Bob Dylan 35: Under The Red Sky

Ringo Starr once said that one of the worst jam sessions he ever played in included himself, Ron Wood, Eric Clapton, and a whole bunch of other people said to be among the best players around. His point was that just putting such people together doesn’t guarantee quality.

Such is the case with Under The Red Sky. With all the promise of Oh Mercy, and despite the inspired fluke that was the Traveling Wilburys, Bob came back a year later with another water-treading collection of songs dominated by big names. (Empire Burlesque anyone?) Here’s proof that all the stars and a hot producer—in this case, Don Was, then riding high on the wave of the B-52s, Bonnie Raitt and, of course, Was (Not Was)—don’t equal success. The luminaries dotting the credits run the gamut from George Harrison, David Lindley, the Vaughan brothers, Bruce Hornsby, David Crosby, Elton John and Slash to Kenny Aronoff on drums, Randy Jackson on bass (in the wilderness years between Journey and American Idol) and Al Kooper, who was probably happy to tell the same old stories to anyone who’d listen.

The slow thuds that start “Wiggle Wiggle” should be the first sign that something’s wrong. The title track makes little sense, unless it’s taken as a kids’ song. “Unbelievable” was the only choice for a single and lead video, but it didn’t help sales. “Born In Time” is just too syrupy; it’s a shame, since takes exist of this from the Oh Mercy sessions, and you can almost hear a decent track in there. “T.V. Talkin’ Song” just makes him sound like a cranky old man.

“10,000 Men” is another nursery rhyme, with a great windup opening, which “2 X 2” lacks. While the former seems to hint at a future direction, the latter squanders any of its potential. “God Knows”—another Oh Mercy refugee—has some potential, but “Handy Dandy” is a direct musical ripoff of “Like A Rolling Stone”. “Cat’s In The Well” is okay for an ending, and still figures in his setlists today, but do you really feel like playing this album again?

Maybe these are just good songs recorded badly. But the songs on Under The Red Sky simply weren’t there. Most seem to be repetitive lists and litanies, without any of the wordplay and insight central to the brand. Granted, he was also busy with another Wilburys album while all this was happening, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves. It fits in the pantheon below Desire as a Dylan album that some people love but we just don’t get.

The album’s defenders maintain that it should be heard as Bob intended: as a children’s album. It turns out that he did have a toddler around, so that could well be the inspiration. But if there’s anyone out there who sings their kids to sleep at night with lines like “wiggle till you vomit fire,” “ten thousand men on a hill… some of ‘em gonna get killed,” “let me eat his head off so you can really see,” “how much poison did they inhale?” or “the drinks are ready and the dogs are going to war,” start saving up for therapy, just in case.

Bob Dylan Under The Red Sky (1990)—2