The album that immediately followed Under the Red Sky wasn’t new material but the first three volumes of The Bootleg Series, probably the most extraordinary collection of unreleased tracks by any artist ever. The Bootleg Series is now up to its eighth volume, with each edition shedding new light on Dylan’s marvelous career.
But for now I’m limiting these Dylan Weekends to releases of new material, so I’ll skip ahead to 1992’s Good As I Been to You. This was Dylan’s first album that didn’t contain a single original song (even his self-titled debut contained two of his own tracks among a collection of covers). It was also his first album since he went electric to include only acoustic instruments.
In fact, the whole album consists of just Dylan on guitar, harmonica and vocals. It was recorded in his garage studio with an absolute minimum of production… it’s basically just him and a mic. His guitar playing on this album is simply astounding.
My sister has argued that when a film auteur adapts a movie from another source, the film is inherently less praiseworthy than movies he or she writes and directs. We’ve had this discussion regarding the Coen Brothers’ No Country For Old Men, which I rank among their best films. I imagine the musical corollary to her argument would be that cover albums are inherently less worthy than albums of original material. But again, I disagree.
I could argue that there’s no more personal statement than music created as intimately as this, without the collaboration of other musicians and a production process that can introduce whole new nuances to a song. And the song selection and arrangement is certainly a personal choice, considering the vast archive of folk music Dylan had to choose from.
In a way, I consider this album and its similar successor (World Gone Wrong) two of the most profound musical statements Dylan has made. They say more about who he is and where he comes from than many of the records he wrote himself.
I read the title of this album as a nod to the fans and critics who were quick to jump on and off his bandwagon over the years depending on his latest release. The title’s origin is a song called ‘You’re Gonna Quit Me’ with these opening lines: “You’re gonna quit me, baby, good as I been to you, Lawd, Lawd, good as I been to you.”
Dylan has indeed been good to us, and rarely better than he was on this passionate and personal collection.
Most anywhere you go,
And his holdings are in Texas
And his name is Diamond Joe.
2. And he carries all his money
In a diamond-studded jar.
He never took much trouble
With the process of the law.
3. I hired out to Diamond Joe, boys,
Did offer him my hand,
He gave a string of horses
So old they could not stand.
4. And I nearly starved to death, boys,
He did mistreat me so,
And I never saved a dollar
In the pay of Diamond Joe.
5. Now his bread it was corn dodger
And his meat you couldn’t chaw,
Nearly drove me crazy
With the waggin’ of his jaw.
6. And the tellin’ of his story,
Mean to let you know
That there never was a rounder
That could lie like Diamond Joe.
Instrumental
7. Now, I tried three times to quit him,
But he did argue so
I’m still punchin’ cattle
In the pay of Diamond Joe.
8. And when I’m called up yonder
And it’s my time to go,
Give my blankets to my buddies
Give the fleas to Diamond Joe.
Meet Me In Montauk 
When you mentioned last weekend that this weekend’s Dylan selections were going to be covers, my immediate reaction was–why would I want to hear Dylan doing covers? I mean the man’s strong suit is clearly his writing. While I think his voice is distinct and cool, it certainly isn’t classically great–it’s not like having Sinatra or Streisand doing covers. Those types of artists, who really can’t write, or at least write like Dylan, but have great voices, are the ones meant to do the covers.
But then you go and put this song up as the SOTD and I’m kinda loving it. Of course, maybe that is because it sounds like Dylan could have written it. Not sure I want to hear Dylan cover “Dream On” or “Yesterday,” but I like hearing doing the songs that influenced and inspired him.
As for your ongoing debate with your sister, I do see her point that, if an artist is going to be lauded and receive awards, it should be for their original work. Imagine if Dylan had never received any praise or awards for his original songs like “Blowing in the Wind,” but then won awards for this cover? Wouldn’t that seem just wrong? I think that is Amy’s point regarding the Coen Brothers.
Well, Dana stole my thunder by making the exact clarification I was about to make. What bothers me about a movie such as No Country for Old Men earning the Coen brothers awards and new fans, is that they are filmmakers who make strikingly original films. To hear someone refer to the Coen brother as the directors who made No Country for Old Men is to realize that those people don’t know the Raising Arizona/Fargo/Big Lebowski/Blood Simple Coen brothers, and that makes me sad 😦
I appreciate a cover song as much as anyone, but, for the artists I love the most (Lyle Lovett comes to mind), I’d rather listen to their original material. Now to hear a great singer songwriter interpret (or reinterpret, if the cover is radically different) a song I love a great deal, it another sort of treat completely. I guess the equivalent movie example would be a remake. Now I can’t immediately think of a remake I like more than the original, but I imagine it’s possible that some of my favorite filmmakers are capable of creating one that would astound me.
I don’t know the original song that is inspiring Dylan here, but I do like this song quite a bit.