I'd heard rumors of this. This is from a recent interview w/OM engineer Mark Howard:

"So, on Oh Mercy, I’m not sure if he had an actual sound in his head to begin with. But he had actually recorded this whole record before it came to us. With Ron Wood. There’s a whole version of Oh Mercy that was recorded with Ron Wood already. But I think Dylan had maybe decided he didn’t like what had happened."


Another very interesting look into Bob's often eccentric working processes in the studio -- too long to post here but worth a read for Dylan fans -- look here:

[uncut.co.uk]

Dylan is really weird! Stories about him working in the studio are fascinating ;-) Sometimes I see Dylan silent, inaccessible and cold, and sometimes he's a cool, chillouted man with a great sense of humour...

I'd love to hear Oh Mercy with Ronnie. Is any song from that sessions on his recent Bootleg Series? Thanks for the post!

this is really stragnge because some songs were written while sessions where running, like shooting star ie.

I LOVE "Oh Mercy". I was sixteen when it came out and underwent, to date, the biggest heartbreak of my life at the time. That album saved me, and it's beauty is in no small part to fellow Canadian Daniel Lanois.

It's a perfect piece of music, I can't see how Woody would have been necessary on it other than arbitrary fanboy service.

[thepowergoats.com]

Quote
Amused

I'd love to hear Oh Mercy with Ronnie. Is any song from that sessions on his recent Bootleg Series? Thanks for the post!

No. And if it happened, its not exactly the same as saying the songs were fully realised.

Sounds a bit of a strange story. Dylan devotes about a third of "Chronicles" to the period when he made "Oh Mercy" and I dont recall any mention made of demoing songs for it with Ronnie or anyone prior to him working with Lanois.

Sorry to re-open an old thread, but these rumours popped up again in Uncut:

Howard: “I’m not sure if he had an actual sound in his head to begin with. He’d recorded this whole record before. With Ron Wood. There’s a whole version of Oh Mercy with Ron Wood.”
Read more at [www.uncut.co.uk]

Are these recordings available somewhere by now?

Like Gazza years ago, I find the story a bit strange. No mention about it inCHRONICLES, and he spends quite a lof time there in describing the birth of that album. But you never know with Dylan...

- Doxa

'everything is broken' would have been cool with Ronnie on it...
so would 'political world'..

but theyre perfect as they are imo...love Oh Mercy..

How much new albums has Dylan released since then? ...........and the Stones?
Dylan has worked in some fine and brilliant albums since 1989.........and the Stones...........

Easily my favourite Dylan album and maybe with a gun to my head, favourite album of all time. I've owned this album at least ten times on cassette, CD and vinyl and have either worn them out or given them away to people who I thought would "get" it.

Always thought Oh Mercy had such an atmospheric, late night feel, every song had its own space and place on the album yet they all fed into each other effortlessly. The vision was so consistent and focussed. A unique release in Dylan's catalogue and a masterclass in songwriting and production.

well put, Worried..

its a dark masterpiece with a harrowing sound, the Daniel Lanois production.

btw- what do you think of Joan Osborne's version of 'The Man In The Long Black Coat'...?

Anyone know if anything has come to light?