Bob Dylan apparently fooled a fan. After someone complained at a concert that the songs being played were unrecognizable, the musician immediately followed up with a mashup.
“When I Paint My Masterpiece” in a new version
Bob Dylan is known for playing his songs live differently than you are used to on a record or other gig. So it happens every now and then that his works are not recognizable even to fans. A visitor to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, felt disturbed by this. She shouted: “Play something we know!” Bob Dylan then played a newly arranged version of “When I Paint My Masterpiece” (1971) – doing exactly the opposite of what was asked.
Here is a recording of the live mashup
Strong reaction from Bob Dylan?
Another fan reported the situation on X (formerly Twitter). “My brother was close and said Dylan heard the woman clearly and even looked directly at her. Before he started playing the song he looked like he wanted to say something,” the user wrote. He seems certain: the musician was joking. He added: “It was an absolutely incredible version!”
Of course, Dylan and his band did not improvise the new version, but rather prepared it, but it stood out particularly well as a direct response to the concertgoer’s frustrated statement.
Now fans are discussing the inspiration behind the new arrangement. In the room are Irving Berlin’s “Puttin’ On The Ritz” (1929) and “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” (1953) by the Four Lads. Incidentally, the mashup of “When I Paint My Masterpiece” wasn’t Bob Dylan’s only innovation during the concert at the Broward Center For The Performing Arts. He also performed a cover of Jimmy Rogers’ “Walking By Myself” (1956) live for the first time.
