Bob Dylan surprised fans in Tokyo by premiering a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Truckin’” tonight during his second of five concerts at the Tokyo Garden Theater. Dylan’s take on the Robert Hunter, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia-penned “Truckin’” came towards the end of the night in the slot where Dylan usually performs “That Old Black Magic.”
The legendary artist kicked off the Japanese leg of his ongoing Rough And Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour last week in Osaka. Setlists in Japan have fell in line with other stops on the now two-year-old trek in support of 2020’s Rough And Rowdy Ways album with one of the rare exceptions coming when Bob busted out the Dead’s “Friend Of The Devil” in Oakland last June and followed with two additional versions of the Hunter/Garcia gem that same week.
“Truckin’” was one of 60 songs by other artists Dylan wrote about in his 2022 book, The Philosophy Of Modern Song. He called the American Beauty standout one of the Dead’s “signature songs” and noted “this could easily be a Dead song from one hundred years earlier.”
“This song is medium tempo, but it seems to just keep picking up speed,” Dylan added. “It’s got a fantastic first verse, which doesn’t let up or fizzle out, and every verse that follows could actually be a first verse. Arrows of neon, flashing marquees, Dallas and a soft machine, Sweet Jane, vitamin C, Bourbon Street, bowling pins, hotel windows, and the classic line, ‘What a long strange trip it’s been.’ A thought that anybody can relate to.”
Listen to a reading of Dylan’s “Truckin’” chapter from The Philosophy Of Modern Song below:
Bob Dylan’s band last night and for the run through Japan has saw Dylan on piano backed by guitarists Bob Britt and Doug Lancio, bassist Tony Garnier, drummer Jerry Pentecost and multi-instrumentalist Donnie Herron. The Nashville-based Pentecost took over for Charley Drayton at the start of the Japanese leg.
Listen to an audience recording of Bob Dylan’s “Truckin’” cover taped by JohnnyDEP below:
Setlist (via BobLinks.com)
Set: Watching The River Flow, Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine), I Contain Multitudes, False Prophet, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Black Rider, My Own Version Of You, I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight, Crossing The Rubicon, To Be Alone With You, Key West (Philosopher Pirate), Gotta Serve Somebody, I’ve Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You, Truckin’*, Mother Of Muses, Goodbye Jimmy Reed, Every Grain Of Sand
