The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs: Rare and Unreleased 1989–2006

The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs: Rare and Unreleased 1989–2006 is a compilation album by singer-songwriter Bob Dylan released on Legacy Records in 2008. The sixth installment of the ongoing Bob Dylan Bootleg Series, it was originally released as a double-disc set, a limited edition triple vinyl album, as well as a three-disc expanded version. This latter edition of Tell Tale Signs includes a detailed 56 page book annotating the recordings by Larry Sloman, a book of photos The Collected Single Sleeves of Bob Dylan drawing on Dylan releases from around the world, plus a 7-inch vinyl single comprising two tracks from the set: "Dreamin' of You" and "Ring Them Bells".

The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs: Rare and Unreleased 1989–2006
Compilation album by Bob Dylan
Released	October 6, 2008 (2008-10-06)
Recorded	1989–2006
Genre	Rock, folk, folk rock, country rock, blues
Length	137:07
Label	Columbia
Producer	Bob Dylan, Daniel Lanois
Bob Dylan chronology
Dylan (2007) The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs: Rare and Unreleased 1989–2006 (2008) Together Through Life (2009)
Bob Dylan Bootleg Series chronology
The Bootleg Series Vol. 7: No Direction Home: The Soundtrack (2005) The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs: Rare and Unreleased 1989–2006 (2008) The Bootleg Series Vol. 9: The Witmark Demos: 1962–1964 (2010)

Background

The album spans the recording sessions for Oh Mercy, World Gone Wrong, Time Out of Mind, and Modern Times as well as a number of soundtrack contributions and previously unreleased live tracks from 1989 through 2006.[1] The collection also includes a track from an abandoned album Dylan had started to record with David Bromberg in 1992, and Dylan's duet with Ralph Stanley, "The Lonesome River".

Although Under the Red Sky, Good as I Been to You and Love and Theft were all recorded during this time period, no tracks from these sessions were included on Tell Tale Signs. An alternate version of "Series of Dreams" was included on Vol. 3 of the Bootleg Series. "Dreamin' of You", an outtake from the Time Out of Mind sessions, was offered for free download on Bob Dylan's site and was also sent to radio stations as a promotional single.

In the first week of October 2008, the entire album was made available in a free streaming format on National Public Radio's official website.[2]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[3]
BBC	Favorable[4]
The Chicago Tribune	Favorable[5]
Robert Christgau	[6]
Entertainment Weekly	A[7]
The Guardian	[8]
Paste	88/100[9]
Pitchfork Media	8.6/10[10]
Rolling Stone	[11]
Uncut	[12]
Variety	Favorable[13]

The album entered the Billboard 200 at number 6, becoming Dylan's 17th album to open in the top 10. It went on to sell over 600,000 copies. Tell Tale Signs currently maintains an 86% positive ("Universal acclaim") rating at Metacritic.[14] It was also named the second best album of 2008 by Rolling Stone magazine.[15]

CBS's announcement that the two-CD set would sell for $18.99 and the three-CD version for $129.99 drew charges of "rip-off pricing" from Dylan biographer Michael Gray and other critics.[16][17][18]

Track listing

All songs written by Bob Dylan except as indicated.

Disc one

No.	Title	Source	Length
1.	"Mississippi"	Unreleased, Time Out of Mind	6:04
2.	"Most of the Time"	Alternate version, Oh Mercy	3:46
3.	"Dignity"	Piano demo, Oh Mercy	2:09
4.	"Someday Baby"	Alternate version, Modern Times	5:56
5.	"Red River Shore"	Unreleased, Time Out of Mind	7:36
6.	"Tell Ol' Bill"	Alternate version of song released on the North Country soundtrack	5:31
7.	"Born in Time"	Unreleased, Oh Mercy	4:10
8.	"Can't Wait"	Alternate version, Time Out of Mind	5:45
9.	"Everything Is Broken"	Alternate version, Oh Mercy	3:27
10.	"Dreamin' of You"	Unreleased, Time Out of Mind	5:54
11.	"Huck's Tune"	From the Lucky You soundtrack	4:09
12.	"Marchin' to the City"	Unreleased, Time Out of Mind	6:36
13.	"High Water (For Charley Patton)"	Live, August 23, 2003, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada	6:40

Disc two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Source	Length
1.	"Mississippi"		Alternate version 2, Time Out of Mind	6:24
2.	"32-20 Blues"	Robert Johnson	Unreleased, World Gone Wrong	4:22
3.	"Series of Dreams"		Unreleased, Oh Mercy	6:27
4.	"God Knows"		Unreleased, Oh Mercy	3:12
5.	"Can't Escape from You"		Unreleased, December 2005 recording	5:22
6.	"Dignity"		Unreleased, Oh Mercy	5:25
7.	"Ring Them Bells"		Live at The Supper Club, November 17, 1993, New York, NY	4:59
8.	"Cocaine Blues"	T. J. "Red" Arnall	Live, August 24, 1997, Vienna, VA	4:40
9.	"Ain't Talkin'"		Alternate version, Modern Times	6:13
10.	"The Girl on the Greenbriar Shore"	A. P. Carter	Live, June 30, 1992, Dunkerque, France	2:51
11.	"Lonesome Day Blues"		Live, February 1, 2002, Sunrise, FL	7:37
12.	"Miss the Mississippi"	Bill Halley	Unreleased, 1992	3:20
13.	"The Lonesome River"	Ralph Stanley, Carter Stanley		3:04
14.	"Cross the Green Mountain"		from the Gods and Generals soundtrack	8:15
15.	"Love Sick"		Live, iTunes Bonus track	5:40

Deluxe Edition

The official Bob Dylan website offered a deluxe edition of the album, including a 150-page book and a bonus disc of tracks on top of the regular edition. Fans who pre-ordered the deluxe set directly from Bob Dylan's website also received an exclusive 7" vinyl. The first 5,000 customers were also given a Theme Time Radio Hour poster.[19] The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 was also released on vinyl as 4 x 180g. LPs, plus a digital download and a 12" x 12" version of the book authored by Sloman.[20]

Bonus disc

No.	Title	Source	Length
1.	"Duncan & Brady" (traditional)	Unreleased, 1992	3:47
2.	"Cold Irons Bound"	Live at Bonnaroo, 2004	5:57
3.	"Mississippi"	Alternate version #3, Time Out of Mind	6:24
4.	"Most of the Time"	Alternate version #2, Oh Mercy	5:10
5.	"Ring Them Bells"	Alternate version, Oh Mercy	3:18
6.	"Things Have Changed"	Live, June 15, 2000, Portland, OR	5:32
7.	"Red River Shore"	Unreleased version #2, Time Out of Mind	7:08
8.	"Born in Time"	Unreleased version #2, Oh Mercy	4:19
9.	"Tryin' to Get to Heaven"	Live, October 5, 2000, London, England	5:10
10.	"Marchin' to the City"	Unreleased version #2, Time Out of Mind	3:39
11.	"Can't Wait"	Alternate version #2, Time Out of Mind	7:24
12.	"Mary and the Soldier" (traditional)	Unreleased, World Gone Wrong	4:23

7" vinyl

No.	Title	Source	Length
1.	"Dreamin' of You" (Single Edit)	Unreleased, Time Out Of Mind	3:34
2.	"Ring Them Bells"	Alternate version, Oh Mercy	3:18

References

1. "Bob Dylan: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs: Rare and Unreleased 1986-2006 Album Review | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2017-10-09.
2. NPR.com article: Exclusive Preview: Bob Dylan's 'Tell Tale Signs'.
3. Jurek, Thom. The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs: Rare and Unreleased 1989–2006 at AllMusic
4. BBC review
5. The Chicago Tribune review
6. Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Artist 169". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
7. Entertainment Weekly review
8. The Guardian review
9. Paste Magazine review
10. Pitchfork Media review
11. Rolling Stone review
12. Uncut Magazine review
13. Variety Magazine review
14. Metacritic page for Tell Tale Signs.
15. Best Albums of 08 .
16. Gray expressed his opinion in his Bob Dylan Encyclopedia blog "Tell Tale Signs Pt. 3, Money Doesn't Talk..." Bob Dylan Encyclopedia blog. 2008-08-14. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
17. Cairns, Dan (2008-10-05). "Tell Tale Signs". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
18. Beech, Mark (2008-10-06). "Dylan Opens Archive to Reveal Gems, Gaffes, Rockers: Mark Beech". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
19. "Skyroo.com: Bob Dylan — The Bootleg Series No. 8 – Official SONY BMG Pre-Order Store". Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
20. Fremer, Michael (2009-03-01). "A Treasure Trove Deluxe Edition for Bob Fans". Michael Fremer's music angle. Retrieved 2010-10-01.

External links

• Exclusive Preview: Bob Dylan's Tell Tale Signs at NPR
• Tell Tale Signs at AllMusic