Althouse: "Like the lamb that in springtime wanders far from fold/Comes the darkness and the frost, I get lost, I grow cold."

January 19, 2015

"Like the lamb that in springtime wanders far from fold/Comes the darkness and the frost, I get lost, I grow cold."

"On the version of 'Stay With Me' he released in 1964, Sinatra was backed by a big band and orchestra. Dylan's new version is distilled down for a five-piece band, recorded live in the studio in one or two takes for Shadows in the Night, the all-Sinatra covers album coming out on February 3."

Stream the Dylan audio at NPR, here.

Here's the Frank Sinatra.

9 comments:

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: The vastness of the awfulness that awaits the listening public overwhelms the imagination of the average person.; 1/19/15, 11:53 AM
donald said...: Check this out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxfjSnMN88U

What's song. What a video.; 1/19/15, 12:05 PM
Bob R said...: I like the Dylan arrangement much better. (I generally like Sinatra himself in smaller ensemble arrangements like "One For My Baby.") But the prospect of comparing Bob's current voice to Sinatra's at his best for a whole album is not pleasant.; 1/19/15, 12:29 PM
Seeing Red said...: Mumbles is covering Frank? Stewart was bad enough. Frank never sounded like he had marbles in his mouth. The minimum Bob could have done was round at least some of his words. Frank always crossed his "t"s. I'm waiting for Adele to kick ass on the standards. Aguilera would also be great, and tho I hate to say it, with some training, Gaga would be decent. Yes I watched that show with Tony B.; 1/19/15, 1:10 PM
FullMoon said...: Frank Sinatra is the most overrated male singer ever.Less talent than Fabian Forte; 1/19/15, 1:41 PM
wildswan said...: I like Frank Sinatra but I never saw him as a lost lamb. Maybe a lonesome wolf howling at the moon - but lamb - no.

The Dylan version is also better because the music is simpler. Somehow a lush orchestral background doesn't go with the words.; 1/19/15, 2:35 PM
Chef Mojo said...: It was sad listening to Bob. I could only put up with a minute of it.

I've been buying his records since I was a kid, and going to his shows as soon as I could. I'm a huge Bob fan.

I hate this. It is awful, straight up. I don't care what Dylan says about "interpretation," this is a fucking train wreck of a song. Bob's voice sounds like shit. Just a terrible, screechy, mumbly disaster. He sounds like a tanked out bum, "singing" for enough change to get a pack of cigs and a bottle of MD/20/20.

It's like watching your former beauty queen of a grandmother trying to pole dance in a bikini at age 80.; 1/19/15, 3:57 PM
Fernandinande said...: Chef Mojo said...
I hate this. It is awful, straight up.

This might be worse: Keef sings "Over the Rainbow"; 1/19/15, 4:05 PM
Fandor said...: Dylan paying homage to the Chairman of the Board.

Both versions are heartfelt and moving.

Dylan's is the dirge, a plea to God to remember him as the night around him grows cold.His voice is rough from alot of living. He's old, tired and wants to belive there is something more after the final darkness comes.

Sinatra's lush orchestration enhances his mournful prayer. He beautifully sings to God to stay with him, a sinner, weak and wrong. Although the "road buckles under" where he walks along, the rapture of heavenly music, God's grace, engulfs him.
"Till I find to my wonder every path leads to thee, all that I can do is pray, stay with me."
Frank Sinatra's epiphany.

Two musical icons of the 20th Century finally meet.
It had to be.
As Sinatra use to joke,"May the last voice you hear be mine".
Maybe the last song Dylan sings will be Sinatra's.; 1/19/15, 7:31 PM