Customer Reviews

Heart of Mine: Love Songs of Bob Dylan

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

You gather up some really great old songs by a pro... sung by another pro with a really great way of interpreting those songs... add some fantastic musicians... and it happens!

I haven't really paid much attention to Maria Muldaur since 'Midnight at the Oasis' days but I do plan to buy more of her music after listening to this cd.

I admit, I love Bob Dylan's music... he's a fantastic writer with a distinct style and voice. But these songs have been given a new life on this disc.

The only track that I don't like is her version of 'Lay, Lady, Lay'. I love the original much better. However, Maria's version is true to the nature of this CD and fits nicely. 'Buckets of Rain' is the standout here... the way she sings it is irresistable, languid and lonesome.

All the other tracks are simply magical. But what has really caught my ear is the instrumentations. Unbelievable assembly of great players give this whole CD a feel of authenticity.

Another wonderful suprise is that Maria produced this CD in conjunction with Joel Jaffe.

I could go on with the praise but suffice to say... if you're anywhere near a Dylan or Blues fan buy this CD. You won't be sorry.

I have really been looking forward to this one, and it doesn't disappoint. Maria's past Dylan covers have always been favorites. She of course was a contemporary of Bob in the Greenwich Village coffeehouse circuit. Her sultry, bluesy vocals are perfect for this material. The concept of the album insures that the track list includes some of my less-than-favorite Bob songs, but Muldaur's renditions outweigh that complaint.

Note: The Moonlight here is a new recording, not the version from her 2004 album "Love Wants To Dance."

From the moment that I heard the mini-clips on the Amazon website, I knew I wanted this CD. Bob Dylan has been a favorite since I was in high school listening to him on my 8-track in my '56 Chevy. Combine his wonderful poetic lyrics with Maria Muldaur's beautiful and unique voice and you have a winner. My only complaint is that I think it leans a bit close to country. For many, that is probably not a problem. It is for my wife, so I listen to it primarily solo within my car. By the way, I don't sound nearly as good singing along with Muldaur as I did with Dylan.

For years I have said that the best way to listen to a Bob Dylan song is to find the Joan Baez version. Well Muldaur 's takes are every bit as good and totally different. Baez's crystal clear soprano invites you to think about the words and the lyrics. Muldaur's low, smoky growl grabs you by the emotions and makes you feel them.

I have highly praised Maria Muldaur's recent trilogy of covers of classic women blues singers. (see all my reviews) I stated in those reviews that she had paid (and more than paid) her dues to be in the company of Memphis Minnie, Bessie Smith and Sippy Wallace. I am also a devoted Bob Dylan fan from way back. Nevertheless I was disappointed in this album. Partly I think that it was overproduced. But I also believe part of the problem is that while Dylan has done many love songs in different formats and in different moods from rage to sentiment I do not believe that overall this is his strongest kind of song. That seems to be reflected here. Take one example- Buckets of Rain- so-so for Maria. The definitive cover for me is Dave Van Ronk's bitter sweet version. If you compare the two covers you will see what I mean. But getting back to the meat of my conflict if you listen to Maria's cover of Sippy Wallace's-Don't Advertise Your Man you then know what blues heaven is. There she is right at home.

I LOVE this album. Though she is 65 years old, Maria Muldaur has never been better. She brings an earthy, down-home sensuality and charm, with the assurance of a lifetime of performing, to these Bob Dylan classics, which she tastefully edits, switching gender references as necessary (so that "Lay lady lay" becomes "Lay baby lay" and Dylan's mildly naughty line "Why wait any longer for the one you love/When he's standing in front of you?" becomes "...When she's lying right next to you?")

Furthermore, her backup band is a superb, tightly woven ensemble, that enables her to fully realize the latent torchy jazz potential in songs like "Moonlight" and "Golden Loom"--performances which, in my view, surpass Dylan's own. But of all these, my favorite is the title song, "Heart of Mine," Dylan's neo-Petrarchan take on the familiar trope of the dialogue between head and heart. Maria brings this wonderful lyric alive, highlighting the subtle irony throughout.

As someone who quite literally grew up with Dylan in Greenwich Village in the early sixties, Maria knows him well, and is thus an ideal Dylan interpreter. This beautiful album is, in every sense, a labor of love.

Maria Muldaur's Bob Dylan set is a jewel. She takes love songs from different periods of his life and molds them into her own. On "Lay Lady Lay" Dylan's lyric mirrors Muldaur's effect on the material, "Whatever colors you have in your mind, I'll show them to you & I'll make them shine." In the liner notes, she tells how a recent Dylan composition from his "Love & Theft" set totally captured her imagination. Indeed, on "Moonlight" she thoroughly adopts and polishes the lovely melody, "You're preaching peace & harmony, the blessings of tranquility, you know when the time is right to strike, just take me cross that river dear, I've no need to linger here, you know the kind of things I like." She takes the lesser-known "Golden Loom" and slinks & slides perfectly through the melody. Muldaur takes "Wedding Song" from Dylan's "Planet Waves" LP/CD and brings out its gorgeous melody and delightful lyric, "I've said goodbye to haunted rooms & faces on the street." Muldaur also flies on a more familiar track from Dylan's 1968 set "Any Day Now." The lovely tune was recorded by Joan Baez & the Byrds and fits like a glove with Maria's lovely rendition. The other tracks on the CD like "Buckets of Rain," "Make You Feel My Love" & the title track are also excellent. This is a great CD that just keeps getting better the more you listen. Enjoy!

Maria in fine voice. Nicely swinging and excellent intepretations. She makes these songs her own. Just an outstanding album, like her other albums, this is music for music lovers.

I was on vacation when I walked into a small local bookstore and this CD was playing. I KNEW I knew the singer, but couldn't put my finger on the name. I finally asked and found out it was Maria Muldaur. I listened to her alot in college and have listened periodically to her music.
The nice thing about this CD is that it appeals to everyone on this vacation - from the 16 month old to the 78 year old. It has a bluesy sound and very relaxing. Perfect for the beach or after a day at work.

Muldaur continues to explore different types of music and songs and has mastered several different styles and genres. I really wanted to like this album more than I did. The songs are so relaxing that I kept forgetting to listen. The songs seemed to have a calming, hypnotic effect. Nothing wrong with that I guess, but I was hoping for something more interesting. For those who complain that Muldaur doesn't sing the songs the way Dylan did, if that's what you want, just buy a Dylan album. Muldaur is really the best on her blues albums, but this was a pleasant departure from her other albums and she does a good job. This wouldn't be a good album to explore what Muldaur is all about, but it's a nice addition for Muldaur completists.