Henry welcomes back Roberta Rakove (Ep. 3: The Man In Me) to talk about a highlight from 1980's Saved, "Pressing On."

Listen to the song here

Follow along with the lyrics:

Written by: Bob Dylan

Well I’m pressing on
Yes, I’m pressing on
Well I’m pressing on
To the higher calling of my Lord

Many try to stop me, shake me up in my mind
Say, “Prove to me that He is Lord, show me a sign”
What kind of sign they need when it all come from within
When what’s lost has been found, what’s to come has already been?

Well I’m pressing on
Yes, I’m pressing on
Well I’m pressing on
To the higher calling of my Lord

Shake the dust off of your feet, don’t look back
Nothing now can hold you down, nothing that you lack
Temptation’s not an easy thing, Adam given the devil reign
Because he sinned I got no choice, it run in my vein

Well I’m pressing on
Yes, I’m pressing on
Well I’m pressing on
To the higher calling of my Lord

Copyright © 1980 by Special Rider Music

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If you would like to support hosting my  podcasts, please check out my Patreon where for $5 I will give you a shout out on the podcast of your choice.  Thank you to, Rob Kelly, Roberta Rakove, Matt Simonson, and Christopher Vanni. For $10, in addition to the shout-out I'll send you a surprise piece of Bob Dylan merch! Thank you to Kaitie Cerovec who is already enjoying her merch! I have a merch shop! Check out all sorts of fun Bob Dylan (and more) items! Thank you to Mark Godfrey, Linda Maultsby and Peter White over on Substack.

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Bob Dylan has debuted and perfected a new arrangement of a 56 year old song! This is a breakdown of the arrangement with chords and the little lick being played. I recommend checking out the video version so you can see what I'm doing, and see Bob!

https://youtu.be/iTGCPR2OoXs

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If you would like to support hosting my  podcasts, please check out my Patreon where for $5 I will give you a shout out on the podcast of your choice.  Thank you to, Rob Kelly, Roberta Rakove, Matt Simonson, and Christopher Vanni. For $10, in addition to the shout-out I'll send you a surprise piece of Bob Dylan merch! Thank you to Kaitie Cerovec who is already enjoying her merch! I have a merch shop! Check out all sorts of fun Bob Dylan (and more) items! Thank you to Mark Godfrey, Linda Maultsby and Peter White over on Substack.

Email us at [email protected]

Subscribe: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack.

On our 15th episode Henry welcomes a personal hero and someone he's been reading and following for 20 years! Author, journalist, writer, podcaster, and music scholar, Harold Lepidus to talk about 1986's They Killed Him from Knocked Out Loaded. 

Listen to the song here

Follow along with the lyrics:

Written by: Kris Kristofferson

There was a man named Hatma Gandi
He would not bow down he would not fight
He knew the deal was down and dirty
And nothing wrong could make it right away
But he knew his duty and the prize he had to pay
Just another holy man who tried to be a friend
My God, they killed him.

Another man from Atlanta, Georgia
By name of Martin Luther King
He shook the land like the rolling thunder
And made the bells of freedom ring today
With a dream of beauty that they could not burn away
Just another holy man who dared to make a stand
My God, they killed him.

The only Son of God Almighty
The holy one called Jesus Christ
He healed the lame and fed the hungry
And for his love they took his life away
On the road to glory where the story never ends
Just the holy Son of Man we'll never understand
My God, they killed him.

There was a man named Mahatma Gandi
A man named Martin Luther King
The only Son of God Almighty
The only one called Jesus Christ
On the road to glory where the story never ends
Just the holy Son of Man we'll never understand
My God, they killed him.

There was a man named Mahatma Gandi
A man named Martin Luther King
The only Son of God Almighty
The only one called Jesus Christ
On the road to glory where the story never ends
Just the holy Son of Man we'll never understand
My God, they killed him.

Follow  @songsofbob, @henrybernstein.bsky.social

If you would like to support hosting my  podcasts, please check out my Patreon where for $5 I will give you a shout out on the podcast of your choice.  Thank you to, Rob Kelly, Roberta Rakove, Matt Simonson, and Christopher Vanni. For $10, in addition to the shout-out I'll send you a surprise piece of Bob Dylan merch! Thank you to Kaitie Cerovec who is already enjoying her merch! I have a merch shop! Check out all sorts of fun Bob Dylan (and more) items! Thank you to Mark Godfrey, Linda Maultsby and Peter White over on Substack.

Email us at [email protected]

Subscribe: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack.

On this very special episode, Henry celebrates Bob Dylan's 84th Birthday and the 1 year anniversary of Songs of Experience with 2 beloved guests, Michael Glover Smith and Adam Selzer. Henry, Mike and Adam do their signature deep dive into a surprise standout from the Rough & Rowdy Ways album and tour, BLACK RIDER. 

Listen to the song here:

Read the lyrics: 

Written by: Bob Dylan

Black Rider Black Rider you been livin’ too hard
You been up all night havin’ to stay on your guard
The path that you’re walkin’ - is too narrow to walk
Every step of the way another stumblin’ block
The road that you’re on - same road that you know
But it’s not the same as - it was a minute ago

Black Rider Black Rider you’ve seen it all
You’ve seen the great world and you’ve seen the small
You fell into the fire and you’re eating the flame
Better seal up your lips if you want to stay in the game
Be reasonable Mister - be honest be fair
Let all of your earthly thoughts be a prayer

Black Rider Black Rider all dressed in black
I’m walking away and you try to make me look back
My heart is at rest I’d like to keep it that way
I don’t want to fight - at least not today
Go home to your wife stop visiting mine
One of these days I’ll forget to be kind

Black Rider Black Rider tell me when - tell me how
If there ever was a time then let it be now
Let me go through - open the door
My soul is distressed my mind is at war
Don’t hug me - don’t flatter me - don’t turn on the charm
I’ll take out a sword and have to hack off your arm

Black Rider Black Rider hold it right there
The size of your cock will get you nowhere
I’ll suffer in silence I’ll not make a sound
Maybe I’ll take the - high moral ground
Some enchanted evening I’ll sing you a song
Black Rider Black Rider you’ve been on the job too long

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If you would like to support hosting my  podcasts, please check out my Patreon where for $5 I will give you a shout out on the podcast of your choice.  Thank you to, Rob Kelly, Roberta Rakove, Matt Simonson, and Christopher Vanni. For $10, in addition to the shout-out I'll send you a surprise piece of Bob Dylan merch! Thank you to Kaitie Cerovec who is already enjoying her merch! I have a merch shop! Check out all sorts of fun Bob Dylan (and more) items! Thank you to Mark Godfrey, Linda Maultsby and Peter White over on Substack.

Email us at [email protected]

Subscribe: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack.

Fresh off of a flight from Phoenix, AZ, Adam and Michael came directly to my house from the airport for a full, exhaustive and joyous report of the first Outlaw Music Festival show of 2025!

Follow  @songsofbob, @henrybernstein.bsky.social

If you would like to support hosting my  podcasts, please check out my Patreon where for $5 I will give you a shout out on the podcast of your choice.  Thank you to, Rob Kelly, Roberta Rakove, Matt Simonson, and Christopher Vanni. For $10, in addition to the shout-out I'll send you a surprise piece of Bob Dylan merch! Thank you to Kaitie Cerovec who is already enjoying her merch! I have a merch shop! Check out all sorts of fun Bob Dylan (and more) items! Thank you to Mark Godfrey, Linda Maultsby and Peter White over on Substack.

Email us at [email protected]

Subscribe: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack.

Henry welcomes award winning, critically acclaimed author of "Olive Days" and dear friend, Jessica Elisheva Emerson to talk about a beloved, signature track off of the fan favorite album Street Legal -1978’s “Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)!"

Listen to the song, and follow along with the lyrics:

Written by: Bob Dylan

Señor, señor, do you know where we’re headin’?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon?
Seems like I been down this way before
Is there any truth in that, señor?

Señor, señor, do you know where she is hidin’?
How long are we gonna be ridin’?
How long must I keep my eyes glued to the door?
Will there be any comfort there, señor?

There’s a wicked wind still blowin’ on that upper deck
There’s an iron cross still hangin' down from around her neck
There’s a marchin’ band still playin’ in that vacant lot
Where she held me in her arms one time and said, “Forget me not”

Señor, señor, I can see that painted wagon
I can smell the tail of the dragon
Can’t stand the suspense anymore
Can you tell me who to contact here, señor?

Well, the last thing I remember before I stripped and kneeled
Was that trainload of fools bogged down in a magnetic field
A gypsy with a broken flag and a flashing ring
Said, “Son, this ain’t a dream no more, it’s the real thing”

Señor, señor, you know their hearts is as hard as leather
Well, give me a minute, let me get it together
I just gotta pick myself up off the floor
I’m ready when you are, señor

Señor, señor, let’s disconnect these cables
Overturn these tables
This place don’t make sense to me no more
Can you tell me what we’re waiting for, señor?

Copyright © 1978 by Special Rider Music

Visit https://www.elishevaemerson.com/ for more information on where to buy Olive Days.

Follow  @songsofbob, @henrybernstein.bsky.social

If you would like to support hosting my  podcasts, please check out my Patreon where for $5 I will give you a shout out on the podcast of your choice.  Thank you to, Rob Kelly, Roberta Rakove, Matt Simonson, and Christopher Vanni. For $10, in addition to the shout-out I'll send you a surprise piece of Bob Dylan merch! Thank you to Kaitie Cerovec who is already enjoying her merch! I have a merch shop! Check out all sorts of fun Bob Dylan (and more) items! Thank you to Mark Godfrey, Linda Maultsby and Peter White over on Substack.

Email us at [email protected]

Subscribe: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack.

My paper has been accepted to the World of Bob Dylan 2025! See you in Tulsa, OK - July 24-28, 2025!

https://dylan.utulsa.edu/register-for-the-world-of-bob-dylan-2025/

Follow  @songsofbob, @henrybernstein.bsky.social

If you would like to support hosting my  podcasts, please check out my Patreon where for $5 I will give you a shout out on the podcast of your choice.  Thank you to, Rob Kelly, Roberta Rakove, Matt Simonson, and Christopher Vanni. For $10, in addition to the shout-out I'll send you a surprise piece of Bob Dylan merch! Thank you to Kaitie Cerovec who is already enjoying her merch! I have a merch shop! Check out all sorts of fun Bob Dylan (and more) items! Thank you to Mark Godfrey, Linda Maultsby and Peter White over on Substack.

Email us at [email protected]

Subscribe: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack.

Check out the video of this over at Substack or Youtube

You ever notice how when you love something there’s always someone who loves to tell you how much they don’t like that thing. As a Swiftie, I experience this all the time. People who don’t like Taylor Swift LOVE telling Swifties they don’t like her, why they don’t like her and how much they don’t like her. As a Dylan fan, for every 4 people telling me how much they love Bob like me, there’s always one who has to point out “Oh yeah, great song writer but his voice is terrible.” The latest version of this is folks who not only didn’t like A Complete Unknown but outright refuse to se it or dismiss its existence because Todd Hayne’s 2007 film, I’m Not There, existed first. Early this week, an article dropped with a little quote from Cate Blanchett, star of I’m Not There, praising the film. Last Friday, on the holiday of Purim, I was dressed in what I think was a pretty spot-on Chalamet-esque Bob Dylan costume (specifically from the last scene of A Complete Unknown. At a Purim party, someone felt the need to tell me why they refuse to see ACU because of I’m Not There. Check out the video for the full story and rant. And for the love of Bob, can we please stop yucking other people’s yums?

Follow  @songsofbob, @henrybernstein.bsky.social

If you would like to support hosting my  podcasts, please check out my Patreon where for $5 I will give you a shout out on the podcast of your choice.  Thank you to, Rob Kelly, Roberta Rakove, Matt Simonson, and Christopher Vanni. For $10, in addition to the shout-out I'll send you a surprise piece of Bob Dylan merch! Thank you to Kaitie Cerovec who is already enjoying her merch! I have a merch shop! Check out all sorts of fun Bob Dylan (and more) items! Thank you to Mark Godfrey, Linda Maultsby and Peter White over on Substack.

Email us at [email protected]

Subscribe: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack.

Welcome to Songs of Experience: A Bob Dylan Podcast, where we explore the man and the music one song at a time.

Henry welcomes fellow Chicagoland area Dylan fan, Brendan McCarthy to SoE HQ (in person!) to talk about one of Dylan's earliest recordings, "Rambler, Gambler" officially released in 2005 on the No Direction Home soundtrack.

Listen to the song, and follow along with the lyrics:

I’m a rambler, I’m a gambler
I’m a long way from my home
If the people don’t like me
They can leave me alone

Come sit down beside me
Come sit down right here
Come sit down, love, I want you
Love you boldly, so dear

When you get to Wyoming
A letter you’ll see
If you get into trouble
Just you write and tell me

For I once had a lover
Her age was sixteen
She’s a flower of velvet and the rose of Celine

Her parents was against me
Now she is the same
If I writ on your book, love
Just you blot out my name

Oh there’s changes in the ocean
There’s changes in the sea
There’s changes in my true love
Ain’t no change in me
 

Follow  @songsofbob, @henrybernstein.bsky.social

If you would like to support hosting my  podcasts, please check out my Patreon where for $5 I will give you a shout out on the podcast of your choice.  Thank you to, Rob Kelly, Roberta Rakove, Matt Simonson, and Christopher Vanni. For $10, in addition to the shout-out I'll send you a surprise piece of Bob Dylan merch! Thank you to Kaitie Cerovec who is already enjoying her merch! I have a merch shop! Check out all sorts of fun Bob Dylan (and more) items! Thank you to Mark Godfrey, Linda Maultsby and Peter White over on Substack.

Email us at [email protected]

Subscribe: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack.