Blind Willie McTell (song) genre blues
"Blind Willie McTell" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Named for the blues singer of the same name, the song was recorded in the spring of 1983, during the sessions for Dylan's album Infidels; however, it was ultimately left off the album and did not receive an official release until 1991, when it appeared on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991. It was also later anthologized on Dylan (2007).Composition and recording
The song's melody is loosely based on the jazz standard "St. James Infirmary Blues". For the version included on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3, Dylan plays piano and is accompanied only by Mark Knopfler on acoustic guitar. The lyrics are comparable to later Dylan songs "High Water (For Charley Patton)" and "Goodbye Jimmy Reed" in that they pay tribute to the titular blues singer indirectly. Dylan sings a series of plaintive verses depicting allegorical scenes which reflect on the history of American music and slavery. Each verse ends with the same refrain: "Nobody can sing the blues like Blind Willie McTell". There was also an electric version of the song recorded with Mick Taylor playing slide guitar.
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