Audio: 1963

All the songs listed in the Official Rarities section are cross-referenced by song title in these alphabetical pages.
A-E F-J K-O P-S T-Z

Bottom of withdrawn Freewheelin' album cover showing the track listing that was quickly to be replaced. This is actually from the Canadian release of the regular album - scan by Jo Slater (Columbia CL 1986, mono) and shows the withdrawn tracks in the correct order - see below (although Don't Think Twice, It's All Right is incorrectly shown as the last track on Side 1, not the first track on Side 2)

[ Up ] [ 1962 ] [ 1963 ] [ 1964 ] [ 1965 ] [ 1966 ] [ 1967 ] [ 1969 ]

This yearly page now contains only the main Rarities List! Mono 7" Singles & EPs (up to 1976) are now here, and Promotional Items (Albums and Singles) are now here. All Honourable Mentions are now here.

If you have any entries to add to the list or additions/corrections to existing entries, please let me know! Please note I cannot value your Dylan rarities - see the Mission page for reasons why. Contact the dealers on my Trading page for assistance!

Revised: 23 April, 2008.

Titles in red are not available on a currently released Bob Dylan CD (for these see bobdylan.com )

Key to symbols used:
Links to other World Wide Web pages -
Links to email addresses -
Links to bobdylan.com for song lyrics -
Performances currently available on commercial CD are marked by (these are the ones that count as obscurities rather than as rarities)

Unreleased Columbia Vinyl LP (pre-Freewheelin') (USA), 1963:
A copy of this album of Witmark demos came up for auction in Dec 1992, when it fetched $1,000. These discs were created for distribution to other artists who might record Dylan songs. Thanks to Jean-Pol Hiernaux for finding the copy from Suze Rotolo's personal collection for auction at Christie's, New York, in Nov 2006. It's housed in a buff paper sleeve with a sticker giving Albert Grossman's then postal address in New York, and thanks to Arie de Reus for further information, especially that it is a vinyl LP, not an acetate as previously reported. I don't know whether this LP is stereo or mono.

Picture from "Isis" 46, Dec 1992/Jan 1993, thanks to Derek Barker	Side 1 R-0286 Baby, I'm In The Mood For You - Witmark demo recorded Dec 1962, different from the Freewheelin' out-take released on Biograph R-0287 Quit Your Lowdown Ways - Witmark demo recorded Dec 1962, different from the Freewheelin' out-take released on The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3 R-0288 Hard Rains Are Gonna Fall [A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall] - Witmark demo recorded Dec 1962, different from the regular Freewheelin' version R-0289 Don't Think Twice, It's All Right - Witmark demo recorded Mar 1963, different from the the regular Freewheelin' version Now released on The Bootleg Series Vol. 7: No Direction Home, Sep 2005 Thanks to Rob Carson for pointing out this may be in mono, in which case the R-number will be reinstated! R-0290 Oxford Town - Witmark demo recorded Mar 1963, different from the the regular Freewheelin' version Side 1 concludes with Walkin' Down The Line - same performance as on The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3 Thanks to Rob Carson for pointing out this may be in mono, in which case it will be allocated an R-number. Side 2 R-0030 Long Time Gone - Witmark demo of this still unreleased song, recorded Mar 1963 R-0029 Long Ago, Far Away - Witmark demo of this still unreleased song, recorded Nov 1962 R-0291 Tomorrow Is A Long Time - Witmark demo, recorded Dec 1962, different from the version released on Greatest Hits Vol. 2/More Greatest Hits, 1971, which is a live performance from New York Town Hall, 12 Apr 1963. Bob later recorded a version at Columbia Studios, Nashville, TN, during the New Morning sessions, but that is still unreleased too. R-0292 Masters Of War - Witmark demo, recorded Mar 1963, different from the regular regular Freewheelin' version R-0293 Farewell Pamilina [Farewell] - Witmark demo, recorded Mar 1963 - this performance was short-listed for The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3, 1991
Suze Rotolo's personal copy, picture from Christie's New York web-site found by Jean-Pol Hiernaux
"Bob Dylan Song Book" - 1965 Witmark song book which includes these unreleased songs plus Let Me Die In My Footsteps - scan by David Burgess

The last track is not a mistitled Farewell Angelina, this was actually the earliest title of the unreleased song called Farewell (see my "Starlight In The East" Directory of Bob Dylan's Unreleased Songs, page F - information from Tim Dunn). Bob recorded the song at Columbia Studios, New York, on 6 Aug 1963, during the Times They Are A-Changin' sessions, although the four takes are listed as incomplete. There was also a later Witmark demo of a rewritten version of the song from Nov 1963. Neither version has been officially released.

"Long Ago, Far Away" - 8" metal acetate, Music Publishers Holding Corp. for Witmark Publishing Company (USA), 1963:

A-side of acetate (B-side is blank), scan by Gil Walker

R-0029-2 Long Ago, Far Away - Witmark demo of this still unreleased song, recorded Nov 1962 This single-sided acetate came in a plain sleeve, with a sheet containing the music and lyrics. Like the LP above, this acetate was cut for promotion to other artists who might record Dylan songs. Long Ago, Far Way was subsequently recorded by The Brothers Four and Odetta, see my "Starlight In The East" Directory of Bob Dylan's Unreleased Songs, page L. Thanks to Gil Walker for informing me of this item.

A-side label of acetate, scan by Gil Walker

Song sheet scan by Gil Walker

"John Hammond Acetate" - 12" acetate, Columbia (USA), 1963(?):

Is this acetate mono or stereo? R-0584    You're No Good (Jesse Fuller) - alternate take recorded Columbia Studios, New York, 20 Nov 1961 (CO68726), with intro frequently listed as the first lines of an otherwise unreleased song Connecticut Cowboy R-0017 Rocks & Gravel [Solid Road] (Brownie McGhee-Leroy Carr) - lyrics on bobdylan.com from the withdrawn version of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, see below. This would be R-0017M if mono. All tracks on this acetate are from the Freewheelin' sessions, the rest are reportedly officially released (details required).

"The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" - test pressings and promotional albums, Columbia CL 1986 (mono)/CS 8786 (stereo) (USA), Apr 1963:
This original withdrawn version of the album had four tracks that were quickly replaced before the album was commercially released. A mint stereo version of this album (CS 8786) is the highest-priced Bob Dylan rarity - mono versions (CL 1986) are more common. For more information about the Canadian release shown at the top of the page, see Mono Album Releases.

Stereo release - Columbia CS 8786 (USA)

R-0017-2 Solid Road [Rocks & Gravel] Lyrics on bobdylan.com (where it's credited to Bob Dylan, although other authorities list the song writers as Brownie McGhee and Leroy Carr - Glen Dundas and Michael Gray list it as "Traditional") - still unreleased performance (stereo)
For a performance live at the Gaslight Club, New York, Oct 1962, from Bob Dylan Live At The Gaslight 1962, Starbucks/Hear Music/Sony Music Custom Marketing Group (USA), see 2005

R-0018 Talkin' John Birch Society Blues - still unreleased studio version (stereo), the one released on The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3 in 1991 is a live performance from Carnegie Hall, New York, 26 Oct 1963
This performance also appears on a Columbia stereo acetate that surfaced in 2005.

R-0551 Let Me Die In My Footsteps - unedited original version (stereo), the version released on The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3 in 1991 has a verse missing

The other replaced track was Gamblin' Willie [Ramblin' Gamblin' Willie], the only one released on The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3 in 1991 in the same form that it appeared on the withdrawn stereo album. (Gamblin' Willie is also shown on some copies as Gamblin' Willie's Dead Man's Hand.).

Mono release - Columbia CL 1986 (USA)

R-0017M Solid Road [Rocks & Gravel] Lyrics on bobdylan.com (where it's credited to Bob Dylan, although other authorities list the song writers as Brownie McGhee and Leroy Carr - Glen Dundas and Michael Gray list it as "Traditional") - still unreleased performance (mono)

R-0018M Talkin' John Birch Society Blues - still unreleased studio version (mono), the one released on The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3 in 1991 is a live performance from Carnegie Hall, New York, 26 Oct 1963
This performance also appears on a UK Emidisc mono acetate from the late 1960s, see Questionable Releases.

R-0551M Let Me Die In My Footsteps - unedited original version (mono), the version released on The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3 in 1991 has a verse missing

R-0550 Gamblin' Willie's Dead Man's Hand [Rambling Gambling Willie] - mono version
This mono version of Gamblin' Willie also appeared on a UK Emidisc acetate from the late 1960s, see Questionable Releases

Columbia CL 1986 (mono) - radio station promo copy of withdrawn album, scan by Hans Seegers (the timing strip has tracks 3 and 6 on Side 1 swapped)	This record exists in bewildering variations, in that (as well as the withdrawn record and the replacement record) there are copies which list the withdrawn tracks but play the replacement tracks, and copies which look like exactly the standard release, but play the withdrawn tracks. For example, Michael Perri has a copy of the white-label promo of the album that lists the withdrawn tracks but plays the replacement tracks (as on the right). All are very collectable, especially both mono and stereo withdrawn mint albums, but the rarity to get hold of is a mint copy of the stereo album that has the withdrawn tracks on the sleeve, the labels and the record! (The whereabouts of only two copies are known, and the estimated price for one which were to come on to the market is now at least $30,000.) Matrix numbers for the withdrawn albums are: Mono CL 1986 - Side 1: XLP-58717-1A/Side 2: XLP-58718-1A Stereo CS 8786 - Side 1: XSM-58719-1A/Side 2: XSM-58720-1A All six label photos courtesy of Forever Young Records from "Goldmine" magazine, issue 564, 8 Mar 2002, from the article by Tim Neely, "Talkin' Freewheelin' Alteration Blues" - colour scans of the labels required! The top record has what looks like a regular Columbia red label, the other two are Columbia white label promos with red text.
Columbia CS 8786 (stereo) - Side 1 (this record lists and plays the withdrawn tracks), picture from "Goldmine" magazine, Mar 2002
Columbia CS 8786 (stereo) - Side 2 (this record lists and plays the withdrawn tracks), picture from "Goldmine" magazine, Mar 2002	Columbia CL 1986 mono promo - Side 1 (this record lists the withdrawn tracks but plays the replacements), picture from "Goldmine" magazine, Mar 2002	Columbia CL 1986 mono promo - Side 2 (this record lists the withdrawn tracks but plays the replacements), picture from "Goldmine" magazine, Mar 2002	Columbia CL 1986 mono promo - Side 1 (this record lists the replacement tracks but plays the withdrawn tracks), picture from "Goldmine" magazine, Mar 2002	Columbia CL 1986 mono promo - Side 2 (this record lists the replacement tracks but plays the withdrawn tracks, picture from "Goldmine" magazine, Mar 2002
Promo note scan by Hans Seegers	Shown left is a note that was actually distributed in error with the replacement record, not the withdrawn record to which it refers. When the withdrawn album was pressed Band 3 and Band 6 were reversed on the vinyl itself, so that A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall was the third track and Let Me Die In My Footsteps was the sixth (on the labels illustrated Let Me Die In My Footsteps is the third track and A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall is the sixth, but as far as I know there are no records in existence with the tracks in this order). This is one sure way of identifying the withdrawn album - on Side 1 of the withdrawn disc A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall is track 3 and by far the widest track on the side. On all replacement records it's at the end of Side 1. Note the Canadian sleeve issued with the regular release at the top of this page actually shows the order of tracks on the withdrawn album which agrees with the vinyl - it must have been printed after the distribution of the promo items shown here and thus be the front of the intended production sleeve.			Columbia CL 1986 mono promo - Side 2 timing strip showing "Gamblin' Willie's Dead Man's Hand", photo by "Truman Peyote"

Various Artists - "The World Of Folk Music Starring Oscar Brand - Show #96 Guest Star Bob Dylan" - radio station disc, Warner Bros XGPB 508 (USA), broadcast May 1963:
This disc contains the whole 15 min show, but only the Dylan tracks are listed below. The show was broadcast on WNBC public service radio, New York, May 1963.

Various Artists - "Broadside Ballads Vol. 1" - mono vinyl LP, Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) later Folkways Records FH 5301 (USA)/Folkways Records F-05301 (UK), released Oct 1963:
All tracks were recorded Jan/Feb 1963 at the Broadside offices in New York. Bob appears as "Blind Boy Grunt". The French version was released in 1964 - see below.

Folkways Records FH 5301 (USA) - picture from amazon.com	R-0025 Talkin' Devil - otherwise unavailable R-0026 John Brown - original version, now also on the Smithsonian Folkways boxed set The Best Of Broadside 1962-1988, 2000 R-0027 Only A Hobo - otherwise unavailable  performance The version released on The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3 is an out-take from The Times They Are A-Changin', recorded Columbia Studios, New York, 12 Aug 1963 (CO78982, 3:28). For a May 1963 radio broadcast recording from The World Of Folk Music (Starring Oscar Brand), see above. For the Aug 1963 Witmark demo see 1967. R-0028 I Will Not Go Down Under The Ground [Let Me Die in My Footsteps] - Bob accompanies Happy Traum, otherwise unavailable alternate version to the one released on The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3 The album came with an 8-page booklet. Thanks to Hans Seegers, Kenneth Robson, Wim van der Mark, Dave Plentus and Jack from Canada for information and scans. This album is now available by mail order from Smithsonian Folkways They can only supply CD-R copies of the original albums. Thanks to Jack from Canada for scans of the CD-R release. Thanks to Jean-Pol Hiernaux for information that the CD-Rs are housed in a Folkways slipcase (the same for each title), and come with photocopies of the original artwork, such as the examples shown below. Jean-Pol also informs me that much of the Broadside/Folkways music is now downloadable from the Smithsonian Folkways site. However, none of the tracks by Blind Boy Grunt and R-0028 with Happy Traum are included. Thanks to Freddy Ordoñez Araque and David Plentus for information that the album is now on sale from amazon.com with the catalogue number FH 5301, both as a CD and for download for US residents only (you can just download the Dylan tracks if preferred).
Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) - first release scan by Hans Seegers (1963)
Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) - alternate colour scan by Wim van der Mark	Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) - alternate colour scan by Dave Plentus	Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) - second release scan by Hans Seegers (1964)		Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) - booklet page with music and lyrics of R-0027 and R-0028, scan by Kenneth Robson	Folkways Records FH 5301 (USA) - front scan by Hans Seegers
Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) - Side 1 of first release, dated 1963, scan by Hans Seegers	Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) - Side 2 of first release, dated 1963, scan by Kenneth Robson	Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) - Side 2 of second release, dated 1964, scan by Hans Seegers (the Folkways release also used this label)		Folkways FH-5301 (USA) - CD-R rear insert scan by Jack from Canada (there is no front insert)	Folkways FH-5301 (USA) - CD-R scan by Jack from Canada
Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) - detail from rear cover of first release, scan by Hans Seegers	Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) - detail from rear cover of second release, scan by Hans Seegers (text "Descriptive Notes are Inside Pocket" below catalogue number)				Folkways Records FH 5301 (USA) - detail from rear cover, scan by Hans Seegers (same text below new catalogue number)
Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) - detail from rear cover of first release, scan by Hans Seegers (no catalogue number to left of track list)	Broadside Records BR 301 (USA) - detail from rear cover of second release, scan by Hans Seegers (BR 301 to left of track list)				Folkways Records FH 5 301 (USA) - detail from rear cover, scan by Hans Seegers (FOLKWAYS FH 5301 to left of track list)
Outside of cassette release, picture found of eBay by Jean-Pol Hiernaux	Inside of cassette release with leaflet, picture found of eBay by Jean-Pol Hiernaux				Thanks to Jean-Pol Hiernaux for finding a Smithsonian cassette version on eBay. It comes in a black plastic case with the booklet folded in four inside.
Folkways FH-5301 (USA) - CD-R slipcase front, scan by Jean-Pol Hiernaux	Folkways FH-5301 (USA) - detail of CD-R slipcase rear, scan by Jean-Pol Hiernaux				Folkways FH-5301 (USA) - page 1 of booklet, scan by Jean-Pol Hiernaux
Folkways FH-5301 (USA) - detail from page 2 of booklet, scan by Jean-Pol Hiernaux	Folkways FH-5301 (USA) - detail from page 3 of booklet, scan by Jean-Pol Hiernaux		Folkways FH-5301 (USA) - detail from page 5 of booklet, scan by Jean-Pol Hiernaux

Broadside had a very small budget, and the first covers were printed in black and white because that was cheapest. The explanation for the later cover colour variations was kindly provided for me by Jeff Place of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings: "Actually there is no such thing as a standard color on a Folkways cover. Each run has the color of the paper that was on the printer's machine the day the cover slicks were run. Moses Asch saved a few cents by not having the printer change the paper. Of the records I have here in the Folkways archive, many of them have many colors for the cover." The cover variations shown apply also to the 1972 retrospective album Broadside Ballads Vol. 6: Broadside Reunion, see 1972.

Various Artists - "Broadside Vol.1: Protest Songs" - vinyl LP, Le Chant Du Monde/Folkways FWX 55301 (France), 1964 (recorded Jan/Feb 1963):
Bob appears as "Blind Boy Grunt". This is the Broadside/Folkways album Broadside Ballads Vol. 1 from Oct 1963 with a new title and cover

Mono 7" Singles & EPs for 1963/Promotional Items for 1963

These are now here: Mono 7" Singles & EPs 1962-64. Mono LPs have their own pages, see International Mono Releases. There are as yet no non-rarity promotional items for 1963. For later promotional albums, EPs and singles see International Promotional Releases.

[ Up ] [ 1962 ] [ 1963 ] [ 1964 ] [ 1965 ] [ 1966 ] [ 1967 ] [ 1969 ]

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