Before we dive into the release news, let’s take a moment to celebrate someone whose dedication has shaped the Bob Dylan community for decades: Bill Pagel and his legendary site, Boblinks.com.
Thank you, Bill, for everything you’ve done—and continue to do—for Dylan fans around the world. Your work is truly unmatched, and your commitment remains an inspiration to us all.
Bootleg Series 18: Through The Open Window
After months (or even years) of rumors and speculating about a potential “Villager” set, it is now official:
The Bootleg Series. Bob Dylan – Through the Open Window: 1956–1963 (Bootleg Series Vol. 18) will be released on October 31, 2025.
What Do We Get?
It all begins with the earliest known Bob Dylan voice recording—“Let the Good Times Roll,” captured with The Jokers at the Terlinde Music Store in Duluth. From that humble start, we can trace his path to fame: a stop in Madison on his legendary journey to New York City, followed by formative performances at The Gaslight Café, Gerde’s Folk City, the Folklore Center, Town Hall, the first performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1963, private parties, and the Carnegie Chapter Hall. Along the way, Dylan made appearances on radio stations and recorded with Harry Belafonte and blues legend Victoria Spivey, culminating in his full concert at Carnegie Hall in 1963.
And now, for the first time, we’re getting access to the elusive 1963 recording of “Liverpool Gal”—a song rumored to reflect Dylan’s relationship with British artist Pauline Boty. A rare gem from a pivotal year.
You can find the track list towards the end of that e-mail.
There are currently no news about an extended vinyl version from Third Man Records.
Formats & Content
8-CD Deluxe Set: 139 tracks in total
48 previously unreleased performances
38 super-rare cuts
A hardcover book with extensive liner notes and more than 100 rare photographs
4-LP and 2-CD Highlight Versions: 42 tracks each, drawn from the deluxe set
Digital: Available on major streaming platforms on release day
Bob Dylan’s Facebook site also released a short video this evening about the release which can be viewed here!
On Spotify Premium (over here in Germany and by the time of this writing) I can currently access 10 tracks from the list.
Dylan's landmark show at Carnegie Hall on October 26, 1963, fills the seventh and eighth discs of "Through The Open Window".
Pre-orders are now open through Columbia/Legacy and major retailers.
On amazon.com, you can find the track list as well and it is currently listed for $159.99.
With this release, we will have the most comprehensive look yet at Bob’s formative years, offering a detailed portrait of the journey that set the stage for his groundbreaking career.
I’m personally very excited about this (although I would have wished for another title). What’s your opinion about this?
Track List:
1 Let the Good Times Roll (Terlinde Music Shop, St. Paul, MN, 1956) —> earliest known Bob Dylan voice!
2 I Got a New Girl (Informal Recording, Hibbing, MN, 1959)
3 San Francisco Bay Blues (Informal Recording, Minneapolis, MN, 1960)
4 Jesus Christ (Informal Recording, Minneapolis, MN, 1960)
5 East Virginia Blues (Informal Recording, Madison, WI, 1960)
6 K.C. Moan (Informal Recording, Madison, WI, 1960)
Bob Dylan feat. Danny Kalb
7 Hard Travelin' (Informal Recording, Madison, WI, 1960)
Bob Dylan feat. Danny Kalb
8 Pastures of Plenty (Informal Recording, East Orange, NJ, 1961)
9 Remember Me (Informal Recording, East Orange, NJ, 1961)
10 Song to Woody (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1961)
11 Talkin' Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1961)
12 Ain't No Grave (Informal Recording, NYC, 1961)
13 I Ain't Got No Home (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
14 Death Don't Have No Mercy (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
15 Devilish Mary (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
16 Introduction by Bob Yellin (Riverside Church, NYC, 1961)
17 Handsome Molly (Riverside Church, NYC, 1961)
18 Introduction: See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)
19 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)
20 The Girl I Left Behind (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)
21 Introduction: Pretty Boy Floyd (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)
22 Pretty Boy Floyd (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)
Bob Dylan feat. Jim Kweskin
23 Railroading on the Great Divide (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)
Bob Dylan feat. Jim Kweskin
24 Introduction: Fixin' to Die (Folklore Center, NYC, 1961)
25 Fixin' to Die (Folklore Center, NYC, 1961)
Bob Dylan feat. Dave Van Ronk
26 I'll Fly Away
Carolyn Hester feat. Bob Dylan
27 Introduction: In the Pines (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961)
28 In the Pines (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961)
29 Gospel Plow (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961)
30 Introduction: Young But Daily Growing (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961)
31 Young But Daily Growing (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961)
32 Man On the Street (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961)
33 This Land Is Your Land (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961)
34 Pretty Polly (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961)
35 Man of Constant Sorrow (Bob Dylan Rehearsal, NYC, 1961)
36 House Carpenter (Studio Outtake - 1961)
37 You're No Good (Bob Dylan Alternate Take, NYC, 1961)
38 He Was a Friend of Mine (Studio Outtake - 1961)
39 Ramblin' Round (Bob Dylan Outtake, NYC, 1961)
40 Story: East Orange, New Jersey (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
41 Stealin' (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
42 Po' Lazarus (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
43 Dink's Song (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
44 I Was Young When I Left Home (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
45 In the Evening (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
46 Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
47 Cocaine (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
48 The Death of Emmett Till (WBAI-FM, NYC, 1962)
49 Conversation: Folksinger's Choice, 1 (WBAI-FM, NYC, 1962)
50 Roll On, John (WBAI-FM, NYC, 1962)
51 Conversation: Folksinger's Choice, 2 (WBAI-FM, NYC, 1962)
52 Hard Times in New York Town (WBAI-FM, NYC, 1962)
53 Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues (Informal Recording, NYC, 1962)
54 Ballad Of Donald White (Informal Recording, NYC, 1962)
55 Midnight Special (The Midnight Special Rehearsals, NYC, 1962)
Harry Belafonte feat. Bob Dylan
56 Midnight Special (The Midnight Special Alternate Take, NYC, 1962)
Harry Belafonte feat. Bob Dylan
57 Wichita (Three Kings and the Queen Album Version, NYC, 1962)
Big Joe Williams feat. Bob Dylan
58 It's Dangerous (Three Kings and the Queen, Volume Two Album Version, NYC, 1962)
Victoria Spivey feat. Bob Dylan & Big Joe Williams
59 Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance (Live at Gerde's Folk City, New York, NY - April 1962)
60 Talkin' New York (Live at Gerde's Folk City, New York, NY - April 1962)
61 Corrina, Corrina (Live at Gerde's Folk City, New York, NY - April 1962)
62 Deep Ellum Blues (Live at Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1962)
63 Introduction: Blowin' in the Wind (Live at Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1962)
64 Blowin' In The Wind (Live at Gerde's Folk City, New York, NY - April 1962)
65 Rambling Gambling Willie
66 (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle
67 Rocks And Gravel (Solid Road)
68 Paths of Victory (Broadside Office, NYC, 1962)
69 Train A-Travelin' (Broadside Reunion Album Version, NYC, 1962)
70 Hiram Hubbard (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)
71 Quit Your Low Down Ways (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)
72 Let Me Die In My Footsteps (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)
73 Ramblin' On My Mind (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)
74 Blue Yodel No. 8 (Mule Skinner Blues) (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)
75 Baby, Please Don't Go (Freewheelin' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
76 Worried Blues (Freewheelin' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
77 Baby, I'm In The Mood For You (Freewheelin' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
78 Bob Dylan's Blues (Freewheelin' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
79 Introduction: Tomorrow Is a Long Time (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1962)
80 Tomorrow Is a Long Time (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1962)
81 This Land Is Your Land - The Last Verses (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1962)
82 Long Time Gone (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1962)
83 A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall (Live at The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962)
84 Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Live at The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962)
85 Barbara Allen (Live at The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962)
86 The Cuckoo (Live at The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962)
87 That's All Right, Mama (Freewheelin' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
88 Mixed Up Confusion (Single Alternate Take, NYC, 1962)
89 Ballad Of Hollis Brown (Freewheelin' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
90 Kingsport Town (Freewheelin' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
91 Whatcha Gonna Do? (Freewheelin' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
92 Hero Blues (Freewheelin' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
93 I Shall Be Free (Freewheelin' Alternate Take, NYC, 1962)
94 The Ballad of the Gliding Swan (BBC-TV, London, 1963)
95 Only a Hobo (Broadside Ballads Album Version, NYC, 1963)
96 John Brown (Broadside Ballads Album Version, NYC, 1963)
97 All Over You (Informal Recording, NYC, 1963)
Bob Dylan feat. Happy Traum & Gil Turner
98 Oxford Town (Witmark Demo, NYC, 1963)
99 Bob Dylan's Dream (Live at Town Hall, New York, NY - April 1963)
100 Introduction: Walls of Red Wing (Live at Town Hall, New York, NY - April 1963)
101 Walls of Red Wing (Live at Town Hall, New York, NY - April 1963)
102 Introduction: Tomorrow Is a Long Time (Live at Town Hall, New York, NY - April 1963)
103 Tomorrow Is a Long Time (Live at Town Hall, New York, NY - April 1963)
104 Dusty Old Fairgrounds (Live at Town Hall, New York, NY - April 1963)
105 Introduction: Pretty Peggy-O (Live at Town Hall, New York, NY - April 1963)
106 Pretty Peggy-O (Live at Town Hall, New York, NY - April 1963)
107 Who Killed Davey Moore? (Live at Town Hall, New York, NY - April 1963)
108 Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie (Live at Town Hall, New York, NY - April 1963)
109 James Alley Blues (Informal Recording, NYC, 1963)
110 I Rode Out One Morning (Informal Recording, NYC, 1963)
111 House Of The Rising Sun (Informal Recording, NYC, 1963)
112 Talkin' World War III Blues (Live at Club 47, Cambridge, MA, 1963)
113 Masters of War (Freewheelin' Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)
114 Girl from the North Country (Freewheelin' Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)
115 Introduction by Cordell Reagon (SNCC Rally, Greenwood, MS, 1963)
116 Only a Pawn in Their Game (SNCC Rally, Greenwood, MS, 1963)
117 Blowin' in the Wind (SNCC Rally, Greenwood, MS, 1963)
118 Eternal Circle (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1963)
119 Liverpool Gal (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1963)
120 West Memphis (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1963)
Bob Dylan feat. Tony Glover
121 North Country Blues (Live at Newport Folk Festival, RI, 1963)
122 With God on Our Side (Live at Newport Folk Festival, RI, 1963)
Bob Dylan feat. Joan Baez
123 Playboys and Playgirls (Live at Newport Folk Festival, RI, 1963)
Bob Dylan feat. Pete Seeger
124 Blowin' in the Wind (Live at Newport Folk Festival, RI, 1963)
Bob Dylan feat. Joan Baez, Peter, Paul and Mary, The Freedom Singers & Pete Seeger
125 Slate: Boots of Spanish Leather (The Times They Are A-Changin' Sessions, NYC, 1963)
126 Boots of Spanish Leather (The Times They Are A-Changin' Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)
127 Seven Curses (The Times They Are A-Changin' Outtake, NYC, 1963)
128 Farewell (The Times They Are A-Changin' Outtake, NYC, 1963)
129 Bob Dylan's New Orleans Rag (The Times They Are A-Changin' Outtake, NYC, 1963)
130 Moonshiner (The Times They Are A-Changin' Outtake, NYC, 1963)
131 Introduction by Joan Baez (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, NYC, 1963)
132 Troubled and I Don't Know Why (Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, NYC, 1963)
Bob Dylan feat. Joan Baez
133 Introduction by Ossie Davis (March on Washington, Washington, D.C., 1963)
134 When the Ship Comes In (March on Washington, Washington, D.C., 1963)
Bob Dylan feat. Joan Baez
135 The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (Party, Los Angeles, 1963)
136 The Times They Are A-Changin' (Informal Recording, California, 1963)
137 One Too Many Mornings (The Times They Are A-Changin' Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)
138 Key to the Highway (The Times They Are A-Changin' Outtake, NYC, 1963)
139 The Times They Are A-Changin' (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - October 1963)
140 Ballad of Hollis Brown (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - October 1963)
141 Introduction: Who Killed Davey Moore? (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
142 Who Killed Davey Moore? (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - October 1963)
143 Boots of Spanish Leather (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - October 1963)
144 Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - October 1963)
145 Lay Down Your Weary Tune (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - October 1963)
146 Introduction: Blowin' in the Wind (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
147 Blowin' in the Wind (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - October 1963)
148 Introduction: Percy's Song (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
149 Percy's Song (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
150 Seven Curses (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
151 Walls of Red Wing (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - October 1963)
152 Introduction: North Country Blues (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
153 North Country Blues (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - October 1963)
154 A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
155 Talkin' World War III Blues (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
156 Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
157 Story: Hootenanny Hoot (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
158 With God on Our Side (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - October 1963)
159 Only a Pawn in Their Game (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
160 Introduction: Masters of War (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
161 Masters of War (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - October 1963)
162 Introduction: The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
163 The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
164 Introduction: When the Ship Comes In (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
165 When the Ship Comes In (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY - 1963)
I just placed an order. I’m really excited. I honestly find all of Bob Dylan’s work fascinating. It all fits within the context of being created by possibly the greatest songwriter ever. On May 24 this year I woke up and started listening to Bob’s albums from start to finish. On the first day, I got from the first album up through Slow Train Coming. The second day I finished the latter half of his recordings. I have to say, I was really struck by how much I enjoyed his very first album. It really is an excellent album. And, while I find his 21st-century work perhaps his most compelling, I know I will love doing a deep dive into his early days.
Indeed Bill Pagel needs to be thanked for all he does online, over decades, with love for the Bob Dylan fans around the world. 🌺🌹👌🌻🌷👌🌞💥 Thank you so much 💥