Cartoons Wednesday!

An illustrated review of the week (so far) plus three takes on "Mr. Tambourine Man"--a little-heard Dylan home recording, the Byrds in the studio, and Lulu positively wrecking the song.

I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to….So enjoy, share, comment, subscribe (it’s still free).

News & Politics

Jimmy Fallon on the upcoming Donald Trump + Bill O’Reilly speaking tour: “Backstage passes automatically come with a hush money payment of $130,000.”

Summer and Smoke: A new Morning Consult poll finds 3 in 10 Republican agree with Trump—that he will be reinstated as president in August.

The Buzz in the Press: The White House press charter scheduled to leave Dulles last night to cover President Biden's first trip abroad was delayed five hours due to a swarm of cicadas.

Cost of that controversial new drug for Alzheimer’s: $56,000 a year.

Watermelon, Man: The New York Times accidentally published and then deleted a mock report that watermelons had been discovered on Mars. It appears it was created to test a content management system and was accidentally sent out into the world.

Cartooning

From Steve Brodner at his own Substack:

And bonus from a few year’s back….

Song Pick of the Day

It may surprise many to learn that on this day in 1964, Dylan first recorded “Mr. Tambourine Man” (written, apparently, after attending Mardi Gras)—not 1965’s Bringing It All Back Home but for the previous (non-electric) Another Side. It did not make the cut then, as Ramblin’ Jack sang harmony out of tune, but here below is what may be the earliest version as he practiced it at Eric Von Schmidt’s home. Then, below that, one of the worst cover versions ever of any song, as Lulu sings and dances…with, count ‘em, seven jingle-jangly tambourines. My senses have been stripped.…Finally, eleven minutes take you through the recording of the Byrds’ hit in 1965 (note the slow first attempt). It’s well-known by now that only McGuinn from the group played on the cut, with the rest provided by the session cats later known as “The Wrecking Crew.” Isolated vocals start at 7:10.