Customer Reviews

Desire (Reis)

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On this album, perhaps more than any other, Dylan shows off his true power as a storyteller. This album is more or less a collection of stories, each one incredibly rich, vivid, and imaginative. The songs on this album could each be made into a movie, and this cinematic quality is how these songs play out in your mind as you listen to them. Dylan uses such incredible and detailed imagery that you really feel like you are in these beautiful and sometimes haunting scenes that he is describing.

Highly recommended!

Following the string of absolute classics Dylan put out in the 1960s he slowly retreated from the scene into personal seclusion. The early 1970s left some fans scratching their heads. What was "Self Portrait" all about? And "New Morning"? Then he did a movie soundtrack for a Sam Peckinpaw film, and "Planet Waves" still seems to divide fans (some love it and some hate it). By this time he had completely shed any question of his desired role in the folk/protest scene of the 1960s. But he didn't go away, like many expected (and some really wanted). So what was up with Bob? Then suddenly, the mid 1970s saw Dylan releasing two albums that many fans rank amongst his best (and some called them "comeback" albums, though nearly every Dylan album has been called this by someone). In very early 1975 "Blood On The Tracks" apppeared like a miracle with its intimate and lush acoustic arrangements and sound. It even spurred a hit with "Tangled Up in Blue". Most critics and fans heralded Dylan's triumphant return. Dylan then outdid himself by releasing "Desire" in very early 1976.

This album contrasts with "Blood on the Tracks" to such an extent that some fans become polarized about which album stands as Dylan's true 1970s "classic". But the albums contain such disparate material that a definitive comparison and ranking between them remains difficult. They both have their respective strengths and flaws, and both doubtlessly stand amongst some of Dylan's best material.

"Desire" doesn't have the personal feel of "Blood on the Tracks" (with the salient exception of "Sara"). And Dylan introduced three items that make this album really stick out: a running violin, a lyrical collaboration with the late Jacques Levy, and a consistent backup singer in the form of Emmylou Harris. Surprsingly, Harris' voice blends with Dylan's beautifully. She apparently completed her tracks in just one or two whirlwind takes (in inimitable Dylan style). But she doesn't appear on "Hurricane", "Isis", or "Sara". She did record backing vocals for "Hurricane", but the track was scrapped due to "libelous lyrics" and Harris couldn't return to re-record the song (various bootlegs supposedly contain the original version with Harris along with other outtakes from this session, including "Golden Loom").

"Hurricane" tells the story of boxer Rubin Carter who found himself jailed for triple murder (also the subject of the 1999 movie "Hurricane" starring Denzel Washington). It portrays Carter as an innocent man trapped in a game of justice. This remains very controversial. Carter apparently was never found innocent by a court, and the hot debate over his innocence continues. Add to that, the 10 minute opus "Joey", with an amazing chorus, tells the story of the murder of mafioso Joey Gallo. Some hailed these songs as Dylan's return to "protest music" while others decried Dylan's new "irresponsible" political stance. Dylan always seems to invite controversy (which makes him so intruiging).

Other songs contain folky aspects, helped along by the nearly ubiqitous and soaring violin. "Mozambique" rhapsodizes about the paradise that is... Mozambique! "Romance in Durango" and "Black Diamond Bay" also use location to tell a story. The former even features Dylan singing in español. The latter includes extremely evocative imagery of a troubled journey. These songs, along with "One More Cup of Coffee" (with its mythological death imagery) and "Oh, Sister" lend the album a slightly western feel (in synch with Dylan's accoutrements on photos from the time).

Lastly, the very emotionally naked and autobiographical closer "Sara" really stands out in Dylan's repertoire. This song and "One More Cup of Coffee" are the only songs on the album credited to Dylan alone. "Sara" tells the story of Dylan's then failing and soon to fail marriage. She apparently witnessed the one-take recording. Dylan supposedly took her completely off guard. But the marriage dissolved regardless. Nonetheless, "Sara" represents Dylan in a rare raw emotional state. He tells it like it is with nothing held back.

Some call this album "Dylan's last great album". Obvioulsy some will agree and others will disagree with this statement. Still, "Desire" does contain some great music. And it inspired the now legendary Rolling Thunder Review tour (captured on the "Bob Dylan Live 1975" CD set released in 2002). Soon after, though, Dylan's reputation took a nosedive in the late 1970s with the ill-fated "Street Legal" and the outspoken religious views on his albums of the early 1980s. Those who hated Dylan's later direction of this period probably harkened back to "Desire" as "the good old days". But, as always, Dylan redeemed himself to many fans later on. In the end, one thing remains very true about Dylan: he's never boring.

Like a time capsule, Desire contains the spirit of a hopeful past. Recorded in July and October 1975 and released in January 1976, Desire is the final third of Dylan's mid-1970s trilogy, whose other parts are Planet Waves (1974) and Blood on the Tracks (1975). Although falling short of the earlier two albums' near perfection, Desire has some of Dylan's most engaging and likeable music, and his most touching love song, "Sara." In many ways, Desire resembles Planet Waves more than it does Blood on the Tracks. On Blood on the Tracks, the lyrics have primary importance, whereas on Planet Waves and Desire the music is essential in uniting these albums' diverse strands. Dylan on Blood on the Tracks is a soloist with accompaniment, but he collaborates on Planet Waves and Desire with other outstanding artists. The members of The Band join Dylan on Planet Waves in a kind of rock chamber music. On Desire, Dylan shares both songwriting and performance. Jacques Levy is co-author of all but two of the songs, and Scarlet Rivera, on violin, and Emmylou Harris and Ronee Blakley, on vocals, are notable among the musicians who help give this album its unique texture. Both Planet Waves and Desire were recorded in the aftermath of war (the Yom Kippur War for Planet Waves; the Vietnam War for Desire), and share an optimism for a better world that brackets Blood on the Tracks' tragic vision.

The trilogy's narrative progresses from first to second to third person. Dylan sings as an individual on Planet Waves, but on Blood on the Tracks he finds himself caught in a mirror play of relationships gone wrong. On Desire, Dylan adds a third party, the audience, as an integral part of the performance. Dylan pulls us into Desire by reaching outward. The songs on this album are a series of quests and adventures, all of them searches for justice or love. The stories range from a police frame-up in urban America ("Hurricane"), to a romantic idyll in Africa ("Mozambique"), to a fantastic hunt for treasure inside a frozen pyramid by the wayward husband (Dylan) of an Egyptian goddess ("Isis"). In "Black Diamond Bay," Dylan actually becomes an audience member. This song recounts the last hours in the lives of several lonely and isolated hotel guests on a sinking volcanic island. Dylan learns about the catastrophe only in the final stanza, when he hears a fragmentary report by Walter Cronkite on the television news.

The music of Desire varies with its locations and themes. In "One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)," Dylan laments his rejection by a bandit chieftain's beautiful daughter, in a style the poet Allen Ginsberg describes (in his album notes) as "Hebraic cantillation never heard before in U.S. song." The oceanic "Oh, Sister" is hymn-like in its plea for a loving partnership under the fatherhood of God. The accordion in "Joey" (Dom Cortese) evokes the Italian-American background of its real-life protagonist, Joey Gallo, a man "caught between the mob and the men in blue." "Romance in Durango" achieves its Mexican atmosphere through the sound of a Bellzouki 12-string guitar (Vincent Bell), trumpet, accordion and tambourine, as Dylan sings, partly in Spanish, about a killer's flight across the desert with his beloved Magdalena.

The eclectic nature of the album invites us to become a part of its creative process--we do not feel distanced by a single-minded vision of the artist. Hearing its songs allows us to draw our own poetic map of the world.

Two songs on Desire deserve special mention. "Hurricane" tells the true story of African-American middleweight boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, framed for a triple murder in Paterson, New Jersey. Paced like a hard-boiled crime movie, "Hurricane" is both a compelling plea for Carter's freedom and a condemnation of racial prejudice in the American judicial system, "where justice is a game." The song publicized Carter's plight (later, Dylan held two concerts to raise legal defense funds) and helped win Carter a new trial in the fall of 1976.

The jewel of this album is its last song, the inexpressibly poignant "Sara," addressed to Dylan's wife. In an unsentimental but emotional voice, Dylan sings a simple modal melody on top of Scarlet Rivera's haunting violin. The verses are a succession of flashbacks of the Dylans' life together, interspersed by a "Sara, Sara" refrain praising his wife's beauty, kindness, and mystery. Dylan recalls their children, still babies, playing on the beach; Sara in a Jamaican marketplace; himself "staying up for days in the Chelsea Hotel, writing 'Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands' for you." He concludes with the words, "don't ever leave me, don't ever go." The song feels transitory, evanescent, in contrast to "Wedding Song" on Planet Waves, where Dylan sings of the eternal verities of their marriage ("I love you more than ever, more than time and more than love").

After recording Desire, Dylan continued his deep audience connection by launching the Rolling Thunder Revue. With an all-star cast headed by Dylan and featuring Joan Baez, the Revue caravaned across the Northeastern states and neighboring parts of Canada (autumn 1975), and then through the South and Southwest (spring 1976). Its unpublicized itinerary was filled with surprise concert dates. From the Desire sessions, Rivera, Blaklee, Rob Stoner (bass), and Howard Wyeth (drums) joined this true people's tour.

But the circumstances that made Desire possible soon disappeared, as the places and people portrayed in many of its songs fell upon harder times. The new nation of Mozambique, whose freedom Desire celebrates, was devastated by a civil war. The old Mexico depicted in "Romance in Durango" became largely a memory following economic globalization and NAFTA. Rubin Carter was convicted in his second trial and not released on parole until 1988. And in 1977, Dylan's marriage to Sara ended in divorce, after which it seems he could no longer follow the same artistic path. Desire marks the completion of a grand cycle of Dylan's career, dating back to his first albums in the early 1960s. His next album, Street Legal (1978), reveals, beneath its "big band" gloss, a dark night of the soul. From Street Legal's first song, the aptly named "Changing of the Guards," we are in a new era.

My first copy of desire was when it came out on vinyl many years ago - some of what I consider Bob Dylans best work. Every Dylan fan needs this one in their collection.

I didn't used to be much of a fan of Desire--I found it overrated with several weak tracks and I thought Emmylou Harris' background vocals were often harsh and annoying. I still feel this way, but I've come to appreciate the album a lot more and understand why so many people think it's one of Dylan's best. After giving it a few more listens, I really enjoy the stylistic diversity that the songs range over (perhaps to Dylan's collaboration with Jacques Levy on most of the songwriting) as well as Dylan's energy in delivering the tunes. I'd recommend it to anybody who's already got Dylan's greatest 60's material and Blood on the Tracks and New Morning as the last high-quality studio he put out in the 70's.

The album kicks off with the classic "Hurricane." Dylan energetically spits out the ironies of Carter's story over Scarlet Rivera's violin (which will remain throughout the album as a great addition to his sound). From there on out, the album covers a lot of lyrical and stylistic territory, form the rocking narrative of "Isis" to the world music flavor of "Romance in Durango," to the dark mystery of "One More Cup of Coffee" (one of the album's best tracks). Another highlight is Dylan's emotional tribute to his soon-to-be-ex wife, "Sara."

Like I said before, the album's weaknesses are a couple songs that either drag too much or sound A LOT like other songs on the album, and the outright mediocrity of "Joey," mainly boring and way too long for its own good. Emmylou Harris sounds pretty good on a couple songs, but I think she appears on too many, and eventually her voice gets a little grating and annoying--I think Dylan would have sound pretty good all by himself. I'd also like to note that many of the best songs from Desire are on Bob Dylan Live 1975 (The Bootleg Series Volume 5). On this live album, they sound even better than on this recording, with more energy from Dylan and his live band. They're both worth owning, though.

I've definitely softened to Desire, and though I don't think it ranks at the top of Dylan's masterpieces, I think it's a really enjoyable listen with a ton of great things going for it. Hope you enjoy!

Who knows what Bob was really thinking when he hit the studio for the Desire sessions? As fans, we've always just been along for the ride. And what a long strange trip it's been.

As usual there's controversy to be found here. Now, there has been and will continue to be debate on the subject matter of Hurricane and Joey but Dylan offers interesting views and great music in each of these two songs. No matter how you feel about the guilt of Rubin Carter you cannot ignore the greatness of this haunting and powerful tune.

And Joey is just as powerful.

Then there's Isis, a very cool song that I don't think I'll ever completely understand. If you're used to the live 'Thunder' version of this song that's on Biography you might need a few listens to like this version. It's piano driven and moves a little more slowly but, again, it works just fine.

Mazambique seems a little strange and out of character for a Dylan song but really works with Emmylou Harris's backing vocals. If you haven't heard it you're in for a treat.

Black Diamond Bay at first seems to be a straight forward song but Dylan throws some choice rhythm changes that moves the song along. It's one of my favorite on Desire.

Everything else on this cd is great and a 'must own' for Dylan fans.

Depsite some popular belief, the band Rolling Thunder sits well enough behind Bob Dylan's lyrics to be considered his best-suited band. Not to forget the other groups he's played with, Rolling Thunder is joyous and momentous, sparking motivations to sit and listen to them jam all on thier own.

Desire is great, especially at high volumes, and I recommend it to any Dylan fan. Plus, Sara's on it . . . come on.

For all the hubaloo (what? It's a fun word!) about Desire, it really is an acquired taste: it took a while for the album to sink in, I'll admit, and a couple of the songs don't do much for me. Plus it's a rather weak follow-up to Blood on the Tracks: A tough act to follow, of course, and it's mostly by no fault of its own that its almighty predecessor has it beaten.
Enough comparing this to my favorite Dylan album, though: Desire can stand on its own quite fine, though I have a couple reservations about it. I understand that Mozambique is one of Dylan's more respected songs, and that's fine by me: however, I find it ironic (perhaps fitting, considering Dylan's love of irony) that all it does is cast Dylan's flaws in a negative light. The vocals are downright intolerable - this coming from a guy who normally enjoys Dylan's infamous out-of-key voice, since it usually fits what he sings - the melody rather drab, the performance nothing special. There are some great performances on this album, in fact some of the best he ever laid down to tape, but I'll discuss those in a minute. The other song I'm not a fan of is Joey. I have learned to appreciate Dylan's other uberlong songs: Desolation Row, Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, Brownsville Girl, Highlands - but this has yet to sink in. It's interesting to see lyrics that glorify a murderer, not because I personally would do so, being a pacifist, but it's kind of a daring move on Dylan's part. I still find the song very dull: longwinded, whiney (I detest the "Joey... JOOOOOEEEY!" refrain), and repetitive.
Now we get to the good side. There are some real gems here: everyoen knows Hurricane, and I'll stand up and applaud it for the powerful protest lyrics (do I have to explain the story behind it?), the gripping, intense arrangement, and Dylan's powerful vocals. I would salute any song opposed to blatant racism displayed in such situations as Ruben Carter's, especially if they're as evocative and well-written as this. You can bet it sustains itself for its eight-and-a-half minutes. That's a no-brainer. Isis is interesting too, and not just because it's a return to Dylan's signature lengthy, surreal, intriguing narrative format: Scarlet Rivera's violin adds all kinds of flavor to that song. Oh, Sister isn't the best song Dylan ever committed to tape, but at least he poured his soul into his singing. The brooding, vaguely Eastern One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below) has got to be my favorite, if just for the way Bob sings it, especially that opening line. As usual, the ethereal violin and Emmylou Harris' exquisite backing vocals help it out. Cup of Coffee was one of the two songs written without the help of novelist Jacques Levy; Sara (an ode to his ex-wife Sara Lowndes that essentially begs her to come back to him, something I doubt she'd do if she had ever heard Idiot Wind, but I digress) that again hits hard and has a great atmosphere. Plus those lyrics... "Scorpio sphinx in a calico dress" is probably my favorite line on the entire album. Some of them are overly obvious, but hey, at least Dylan's being sincere. Then again, Dylan's ALWAYS sincere. Except on Knocked Out Loaded. Oops, more digression.
Anyway, as I said before there are several Jacques Levy cowrites here. Black Diamond Bay is another intriguing song, and much like Isis it sounds like a short story set to music. Which makes sense, considering Jacques' background as a novelist. And Romance in Durango should be made into a Western movie. Now, I think the faux-mariachi arrangement is off the charts on the kitschometer (Run for your life! THAT THING'S GONNA EXPLODE!!!), but again, it's a triumph of the lyrics. And the double-time shift between verses and choruses is simply inspired.
Overall, Desire has enough solid songs to make it a near-must. A couple notable lapses in quality (come on, who really needs Joey?), but the lyrics here are among the best Dylan ever wrote, and the atmosphere is hard to beat. Cut off Joey and Mozambique, and you've got Bob's greatest album, period. Bonus points: one of Dylan's best album covers. I want that hat...

Bob Dylan doesn't have another album that sounds like "Desire". It's a unique, stand-alone effort in his vast catalogue. His songs are more worldly and exotic than anything he's done before or since, but he can't be given sole credit. He had help from some great contributors.

From a writing perspective, seven of the nine tracks are collaborations with Jacques Levy. These songs sound so "Dylanesque", if you will, that it's hard for me to figure out exactly what Levy added to the mix. Previously best known for co-writing the Byrds' "Chestnut Mare" with Roger McGuinn, Levy was mostly a theater director, English professor, and a certified psychoanalyst.

From a listening perspective, this album is dominated by the gypsy violin stylings of Scarlet Rivera - and her impact on the overall atmosphere is immeasurable. Legend has it that she was walking through New York's Village carrying her violin case when Dylan saw her out his limo window and recruited her on the spot. It probably didn't hurt that she was gorgeous, but as luck would have it she was also talented. Less commented upon are the accordian and mandolin bits played by Dominic Cortese, who adds a lot, too. Despite the presence of these instruments, "Desire" has the dynamics of a "hard rock" album - and marked a distinct departure from Dylan's folkier past (even the "gone electric" part of it).

Finally, the relatively unknown (at the time) Emmylou Harris is featured prominently on all but a few songs. She sings exquisite harmony and background vocals, and her voice meshes wonderfully with Dylan's. Let me note here that he sings with strength and virility, and not with the voice that annoys some fans. This was my introduction to Harris, and I've never liked her more than I do on this record. It's still my favorite work she's ever done.

I've never been one to parse his lyrics or try overly hard to follow his convoluted storylines. It's my preference to lay back and let his poetic imagery wash over me wave after wave. In this regard, he doesn't disappoint. These are some of his most enigmatic and magical lyrics - a world-tour that takes you from Egypt and Mozambique to Durango and Black Diamond Bay.

I've sometimes wondered if Dylan knows how funny he can be. On "Isis", his snide retorts to the tomb raider and the title character make me laugh everytime. It's not as hilarious as the conversation he has with a waitress in the "Time Out Of Mind" track "Highlands" - but his intonation makes it so. Had songwriting not worked out so well for him, he might've had a successful career as a smart-aleck comedian like his hero Lenny Bruce.

This album resulted in the famous Rolling Thunder Revue, in which he took his rock'n'roll circus on the road. The timeline goes like this: he recorded "Desire" and did the first leg of the tour in '75, then released "Desire" in early January '76 and did the second leg of the tour. Some of the "Desire" musicians went along (most notably Rivera), but for the most part it was an ever-changing cast of characters that would sit-in for a few shows (Joni Mitchell) - or else tag along for the long haul (Joan Baez, T-Bone Burnett, former Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson). The first leg was enthusiastically received, and captured on the official bootleg "Bob Dylan Live 1975". The general consensus about the second part of the tour was that they'd run out of steam, and they played to half-filled stadiums. This was captured on the "live" album "Hard Rain". Dylan made an attempt to be theatrical on this tour, and often wore whiteface greasepaint and mascara - which can be seen in the half documentary/ half fictional film "Renaldo And Clara".

There's so many great Dylan periods and phases. Most fans love the earliest albums the best, but my favorites are "Blood On The Tracks" and "Desire". Especially "Desire", for the reasons I've given. I also love "Street-Legal" and "Empire Burlesque". The more recent "Love And Theft" is perhaps his most charming album ever - a delight from start to finish. It's great to see he's still "got it" after all these years. It's been an interesting and fun journey with America's premier poet laureate.

"Desire" is a truly epic album. Recalling the works of Carl Jung, Robert Graves (White Goddess), James Frazer (The Golden Bough), William Blake and the Beat Poets, Dylan weaves a dense tapestry of images and words. The narratives are dreamlike and elusive, like primitive folk-tales. Benefiting greatly from a recent remastering, this once dreary sounding recording returns with a tight, crisp, 'live' sound. One of the richest, deepest, and evocative rock albums ever recorded. Highlights: Isis, Black Diamond Bay, Sara, Oh Sister.