I do believe "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" is the most beautiful song Bob Dylan has written so far. Words can't express what this song means to me, ever since it was released in 1981, so I won't even try (yet). The only live performance of this song I had witnessed until 2003 was the fourth ever in Hamburg 1984, but I do enjoy each and every field recording of this unique gem I could get so far.

As my wife Catina and I used to live 50 miles east of Cologne, we would have witnessed the fine Cologne performance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in May 2000, if we would not have moved to Ireland in September 1999. Bob performed "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" once more in 2000, in Maryland, at the end of the US-summer-tour.

The first performance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in 2001 was seen by lucky 2300 people in Hamamatsu, Japan, in March. The second performance of 2001 could be witnessed in November, in Grand Rapids, Michigan (with a harp solo at the end), and the third one only three days after that, in Michigan again, Detroit this time.

Of all those songs, Bob has played in each and every year since he has started his never-ending tour, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" is the only one he has performed less than 100 times since 1988. This pearl appeared only a few times each year, until fall 2003.

The first appearance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in 2002 was in Stuttgart in April, two songs after "SOLID ROCK", in a show which had started with "HALLELUJAH I'M READY TO GO". The second performance in 2002 was in Germany as well, eleven days later, in Oberhausen (again, my wife and I would have seen it, if we would not have moved to Ireland in 1999). Unfortunately it was not performed in Britain in May.

But already in August 2002 it was performed again, in Saint John, Canada, as Bob included "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in one of those Canadian shows which he had started with "I AM THE MAN THOMAS". In Berkeley in October "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed by Bob on acoustic guitar, during its first California appearance since 1995. Five weeks later in Boston "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" again was performed by Bob on acoustic guitar.

Half a year later, in Asheville, North Carolina, Bob Dylan gave the first performance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in 2003, on the piano, followed directly by "DIGNITY" and "BLIND WILLIE MCTELL", presenting to one lucky audience a string of three of the finest songs written in the eighties. In July, in Kelseyville, California, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" did not precede "DIGNITY", but followed it.

In August, in New York City, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed on the second night of the three performances at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

The fourth appearance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in 2003 was during the first European show in Helsinki. Next it was performed two days later, in Stockholm, on my 40th birthday. My wife and I were present during this special occasion, standing in awe in front of our second row seats, as Bob Dylan sang a sublime version of this gem, telling the audience that he is "hanging in the balance of some perfect finished plan".

Already on the next day, in Karlstad, we saw "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" again. And one day after this, it appeared in Oslo. It next was performed in Gothenburg, in Copenhagen, in Berlin, and in Leipzig; then also in Prague, and in Budapest, where it appeared in the same set as the first "TRYIN' TO GET TO HEAVEN" in more than 26 months.

The next performances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" were in Graz, Vienna and Munich; then in Bolzano, Rome and Milan, before it appeared in Zurich, in Freiburg, and in Frankfurt, where my wife and I got to see it for the third time in four weeks. This fine Frankfurt version started with an extremely fine harp solo, and was delivered word perfect, not one slip.

After this "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" appeared also during both shows in Amsterdam, during the second show again in the same set as the rare "TRYIN' TO GET TO HEAVEN". The next performances of were in Brussels, in Paris, and in London, before I had the honour to witness another sublime word perfect version of this gem in Dublin, which surpassed even the great versions I witnessed in Frankfurt and Stockholm. Bob was really into that song in Dublin, very committed to convey those beautiful confessions contained therein.

The Millstreet concert had been cancelled, so the last two appearances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in 2003 were in Sheffield and in Birmingham.

Already in the first show of 2004, in Tulsa, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed again, for the first time ever in the same set list as "SAVING GRACE". A few days later, during the third show in St. Louis, both songs were performed again in the same show. The next appearances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" were in Chicago's Aragon Ballroom and Riviera Theatre. One week later "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed in Milwaukee; and four days after that in Detroit.

Some weeks later, in April 2004, Bob performed "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in Boone, North Carolina. Two months after that, during the second show in June 2004, in Uncasville, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed in the same set as the rare "RING THEM BELLS".

During the European tour, which started later that month, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed in Glasgow, in the same show as "TRYING TO GET TO HEAVEN" and "FOREVER YOUNG". Three days later, in Belfast, I had the pleausere to witness "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" once again, and of course it was one of the peaks of a very fine show. One week later, in Como, in July, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" appeared in the same show as the third "A HARD RAIN'S A-GONNA FALL" of the year.

Two days later, at the next show in St. Etienne, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed in the same show as "STANDING IN THE DOORWAY". Another two days later, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" appeared in Barcelona. In August 2004 Bob played "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in Sevierville, Tennessee.

In October 2004 "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed twice in California, in Santa Clara and in Irvine, before it appeared in Columbia, Missouri, in the same set as "TRYIN' TO GET TO HEAVEN". Three days later, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" shared once more a setlist with "A HARD RAIN'S A-GONNA FALL".

The next performance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was in Columbus, Ohio, two days after the US election, as part of a brilliant set list which also included "DIGNITY", "BLIND WILLIE MCTELL", "TRYIN' TO GET TO HEAVEN", and the fourth ever performance of "PO' BOY".

Six days later, in Toledo, Ohio, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" appeared again in the same show as "TRYIN' TO GET TO HEAVEN"; and ten days after that, in Amherst, Massachusetts, during the penultimate show of the year 2004, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed in the same set as "DIGNITY", "PO' BOY", and "STANDING IN THE DOORWAY".

The first appearance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in 2005 was in March in Oakland. A little over a week later, in Los Angeles, on Good Friday, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed in a concert which had started with "CAT'S IN THE WELL", and which also included "SEÑOR", "SHOOTING STAR", and "STANDING IN THE DOORWAY".

In April 2005, at the last of five concerts in Chicago, Bob Dylan chose to perform "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in a very unusual slot, as the first of two encore songs. Ten days after this, during the second Boston show, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" appeared together with "BLIND WILLIE MCTELL" and "FOREVER YOUNG".

During the May to July stadium tour of 2005, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed only once, in the same set as "BLIND WILLIE MCTELL", in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Toward the end of July, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" appeared in Missoula, Montana, in the same show as "TRYIN' TO GET TO HEAVEN".

The next performance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was during the opening show of the European fall tour, in Stockholm, Sweden, once more in the same set as "CAT'S IN THE WELL". The next appearance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was almost four weeks later during the third of five Sunday shows of the tour, in Zürich, Switzerland, as part of one of the finest sets in the fall of 2005, including also the only "STANDING IN THE DOORWAY" of the tour, as well as the obligatory Sunday songs that fall, "SEÑOR" and "GOD KNOWS". A very powerful combination.

A few days later "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed in Glasgow, Scotland, and a week after that during the last of five London shows, before it appeared for a fifth time that fall, during the second Dublin show, which was the last show of the touring year, and also the last Sunday show, thus including again both "SEÑOR" and "GOD KNOWS". My wife and I had the pleasure to stand at the center of the rail during this fine performance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND".

It was the peak of this awesome Dublin Sunday concert for me, as it was a word perfect rendition of this most beautiful song Bob Dylan ever wrote. It was as fitting a choice for the last show of the tour as it was for the first one. The Swedish, the Swiss, the Scottish, the English, and the Irish got to hear this time around those most meaningful lyrics of the entire tour, as Bob Dylan confessed to his audience: "I can see the Master's hand in every leaf that trembles, in every grain of sand. … Then onward in my journey I come to understand that every hair is numbered like every grain of sand. … I am hanging in the balance of a perfect finished plan, like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand."

During the sixth show of the 2006 spring tour, in Sun City West, Arizona, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed again in the same set as "GOD KNOWS", as it was in Zurich and Dublin during the previous tour. Six days later, on Good Friday 2006, Bob Dylan chose to convey the wonderful lyrics of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" to his audience in San Antonio, Texas. One audience member wrote it was "the fulcrum on which the show seemed to pivot, ... just splendid".

Already on the next day, on the night before Easter Sunday 2006, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" appeared again, in Grand Prairie, Texas, in a sublime version, including a harp solo after the last verse, and of course Bob's organ playing, which already had embellished the first two 2006 performances of this gem. A few weeks later, in the beginning of May, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" appeared in Davidson, North Carolina.

The first performance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" during the summer tour in Europe was at the end of June, in Bournemouth, England. The second one was in mid July, in Le Cannet, France, in the same show as the third "BLIND WILLIE MCTELL" of the tour; and the third appearance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was four days after that, in Paestum, Italy. During the next show, in Foggia, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed again, this time in the same set as "A HARD RAIN'S A-GONNA FALL".

A month later, during the US summer tour, "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" appeared in Washington, Pennsylvania, once more in the same set as "BLIND WILLIE MCTELL". During the fall tour of 2006 "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed in two of the 29 shows, in San Diego and Boston. The first two appearances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in 2007 were during the North American summer tour.

The first of two appearances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in 2008 was in Helsinki, Finland in June; the second was in November in Kanata, Ontario, Canada (in the same set as "NOT DARK YET", "I BELIEVE IN YOU", and "BLIND WILLIE MCTELL").

In 2009 "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed twice during the European spring tour, in April in Germany (in the same set as "GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY" and "I BELIEVE IN YOU"), and then in May in Scotland. The next appearance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was during the second Chicago show of the 2009 fall tour, and eight days after this an awesome version of this gem was performed during the only Canadian show of the year. Once more it appeared in 2009, one week later, during the second Boston show.

The first two performances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in 2010 were in March in Japan, once in Nagoya, and once in Tokyo. Both were delivered very beautifully and word perfect by Dylan, with fine harmonica playing. In August 2010 "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed in California, and in October 2010 a very beautiful version of this gem appeared in Florida.

In 2011 "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed by Bob Dylan only once, in Denmark, in June. Ten months later, in April 2012, Bob Dylan chose to perform "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" during his first of two shows in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The next appearance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was in Austria in July (one day after I had heard Dylan's band already practice this song during the sound check in Bad Mergentheim), with Bob Dylan playing his grand piano, and his harmonica, and I was blessed to be a part of the audience, in row 20 of the Salzburgarena, but with my binoculars it was like sitting in the first row. One week later. in Cap Roig, Spain, Dylan chose to sing an even more focused and intense version of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" while playing his grand piano.

During the North American summer tour of 2012 "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed twice in September, in Big Flats, New York, and in Holyoke, Massachusetts; and during the North American fall tour of 2012 Bob Dylan chose to sing another two sublime versions of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND", in Las Vegas, Nevada, and in Omaha, Nebraska.

The one and only appearance of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" during the "static set list year" 2013 was during the first of the two "mix up" shows in Rome in November, in the middle of Dylan's fine European autumn tour. This made 2013 (after 2011 and 1996) the third year of the never ending tour where this gem was only performed once, however this number sadly went down to zero for the following six touring years years 2014 to 2019.

In November of 2021, Bob Dylan chose to bring the best song he ever wrote back to the stage, to close the third concert of his US tour with it, in Cleveland, Ohio. Already one day later, an even more focused version closed the show in Columbus, Ohio. It was the first time since 2006 that "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed during consecutive shows. The next day "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" also closed the set in Bloomington, Indiana; which made this the first time since March 2004 that this song was performed during three consecutive shows.

"EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed also at the end of all the following shows of the tour, which made this the first time since the glorious European tour in October and November 2003 that this gem of a song was performed during more than three consecutive shows.

Five of all ten performances ever in the state of New York of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" occurred from November 19-24, 2021.

Four of all eight performances ever in the state of Pennsylvania of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" occurred from November 15-30, 2021.

Three of all seven performances ever in the state of Ohio of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" occurred from November 6-9, 2021.

This US fall tour also saw the first ever performance of of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in the state of Kentucky, as well as in the state of West Virginia, and in the state of Rhode Island.

These 19 consecutive performances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" in the four weeks from November 5th of 2021 to December 2nd of 2021 are also the largest number of appearances of this song in the US within any given year so far; the record before was 16 US appearances in 2004, stretched out all the way from February to November of that year.

Nineteen performances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" is also a world record so far, regarding appearances in consecutive shows; however they were not the most appearances during a single tour leg, as there is always Europe 1984 and Europe 2003 to consider.

During the 1984 tour in Europe "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed in 26 out of 27 shows; it was not performed during the second of the three shows in Rome, however it was performed during 16 consecutive shows before that second Rome concert, and during 10 consecutive shows after that second Rome concert.

During the 2003 European fall tour "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed in 27 out of 33 shows; it was not performed during the two Hamburg shows, not performed in Düsseldorf, and not performed during the three shows in London at the end of the tour; however it was performed during 6 consecutive shows before Hamburg, during 13 consecutive shows between Hamburg and Düsseldorf, and during 8 consecutive shows between Düsseldorf and London.

Those nineteen consecutive performances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" this fall are also all the more remarkable, as they occurred after the longest break by far this song has ever had since it was written in 1980. It had been eight years since the previous appearance in Rome in November 2013.

After the live debut during the last show of 1981 it was performed next after two and a half years during those European shows in 1984. Then it rested again for four years until July 1988; and from 1988 all the way to 2013 "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed at least once or twice each year, often more frequently, but never resting for more than twelve months.

2021 was only the sixth year ever during which "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was performed in double digits:

2003 had 30 performances
1984 had 26 performances
2004 had 21 performances
2021 had 19 performances
2005 had 11 performances
2006 had 11 performances

So 2021 brought the total number of appearances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" from 185 to 204; my hope for 2022-2024 is at least the surpassing or the 250 mark.

Another very special thing about those nineteen performances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" this fall is the fact that Bob Dylan never before chose this great song to close his concerts. To my ears and in my book these were the best concert closing songs since the 65 performances of “Pressing On”, which had closed almost all the concerts from November 1979 to May 1980; and that was just a few months before "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was written and first rehearsed.

“When it all come from within” // “There's a dyin' voice within me reaching out somewhere”

“Temptation’s not an easy thing” // “I gaze into the doorway of temptation's angry flame”

“I’m pressing on to the higher calling of my Lord” // “Onward in my journey I come to understand”


During the US tour in March and April of 2022 "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" continued to be the song which Bob Dylan chose to close all of his 28 concerts with; and during the US tour in May, June and July of 2022 "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" was also performed by Bob Dylan on every stage, as the last song of 22 of the 25 concerts (as it appeared only twice in Oakland, and only once in Los Angeles).

So with another 50 appearances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" already from March to July 2022 (including the first performances ever of this song in the States of New Mexico, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina, Arkansas, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah), Dylan has decided to keep this song as his concert closer during the European fall tour in September, October, and November of 2022, adding another 29 European appearances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND", making it 79 performances in 2022, a yearly record by far. And I got to see Dylan perform this gem another six times, in Paris, in Glasgow, and then at the final show of the year in Dublin (which I attended together with my 12 year old son).

In 2023, during his April tour in Japan, Bob Dylan also closed all eleven concerts with performances of "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND", six of which I had the privilege to witness myself, on my first ever journey to the far east. And during the European tour in June and July of 2023 "EVERY GRAIN OF SAND" closed as well all 24 concerts.






Biblical references:


~ Matthew 10 ~

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.


~ Luke 12 ~

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.


~ Ephesians 1 ~

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.


~ Hebrews 10 ~

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.