The Dylan Time Machine: Johnny Cash

Cash and Dylan were amphetamine buddies on the circuit, and it shows here. Cash can't even sing some of the words because amphetamines just destroy your vocal chords. It's like trying to squeeze your whole voice out through a pinhole. Notice the age you think Cash looks, and the sound of BOTH of their voices. You go from this, to this:



Whoa. So much better. Cash is off drugs, Dylan too. The reason Dylan looks weird, as always, it's because he was nervous. He had to learn consciously again how to act on stage, something which he had done unconsciously so well for so many years. He finally came out of hiding in upstate New York to do this show for Johnny. He probably wouldn't even have done it for anyone else. It's hard to think that these are the same people about 2 years later. What happened between this clip and the last one? Dylan's famous and mysterious motorcycle accident. He never went to the hospital, so no one really knows how badly he was hurt. Dylan used the accident on July 29th, 1966 to regroup himself. He quotes, "When I had that motorcycle accident... I woke up and caught my senses, I realized that I was just workin' for all these leeches. And I didn't want to do that. Plus, I had a family and I just wanted to see my kids." You see Dylan, reinventing his voice for the 3rd time. Trying to imitate Johnny Cash, even with his own song, Dylan sounds the best I think he ever has.