In this episode, Henry joins Steven Rings, author of "What Did You Hear? The Music Of Bob Dylan," in his home studio to break down the music in the Time Out Of Mind masterpiece, "Tryin' To Get To Heaven."
Listen to the album version, and when you hear us start talking about the "2000 version" found on both Fragments and Tell Tale Signs, listen here.
Tryin' To Get To Heaven
Written By Bob Dylan:
The air is getting hotter There’s a rumbling in the skies I’ve been wading through the high muddy water With the heat rising in my eyes Every day your memory grows dimmer It doesn’t haunt me like it did before I’ve been walking through the middle of nowhere Trying to get to heaven before they close the door
When I was in Missouri They would not let me be I had to leave there in a hurry I only saw what they let me see You broke a heart that loved you Now you can seal up the book and not write anymore I’ve been walking that lonesome valley Trying to get to heaven before they close the door
People on the platforms Waiting for the trains I can hear their hearts a-beatin’ Like pendulums swinging on chains I tried to give you everything That your heart was longing for I’m just going down the road feeling bad Trying to get to heaven before they close the door
I’m going down the river Down to New Orleans They tell me everything is gonna be all right But I don’t know what “all right” even means I was riding in a buggy with Miss Mary-Jane Miss Mary-Jane got a house in Baltimore I been all around the world, boys Now I’m trying to get to heaven before they close the door
Gonna sleep down in the parlor And relive my dreams I’ll close my eyes and I wonder If everything is as hollow as it seems When you think that you’ve lost everything You find out you can always lose a little more I been to Sugar Town, I shook the sugar down Now I’m trying to get to heaven before they close the door
If you would like to support hosting my podcasts, please check out my Patreon where for $5 I will give you a shout out on the podcast of your choice. Thank you to, Rob Kelly, Roberta Rakove, Matt Simonson, and Christopher Vanni. For $10, in addition to the shout-out I'll send you a surprise piece of Bob Dylan merch! Thank you to Kaitie Cerovec who is already enjoying her merch! I have a merch shop! Check out all sorts of fun Bob Dylan (and more) items! Thank you to Mark Godfrey, Linda Maultsby and Nancy Cobb over on Substack.
Podden och tillhörande omslagsbild på den här sidan tillhör
Henry Bernstein. Innehållet i podden är skapat av Henry Bernstein och inte av,
eller tillsammans med, Poddtoppen.
