Dylan's back pages - 'Before The Flood' released, June 20, 1974

(Columbia Records)

Bob Dylan's live album, Before The Flood, was released on June 20, 1974.  It was recorded earlier in the year during "Tour '74", his first concert tour since 1966. Once again he was backed by The Band, this time with Levon Helm behind the drum kit. Although there were already some Dylan live cuts officially released available, including concerts in New York's Town Hall (1963), Newport (1963), Liverpool (1966), Carnegie Hall (1968), and the Isle Of Wight (1969), this was his first live album, even though eight of the tracks were performed by The Band without Dylan.

This tour was heavily bootlegged, with every show released on vinyl soon soon each concert took place.  One bootleg, Highway 61 Revisited Revisited, was even reviewed in Creem magazine, with advice on how to mix the album (drums up front). At the time, it was assumed the title Before The Flood was a reference to the "flood" of bootlegs released. However, there have since been other interpretations, as Seth Rogovoy wrote in his book, Bob Dylan: Prophet, Mystic, Poet, including the  biblical flood, or possibly "a trilogy of novels so named by Yiddish writer Sholem Asch, father of Moe Asch, the founder of Folkways Records, the label that recorded Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, and many more of Dylan's favorite folk and blues artists."

The album was originally released on Asylum Records, the second of two for David Geffen's label. Dylan would return to Columbia for his next release, Blood On The Tracks. Both Asylum albums were re-released on Columbia in April, 1982. A promotional sampler, Electric Lunch, was sent out at the time. Erroneously, The Band's "Stage Fright", written by Robbie Robertson, was credited to Dylan.

(Columbia Records)

The bulk of the album was from the final shows in California. Here's a run down of the Dylan cuts:

January 30 - Madison Square Garden , NYC:
"Knockin' On Heaven's Door"

February 13 - Inglewood Forum, Los Angeles, CA:
"Lay Lady Lay", "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35", and part of ""Blowin' In The Wind".

February 14 (Early) - Inglewood Forum, Los Angeles, CA:
"Ballad Of A Thin Man", "All Along The Watchtower", and part of "Blowin' In The Wind".

February 14 (Late) - Inglewood Forum, Los Angeles, CA:
"Most Likely You Go Your Way", "It Ain't Me, Babe", "Don't Think Twice", "Just Like A Woman", "It's Alright, Ma", "Highway 61", and "Rolling Stone".

All performances by the Band were recorded at the late show on February 14, except "I Shall Be Released" and "The Shape I'm In" (Febraury 14, early show), and "The Weight" (February 13)

Here's the original album track listing:

Side One (Bob Dylan with The Band)
1. "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)"
2. "Lay Lady Lay"
3. "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35"
4. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
5. "It Ain't Me, Babe"
6. "Ballad of a Thin Man" (Dylan on piano)

Side Two (The Band)
1. "Up on Cripple Creek"
2. "I Shall Be Released"
3. "Endless Highway"
4. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"
5. "Stage Fright"

Side Three
(Bob Dylan solo acoustic)
1. "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"
2.. "Just Like a Woman"
3. "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)"

(The Band)
4. "The Shape I'm In"
5. "When You Awake"
6. "The Weight"

Side Four (Bob Dylan with The Band)

1. "All Along the Watchtower"
2. "Highway 61 Revisited"
3. "Like a Rolling Stone"
4. "Blowin' in the Wind"

(Asylum / Spain)

There were a couple of singles released from the album - "Most Likely" / "Stage Fright", and "It Ain't Me, Babe" / "All Along The Watchtower". (Images courtesy of Searching For A Gem.)

(Asylum / Spain)

The album reached number three on the Billboard album chart.

Related story: Anniversary of Dylan and The Band's 'Tour '74', plus 2010 tour confirmed.

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