Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid

This article describes the music album Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid . For the feature film, see Pat Garrett chasing Billy the Kid .

Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
Bob Dylan's music album
Publication (s)	July 16, 1973
Label (s)	Columbia Records
Genre (s)	Western , country-rock , country , folk
Title (number)	10
running time	35:23
occupation	Bob Dylan , vocals , acoustic guitar , harmonica Booker T. Jones , bass guitar Bruce Langhorne, acoustic guitar Russ Kunkel, tambourine , bongos Roger McGuinn , guitar Jim Keltner , drums Jolly Roger, banjo Fred Katz, cello Carol Hunter, 12 string guitar, backing vocals Gary Foster, flute Terry Paul, electric bass, backing vocals Carl Fortina, harmonium Byron Berline, fiddle , backing vocals Priscilla Jones, Brenda Patterson, Donna Weiss, backing vocals
production	Gordon Carroll
chronology New Morning (1970) Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid Dylan (1973)

Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid is the 12th studio album by Bob Dylan and also the soundtrack to the western Pat Garrett chases Billy the Kid by Sam Peckinpah , to whom Dylan dedicated the album . The album and film were produced by Gordon Carroll .

The album consists for the most part of instrumental music , with the exception of the songs Billy, which is available on the album in four variants (including an instrumental performance), and Knockin 'On Heaven's Door , which was successful as a single worldwide and regardless of the film and the Soundtrack to one of Dylan's most famous songs.

The album was ranked # 16 on the Billboard 200 and # 29 in the UK. The single Knockin 'on Heaven's Door made it to number 12 on the singles charts in America.

Origin and the songs

Dylan came to the film project because he was friends with the screenwriter Rudy Wurlitzer and was asked by him to write a few songs for the film. This led to the later title song Billy, which Dylan played for director Sam Peckinpah . Peckinpah found the performance and the song touching and moving and offered Dylan a role in the film, even though Dylan had no previous acting experience. Dylan eventually played Alias in the film and while filming was in progress, his family moved to Durango, Mexico , where the film was shot. In Mexico City he recorded Billy 4 , a variation of the title song, with his musicians . The first recording session for the album took place on January 20, 1973 in Mexico City.

The rest of the recordings were made in California. This is where the famous Knockin 'on Heaven's Door was made . Musically speaking, the album is Western music. The title track is played both as a folk song (Billy 4) and as a country song (Billy 7) and as a folk rock song ( Billy 1) , Knockin 'on Heaven's Door is quiet folk rock.

Track list

All songs were written by Bob Dylan.

1. Main Title Theme (Billy)  - 6:07
2. Cantina Theme (Workin 'for the Law)  - 2:57
3. Billy 1  - 3:57
4. Bunkhouse Theme  - 2:17
5. River Theme  - 1:30
6. Turkey Chase  - 3:34
7. Knockin 'on Heaven's Door  - 2:32
8. Final Theme  - 5:23
9. Billy 4  - 5:04
10. Billy 7-2  :10

reception

Rolling Stone's Jon Landau only gave the album 2 out of 5 stars and called it as amateur as Self Portrait . The general review was lukewarm, but Knockin 'on Heaven's Door would later become a hit for Eric Clapton and Guns N' Roses .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ [1]
2. ↑ [2]
3. ^ ^{A b} Clinton Heylin: Revolution In The Air: The Songs of Bob Dylan. Volume 1: 1957-73. Constable, 2009, ISBN 1-84901-051-X , pp. 525/526.
4. ^ Robert Shelton: No direction home. The life and music of Bob Dylan. Beech Tree Books, New York 1986, ISBN 0-688-05045-X , p. 492.
5. ↑ Clinton Heylin: Bob Dylan: The Recording Sessions, 1960-1994. St. Martin's Griffin, 1995, ISBN 0-312-15067-9 , pp. 91/92.
6. ^ Jon Landau: Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid. on rollingstone.com dated August 30, 1973.