Today’s dive into Bob Dylan’s archives is brought to you by a request from Bill W., reminding us that any Annual paid subscriber can suggest a show! As someone deeply fascinated by setlist statistics and a dedicated follower of Dylan’s concerts since around 2005, the note accompanying today’s Vancouver show immediately grabbed my attention: “The only 2005 performance of One Too Many Mornings.”
Bob Dylan performing live in 2005, a year marked by unique and rare song selections in his concerts.
This sparked a compelling question: what other songs graced Bob Dylan’s setlists in 2005 for a solitary performance? Thanks to the invaluable resource of Setlist.fm, uncovering these hidden gems is now a fascinatingly accessible task.
It turns out there are 11 songs that were played just once throughout 2005. Among these, three are cover songs, which for this exploration, we will set aside momentarily. These covers include Hank Williams’ classic “You Win Again” (which had only been played once before at Bonnaroo 2004, and hasn’t been performed since), Johnny Cash’s iconic “Folsom Prison Blues” (making its only 21st-century appearance, though it saw several renditions in the 1990s), and Fats Domino’s timeless “Blue Monday” (a truly unique performance, never repeated).
Furthermore, we’ll also pass over what is arguably the most thrilling one-time-only song of 2005, as it was recently highlighted when ranking Bob Dylan’s Biggest Setlist Surprises. Securing the silver medal in that countdown of unexpected songs was “Million Dollar Bash,” which made its single live performance on November 21, 2005, in London.
This leaves us with a captivating collection of seven songs, each played just once in 2005. These are mostly considered medium-rarities, with one surprising exception – a blues-rocker that one might have assumed was a setlist staple during that era. Intriguingly, five of these seven unique performances occurred during two brief residencies: a three-night stint in Vancouver and another trio of shows in Boston in April. Adding to the coincidence, both venues share the name The Orpheum! Perhaps Orpheum theaters are hotspots for Dylan’s most adventurous setlists. (However, it’s worth noting that a subsequent Orpheum performance in Memphis this past April featured a standard Rough and Rowdy Ways set, suggesting this theory might not be entirely foolproof.)
Let’s begin with the two Vancouver one-offs from his three-night residency. As mentioned, the first to note is “One Too Many Mornings,” performed on the final night. Immediately noticeable is the prevalent upsinging characteristic of this period. Lines like “Down the streets the dogs are [escalating to a higher pitch, almost Alvin and the Chipmunks-esque] barking / And the days are getting [another pitch jump] daaark” exemplify this vocal styling. While not every line is subjected to this treatment, it becomes a noticeable element, even amidst moments of genuine vocal beauty within the rendition.
Despite the upsinging, the acoustic arrangement shines, particularly with Donnie Herron’s steel guitar solos. It’s worth noting that for most of the band – Stu, Donnie, Denny – this marked their first ever performance of this song with Dylan.
And it would also be their last. Bob Dylan has not revisited “One Too Many Mornings” in concert since this 2005 performance. This instance sets a pattern; 2005 appears to be a year marked by many final performances of certain songs.
The other unique 2005 song from Vancouver emerged the night before. It had been an even longer hiatus for “I Want You,” with its last performance dating back to August 2002. And, mirroring “One Too Many Mornings,” it has not been played again since this Vancouver night.
This performance is another beautiful acoustic rendition, again featuring a touch of upsinging, though perhaps slightly less pronounced. One might speculate if this vocal technique was more readily employed when Dylan was less certain about a song’s delivery. Here, it feels somewhat less distracting, as his overall performance is compelling. Denny Freeman’s guitar solo is also a highlight, possibly so captivating that Dylan seems momentarily lost, entering the next verse with a mumble, seemingly recollecting the lyrics.
Moving back a couple of months, we arrive at the trio of unique songs from the Boston residency. These Boston shows deserve their own dedicated series. Across three nights, Dylan presented an astounding 42 different songs! This variety was within the context of shorter 14-song setlists (due to having two opening acts on this tour, Merle Haggard and Amos Lee). This meant each night’s setlist was almost entirely distinct. It evokes a sense of nostalgia for a time when such setlist diversity was more common.
The opening night in Boston, April 15, was particularly rich with surprises. It featured the first performance of “Shelter from the Storm” since 2003 and “Chimes of Freedom” since 2001! However, as both of these songs were played again later in 2005, they don’t qualify as one-time-only tracks for this list.
This brings us to the truly unique song of that night: “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” not heard since 2002! The departure of violinist Elana Fremerman from the band just prior to these shows might be connected to Dylan’s newfound freedom to introduce different songs (though, as noted previously, there’s appreciation for Fremer’s contributions). “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” while rare, perhaps doesn’t quite capture the same magic as the Vancouver pair. This might seem inconsistent, especially after criticizing the upsinging, which is absent here! Instead, the performance is characterized by a growlier, somewhat more undirected delivery.
The positive note is that this wasn’t the song’s final performance. It was played once more in 2008, making this the second-to-last rendition to date.
The second night in Boston brought the first “Lenny Bruce” since 2000 — but, again, it was played again later that year, disqualifying it from our one-off list. Similarly, the biggest debut of this stand, “I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine” (first time since 1992!), also saw subsequent performances in 2005.
This leads us to a somewhat less electrifying pair of 2005 one-offs from April 17. The first is the blues-rock song that prompted a “really??” reaction: “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat.” It’s surprising because this song would soon transition from rarity to near-ubiquity; by the end of the decade, it was frequently played 50 or more times annually. But in 2005, it was still a less common choice. For some, the song itself might be somewhat unremarkable live, and even the knowledge of its 2005 rarity doesn’t necessarily elevate its impact. “Rare” doesn’t always equate to “exciting”; after all, “Rainy Day Women” was only played twice in 2005.
The other April 17 one-off is another 1960s blues-rocker that might not always ignite excitement in a live setting: “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry.” This performance is marked by significant upsinging, again. While these songs are appreciated in their recorded form, they don’t consistently inspire particularly memorable performances from Dylan during the Never Ending Tour era for all listeners. However, Donnie Herron’s pedal steel work once again provides a highlight. In his earlier years with Dylan, Herron frequently delivered numerous solos, a feature that is missed by some fans.
Our penultimate 2005 one-off also occurred during that spring U.S. tour. “Po’ Boy” stands as the often-overlooked gem from Love & Theft, being the least-performed song from that album by a significant margin. “Summer Days,” for comparison, has been played over 888 times, while “Po’ Boy” has only been played 41 times. This disparity feels unjust, especially considering that on many of those occasions, the performance is exceptional. This particular NYC rendition is indeed stunning, enhanced by several outstanding violin solos from Donnie Herron. Would it be unwelcome if “Po’ Boy” became a regular feature in the Rough and Rowdy Ways setlist for the coming years? For many, the answer would likely be a resounding no.
Finally, one of only two one-offs to occur outside of that spring U.S. tour (the other being “Million Dollar Bash”) is “Down in the Flood,” also known as “Crash on the Levee.” Is there a definitive consensus on the song’s preferred title? Regardless, the musical arrangement in this Swedish performance might initially seem like another fairly standard blues-rocker. However, Dylan’s committed vocal delivery injects considerable energy, elevating it significantly above the “Leopard-Skin” rendition mentioned earlier. It’s undeniably a high-energy, engaging performance.
And, true to the 2005 pattern, Dylan has not performed this song again since.
2005-07-21, The Orpheum, Vancouver, British Columbia
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