Great White Wonder cover

Great White Wonder

Bob Dylan · 1969

77 min · 24 tracks · blues · folk rock · jazz

A raw collection of unreleased tracks showcasing Dylan's evolution through folk and rock with unpolished intimacy.

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Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • unpolished intimacy in recordings
  • historical snapshots of songwriting
  • nostalgic reflections on past performances
  • casual listening for quiet moments
  • exploration of storytelling

Maybe skip if you want

  • seeking polished studio production
  • prefer upbeat, energetic tracks

Where this album fits

Themes
racial injustice· raw folk intimacy· transformative creativity
Career context
By the time 'Great White Wonder' was released in 1969, Bob Dylan had already established himself as a pivotal figure in music with hits like 'Like a Rolling Stone' and had undergone significant artistic transformation. This album, comprising rare live recordings and outtakes from his early career, serves as a testament to his formative years leading up to his electric phase, capturing a moment where he was shifting from folk icon to rock innovator.
Stylistic neighbors
Leonard Cohen· Neil Young· Johnny Cash
Sounds like this from elsewhere
Live at Massey Hall 1971 by Neil Young — Captures a similar raw intimacy and live energy with poignant lyrics reflecting personal and societal themes.
Music from Big Pink by The Band — Shares a rustic Americana sound and storytelling approach, blending rock and folk influences seamlessly.
At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash — Features unvarnished performances that address themes of struggle and redemption in a raw, intimate setting.
New to Bob Dylan? Find your way in →

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

Disc 1

  • 1 Candy Man (Minnesota Hotel tape - December 1961) 3:05
  • 2 (As I Go) Ramblin' 'round (Minnesota Hotel tape - December 1961) 3:15
  • 3 Black Cross (Minnesota Hotel tape - December 1961) 4:45
  • 4 Ain't Got No Home (Minnesota Hotel tape - December 1961) 2:04
  • 5 Death of Emmit Till (Minnesota Hotel tape - December 1961) 5:26
  • 6 Poor Lazarus (Minnesota Hotel tape - December 1961) 3:22
  • 7 Bob Dylan's New Orleans Rag ('Another Side' outtake June 1964) 1:02
  • 8 If You Gotta Go, Go Now (Or Else You Got to Stay All Night) ('65 outtake released as single ) 2:26
  • 9 Only a Hobo ('Times are a changin' outtake 1963) 3:21
  • 10 Sitting on a Barbed Wire Fence ('Highway 61' outtake 1965) 3:52
  • 11 Mighty Quinn (take 1) (Basement tapes outtake) 2:04
  • 12 This Wheel's on Fire (Basement tapes outtake) 3:41

Disc 2

  • 1 Baby Please Don't Go (Minnesota Hotel tape - December 1961) 4:12
  • 2 Interview by Pete Seeger (Broadside show March 1962) 1:29
  • 3 Dink's Song (Minnesota Hotel tape - December 1961) 4:46
  • 4 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (Minnesota Hotel tape - December 1961) 3:37
  • 5 East Orange New Jersey (Minnesota Hotel tape - December 1961) 1:30
  • 6 Man of Constant Sorrow (Minnesota Hotel tape - December 1961) 3:32
  • 7 I Shall Be Released (Basement tapes outtake) 3:49
  • 8 Open the Door, Homer (take 1) (Basement tapes outtake) 2:46
  • 9 Too Much of Nothing (take 2) (Basement tapes outtake) 2:43
  • 10 Nothing Was Delivered (take 1) (Basement tapes outtake) 4:23
  • 11 Tears of Rage (take 2) (Basement tapes outtake) 4:02
  • 12 Living the Blues (live) (Johnny Cash Show 1st May 1969) 2:45

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blues folk rock jazz

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata