"Don't Think Twice" by Bob Dylan (cover)

[Glennwillow]

This is my cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice." I learned this song from Peter, Paul & Mary from their third album, "In The Wind." For me, Noel Paul Stookey singing the lead on this song has always been the definitive version of this song, published in 1963, and I learned to sing it from him back in 1964 when I was first learning to play the guitar.

The guitar is my Gerald Sheppard GA, Ave Maria which I purchased from Billy Boy from this forum a few years ago now.

Thanks for listening!

- Glenn

[bluesguy63]

Great job...one of my fav Dylan songs....beautiful guitar....Gerald lives down the road from me. He makes fantastic guitars!

[62&climbing]

That was great. What a voice. And I agree with you on the origin of the definitive version even though it's a Dylan song. I can strum that song with chords all day long from memory, but remembering the words is another talent I'm missing. Great picking and thanks for recording that.

[GGinMP]

Of the best songs of the modern era, and you do it great justice. Beautiful picking, great sounding (and looking!) guitar, and I enjoyed your phrasing and voice. Thanks for sharing.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by bluesguy63

Great job...one of my fav Dylan songs....beautiful guitar....Gerald lives down the road from me. He makes fantastic guitars!

Thank you Bluesguy63!!!

How nice to hear from you! And how cool that Gerald Sheppard lives just down the road from you. I have spoken to him on the phone a time or two and emailed him a few more times. A total gentleman! Really good guy and he is a total class act when it comes to building quality guitars. I love mine!

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by 62&climbing

That was great. What a voice. And I agree with you on the origin of the definitive version even though it's a Dylan song. I can strum that song with chords all day long from memory, but remembering the words is another talent I'm missing. Great picking and thanks for recording that.

Hi 62&climbing!!

Thank you for taking the time to listen and comment! How wonderful that you like the Paul Stookey version of this song, too. And it's true, remembering all the words is a challenge! I had to practice that a few times!!

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by GGinMP

Of the best songs of the modern era, and you do it great justice. Beautiful picking, great sounding (and looking!) guitar, and I enjoyed your phrasing and voice. Thanks for sharing.

Hi GGinMP!

You are most welcome!! And thank you for listening and taking the time to comment! It means a lot!

I'm so very glad that you liked this version!

I also agree that this Sheppard is just gorgeous! Gerald is a tremendous artist! Really fine inlay work!! Not only is the guitar beautiful, it also sounds heavenly!

- Glenn

[islandguitar]

Hi Glenn! Ah, the memories!! Everyone from our era can relate in so many ways.
The key for this song seems to match your voice so well. In this I hear your lower register, which I don't know if I'd heard before. At that level your voice has a great timbre and really resonates, Glenn.
Of course, the guitar is sublime....you have a great collection and this one shines!
Thanks again,
Fred

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by islandguitar

Hi Glenn! Ah, the memories!! Everyone from our era can relate in so many ways.
The key for this song seems to match your voice so well. In this I hear your lower register, which I don't know if I'd heard before. At that level your voice has a great timbre and really resonates, Glenn.
Of course, the guitar is sublime....you have a great collection and this one shines!
Thanks again,
Fred

Thank you Fred!

Thanks so much for you comments!

I seem to remember that Peter, Paul and Mary sang this pitched on capo 2 and I have used capo 3. I have sung this on capo 2 in the past, but then of course the notes go just a little lower. For my voice, I have generally felt more comfortable at capo 3, a tweak higher than where Noel Paul Stookey sang this. But he also had to accommodate the harmonies of Peter Yarrow and Mary Travers, so the slightly lower pitch made sense for them, I think. Or, maybe that's just where Mr. Stookey felt most comfortable.

The song does hit some low notes not normally heard in most pop music these days. But... this is from 1963. Everything didn't have to be sung in the stratosphere back then.

I'm really glad you felt that this sounded good. It sure is a comfortable song for me since I have had it in my repertoire for so many years. Fortunately in my life, there is no one that I have ever felt needed the message of these lyrics.

I knew a young woman many years ago who wanted this sung at her wedding. I suggested maybe it wasn't really appropriate, but it does show how this song seems to have meant a lot to people of our generation.

From this website: http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1822... "Dylan wrote this after his girlfriend Suze Rotolo went off to Italy to study at the University of Perugia and left him in New York. Dylan re-imagined their separation here as him leaving her. Rotolo can be seen walking with Dylan on the cover of the The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan album. An artist and civil rights activist, Rotolo died on February 24, 2011 at age 67."

Regarding that Sheppard guitar, it really is a beauty -- German spruce over Brazilian Rosewood. It has a great range of sound and lots of bass, which I like, but it also has a very nice treble and midrange. And it's a real piece of art! I don't normally see the inlays on the fretboard until I do a video recording with this guitar and then I am reminded of how pretty it is. And it's pretty tasteful -- not over the top at all.

Thanks for listening and commenting Fred!

- Glenn

[Mr. Paul]

I'll echo everything Fred said. I really like the sound of your voice on this one, Glenn. Love the "busy" finger picking that sits just behind the vocals, not getting in the way.

Oh yeah, and that guitar sounds fantastic!

[jazzguy]

Very nice! Thanks for sharing with the community. Beautiful guitar and playing!

[islandguitar]

Thanks Glenn.....some great info there!

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Mr. Paul

I'll echo everything Fred said. I really like the sound of your voice on this one, Glenn. Love the "busy" finger picking that sits just behind the vocals, not getting in the way.

Oh yeah, and that guitar sounds fantastic!

Thank you Paul!

I always appreciate your comments on these songs! And thank you for the compliment on my voice. And on the guitar. It really is a beauty, that Sheppard! I'm very glad you liked this version.

Regarding the busy finger picking, the Peter, Paul and Mary version used a similar version of the Travis pick, although when I listen to their version now, it sounds a little choppier than I remember from 53 years ago. Here is a video of them playing this live. Note that Peter Yarrow uses his thumb (with thumb pick) and only one finger (using a plastic finger pick) to play the Travis pick. Paul Stookey uses a similar pick on his nylon string guitar with his bare fingers.



I had commented earlier that I thought P,P&M played this in D with capo on the 2nd fret but it looks like Peter Yarrow has his capo on the 3rd fret, which is where I played the song for this OP video on this thread. To me, it sounds like Paul Stookey is singing at the same pitch as I was. So I'm not sure where I got that 2nd fret stuff.

Thanks,
Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by jazzguy

Very nice! Thanks for sharing with the community. Beautiful guitar and playing!

Hi Jazzguy,

Thank you very much for your comments! I very much appreciate that you took the time to listen and comment! And of course, I'm very gratified that you like my version here.

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by islandguitar

Thanks Glenn.....some great info there!

You're very welcome, Fred!

- Glenn