MTV Unplugged (Bob Dylan album)

MTV Unplugged
Live album by Bob Dylan
Released	May 2, 1995 (1995-05-02)
Recorded	November 17–18, 1994
Genre	Folk rock, rock and roll, folk
Length	69:24
Label	Columbia
Producer	Jeff Rosen
Bob Dylan chronology
Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 3 (1994) MTV Unplugged (1995) Time Out of Mind (1997)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Robert Christgau
Rolling Stone
George Starostin

MTV Unplugged is a live album by Bob Dylan, released in 1995 by Columbia Records (reissued in 2007 by Sony^{[citation needed]}). It documents Dylan's appearance on the then-highly popular MTV Unplugged television series, recorded at Sony Music Studios in New York 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'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 is as follows:

1. "Tombstone Blues"
2. "I Want You"
3. "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"
4. "Desolation Row"
5. "Hazel"
6. "Everything Is Broken"
7. "The Times They Are A-Changin'"
8. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit"
9. "Dignity"
10. "With God on Our Side"

Second session

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

1. "Absolutely Sweet Marie"
2. "Shooting Star"
3. "All Along the Watchtower"
4. "My Back Pages"
5. "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35"
6. "John Brown"
7. "The Times They Are A-Changin'"
8. "Dignity"
9. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
10. "Like a Rolling Stone" (false start)
11. "Like a Rolling Stone"
12. "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" (false start)
13. "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You"
14. "Desolation Row"
15. "I Want You"

Track listing

All songs by Bob Dylan.

1. "Tombstone Blues" – 4:54
2. "Shooting Star" – 4:06
3. "All Along the Watchtower" – 3:36
4. "The Times They Are a-Changin'" – 5:48
5. "John Brown" – 5:22
6. "Desolation Row" - 8:22
7. "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" – 3:31
8. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" – 5:23
9. "Dignity" – 6:30
10. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" – 5:30
11. "Like a Rolling Stone" – 9:09
12. "With God on Our Side" – 7:16

The European release includes "Love Minus Zero/No Limit". The songs that did not get an official release are circulating in the Dylan bootleg community.

Personnel

• Bob Dylan – guitar, vocals, harmonica
• Bucky Baxter – Dobro, pedal steel, steel guitar
• Tony Garnier – bass
• John Jackson – guitar
• Brendan O'Brien – Hammond organ
• Winston Watson – drums
• Jeff Rosen – executive producer
• Ed Cherney – mixing
• Don Was – mixing
• Randy Ezratty – engineer
• Scott Hull – mastering
• Greg Calbi – mastering
• Allen Weinberg – art direction
• Kim Gaucher – illustrations
• Frank Micelotta – photography
• Jeff Kramer – manager