It’s always a treat when new music is released featuring the late Johnny Cash. in this case, we get the added pleasure of the song being a Bob Dylan penned piece performed in a fly-on-the-wall manner by the two men.
Bob Dylan wrote “Wanted Man” in 1969 for Johnny Cash who included it as part of the setlist for his live album “At San Quentin.” The album was the second in Cash’s live prison-performed albums including ‘At Folsom Prison’ (1968), ‘PÃ¥ ÖsterÃ¥ker’ (ÖsterÃ¥ker Prison in Sweden, 1973), and ‘A Concert Behind Prison Walls’ (Tennessee State Prison in 1974), and later released a studio version.
In anticipation of Dylan’s upcoming release ‘Travelin’ Thru, 1967-1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 15’ we now have this rollicking demo of Dylan, Cash (who’s still working out the lyrics) featuring Carl Perkins on guitar. Hear it below.
On the recording June Carter Cash can be heard asking Johnny to “..make sure Bob puts a melody to that song.” Possibly in a futile attempt to reign in Dylan’s unorthodox singing style.
“Travelin’ Thru, 1967-1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 15” will be released November 1st. Preorder it here.