BOB DYLAN: Blame It On Rio – Brazil Broadcast 25th January 1990 (CD)

We are told:

Dylan's 1990s began with Under the Red Sky (1990), an about-face from the serious Oh Mercy. The album contained several simple songs with a nursery rhyme quality, including the title track and ‘Wiggle Wiggle’. The album was dedicated to "Gabby Goo Goo", a nickname for the daughter of Dylan and Carolyn Dennis, Desiree Gabrielle Dennis-Dylan, who was four.

During the recording of Red Sky, Dylan travelled to Brazil for two live dates in January, during a week-long stay in the country. He performed in Sao Paulo on 15th and in Rio on the 25th - both as co-headliner for the 1990 Hollywood Rocks festival (alongside Bon Jovi!).

Part of his ‘Never Ending Tour’ (the popular name given to Dylan’s constant touring schedule which had commenced in July 1988), by 29th January Bob was in Europe for four nights in Paris followed by six in London. Three days before his stop in South America, Bob had played four nights in the U.S. He played in four countries across 30 days at the beginning of 1990 in what was subtitled his ‘Fastbreak Tour’ for somewhat obvious reasons.

The Rio show was undertaken with a typical festival set made up of a fine array of oldies and classics, with a single cut from Oh Mercy thrown into the mix for good measure. But, as this CD reveals, nevertheless Bob and band showered the enormous gathering with a delightful, relaxed performance with Dylan in fine voice and the entire 80+ minute performance is featured here for the first time.

  1. Subterranean Homesick Blues 3:12
  2. Lay Lady Lay 4:33
  3. All Along The Watchtower 3:07
  4. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again 6:59
  5. Highway 61 Revisited 4:14
  6. You're A Big Girl Now 5:21
  7. Seeing The Real You At Last 4:57
  8. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry 3:50
  9. Ballad Of Hollis Brown 5:09
  10. Maggie's Farm 5:04
  11. Mr. Tambourine Man 6:26
  12. One Too Many Mornings 5:16
  13. The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll 7:07
  14. Blowin' In The Wind 4:41
  15. Everything Is Broken 3:51
  16. Tight Connection To My Heart 5:24
  17. Political World 3:07