Things Twice

Lily, Rosemary & the Jack of Hearts - Live 1976

On May 25, 1976 Bob Dylan and Joan Baez performed "Lily, Rosemary & the Jack of Hearts" live in Salt Lake City. This is the only known live performance. The lack of a circulating recording leads some to doubt this ever happened. Joel Bernstein was the guitar technician on that Rolling Thunder tour and provides a personal account.

Originally compiled: October 24, 1998
Last revised: October 24, 1998

Subject: Re: Dylan classics never performed live? [Was: Re: Sad-eyed]
From: Joel Bernstein
Date: Wed, 18 May 94

re: Your list of songs not performed live:
"Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts" was performed live only once, at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, the last Rolling Thunder Revue show, on May 25, 1976. I was on the tour, I was there, and I remember it well...Best, Joel

Subject: Re: Dylan classics never performed live? [Was: Re: Sad-eyed]
From: Joel Bernstein
Date: Wed, 18 May 94 

Per my reply to Craig Jamieson, Bob did perform that song at the Salt Palace... I think you are remembering an interview with me done by John Bauldie originally published in the Telegraph and reprinted in "Behind the Shades". Bob and Joan did an excellent version of the song, with not one lyric mistake. Bob had written the first word or words of each verse on either the inside of his wrist or shirt cuff. I remember wishing that the Salt Lake City show had been videotaped and recorded instead of Fort Collins, it was far superior

Subject: Re: Dylan classics never performed live? [Was: Re: Sad-eyed]
From: Joel Bernstein
Date: Fri, 20 May 94 

in reply: I will repeat what I told John Bauldie in his interview with me in the Telegraph (#35). I was the guitar technician on the tour, meaning that I was responsible for the safety, maintenance, tuning, and preparation of all guitars and all other stringed instruments (in total, about 35) for Bob and the rest of the bandmembers for the entire tour, from rehearsals in Clearwater to the last show in Salt Lake City. I also did the same for Bob later at The Last Waltz as well as the 1978 Japan/Australia Tour, from auditions and rehearsals in Santa Monica in the fall of 1977 to the last show in Sydney. I am also an album cover photographer and in that capacity did the rear photo of "Hard Rain", the inner sleeve of "Street Legal", the front cover, gatefold and poster of "At Budokan", as well as, I think, one shot each in Biograph and the Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3.

Check the Telegraph, as well as "Behind the Shades" for more details.

Regarding the performance of "Lily..." at Salt Lake: I recall it well. It was sung by Bob and Joan, each on guitar, on one vocal mike. Bob had written the first word or two of each verse on his shirt cuff, I believe, though it might have been his wrist (I'm pretty sure it was on the cuff, so to speak). They each sang the lead vocal on some verses, and Joan joined Bob in harmony for others. In a recent edition of the Telegraph (interview with Mike Evans, security chief for the tour), you will find a copy that I sent John Bauldie of the lyrics to the song with notations "B", "J", and "B&J" in the margin, which was a previously worked-out arrangement of the singing, although I doubt whether they stuck to that strictly. I recall my amazement that there were _no_ lyric mistakes, and I believe that the verses were sung in the correct order. Perhaps if one day a tape surfaces of the show that
will be confirmed. There may have been minor variations in the lyrics, in the sense of substituting "the" for "a", or other things of that type, but no actual "mistakes". I remember wishing that that show had been videotaped and properly recorded instead of the show before at Fort Collins... it was far superior in spirit and performance.

This is certainly the most long-winded reply you will receive from me on this subject or any other!

Best, Joel

P.S.: I should mention that the "Lily..." lyric sheet published in the Telegraph is from the first page only; the margin notations continue in a similar way for the song's entirety.

Subject: Salt Lake City 25 May 76
From: Les Kokay (cctr147@csc.canterbury.ac.nz)
Date: 27 May 94

I was a bit surprised to read (from Craig?) that there was no reported evidence of 'Lily Rosemary..' being performed and therefore the song should remain among those 'Never performed live' songs. (or words to that effect - I didn't keep the post!)

I was then very pleased to see the postings from Joel that provided the eye witness details.

I took a few minutes to see if I had any reported evidence and was pleased to discover that reports were mentioned in:

(1) Occasionally - issue two p22
(2) Occasionally - issue four p26 (the fullest reference)
(3) Rain Unravelled Tales
(4) More Rain Unravelled Tales p67
(5) The Telegraph issue #1
(6) The Telegraph issue #13 p7
(7) Stolen Moments p174

and there are probably more!

For the record the main source reports are:

a. "Rolling Thunder still Rolling" by Joseph Werfelman (source & date unknown)
b. "Rock Artists Score Big in Salt Palace Show" by David L. Beck in The Salt Lake Tribune 26 May 76
c. "Bob Dylan Drives '70s into Oblivion" by Nick Snow in Desert News 26 May 76
d. "Rolling Thunder Revue : Overwhelming" by Jeff Howry in The Daily Utah Chronical 27 may 76

Track Listing compiled from the reports:

                     a    b   c   d
Mr Tambourine (Ac)   x    x   x   x
Gates of Eden (Ac)   x    x   x
Vincent Van G             x   x
Mozambique           x            x
JLAW                 x    x   x
Isis                 x            x
Maggies Farm         x            x
Lay Lady Lay         x            x
Blowin'....          x         x   x
I pity the P...      x         x
I Shall be R...      x
Lily Rosemary...     x        x   x
Railroad Bill                 x
Tangled up...        x            x
You're a Big...      x
You're Gonna M..     x            x
Shelter from..       x         x   x
...Memphis Blues..   x            x
Oh Sister            x            x
Black Diamond Bay    x
Knocking on H...     x        x
Gotta Travel on               x

So three of the reports mention 'Lily Rosemary..'. *Seems beyond doubt* Unfortunately no other reports confirm the Werfelman report of 'Black Diamond Bay'. Heylin(4 & 7) and Steve Valley(6) both suggest that that it was probably something else (Romance in Durango or I shall be Released) but provide *NO* evidence for saying so.

Can any reader (Joel?) shed some light on 'Black Diamond Bay' - Live.

Les


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