I'll Keep It with Mine

"I'll Keep It with Mine" is a song written by Bob Dylan in 1964,[1] first released by folk singer Judy Collins as a single in 1965. Dylan attempted to record the song for his 1966 album Blonde on Blonde.

"I'll Keep It with Mine"
Song by Bob Dylan
from the album The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991
ReleasedMarch 26, 1991
RecordedJanuary 27, 1966
GenreRock
Length3:39
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Bob Dylan
Producer(s)Bob Johnston
"I'll Keep It With Mine"
Song by Nico
from the album Chelsea Girl
ReleasedOctober 1967
RecordedApril 4, 1967
StudioMayfair Sound, New York City
Length3:17
Songwriter(s)Bob Dylan
Producer(s)Tom Wilson
"I'll Keep It With Mine"
Single by Fairport Convention
from the album What We Did on Our Holidays
B-side"Fotheringay" (Sandy Denny)
ReleasedJuly 1969
Length3:01
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Bob Dylan
Producer(s)Joe Boyd
Fairport Convention singles chronology
"Meet on the Ledge"
(1968)
"I'll Keep It With Mine"
(1969)
"Si Tu Dois Partir"
(1969)

Dylan's versions

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Dylan recorded a vocal-and-piano demo of the song for publishing company M. Witmark & Sons in June 1964, which was released by Columbia in 2010 on The Bootleg Series Vol. 9: The Witmark Demos: 1962–1964.

In mid-January 1965, during sessions for the Bringing It All Back Home album, Dylan again recorded the song solo, on piano. This version, with the working title "Bank Account Blues", was released in 1985 on the Biograph retrospective. (The album notes contradictorily indicate that this performance was recorded in June 1964 and that it was recorded in January 1965. The latter is correct.[2])

A full-band rehearsal of the song, recorded during the early Blonde on Blonde sessions on January 27, 1966 (per album booklet), was released on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3. The rehearsal is rough and the recording starts well into the first verse, which is briefly interrupted by producer Bob Johnston on a talkback speaker, saying, "What you were doing".

During the seventh session for Blonde on Blonde – on February 15–16, 1966, at the Columbia Music Row Studios, Nashville, Tennessee – ten instrumental takes of the song were recorded. Takes 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are false starts, and takes 1 and 3 are interrupted.[3] Dylan is not present on these recordings, as he was late to the session. While they waited, Johnston had the musicians lay down through instrumental takes of the song - presumably either as rehearsals or to have Dylan overdub his parts later. When Dylan arrived at the studio he opted instead to focus on "Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands". The song was not revisited during the Nashville sessions.

Dylan can be seen performing the song on piano in the film 65 Revisited, which was made during his tour of England in May 1965.

Personnel for Dylan's recordings

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The Bootleg Series version

Unreleased version

Reception

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Rolling Stone rated the song #41 on its list of 100 Greatest Bob Dylan Songs, calling it a "ballad of friendship" featuring "a sweet, plaintive vocal."[4]

Cover versions

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References

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  1. ^ "I'll Keep It With Mine | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  2. ^ Bjorner, Olof, "Still on the Road 1965", 790
  3. ^ Bjorner, Olof, "Still on the Road 1966", 1281
  4. ^ "100 Greatest Bob Dylan Songs". Rolling Stone. 2016-05-24. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  5. ^ True, Everett (16 June 2000). "True facts". The Age. p. 49.
  6. ^ "Blair Dunlop". Spotify.