On April 23, 2008, the E Street Band was still raw from the recent loss of Danny Federici when they arrived in Orlando.
It was only their second show since Danny’s funeral, and the set list was still emotional, opening with a rare “Blood Brothers,” and featuring a dedicated-to-Danny “Spirit in the Night.” For the encore, though, Bruce wanted something uplifting, so he turned to one of his influences, Florida resident Roger McGuinn of The Byrds.
After a heartfelt introduction (it was that kind of night), Bruce and Roger played a consoling “Turn! Turn! Turn!” that would eventually be officially released on the Magic Tour Highlights EP. But that wasn’t the only number the two men played that night–they followed “Turn! Turn! Turn!” with The Byrds’ other number one hit, “Mr. Tambourine Man.”
Although this was the first time Bruce and Roger performed the song together in public, they’d actually performed it once before, almost two decades earlier in a most private setting: at Tom Petty’s birthday party in 1990.
Astute listeners probably realize that the version Bruce and Roger played in Tampa was considerably longer than The Byrds’ 1965 version, and it had more verses.
That’s because the “Mr. Tambourine Man” was more than twice as long when Bob Dylan first wrote, recorded, and released it just a few weeks before The Byrds’ version.
It was the abridged Byrds’ version that became a smash hit, though. In a way, Bruce was covering both Dylan and The Byrds that night, using Dylan’s original lyrics and The Byrds’ arrangement for a one-time-only special performance.
Mr. Tambourine Man
First performed: October 29, 1990 (Encino, CA)
Last performed: April 23, 2008 (Orlando, FL)
