STAND BY ME

On February 6th 2015, in Los Angeles, after being presented by President Jimmy Carter with the MusiCares Person of the Year 2015 award, Bob Dylan delivered a long acceptance speech (published online by Rolling Stone three days later). Here is a small part of that speech which included a reading of the first three of five verses of the beautiful gospel song "Stand By Me" from 1905, written by Charles Albert Tindley.

"... The Blackwood Brothers were talking to me about making a record together. That might confound expectations, but it shouldn't. Of course it would be a gospel album. I don't think it would be anything out of the ordinary for me. Not a bit. One of the songs I'm thinking of singing is "Stand By Me" with the Blackwood Brothers. Not "Stand By Me" the pop song. No. The real "Stand By Me." The real one goes like this:

When the storms of life are raging stand by me

When the storms of life are raging stand by me

When the world is tossing me like a ship upon the sea

Thou who rules the wind and water stand by me

In the midst of tribulation stand by me

In the midst of tribulation stand by me

When the hosts of hell assail and my strength begins to fail

Thou who's never lost a battle stand by me

In the midst of fault and failure stand by me

In the midst of fault and failure stand by me

When I do the best I can and my friends don't understand

Thou who knowest all about me stand by me

That's the song. I like it better than the pop song. If I record one by that name, that's going to be the one. ..."

However Dylan did not mention during that speech in 2015 that he had already performed this song in concert once almost 25 years earlier, in Merrillville, Indiana, in August 1990.

~ MP3 ~ STAND BY ME ~ MERRILLVILLE, INDIANA ~ AUGUST 28, 1990 ~

~ MP3 ~ STAND BY ME ~ LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA ~ FEBRUARY 6, 2015 ~

~ MP4 ~ STAND BY ME ~ LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA ~ FEBRUARY 6, 2015 ~

Biblical references:

~ 2 Timothy 4 ~

The Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom.


PERFORMANCES 1990.08.28, Merrillville, Indiana 2015.02.11, Los Angeles, California
	STAND BY ME When the storms of life are raging Stand by me When the storms of life are raging Stand by me When the world is tossing me Like a ship upon the sea Thou who rules the wind and water Stand by me In the midst of tribulation Stand by me In the midst of tribulation Stand by me When the hosts of hell assail And my strength begins to fail Thou who's never lost a battle Stand by me In the midst of fault and failure Stand by me In the midst of fault and failure Stand by me When I do the best I can And my friends don't understand Thou who knowest all about me Stand by me
On February 6th 2015, in Los Angeles, after being presented by President Jimmy Carter with the MusiCares Person of the Year 2015 award, Bob Dylan delivered a long acceptance speech (published online by Rolling Stone three days later). Here is a small part of that speech which included a reading of the first three of five verses of the beautiful gospel song "Stand By Me" from 1905, written by Charles Albert Tindley. "... The Blackwood Brothers were talking to me about making a record together. That might confound expectations, but it shouldn't. Of course it would be a gospel album. I don't think it would be anything out of the ordinary for me. Not a bit. One of the songs I'm thinking of singing is "Stand By Me" with the Blackwood Brothers. Not "Stand By Me" the pop song. No. The real "Stand By Me." The real one goes like this: When the storms of life are raging stand by me When the storms of life are raging stand by me When the world is tossing me like a ship upon the sea Thou who rules the wind and water stand by me In the midst of tribulation stand by me In the midst of tribulation stand by me When the hosts of hell assail and my strength begins to fail Thou who's never lost a battle stand by me In the midst of fault and failure stand by me In the midst of fault and failure stand by me When I do the best I can and my friends don't understand Thou who knowest all about me stand by me That's the song. I like it better than the pop song. If I record one by that name, that's going to be the one. ..." However Dylan did not mention during that speech in 2015 that he had already performed this song in concert once almost 25 years earlier, in Merrillville, Indiana, in August 1990. ~ MP3 ~ STAND BY ME ~ MERRILLVILLE, INDIANA ~ AUGUST 28, 1990 ~ ~ MP3 ~ STAND BY ME ~ LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA ~ FEBRUARY 6, 2015 ~ ~ MP4 ~ STAND BY ME ~ LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA ~ FEBRUARY 6, 2015 ~ Biblical references: ~ 2 Timothy 4 ~ The Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. See for yourself "if the Bible is right".