WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE




WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE





lyrics as performed since 2018:



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

Gonna wash my clothes, scrape off all the grease

Gonna lock the doors and turn my back on the world for a while

Gonna stay right there ’til I paint my masterpiece


Oh, the hours I’ve spent inside the Coliseum

Dodging lions with a mean and hungry look

Oh, those mighty kings of the jungle, I could hardly stand to see ’em

I can see them coming, I can read their faces like a book

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 different

When I paint my masterpiece


Sailin’ around the world full of crimson and clover

Sometimes I feel like my cup is running over


I left Rome and landed in Brussels

On a plane ride so bumpy that it made me ill

Clergymen in uniform and young girls pullin’ muscles

Everyone was there to meet me coming down the hill

Newspapermen eating candy

Had to be held down by big police

Someday, everything is gonna be beautiful

When I paint my masterpiece

























PERFORMANCES SINCE 2018



SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, JULY 27, 2018

Naeba Ski Resort, Yuzawa-cho, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, JULY 29, 2018

Taipei, Taiwan, AUGUST 2, 2018

Hong Kong, AUGUST 4, 2018

SINGAPORE, AUGUST 6, 2018

PERTH, AUSTRALIA, AUGUST 8, 2018

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA, AUGUST 11, 2018

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, AUGUST 13, 2018

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, AUGUST 14, 2018

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, AUGUST 18, 2018

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, AUGUST 19, 2018

WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA, AUGUST 20, 2018

NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA, AUGUST 22, 2018

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, AUGUST 24, 2018

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, AUGUST 26, 2018

CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND, AUGUST 28, 2018

PHOENIX, ARIZONA, OCTOBER 4, 2018

TUSCON, ARIZONA, OCTOBER 5, 2018

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, OCTOBER 7, 2018

MIDLAND, TEXAS, OCTOBER 9, 2018

IRVING, TEXAS, OCTOBER 10, 2018

TULSA, OKLAHOMA, OCTOBER 12, 2018

THACKERVILLE, OKLAHOMA, OCTOBER 13, 2018

SUGAR LAND, TEXAS, OCTOBER 14, 2018

LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, OCTOBER 16, 2018

MOBILE, ALABAMA, OCTOBER 17, 2018

ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, OCTOBER 19, 2018

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA, OCTOBER 20, 2018

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, OCTOBER 21, 2018

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA, OCTOBER 23, 2018

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, OCTOBER 24, 2018

ORLANDO, FLORIDA, OCTOBER 26, 2018

MACON, GEORGIA, OCTOBER 27, 2018

CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, OCTOBER 28, 2018

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA, OCTOBER 30, 2018

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, OCTOBER 31, 2018

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA, NOVEMBER 3, 2018

NORTH CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, NOVEMBER 4, 2018

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, NOVEMBER 9, 2018

ROANOKE, VIRGINA, NOVEMBER 10, 2018

RICHMOND, KENTUCK, NOVEMBER 11, 2018

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, NOVEMBER 13, 2018

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 14, 2018

UTICA, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 15, 2018

ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY, NOVEMBER 17, 2018

SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, NOVEMBER 18, 2018

WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 23, 2018

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 24, 2018

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 26, 2018

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 27, 2018

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 29, 2018

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 30, 2018

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 1, 2018

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, DECEMBER 3, 2018

DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY, MARCH 31,2019

WÜRZBURG, GERMANY, APRIL 2, 2019

BERLIN, GERMANY, APRIL 4, 2019

MAGDEBURG, GERMANY, APRIL 5, 2019

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC, APRIL 7, 2019

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC, APRIL 8, 2019

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC, APRIL 9, 2019

PARIS, FRANCE, APRIL 11, 2019

PARIS, FRANCE, APRIL 12, 2019

PARIS, FRANCE, APRIL 13, 2019

VIENNA, AUSTRIA, APRIL 16, 2019

VIENNA, AUSTRIA, APRIL 17, 2019

INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA, APRIL 19, 2019

AUGSBURG, GERMANY, APRIL 20, 2019

LOCARNO, SWITZERLAND, APRIL 22, 2019

PAMPLONA, SPAIN, APRIL 25, 2019

BILBAO, SPAIN, APRIL 26, 2019

GIJON, SPAIN, APRIL 28, 2019

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, SPAIN, APRIL 29, 2019

PORTO, PORTUGAL, MAY 1, 2019

SEVILLA, SPAIN, MAY 3, 2019

FUENGIROLA, SPAIN, MAY 4, 2019

MURCIA, SPAIN, MAY 5, 2019

VALENCIA, SPAIN, MAY 7, 2019

BERGEN, NORWAY, JUNE 21, 2019

HELSINKI, FINLAND, JUNE 24, 2019

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, JUNE 26, 2019

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN, JUNE 28, 2019

OSLO, NORWAY, JUNE 29, 2019

KARLSTAD, SWEDEN, JUNE 30, 2019

HAMBURG, GERMANY, JULY 5, 2019

BRAUNSCHWEIG, GERMANY, JULY 6, 2019

MAINZ, GERMANY, JULY 7, 2019

ERFURT, GERMANY, JULY 9, 2019

STUTTGART, GERMANY, JULY 10, 2019

LONDON, ENGLAND, JULY 12, 2019

KILKENNY, IRELAND, JULY 14, 2019

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, OCTOBER 11, 2019

SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, OCTOBER 12, 2019

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, OCTOBER 14, 2019

DENVER, COLORADO, OCTOBER 17, 2019

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, OCTOBER 19, 2019

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, OCTOBER 20, 2019

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, OCTOBER 22, 2019

AMES, IOWA, OCTOBER 23, 2019

MANKATO, MINNESOTA, OCTOBER 24, 2019

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, OCTOBER 26, 2019

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA, OCTOBER 27, 2019

NORMAL, ILLINOIS, OCTOBER 29, 2019

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, OCTOBER 30, 2019

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, NOVEMBER 1, 2019

MUNCIE, INDIANA, NOVEMBER 2, 2019

COLUMBUS, OHIO, NOVEMBER 4, 2019

EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN, NOVEMBER 5, 2019

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, NOVEMBER 6, 2019

HEIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KENTUCKY, NOVEMBER 8, 2019

AKRON, OHIO, NOVEMBER 9, 2019

MOON TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA, NOVEMBER 10, 2019

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, NOVEMBER 12, 2019

PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, NOVEMBER 13, 2019

UNIVERSITY PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, NOVEMBER 15, 2019

ITHACA, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 19, 2019

LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, NOVEMBER 19, 2019

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, NOVEMBER 20, 2019

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, NOVEMBER 21, 2019

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 23, 2019

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 24, 2019

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 26, 2019

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 27, 2019

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 29, 2019

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 30, 2019

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 2, 2019

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 3, 2019

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 5, 2019

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 6, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C., DECEMBER 8, 2019

SHADOW KINGDOM, CALIFORNIA, MAY 2021

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, NOVEMBER 3, 2021

CLEVELAND, OHIO, NOVEMBER 5, 2021

COLUMBUS, OHIO, NOVEMBER 6, 2021

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA, NOVEMBER 7, 2021

CINCINNATI, OHIO, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, NOVEMBER 10, 2021

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, NOVEMBER 12, 2021

CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA, NOVEMBER 13, 2021

MOON TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA, NOVEMBER 15, 2021

HERSHEY, PENNSYLVANIA, NOVEMBER 16, 2021

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 19, 2021

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 20, 2021

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 21, 2021

PORT CHESTER, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 23, 2021

PORT CHESTER, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 24, 2021

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, NOVEMBER 26, 2021

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, NOVEMBER 27, 2021

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, NOVEMBER 29, 2021

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, NOVEMBER 30, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C., DECEMBER 2, 2021

Phoenix, Arizona, March 3, 2022

Tuscon, Arizona, March 4, 2022

Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 6, 2022

Lubbock, Texas, March 8, 2022

Irving, Texas, March 10, 2022

Sugar Land, Texas, March 11, 2022

San Antonio, Texas, March 13, 2022

San Antonio, Texas, March 14, 2022

Austin, Texas, March 16, 2022

Shreveport, Louisiana, March 18, 2022

New Orleans, Louisiana, March 19, 2022

Montgomery, Alabama, March 21, 2022

Nashville, Tennessee, March 23, 2022

Atlanta, Georgia, March 24, 2022

Savannah, Georgia, March 26, 2022

North Charleston, South Carolina, March 27, 2022

Columbia, South Carolina, March 29, 2022

Charlotte, North Carolina, March 30, 2022

Greensboro, North Carolina, April 1, 2022

Asheville, North Carolina, April 2, 2022

Chattanooga, Tennessee, April 4, 2022

Birmingham, Alabama, April 5, 2022

Mobile, Alabama, April 7, 2022

Meridian, Mississippi, April 8, 2022

Memphis, Tennessee, April 9, 2022

Little Rock, Arkansas, April 11, 2022

Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 13, 2022

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, April 14, 2022

Spokane, Washington, May 28, 2022

Kennewick, Washington, May 29, 2022

Portland, Oregon, May 31, 2022

Seattle, Washington, June 1, 2022

Seattle, Washington, June 2, 2022

Eugene, Oregon, June 5, 2022

Redding, California, June 7, 2022

Oakland, California, June 9, 2022

Oakland, California, June 10, 2022

Oakland, California, June 11, 2022

Los Angeles, California, June 14, 2022

Los Angeles, California, June 15, 2022

Los Angeles, California, June 16, 2022

San Diego, California, June 18, 2022

Long Beach, California, June 20, 2022

Santa Barbara, California, June 22, 2022

Santa Cruz, California, June 23, 2022

Sacramento, California, June 25, 2022

Bend, Oregon, June 27, 2022

Boise, Idaho, June 28, 2022

Salt Lake City, Utah, June 30, 2022

Grand Junction, Colorado, July 1, 2022

Dillon, Colorado, July 3, 2022

Denver, Colorado, July 5, 2022

Denver, Colorado, July 6, 2022

Oslo, Norway, September 25, 2022

Stockholm, Sweden, September 27, 2022

Gothenburg, Sweden, September 29, 2022

Copenhagen, Denmark, September 30, 2022

Flensburg, Germany, October 2, 2022

Magdeburg, Germany, October 3, 2022

Berlin, Germany, October 5, 2022

Berlin, Germany, October 6, 2022

Berlin, Germany, October 7, 2022

Krefeld, Germany, October 9, 2022

Paris, France, October 11, 2022

Paris, France, October 12, 2022

Paris, France, October 13, 2022

Brussels, Belgium, October 15, 2022

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, October 16, 2022

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, October 17, 2022

London, England, October 19, 2022

London, England, October 20, 2022

London, England, October 23, 2022

London, England, October 24, 2022

Cardiff, Wales, October 26, 2022

Hull, England, October 27, 2022

Nottingham, England, October 28, 2022

Glasgow, Scotland, October 30, 2022

Glasgow, Scotland, October 31, 2022

Manchester, England, November 2, 2022

Oxford, England, November 4, 2022

Bournemouth, England, November 5, 2022

Dublin, Ireland, November 7, 2022

Osaka, Japan, April 6, 2023

Osaka, Japan, April 7, 2023

Osaka, Japan, April 8, 2023

Tokyo, Japan, April 11, 2023

Tokyo, Japan, April 12, 2023

Tokyo, Japan, April 14, 2023

Tokyo, Japan, April 15, 2023

Tokyo, Japan, April 16, 2023

Nagoya, Japan, April 18, 2023

Nagoya, Japan, April 19, 2023

Nagoya, Japan, April 20, 2023

Porto, Portugal, June 2, 2023

Lisbon, Portugal, June 4, 2023

Lisbon, Portugal, June 5, 2023

Madrid, Spain, June 7, 2023

Madrid, Spain, June 8, 2023

Seville, Spain, June 10, 2023

Seville, Spain, June 11, 2023

Granada, Spain, June 13, 2023

Alicante, Spain, June 15, 2023

San Sebastian, Spain, June 19, 2023

San Sebastian, Spain, June 20, 2023

Logrono, Spain, June 21, 2023

Barcelona, Spain, June 23, 2023

Barcelona, Spain, June 24, 2023

Carcassonne, France, June 26, 2023

Aix-en-Provence, France, June 27, 2023

Lyon, France, June 29, 2023

Lyon, France, June 30, 2023

Montreux, Switzerland, July 1, 2023

Milan, Italy, July 3, 2023

Milan, Italy, July 4, 2023

Lucca, Italy, July 6, 2023

Perugia, Italy, July 7, 2023

Rome, Italy, July 9, 2023

Kansas City, MO, October 1, 2023

Kansas City, MO, October 2, 2023

St. Louis, MO, October 4, 2023

Chicago, IL, October 6, 2023

Chicago, IL, October 7, 2023

Chicago, IL, October 8, 2023

Milwaukee, WI, October 11, 2023

Milwaukee, WI, October 12, 2023

Grand Rapids, MI, October 14, 2023

Indianapolis, IN, October 16, 2023

Indianapolis, IN, October 17, 2023

Cincinnati, OH, October 20, 2023

Akron, OH, October 21, 2023

Erie, PA, October 23, 2023

Rochester, NY, October 24, 2023

Toronto, ON, Canada, October 26, 2023

Toronto, ON, Canada, October 27, 2023

Montreal, QB, Canada, October 29, 2023

Schenectady, NY, October 30, 2023

Boston, MA, November 3, 2023

Boston, MA, November 4, 2023

Boston, MA, November 5, 2023

Port Chester, NY, November 7, 2023

Port Chester, NY, November 8, 2023

Providence, RI, November 10, 2023

Waterbury, CT, November 11, 2023

Springfield, MA, November 12, 2023

Brooklyn, New York City, NY, November 14, 2023

Brooklyn, New York City, NY, November 15, 2023

Manhattan, New York City, NY, November 16, 2023

Philadelphia, PA, November 19, 2023

Newark, NJ, November 20, 2023

Newark, NJ, November 21, 2023

Baltimore, MD, November 24, 2023

Baltimore, MD, November 25, 2023

Richmond, VA, November 27, 2023

Roanoke, VA, November 29, 2023

Huntington, WV, November 30, 2023

Richmond, KY, December 2, 2023

Evansville, IN, December 3, 2023








In the summer of 2018 Bob Dylan started to include a new rewritten version of "WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE" into his concerts, and it has been performed at almost every show ever since. I first had the pleasure to see the song being performed in Prague in April 2019, three times; and then in July 2019 in Kilkenny.

In 2021 "WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE" was the first song of the "Shadow Kingdom" broadcast online stream, with a new arrangement, and the same rewritten lyrics. This version was also performed in concert during twenty shows of the US fall tour of 2021.

During the US tour in March and April of 2022 "WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE" continued to be included in all of his 28 concerts, and during the US tour in May, June and July of 2022 "WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE" was also performed in all 25 concerts. During the European fall tour in September, October, and November of 2022 "WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE" appeared also in all 29 concerts.

In 2023, during his April tour in Japan, Bob Dylan also performed eleven more really beautiful versions of "WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE", six of which I had the privilege to witness myself, on my first ever journey to the far east. During the European tour in June and July of 2023 "WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE" appeared as well in all 24 shows; and the North American fall tour of 2023 included another 40 performances of "WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE".


















Biblical reference:


~ Psalm 23 ~


The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

















~ MP3 ~ WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE ~
~ PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC ~ APRIL 7, 2019 ~






~ MP3 ~ WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE ~
~ SHADOW KINGDOM, CALIFORNIA ~ MAY 2021 ~



~ MP3 ~ WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE ~
~ CLEVELAND, OHIO ~ NOVEMBER 05, 2021 ~
[soomlos recording]



~ MP3 ~ WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE ~
~ COLUMBUS, OHIO ~ NOVEMBER 06, 2021 ~
[soomlos recording]



~ MP3 ~ WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE ~
~ TULSA, OKLAHOMA ~ APRIL 13, 2022 ~
[soomlos recording]



~ MP3 ~ WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE ~
~ EUGENE, OREGON ~ JUNE 05, 2022 ~
[soomlos recording]



~ MP3 ~ WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE ~
~ BEND, OREGON ~ JUNE 27, 2022 ~
[soomlos recording]



~ MP3 ~ WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE ~
~ BOISE, IDAHO ~ JUNE 28, 2022 ~
[soomlos recording]





~ MP3 ~ WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE ~
~ OSLO, NORWAY ~ SEPTEMBER 25, 2022 ~



~ MP3 ~ WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE ~
~ GLASGOW, SCOTLAND ~ OCTOBER 30, 2022 ~