The hug I needed this week...

My English friends are just the best! When I arrived home from yoga tonight, I found a parcel on my doorstep from dear old Paul (who along with Steven had put out the first ever Tyde record years and years ago)... Inside was the most mind-blowing thing ever! A 5-cd boxset of Dylan Covers (from '65-'69) Paul had compiled, in titulary sequence with full artwork, his own special tribute liner notes, witty album titles (Mashville Skyline, Dyed Blonde on Blonde, Highway 61 Resurfaced, If I Had to Bring It All Back Home Again, I'd Bring It All Back Home Again All Over You and John Wesley? Hardly... ) and there was a personalized photo letter of Paul, in serene namaste pose, standing in front of Rev. Robert S. Zimmerman's First Baptist Church of Philadelphia (wait, how hilarious is this?) AND I got Edition 6/10! Just Brilliant! How special am I feeling right now?

I saw versions I've heard of already like those of Nina Simone, Isaac Hayes and The Walker Brothers covers, you know the obvious ones. But I instantly gravitated towards Scott Walker's cover of "I Threw It All Away." WTF? How did I not know about this all these years? I am a total amateur. Just listen to it now. And the next song I had to listen to was Richie Havens' cover of "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands." Its upbeat version took me for a surprise which I was not ready for. Hmmm, I'm not gonna share that with you right now. And then Marie Laforêt's version of "D'Etre a Vous (I Want You)" is just right up my alley, super '60s ye ye bubblegum candy for my indie ears. And I'm kinda fancying Jewels & Binoculars' instrumental soft jazz cover of "Visions of Johanna." It strangely reminds of Ron Burgandy's flute solo! Dude, this is so good. I wish I could share the entire thing with you, it's major, the total shit. I really need to study all the songs. I mean I recently read about Maria Muldaur in Joe Boyd's White Bicycles and had been curious to hear what her voice sounded like and here she was!

Thanks so much Paul. You really took this shitty week and made it into something special, really special. I'll make sure to give the other box sets to Ben and Darren, they're going to love it too.

*Correction* - Apparently I was wrong when I said I've never heard of that S. Walker cover. I just got an email from my Ex (yes, that one) saying I had once helped him buy that soundtrack on eBay. But hey, Scott Walker has always been his thing, I just went along for the ride (as he always said)...