Treasures rediscovered: (8) Ronnie Drew and Eleanor Shanley perform Dylan's Boots of Spanish Leather
May 25, 2022
May 2022 update: Bob Dylan's 81st gave the prolific and much-followed Twitterman Eric Alper a perfect excuse to ask one of those questions of his: effectively 'name your favourite Dylan cover'. I reported it at this link and listed a few of my own nominations, including the 'treasure rediscovered' in this piece. When linked at Facebook, among them this site's own group, one for Bob Dylan fans and the brilliant Uncharted Jukebox, my article attracted lots of other suggestions, citing a wide range of singers and groups who have had a go at the great man's work. The admirable Sunderland-born artist Owen Lennox contributed the tweet that appears if you scroll down ...
Image of Ronnie Drew: showbizireland.com
Two great names from Irish music, drawing on the lyrical and musical eloquence of Bob Dylan, combine in this latest edition of the Treasures rediscovered series ...
Bob Dylan gave me some of my earliest of musical pleasures. I liked him less as he veered further and further from folk, though not especially because he went electric, incurring the wrath of some fairly sad pseudo-purists. If I had not bartered away Blonde on Blonde to pay off a debt (ten bob in old money, worth a bit more than today's conversion of 50p), it would be one of my most prized pieces of vinyl.
... with his rough-edged voice and the twinkling, staring eyes surrounded by that explosion of hair, Ronnie epitomised the name and Joycean inspiration of the band. Do not get the idea that Ronnie was a ramshackle chancer who drifted through his career, fitting a spot of work here and there in the gaps between bouts of serious drinking. I am sure he sank gallons in his time, but he was also a true professional. My abiding memory of him is of seeing him arrive at Brentford early in the evening for a solo gig, smart in a suit and clutching a little case in which he kept the accoutrements of the travelling performer. It was almost like witnessing a conscientious door-to-door salesman preparing for another day's slog around the estates.
More than 116,000 hits have been recorded for the YouTube clip where I rediscovered this particular treasure. One visitor, identified as mark70920, correctly apportioned credit when he left this comment four years ago: "Fantastic version, made for these two to sing. When you hear the song sung this way you realise what an absolute genius Dylan is." * Boots for Spanish Leather appears on a 2000 CD by Ronnie Drew and Eleanor Shanley, A Couple More Years, and can be purchased at the Salut! Live Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000059R2H/salusund-21
** Eleanor Shanley's website is at http://www.eleanorshanley.com/*** The Dubliners continued as a band until 2012, when the last of the founding members, Barney McKenna, died. The rest of the final line-up, with the exception of John Sheahan, decided to tour as The Dublin Legends (comprising Sean Cannon, Eamonn Campbell and Patsy Watchorn - with the addition of Gerry O'Connor). Watchorn has now retired, to be replaced by his brother Paul. News of the band can be found at The Dubliners' site and their own.
And now as promised, Owen Lennox's Dylan-by-others nomination (from a tweet approving my use of one of his Dylan artworks) ....
Not a problem Colin. It's good to see Sunderland going up rather than down. My favourite Dylan covers are ones by Joan Baez. Here's a painting I made of one of her own songs. Now in a private collection. pic.twitter.com/WFj7lel18x
— owen lennox (@gnuimpersonator) May 25, 2022
I enjoyed hearing this version: this song, with it's wide range, is not easy to sing well. I enjoyed Shanley's fluid vocals and Drew's straightforward delivery, although the decision to sing the final verses as a duet seems odd to me.
Posted by: Sharyn Dimmick | May 25, 2022 at 02:17 PM
For once, Sharyn, I agree with every word ...
Posted by: Colin Randall | May 25, 2022 at 05:03 PM
Via Uncharted Jukebox …
Many worthy interpretations of Bob’s songs. Most vocalists that take on a Bob song sing more melodiously than he does. Still I like to the songwriter’s original vision.
Posted by: Paul Harty | May 25, 2022 at 06:19 PM
I interviewed Ronnie Drew once, a VERY long time ago, for the Evening Gazette on Teesside. He was a nice man and, as you say, a total professional. Alas, I was never that keen on his singing. Like Paul Harty, I think Dylan's rendition of "Boots" is best.
Posted by: Bill Taylor | May 25, 2022 at 09:18 PM
@ Colin, Will wonders never cease?
Posted by: Sharyn Dimmick | May 26, 2022 at 02:20 PM