My Back Pages

In 1993, some of the greatest folk/blues/rock musicians ever to perform music gathered in Madison Square Garden to honor Bob Dylan on thirty years as a poet, musician, and visionary. Near the end of the concert, Dylan himself appears on stage to give an unfortunately nasal rendition of “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding).” As he finishes, he is joined onstage by the authors of fully half of my CD collection to perform my favorite Dylan song, “My Back Pages.”

Roger McGuinn, the founder of the Byrds, plays the introduction on his Rickenbacker 12-string and sings the first verse.

Crimson flames tied through my ears
Rollin' high and mighty traps
Pounced with fire on flaming roads
Using ideas as my maps
"We'll meet on edges, soon," said I
Proud 'neath heated brow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Tom Petty, Dylan’s bandmate in the Traveling Wilburys, sings the second verse.

Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth
"Rip down all hate," I screamed
Lies that life is black and white
Spoke from my skull. I dreamed
Romantic facts of musketeers
Foundationed deep, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Neil Young, a performer and songwriter almost of Dylan’s stature, offers his quavering version of verse three.

Girls' faces formed the forward path
From phony jealousy
To memorizing politics
Of ancient history
Flung down by corpse evangelists
Unthought of, though, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

At this point in the song, Eric Clapton steps forward with a guitar bridge in his incredibly precise yet bluesy style, then sings verse four.

A self-ordained professor's tongue
Too serious to fool
Spouted out that liberty
Is just equality in school
"Equality," I spoke the word
As if a wedding vow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Dylan himself sings the fifth verse, his voice now stronger and more melodic, obviously inspired by the caliber of musicianship onstage.

In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I'd become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
My pathway led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Another former Wilbury bandmate, George Harrison, sings the final verse.

Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect
Good and bad, I define these terms
Quite clear, no doubt, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Neil Young concludes the song with a second guitar solo, not as technically sound as Clapton’s, but emotional, fiery, as if he wanted Jimi Hendrix to be present on this night.

It’s been more than a decade now. I just thought everyone should know about this, before it fades from memory.
http://bobdylan.com/albums/30th.html