It was one of the few recent songs to land on 1974's 'Before the Flood.'  It found its way onto 'Budokan' in a reggae version, and was one of the highlights of 'Unplugged.'  It has since crept in and out of Bob's NET sets.  It is the only song on the album, aside from 1 memorable performance of 'Billy 4' in 2009, that Bob ever played live.

'Final Theme' echoes 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door' but without the lyrics.  A flute creeps out to play lead mid-song.  Not especially memorable.

The song closes with 2 more performances of Billy.  They are different enough that the different versions are warranted in my opinion.  'Billy 4' changes the key from 'Billy 1' and opens with Bob singing the first verse, rather than harp.  Bob's voice is front and center and the backing instruments are kept more in the back compared with 'Billy 1.'  "Billy you're so far away from home" is repeated at the end of the song.  'Billy 7' sounds deliberately slow and lower than the other versions.  The full band comes in just in time to start the closing fade out.

So this is an album of 2 songs, Billy and Knockin' on Heavens Door, and a whole lot of instrumental filler.  Still, there is nothing that can be called "bad" on the album, assuming you are OK with 'Turkey Chase' - its just not really a Bob Dylan album like all the rest.  Its tough to compare any Bob Dylan album with another, but in this case its really tough because of how few original lyrical rock songs there are.  Its not an album I find myself reaching for often, but I always find it very listenable.  On 'Billy 1' I find myself especially impressed with Bob's singing and harping.

Rating: 5 / 10 ***** / **********

Best 3 song run: Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Final Theme - Billy 4

New Morning (1970)

So happy just to see you smile
Underneath the sky of blue
On this new morning, new morning
On this new morning with you.

1. If Not For You (2:39)

2. Day of the Locusts (3:57)

3. Time Passes Slowly (2:33)

4. Went to See the Gypsy (2:49)

5. Winterlude (2:21)

6. If Dogs Run Free (3:37)

7. New Morning (3:56)

8. Sign on the Window (3:39)

9. One More Weekend (3:09)

10. The Man in Me (3:07)

11. Three Angels (2:07)

12. Father of Night (1:27)

Review: Right now, at this moment in time, New Morning is an album that I can relate to.  I am 34 years old, I've been married for nearly 3 years, and I have a 15 month old son.  Bob was a bit younger than me when he wrote the album (29), but the album speaks to Bob's maturing out of bachelorhood, getting married, and spending his free time with his wife and kids.  

The opening song is also the most famous of the album, 'If Not For You.'  Its probably the only song that non-Dylan diehards may recognize.  George Harrison did a very good version of it on his 3LP of the same year, All Things Must Pass.  Its a straightforward lovesong with a beautiful melody and well sung by Bob.  At 2:39, its an almost too-brisk slice of Bob's heart.  Its also the only song on the album to get significant live play from Bob over a long period of time.

'Day of the Locusts' follows up, with the lead piano informing us that this is going to be a piano + guitar, bass and drums kind of album.  Not a bad second song.  Apparently the song is about Bob reluctantly accepting an honorary degree, and apparently David Crosby was the guy whose "head was exploding" in one of the lyrics.  One of the better songs on the album.

'Time Passes Slowly' opens on piano again.  It seems like a half-finished song that needed more melody.  Bob strains to hit some of the notes.  The steel guitar solo halfway through almost breaks down for a few moments,

'Went to See the Gypsy' is a song most Dylanologists agree is about Bob meeting Elvis, or at least imagining to.  Its a decent song, if more touching in my opinion on the solo piano outtake found on Another Self Portrait.  Bringing the full band in for the album cut diminishes some of the power of that beautiful, melancholy last line: "So I watched the sun come rising from that little Minnesota town / from that little Minnesota town."  A rare reference by Bob to his hometown!

'Winterlude.'  More Bob + piano to begin the song.  This is a piano album if there ever was once!  This song begins a slate of 2 of Bob's more unusual songs.  'Winterlude' is a waltz, with love song lyrics. At a brief 2:21, it doesn't overstay its welcome.  The follow up is even stranger.  'If Dogs Run Free' is one of Bob's worst songs to its detractors.  Its jazzy and features a female vocalist doing scat vocals in the back, while Bob speak-sings throughout the song stuff like "If dogs run free, why not we.." and "To each his own, its all unknown ... if dogs run free."  Theres a walking bassline while the piano again features highly in the mix on lead.  A love it or hate it if there ever was one.  Bob resurrected the song to befuddled/amused audiences in 2004.

Luckily we next get one of the best songs on the album, the title track 'New Morning.'  Bob is a bit raspy (for 1970) but overall in fine form as he delivers this love song that takes us out to rural Americana.  "So happy just to be alive, underneath that sky of blue / on this new morning with you." As noted in my introduction, Bob is settling into family life.  This one also got some live play throughout the years - not as much as 'If Not For You' - but it made a welcome resurgence in Bob's live sets in 2005-2006.

Even more so on the next song, 'Sign on the Window.'  Bob explicitly sings of building and living in a cabin, having a bunch of kids with his wife, concluding "That must be what it's all about! / that must be what it's all about."  I'm not the first to realize this, but there seems to be more than a hint of resignation in the repetition of that line.  As if Bob is first say "That's it!  That's what life is about!"  Then on reflection, his intonation is more of "Well, I guess that's what life is about, can't think of anything else..."  And so settling down with a family is more of a double edged sword.

Bob follows this  up with 'One More Weekend,' which is pretty much 'Leopard Skin Pillbox' but not as bold or clever.

Luckily, we get the great 'The Man In Me' next.  This song will be instantly recognizable by fans of 'The Big Lebowski.'  A fairly straightfoward love song, but with some "Bobified" lyrics (catch the one about not wanting to turn into a machine?), it also features fine organ work and some rare "la la la" melodic singing by Bob.  A solid entry that Bob played live, notably in 1998.

The next 2 songs are Biblical, hymnlike works, especially 'Three Angels.'  A choir is well heard in the background as Bob speak-sings his poem.  The closing 'Father of Night' is like a prayer, Bob quickly rattling off his words and pounding away at the piano as a ghostly choir quietly backs it up.

Overall, its an album that is not Bob's best, but probably in his 2nd tier of albums.  Following the odd, inflated 'Self Portrait,' it was something of a comeback.  It produced 2 classics in the title track and 'If Not For You,' and another legendary song to Big Lebowski fans.  The rest of the album is more of a mixed bag, ranging from listenable to very pleasant.  The album has been mostly forgotten, but its a solid entry in Bob's vast catalog.

Rating: 7 / 10 ******* / **********

Best 3 song run: If Dogs Run Free - New Morning - Sign On The Window (this is actually really tough - the great songs are spread out!)