The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through the Open Window 1956–1963

The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through the Open Window 1956–1963
Compilation album by
ReleasedOctober 31, 2025 (2025-10-31)
GenreFolk
Label
Bob Dylan chronology
50th Anniversary Collection 1974
(2024)
The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through the Open Window 1956–1963
(2025)
Bob Dylan Bootleg Series chronology
Vol. 17: Fragments – Time Out of Mind Sessions 1996–1997
(2023)
Vol. 18: Through the Open Window 1956-1963
(2025)

The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through the Open Window 1956–1963 is an upcoming archival compilation album by the American folk musician Bob Dylan, scheduled for release on October 31, 2025. The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through the Open Window 1956–1963 will include the earliest recordings by Dylan, spanning from 1956 to 1963.[1]

Content

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The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through the Open Window 1956–1963 will consist of 139 tracks, spanning from a recording in the Terlinde Music Shop, St. Paul, Minnesota, on Christmas Eve 1956 (when Bob Zimmerman was 15 years old)[2] to an October 26, 1963 Dylan performance at the Carnegie Hall.[3] The album is produced by Steve Berkowitz and Sean Wilentz; Wilentz also wrote the liner notes for the box set booklet.[2]

Release and reception

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The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through the Open Window 1956–1963 will be released on October 31, 2025, through Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings.[4] It will be in 8CD and 4LP, with a 2CD highlights compilation scheduled to be released on the same day as the compilation.[1][5] The first online single from the compilation was "Rocks and Gravel (Solid Road)", released on September 17, 2025.[6]

Track listing

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Disc one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Let the Good Times Roll" (Terlinde Music Shop, St. Paul, MN, 1956)  
2."I Got a New Girl" (Informal Recording, Hibbing, MN, 1959)  
3."San Francisco Bay Blues" (Informal Recording, Minneapolis, MN, 1960)  
4."Jesus Christ" (Informal Recording, Minneapolis, MN, 1960)  
5."East Virginia Blues" (Informal Recording, Madison, WI, 1960)  
6."C. Moan" (Informal Recording, Madison, WI, 1960)  
7."Hard Travelin’" (Informal Recording, Madison, WI, 1960)  
8."Pastures of Plenty" (Informal Recording, East Orange, NJ, 1961)  
9."Remember Me" (Informal Recording, East Orange, NJ, 1961)  
10."Song to Woody" (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1961)Bob Dylan 
11."Talkin’ Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues" (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1961)Dylan 
12."Ain’t No Grave" (Informal Recording, NYC, 1961)  
13."I Ain’t Got No Home" (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)  
14."Death Don’t Have No Mercy" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)  
15."Devilish Mary" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)  
16."Introduction: Riverside Church" (Riverside Church, NYC, 1961)  
17."Handsome Molly" (Riverside Church, NYC, 1961)  
18."Introduction: See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)  
19."See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)  
20."The Girl I Left Behind" (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)  
21."Introduction: Pretty Boy Floyd" (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)  
22."Pretty Boy Floyd" (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)  
23."Railroading on the Great Divide" (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)  
24."Introduction: Fixin’ to Die" (Folklore Center, NYC, 1961)  
25."Fixin’ to Die" (Folklore Center, NYC, 1961)  
26."I’ll Fly Away" (Carolyn Hester Alternate Take, NYC, 1961)  
Disc two
No.TitleLength
1."Introduction: In the Pines" (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961) 
2."In the Pines" (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961) 
3."Gospel Plow" (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961) 
4."Introduction: Young But Daily Growing" (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961) 
5."Young But Daily Growing" (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961) 
6."Man on the Street" (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961) 
7."This Land Is Your Land" (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961) 
8."Pretty Polly" (Carnegie Chapter Hall, NYC, 1961) 
9."Man of Constant Sorrow" (Bob Dylan Rehearsal, NYC, 1961) 
10."House Carpenter" (Bob Dylan Outtake, NYC, 1961) 
11."You’re No Good" (Bob Dylan Alternate Take, NYC, 1961) 
12."He Was a Friend of Mine" (Bob Dylan Outtake, NYC, 1961) 
13."Ramblin’ Round" (Bob Dylan Outtake, NYC, 1961) 
14."Story: East Orange, New Jersey" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961) 
15."Stealin’" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961) 
16."Po’ Lazarus" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961) 
17."Dink’s Song" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961) 
18."I Was Young When I Left Home" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961) 
19."In the Evening" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961) 
20."Baby, Let Me Follow You Down" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961) 
21."Cocaine" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961) 
Disc three
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Death of Emmett Till" (WBAI-FM, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
2."Conversation: Folksinger’s Choice, 1" (WBAI-FM, NYC, 1962)  
3."Roll On, John" (WBAI-FM, NYC, 1962)  
4."Conversation: Folksinger’s Choice, 2" (WBAI-FM, NYC, 1962)  
5."Hard Times in New York Town" (WBAI-FM, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
6."Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues" (Informal Recording, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
7."Ballad of Donald White" (Informal Recording, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
8."Midnight Special" (The Midnight Special Rehearsals, NYC, 1962 — Harry Belafonte with Bob Dylan)  
9."Midnight Special" (The Midnight Special Alternate Take, NYC, 1962 — Harry Belafonte with Bob Dylan)  
10."Wichita" (Three Kings and the Queen Album Version, NYC, 1962 — Big Joe Williams with Bob Dylan)  
11."It’s Dangerous" (Kings and the Queen, Volume Two Album Version, NYC, 1962 — Victoria Spivey with Bob Dylan and Big Joe Williams)  
12."Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance" (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1962)  
13."Talkin’ New York" (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
14."Corrina, Corrina" (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1962)  
15."Deep Ellum Blues" (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1962)  
16."Introduction: Blowin’ in the Wind" (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1962)  
17."Blowin’ in the Wind" (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
18."Rambling, Gambling Willie" (Freewheelin’ Outtake, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
19."(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle" (Freewheelin’ Outtake, NYC, 1962)  
20."Rocks and Gravel" (Freewheelin’ Outtake, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
21."Paths of Victory" (Broadside Office, NYC, 1962)  
22."Train A-Travelin’" (Broadside Reunion Album Version, NYC, 1962)  
23."Hiram Hubbard" (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)  
24."Quit Your Low Down Ways" (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)Dylan 
25."Let Me Die in My Footsteps" (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)Dylan 
26."Ramblin’ on My Mind" (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)  
27."Blue Yodel No. 8 (Mule Skinner Blues)" (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)  
Disc four
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Baby, Please Don’t Go" (Freewheelin’ Outtake, NYC, 1962)  
2."Worried Blues" (Freewheelin’ Outtake, NYC, 1962)  
3."Baby, I’m in the Mood for You" (Freewheelin’ Outtake, NYC, 1962)  
4."Bob Dylan’s Blues" (Freewheelin’ Alternate Take, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
5."Introduction: Tomorrow Is a Long Time" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1962)  
6."Tomorrow Is a Long Time" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1962)Dylan 
7."This Land Is Your Land" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1962)  
8."Long Time Gone" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1962)Dylan 
9."A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall" (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
10."Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right" (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
11."Barbara Allen" (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962)  
12."The Cuckoo" (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962)  
13."That’s All Right" (Freewheelin’ Outtake, NYC, 1962)  
14."Mixed-Up Confusion" (Single Alternate Take, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
15."Ballad of Hollis Brown" (Freewheelin’ Outtake, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
16."Kingsport Town" (Freewheelin’ Outtake, NYC, 1962)  
17."Whatcha Gonna Do?" (Freewheelin’ Outtake, NYC, 1962)  
18."Hero Blues" (Freewheelin’ Outtake, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
19."I Shall Be Free" (Freewheelin’ Alternate Take, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
Disc five
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Ballad of the Gliding Swan" (BBC-TV, London, 1963)  
2."Only a Hobo" (Broadside Ballads Album Version, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
3."John Brown" (Broadside Ballads Album Version, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
4."All Over You" (Informal Recording, NYC, 1963 — Bob Dylan with Happy Traum and Gil Turner)  
5."Oxford Town" (Witmark Demo, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
6."Bob Dylan’s Dream" (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
7."Introduction: Walls of Red Wing" (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)  
8."Walls of Red Wing" (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
9."Introduction: Tomorrow Is a Long Time" (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)  
10."Tomorrow Is a Long Time" (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
11."Dusty Old Fairgrounds" (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
12."Introduction: Pretty Peggy-O" (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)  
13."Pretty Peggy-O" (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)  
14."Who Killed Davey Moore?" (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
15."Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie" (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
16."James Alley Blues" (Informal Recording, NYC, 1963)  
17."I Rode Out One Morning" (Informal Recording, NYC, 1963)  
18."House of the Rising Sun" (Informal Recording, NYC, 1963)  
19."Talkin’ World War III Blues" (Club 47, Cambridge, MA, 1963)Dylan 
20."Masters of War" (Freewheelin’ Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
21."Girl from the North Country" (Freewheelin’ Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
Disc six
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Introduction by Cordell Reagon" (SNCC Rally, Greenwood, MS, 1963)  
2."Only a Pawn in Their Game" (SNCC Rally, Greenwood, MS, 1963)Dylan 
3."Blowin’ in the Wind" (SNCC Rally, Greenwood, MS, 1963)Dylan 
4."Eternal Circle" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1963)Dylan 
5."Liverpool Gal" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1963)  
6."West Memphis" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1963 — Bob Dylan with Tony Glover)  
7."North Country Blues" (Newport Folk Festival, RI, 1963)Dylan 
8."With God on Our Side" (Newport Folk Festival, RI, 1963 — Bob Dylan with Joan Baez)Dylan 
9."Playboys and Playgirls" (Newport Folk Festival, RI, 1963)  
10."Blowin’ in the Wind" (Newport Folk Festival, RI, 1963 — Bob Dylan with Joan Baez, Peter, Paul & Mary, The Freedom Singers, Pete Seeger)Dylan 
11."Slate: Boots of Spanish Leather" (The Times They Are A-Changin’ Sessions, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
12."Boots of Spanish Leather" (The Times They Are A-Changin’ Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
13."Seven Curses" (The Times They Are A-Changin’ Outtake, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
14."Farewell" (The Times They Are A-Changin’ Outtake, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
15."Bob Dylan’s New Orleans Rag" (The Times They Are A-Changin’ Outtake, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
16."Moonshiner" (The Times They Are A-Changin’ Outtake, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
17."Introduction by Joan Baez" (Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, NYC, 1963)  
18."Troubled and I Don’t Know Why" (Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, NYC, 1963 — Bob Dylan with Joan Baez)  
19."Introduction by Ossie Davis" (March on Washington, Washington, D.C., 1963)  
20."When the Ship Comes In" (March on Washington, Washington, D.C., 1963 — Bob Dylan with Joan Baez)Dylan 
21."The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" (Party, Los Angeles, 1963)Dylan 
22."The Times They Are A-Changin’" (Informal Recording, Los Angeles, 1963)Dylan 
23."One Too Many Mornings" (The Times They Are A-Changin’ Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
24."Key to the Highway" (The Times They Are A-Changin’ Outtake, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
Disc seven
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Times They Are A-Changin’" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
2."Ballad of Hollis Brown" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
3."Introduction: Who Killed Davey Moore?" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
4."Who Killed Davey Moore?" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
5."Boots of Spanish Leather" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
6."Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
7."Lay Down Your Weary Tune" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
8."Introduction: Blowin’ in the Wind" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)  
9."Blowin’ in the Wind" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
10."Introduction: Percy’s Song" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)  
11."Percy’s Song" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
12."Seven Curses" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
13."Walls of Red Wing" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
14."Introduction: North Country Blues" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)  
15."North Country Blues" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
16."A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
Disc eight
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Talkin’ World War III Blues" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
2."Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
3."Story: Hootenanny Hoot" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)  
4."With God on Our Side" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
5."Only a Pawn in Their Game" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
6."Introduction: Masters of War" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)  
7."Masters of War" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
8."Introduction: The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)  
9."The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
10."Introduction: When the Ship Comes In" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)  
11."When the Ship Comes In" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 

Highlights

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Disc one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Let the Good Times Roll" (Terlinde Music Shop, St. Paul, MN, 1956)  
2."I Got a New Girl" (Informal Recording, Hibbing, MN, 1959)Bob Dylan 
3."Jesus Christ" (Informal Recording, Minneapolis, MN, 1960)  
4."C. Moan" (Informal Recording, Madison, WI, 1960, with Danny Kalb)Traditional 
5."Remember Me" (Informal Recording, East Orange, NJ, 1961)Traditional 
6."Railroading on the Great Divide" (Gerde's Folk City, NYC, 1961, with Jim Kweskin)Traditional 
7."Man of Constant Sorrow" (Bob Dylan Rehearsal, NYC, 1961)Traditional 
8."He Was a Friend of Mine" (Bob Dylan Outtake, NYC, 1961[a])Traditional4:05
9."Ramblin’ Round" (Bob Dylan Outtake, NYC, 1961)Traditional 
10."Story: East Orange, New Jersey" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)Dylan 
11."Po’ Lazarus" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)Traditional 
12."Dink's Song" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)Traditional 
13."I Was Young When I Left Home" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)Dylan 
14."Cocaine" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)Traditional 
15."Talkin' New York" (Gerde's Folk City, NYC, 1962)Dylan 
16."Corrina, Corrina" (Gerde's Folk City, NYC, 1962)Traditional3:50
17."(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle" (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan Outtake, NYC, 1962)  
18."Rocks and Gravel" (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan Outtake, NYC, 1962)Dylan2:57
19."Let Me Die in My Footsteps" (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)Dylan 
20."Tomorrow Is a Long Time" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1962)Dylan 
21."Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962[b])Dylan3:19
22."The Cuckoo" (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962[b])Traditional2:21
23."The Ballad of the Gliding Swan" (BBC-TV, London, 1963)  
24."John Brown" (Broadside Ballads, NYC, 1963[c])Dylan 
25."Dusty Old Fairgrounds" (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
Disc two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The House of the Rising Sun" (Informal Recording, NYC, 1963)Traditional 
2."Seven Curses" (The Times They Are A-Changin' Outtake, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
3."Masters of War" (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan Alternate Take, NYC)Dylan 
4."Girl from the North Country" (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan Alternate Take, NYC)Dylan 
5."Liverpool Gal" (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1963)Dylan 
6."Boots of Spanish Leather" (The Times They Are A-Changin' Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
7."Moonshiner" (The Times They Are A-Changin' Outtake, NYC, 1963[a])Dylan5:06
8."The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" (Party, Los Angeles, 1963)Dylan 
9."The Times They Are a-Changin'" (Informal Recording, Los Angeles, 1963)Dylan 
10."Who Killed Davey Moore?" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963[a])Dylan3:14
11."Lay Down Your Weary Tune" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963[d])Dylan4:52
12."Blowin' in the Wind" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
13."North Country Blues" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963[d])Dylan4:08
14."A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
15."Talkin' World War III Blues" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
16."Only a Pawn in Their Game" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
17."When the Ship Comes In" (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)Dylan 
  1. ^ a b c previously released on The Bootleg Series, Volumes. 1-3.
  2. ^ a b previously released on Live at The Gaslight 1962.
  3. ^ previously released on Broadside Ballads, Vol. 1.
  4. ^ a b previously released on Live at Carnegie Hall 1963.

"Rocks and Gravel (Solid Road)"

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The single "Rocks and Gravel (Solid Road)" was originally recorded for The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan album, but didn't make the final tracklist, for reasons unknown.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b Sinclair, Paul (September 17, 2025). "Bob Dylan / Through The Open Window – Bootleg Series Vol 18 1956-1963 – SuperDeluxeEdition". Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  2. ^ a b Daniel, Anne Margaret. "Album Preview: Bob Dylan: Through the Open Window: The Bootleg Series Vol. 18". Hotpress. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  3. ^ "The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through the Open Window, 1956–1963 – The Second Disc". The Second Disc. September 17, 2025. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  4. ^ Brennan, Tom (September 17, 2025). "Bob Dylan Announces 'Bootleg Series Volume 18: Through The Open Window, 1956–1963'". Stereogum. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  5. ^ Ragusa, Paolo (September 17, 2025). "Bob Dylan Announces New Bootleg Series Box Set Through The Open Window, 1956–1963". Consequence. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  6. ^ Skinner, Tom (September 17, 2025). "Bob Dylan announces release of 'Bootleg Series Volume 18: Through The Open Window, 1956–1963'". NME. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  7. ^ Bonner, Michael (September 17, 2025). "Listen to" "Rocks and Gravel" from Bob Dylan's Bootleg Series Volume 18: Through The Open Window, 1956–1963". Uncut. Retrieved September 17, 2025.