This is from Dylan's 1976 album, Desire. I don't remember it being such a massively long track before, I probably heard some radio edits and 'best of' cuts. There's a big story to tell in this song, so Bob Dylan must have been determined to get the several verses included. Thinking about most Bob Dylan work, the storytelling is king and will come before all other considerations. There's actually a long fade for the finish of this track so I wonder how long they actually went for!
Orchestration:
I quite like the orchestration of this track. There's a nice mix of instruments working together in ways that I don't hear all too often. We've got a rhythm section consisting of drum kit, congas, guitar and bass. On the melodic side is male lead vocals, female backing and the amazing violin. My opinion is that the violin adds a huge portion of interest to this track. It's much more effective at carrying the melody than a second guitar part would be.
Mix:
It sounds balanced the way I would like this track. Above all, Bob's vocals must be clear and comprehensible. The violin gets a bit too loud at points but holds a good spot in the instrumental sections above everything else. The harmonica solo 8 minutes in clashes with the violin a little bit in parts. It wouldn't be Dylan without a good harmonica solo to end the piece with.
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