In honour of Bob Dylan, I figured I'd do an obscure song from his catalogue. For those that don't know, the Traveling Wilburys were a super-group formed of George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty. Orbison died two weeks after the band released their first album Volume One, and the remaining four stayed together to record a second album, Volume Three. "Nobody's Child" was recorded for a benefit album for the orphans left after the overthrow of the Nicolae Ceauşescu dictatorship. The song was included as a bonus track on a Traveling Wilburys box set a couple of years ago, so you can get it pretty easily now.
To be fair, this song and the video is crushingly depressing, but it's a very moving song. It's not a new song either, it's been recorded by artists ranging from Hank Williams Jr. to Hank Snow to the Beatles. The harmonica in the song does make an honest effort to cheer things up, but the song's message is just too sad to make it that uplifting. I like the band because every member takes a step back and works in a band setting, not letting ego getting in the way. Bob Dylan, especially, seems in a strange place in this song. It's just a weird little nugget in each of the musician's catalogues and a stellar song that has been forgotten over the years. Enjoy!
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