[ ]   [ ]   [ ]                        [ ]      [ ]   [ ]
Bob Dylan — When I Paint My Masterpiece
Album: Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II (Disc 2)
Avg rating:
5.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 120









Released: 1971
Length: 3:18
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Oh, the streets of Rome are filled with rubble,
Ancient footprints are everywhere.
You can almost think that you're seein' double
On a cold, dark night on the Spanish Stairs.
Got to hurry on back to my hotel room,
Where I've got me a date with Botticelli's niece.
She promised that she'd be right there with me
When I paint my masterpiece.

Oh, the hours I've spent inside the Coliseum,
Dodging lions and wastin' time.
Oh, those mighty kings of the jungle, I could hardly stand to see 'em,
Yes, it sure has been a long, hard climb.
Train wheels runnin' through the back of my memory,
When I ran on the hilltop following a pack of wild geese.
Someday, everything is gonna be smooth like a rhapsody
When I paint my masterpiece.

Sailin' 'round the world in a dirty gondola.
Oh, to be back in the land of Coca-Cola!

I left Rome and landed in Brussels,
On a plane ride so bumpy that I almost cried.
Clergymen in uniform and young girls pullin' muscles,
Everyone was there to greet me when I stepped inside.
Newspapermen eating candy
Had to be held down by big police.
Someday, everything is gonna be diff'rent
When I paint my masterpiece.
Comments (12)add comment
One of the few Dylan songs, like Jimi's All Along The Watchtower, where I prefer someone else's cover— Jerry Garcia did a mesmerizing version live (Feb 29, 1980)
indestructable
This song is in my Top 50 of all time.  I absolutely don't understand the "Bob Dylan's voice" dissings/dissection.  Oy!
I'm so sick of this out of key yelping. Geeeez. I have a suggestion...how 'bout instead of playing one of B.D. songs....we just post the lyrics to one of his tunes for the duration of whatever song it is. It'll give a few minutes of silence, but it will be well worth it.
Really peeps... this song get a 6.6?

Who are you? 
 4merdj wrote:
In 1971 Bob Dylan had a good voice {#Devil_pimp}{#Boohoo}
 

Actually Dylan's voice was never really any good, but it sure was fantastic!

 4merdj wrote:
In 1971 Bob Dylan had a good voice {#Devil_pimp}{#Boohoo}
 

Actually, I was thinking just the opposite! 

Bob's an acquired taste. If you're in the mood for his rasping and straining, he's great. But if you have to listen to him directly after hearing a good singer...yeesh.  

@scmerriam: looks like Dylan recorded this song just for Greatest Hits vol. II. The Band covered it and did a better job, IMHO. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_I_Paint_My_Masterpiece

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan%27s_Greatest_Hits_Vol._II

 
Does anyone know how this one ended up on the Greatest Hits II album without ever being on a previous Dylan album? Not that I have any objection to this most excellent song.
In 1971 Bob Dylan had a good voice {#Devil_pimp}{#Boohoo}
I remember hearing this song played by the band back in the 70's...never heard the original version so far...like it!
 Antigone wrote:
This has never been played? Please Bill?
 
Request answered. {#Good-vibes}
This has never been played? Please Bill?