MTV Unplugged is a live album

Live album

A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...

 by Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...

, released in 1995 by Columbia Records

Columbia Records

Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...

 (reissued in 2007 by Sony). It documents Dylan's appearance on the then-highly popular MTV Unplugged

MTV Unplugged

MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...

television series, recorded at Sony Music Studios in New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 on November 17, 1994 and November 18, 1994. It gave Dylan his best sales in years, reaching US #23 and going gold, while hitting #10 in the UK.

The singer-songwriter had originally wanted to do a set of traditional folk songs. At MTV

MTV

MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

's behest, he instead performed mostly classics from his early albums.

Recording sessions

The album was assembled from two live shows recorded at Sony Music Studios in New York on November 17, 1994 and November 18, 1994. Dylan wore the same clothes both nights for the sake of continuity in the home video release.

First session

The first session was recorded live in front of an audience on November 17, 1994. The set list

Set list

A set list, or setlist, is a document that lists the songs that a band or musical artist intends to play, or has played, during a specific concert performance...

 is as follows:

1. "Tombstone Blues
   Tombstone Blues
   "Tombstone Blues" is the second track off Bob Dylan's album Highway 61 Revisited. Musically it is a straightforward blues song, however the lyrics are typical of Dylan's free-associate surreal style of the period, with such lines as "the sun's not yellow, it's chicken".It was performed by Marcus...
   
   "
2. "I Want You
   I Want You (Bob Dylan song)
   "I Want You" is a 1966 song recorded by Bob Dylan. It was issued as a single in June 1966, shortly before the release of its accompanying album, Blonde on Blonde. A live version of "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" was included as a B-side...
   
   "
3. "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
   Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
   "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" is a song written by Bob Dylan in 1962, and released on the 1963 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.-Context:...
   
   "
4. "Desolation Row
   Desolation Row
   "Desolation Row" is a 1965 song written and sung by Bob Dylan. It was recorded on August 4, 1965, and was released as the closing track of Dylan's sixth studio album, Highway 61 Revisited...
   
   "
5. "Hazel"
6. "Everything Is Broken
   Everything Is Broken
   "Everything is Broken" is a song written and recorded by American musician Bob Dylan, and released on his 1989 album, Oh Mercy. The song's lyrics describe Dylan's detachment from his world at the time of its writing. The track found on Oh Mercy is a re-working of a take recorded earlier...
   
   "
7. "The Times They Are A-Changin'
   The Times They Are a-Changin' (song)
   "The Times They Are a-Changin" is a song written by Bob Dylan and released as the title track of his 1964 album, The Times They Are a-Changin. The song was ranked #59 on Rolling Stones 2004 list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time....
   
   "
8. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit
   Love Minus Zero/No Limit
   "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" is a song written by Bob Dylan for his fifth studio album Bringing It All Back Home, released in 1965 . The song was originally written as a tribute to Dylan's future wife Sara Lowndes...
   
   "
9. "Dignity
   Dignity (Bob Dylan song)
   "Dignity" is a song by Bob Dylan, first released on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 3 in 1994. It was recorded during the Oh Mercy studio sessions but didn't make it on to the album. The version released on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 3 was remixed and overdubbed by Brendan O'Brien...
   
   "
10. "With God on Our Side
    With God on Our Side
    "With God on Our Side" is a song by Bob Dylan, released as the third track on his 1964 album The Times They Are A-Changin. Dylan first performed the song during his debut at The Town Hall in New York City on April 12, 1963...
    
    "

Second session

The second session was recorded live in front of an audience on November 18, 1994. The set list

Set list

A set list, or setlist, is a document that lists the songs that a band or musical artist intends to play, or has played, during a specific concert performance...

 is as follows:

1. "Absolutely Sweet Marie
   Absolutely Sweet Marie
   "Absolutely Sweet Marie" is a song written by Bob Dylan, released on his 1966 double album Blonde on Blonde. An exuberantly up-tempo number, "Sweet Marie" is full of diverse, often hardly disguised sexual imagery.- Song and background :...
   
   "
2. "Shooting Star"
3. "All Along the Watchtower
   All Along the Watchtower
   "All Along the Watchtower" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The song, which has been included on most of Dylan's greatest hits compilations, initially appeared on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding. Over the past 35 years, he has performed it in concert more...
   
   "
4. "My Back Pages
   My Back Pages
   "My Back Pages" is a song written by Bob Dylan and included on his 1964 album, Another Side of Bob Dylan. It is stylistically similar to his earlier folk protest songs and features Dylan's voice with an acoustic guitar accompaniment...
   
   "
5. "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35"
6. "John Brown
   John Brown (Bob Dylan song)
   John Brown is an anti-war song written and composed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Written in October 1962, the song was never included on any of Dylan's official studio albums.-Releases:...
   
   "
7. "The Times They Are A-Changin'
   The Times They Are a-Changin' (song)
   "The Times They Are a-Changin" is a song written by Bob Dylan and released as the title track of his 1964 album, The Times They Are a-Changin. The song was ranked #59 on Rolling Stones 2004 list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time....
   
   "
8. "Dignity
   Dignity (Bob Dylan song)
   "Dignity" is a song by Bob Dylan, first released on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 3 in 1994. It was recorded during the Oh Mercy studio sessions but didn't make it on to the album. The version released on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 3 was remixed and overdubbed by Brendan O'Brien...
   
   "
9. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door
   Knockin' on Heaven's Door
   "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan for the soundtrack of the 1973 film Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid. It reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.-Story line and song structure:...
   
   "
10. "Like a Rolling Stone
    Like a Rolling Stone
    "Like a Rolling Stone" is a 1965 song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Its confrontational lyrics originate in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhausted from a grueling tour of England...
    
    " (false start)
11. "Like a Rolling Stone
    Like a Rolling Stone
    "Like a Rolling Stone" is a 1965 song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Its confrontational lyrics originate in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhausted from a grueling tour of England...
    
    "
12. "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You
    Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You
    "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" is a song written by Bob Dylan from his 1969 album Nashville Skyline. It was the closing song of the album. The song was the third single released from the album, after "I Threw It All Away" and "Lay Lady Lay", reaching #50 on the US Billboard Hot 100...
    
    " (false start)
13. "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You
    Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You
    "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" is a song written by Bob Dylan from his 1969 album Nashville Skyline. It was the closing song of the album. The song was the third single released from the album, after "I Threw It All Away" and "Lay Lady Lay", reaching #50 on the US Billboard Hot 100...
    
    "
14. "Desolation Row
    Desolation Row
    "Desolation Row" is a 1965 song written and sung by Bob Dylan. It was recorded on August 4, 1965, and was released as the closing track of Dylan's sixth studio album, Highway 61 Revisited...
    
    "
15. "I Want You
    I Want You (Bob Dylan song)
    "I Want You" is a 1966 song recorded by Bob Dylan. It was issued as a single in June 1966, shortly before the release of its accompanying album, Blonde on Blonde. A live version of "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" was included as a B-side...
    
    "

Track listing

All songs by Bob Dylan.

1. "Tombstone Blues
   Tombstone Blues
   "Tombstone Blues" is the second track off Bob Dylan's album Highway 61 Revisited. Musically it is a straightforward blues song, however the lyrics are typical of Dylan's free-associate surreal style of the period, with such lines as "the sun's not yellow, it's chicken".It was performed by Marcus...
   
   " – 4:54
2. "Shooting Star" – 4:06
3. "All Along the Watchtower
   All Along the Watchtower
   "All Along the Watchtower" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The song, which has been included on most of Dylan's greatest hits compilations, initially appeared on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding. Over the past 35 years, he has performed it in concert more...
   
   " – 3:36
4. "The Times They Are a-Changin'
   The Times They Are a-Changin' (song)
   "The Times They Are a-Changin" is a song written by Bob Dylan and released as the title track of his 1964 album, The Times They Are a-Changin. The song was ranked #59 on Rolling Stones 2004 list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time....
   
   " – 5:48
5. "John Brown
   John Brown (Bob Dylan song)
   John Brown is an anti-war song written and composed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Written in October 1962, the song was never included on any of Dylan's official studio albums.-Releases:...
   
   " – 5:22
6. "Desolation Row
   Desolation Row
   "Desolation Row" is a 1965 song written and sung by Bob Dylan. It was recorded on August 4, 1965, and was released as the closing track of Dylan's sixth studio album, Highway 61 Revisited...
   
   " - 8:22
7. "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" – 3:31
8. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit
   Love Minus Zero/No Limit
   "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" is a song written by Bob Dylan for his fifth studio album Bringing It All Back Home, released in 1965 . The song was originally written as a tribute to Dylan's future wife Sara Lowndes...
   
   " – 5:23
9. "Dignity
   Dignity (Bob Dylan song)
   "Dignity" is a song by Bob Dylan, first released on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 3 in 1994. It was recorded during the Oh Mercy studio sessions but didn't make it on to the album. The version released on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 3 was remixed and overdubbed by Brendan O'Brien...
   
   " – 6:30
10. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" – 5:30
11. "Like a Rolling Stone
    Like a Rolling Stone
    "Like a Rolling Stone" is a 1965 song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Its confrontational lyrics originate in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhausted from a grueling tour of England...
    
    " – 9:09
12. "With God on Our Side
    With God on Our Side
    "With God on Our Side" is a song by Bob Dylan, released as the third track on his 1964 album The Times They Are A-Changin. Dylan first performed the song during his debut at The Town Hall in New York City on April 12, 1963...
    
    " – 7:16

The European release includes "Love Minus Zero/No Limit

Love Minus Zero/No Limit

"Love Minus Zero/No Limit" is a song written by Bob Dylan for his fifth studio album Bringing It All Back Home, released in 1965 . The song was originally written as a tribute to Dylan's future wife Sara Lowndes...

". The songs that did not get an official release are circulating in the Dylan bootleg

Bootleg recording

A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...

 community.

Trivia

Performing "With God on our Side" Dylan significantly omits two verses about the Germans

Nazism

Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...

 and the Holocaust and about Russians, possibly because they dealt with American allegiances during the Cold War

Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...

, which ended in 1991.

This live album features one of only four released recordings of the early Dylan song "John Brown". The other live recording of this song is on the 2005 LP Live at the Gaslight 1962

Live at The Gaslight 1962

Live at The Gaslight 1962 is a single CD release including ten songs from early Bob Dylan performances at the Gaslight cafe in New York City's Greenwich Village...

. Of the two studio recordings, one is featured on the Smithsonian-Folkways compilation, The Best Of Broadside 1962 - 1988 (Dylan is credited as Blind Boy Grunt). The other studio recording appears on The Bootleg Series Volume 9—The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964, released on October 19, 2010.

Personnel

• Bob Dylan
  Bob Dylan
  Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
  
   – guitar, vocals, harmonica
• Bucky Baxter
  Bucky Baxter
  William "Bucky" Baxter is an American multi-instrumentalist from New Jersey. He was born in Melbourne, Florida. He has appeared on various albums by artists such as Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams, Steve Earle, R.E.M., and Joe Henry....
  
   – Dobro
  Dobro
  Dobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar...
  
  , pedal steel, steel guitar
• Tony Garnier
  Tony Garnier (musician)
  Tony Garnier is an American bassist , best known as an accompanist to Bob Dylan, with whom he has played since 1989...
  
   – bass
• John Jackson
  John Jackson
  -Politicians:* John Jackson , mayor of Tampa, Florida* John Jackson , Member of Parliament for Plymouth Devonport, 1910–1918* John Edward Jackson, British diplomat...
  
   – guitar
• Brendan O'Brien
  Brendan O'Brien (music producer)
  Brendan O’Brien is a record producer, mixer, engineer, and musician.At age 14, O'Brien played guitar for the Atlanta-based cover band Pranks. In the late 1970s, he moved on to writing, performing and recording with the Samurai Catfish band...
  
   – Hammond organ
• Winston Watson – drums
• Jeff Rosen
  Jeff Rosen
  Jeff Rosen is the award-winning Creator and Executive Producer of globally viewed children's and family entertainment. Jeff is Creative Head, for DHX Media, Halifax. Television Series include Animal Mechanicals, Poko, Bo on the Go, The Mighty Jungle, and Pirates...
  
   – executive producer
• Ed Cherney – mixing
• Don Was
  Don Was
  Don Was is an American musician, bassist and record producer.-Life and career:Was was born in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Oak Park High School in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park, then attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor but dropped out after the first year...
  
   – mixing
• Randy Ezratty – engineer
• Scott Hull – mastering
• Greg Calbi – mastering
• Allen Weinberg – art direction
• Kim Gaucher – illustrations
• Frank Micelotta – photography
• Jeff Kramer – manager