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It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry 1

(Phantom Engineer)

Bob Dylan © 1965 Warner Chapell Music; renewed 1993 Special Rider Music

(Official lyrics @ www.bobdylan.com)


25 July 1965
LIVE 1962-1966 Rare Performances From The Copyright Collections
LIVE IN NEWPORT 1965 (T-113)

29 July 1965
HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED
DYLAN (LaserLight) (T-161)
HIGHWAY 61 REVISTED AGAIN (T-174)

Newport Folk Festival 1965, Newport RI - 25 july 1965  
Highway 61 Revisited session 3, Columbia Studio A - 29.jul.1965, take 4, album version  

Well i ride on the mail train, babe
Can't buy a thrill
Well i been up all night
Leanin' on the window sill
Well if i die 
On top of the hill
An' if i don't make it
You know my baby will.

Don't the moon look good, mama
Shinin' through the trees?
Don't the brakeman look good, mama
Flaggin' down the double E?
Don't the sun look good
Goin' down over the sea?
But don't my gal look fine
When she's comin' after me?

Now the winter time is comin'
The windows are filled with frost
I went to tell everybody
But i could not get across
Well i wanna be your lover, baby
I don't wanna be your boss
Don't say i never warned you
When your train gets lost. 
    

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It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry 2


15 June 1965
THE CUTTING EDGE: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 12 / 1965-1966 (DeLuxe Edition)

Highway 61 Revisited session 1 - 15 june 1965, take 1  

Wilson: Phantom engineer, number cloudy, take 1 ... 

Well i ride on a mail train, baby
Can't buy no thrill
I been up all night, baby
Leanin' on the window sill
Well if i die
On top of this hill
And if i don't make it
You know my baby will.

Don't the moon look good, mama
Shinin' through the trees?
Don't the angel look good, babe
Sittin' on his daddy's knees?
Don't the sun look good
Goin' down over the sea?
Don't my gal look fine
When she's runnin' after me?

I been into the baggage room
Where the engineer's been tossed
I stamped on hundred compasses
God knows what they cost
I wanna be your lover, baby
I don't wanna be your boss
I sure can't help it babe
If this train gets lost. 
    

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It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry 3


15 June 1965
THE CUTTING EDGE: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 12 / 1965-1966 (DeLuxe Edition) #2
THE BEST OF THE BOOTLEG SERIES [UNCUT]

Highway 61 Revisited session 1 - 15 june 1965, take 8  

Well i ride on a mail train, baby
Can't buy no thrill
I been up all night, baby
Leanin' on the window sill
Well if i die
On top of the hill
If i don't make it
You know my baby will.

Now don't the moon look good
Shinin' down through the trees?
Don't the ghost look good, baby
Sittin' on his mad man's knees?
Don't the sun look good
Goin' down over the sea?
Don't my gal look fine
When she's runnin' after me? (all right)

I've been into the baggage room, mama
Where the engineer he's been tossed
I stamped out forty compasses
God knows what they cost
Well, i don't wanna be your lover, baby
I don't wanna be your boss
I just can't help it
If this train gets lost. 
    

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It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry 4


15 June 1965
THE BOOTLEG SERIES Vol. 7 NO DIRECTION HOME

Highway 61 Revisited session 1, Columbia Studio A, NYC - 15 june 1965, take 9  

I ride on a mail train, ma
Can't buy no thrill
I been up all night, baby
Leanin' on the window sill
But if i die
On top of the hill
An' if i don't make it
You know my baby will.

Ah, don't that sun look good, babe
Comin' down through the trees?
Don't the ghost child look good, mama
Sittin' on his mad man's knees?
Don't the moon look good
Goin' down over the sea?
Oh, don't my gal look fine
When she's runnin' after me? (all right)

Well i just been to the baggage room
Where the engineer he's been tossed
Oh, i stamped on forty compasses
God knows what they cost
Well, i wanna be your lover, baby
I don't wanna be your boss
An' i can't help it
If this train gets lost. (all right) 
    

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It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry 5


15 June 1965
THE BOOTLEG SERIES Vol. 2
BLIND WILLIE MCTELL (CD single)
GREAT WHITE WONDER Part 2 (vinyl bootleg)
STEALIN (vinyl bootleg)

Highway 61 Revisited session 1 - 15 june 1965, take 1 remake  

Well i ride on a mail train, baby
Can't buy no thrill
Yes i been up all night, baby
Leanin' on the window sill
Yeah but if i die
On top of the hill
And if i don't make it
You know my baby will.

Don't the moon look good, mama
Shinin' down through the trees?
Don't the ghost child look good, baby
Sittin' on his mad man's knees?
Don't the sun look good
Goin' down over the sea?
Don't my gal look fine
When she's comin' after me? (all right)

Well i just been to the baggage car
Where the engineer's been tossed
I stamped out forty compasses
Sure dunno know what they cost
Well i wanna be your lover, baby
I don't wanna be your boss
I can't help it, babe
If this train gets lost. 
    

 I
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It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry 6


29 July 1965
THE CUTTING EDGE: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 12 / 1965-1966 (DeLuxe Edition) #3

Highway 61 Revisited session 3 - 29 july 1965, take 3  

Well i ride on the mail train, babe
Can't buy no thrill
Well i been up all night, babe
Leanin' on the window sill
Well if i die 
On top of the hill
An' if i don't make it
You know my baby will.

Don't the moon look good, babe
Shinin' through the trees?
Don't the brakeman look good, babe
Being where he wants to be
Don't the sun look good
Goin' down over the sea?
But don't my gal look fine
When she's comin' after me?

Well i just been to the baggage car
Where the engineer's been tossed
Well i stamped out forty compasses
God knows what they cost
Well i wanna be your lover, baby
I don't wanna be your boss
I sure can't help it
If this train gets lost.

...

Well i just been to the baggage car
Where the engineer's been tossed
I'll play it again, i dont care 
    

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It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry 7


29 July 1965
THE CUTTING EDGE: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 12 / 1965-1966 (DeLuxe Edition) #4

Highway 61 Revisited session 3, Columbia Studio A - 29.jul.1965, take 3 remake  

Well i ride on the mail train, babe
But i can't buy a thrill
I been up all nite
Leanin' on the window sill
Well if i die 
On top of the hill
An' if i don't make it
You know my baby will.

Don't the moon look good, mama
Shinin' through the trees?
Don't the brakeman look good, babe
Flagging down the double E?
Don't the sun look good
Goin' down over the sea?
Don't my gal look fine
When she's comin' after me?

Now winter's comin'
The windows are filled with frost
Well i went to tell everybody
But i could not get across
Well i wanna be your lover, baby
I don't wanna be your boss
I can't help it
When your train gets lost. 
    

 I
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It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry 8


19 Nov 1975
THE ROLLING THUNDER REVUE:
    THE LIVE 1975 RECORDINGS

20 Nov 1975
THE ROLLING THUNDER REVUE:
    THE LIVE 1975 RECORDINGS #2

21 Nov 1975
THE ROLLING THUNDER REVUE:
    THE LIVE 1975 RECORDINGS #3
THE ROLLING THUNDER REVUE:
    THE BOOTLEG SERIES Vol. 5 LIVE 1975
GET READY! TONIGHT BOB'S STAYING HERE WITH YOU (T-129)

8 Dec 1975
THE ROLLING THUNDER REVUE:
    THE LIVE 1975 RECORDINGS #4
NIGHT OF THE HURRICANE 1 (T-813)
THE HURRICANE CARTER BENEFIT (vinyl bootleg)

Rolling Thunder Revue (October-December 1975):  
    Memorial Auditorium, Worcester MA - 19.nov.1975  
    Harvard Square Theater, Cambridge MA - 20.nov.1975  
    Boston Music Hall, Boston MA - 21.nov.1975 evening  
    Madison Square Garden, NYC "Night of the Hurricane" - 8.dec.1975  

Well i ride on the mail train, babe
Can't buy a thrill
I been up all night, babe
Leanin' on the window sill
But if i die
On top of the hill
An' if i don't make it
You know my baby will.

Don't the sun look good, honey
Goin' down through the trees? / Goin' down  over the sea?
Don't the brakeman look good, honey
Flaggin' down the double E?
Don't the moon look good
Goin' down over the sea? / Shinin' through the trees?
But don't my gal look fine
When she's [chasin'/comin'] after me?

Winter time is comin'
The windows are filled with frost
I went to tell everybody
But i could not get across
Well i wanna be your lover, baby
I [never wanted/don't wanna] to be your boss
Don't say i never warned you
If your train gets lost. 
    

 Recording dates & record list

15 Jun 1965 5 THE BOOTLEG SERIES Vol. 2
BLIND WILLIE MCTELL (single)
GREAT WHITE WONDER Part 2 (vb)
STEALIN (vb)
15 Jun 1965 4 THE BOOTLEG SERIES Vol. 7 NO DIRECTION HOME
15 Jun 1965 2 THE CUTTING EDGE: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 12 / 1965-1966 (DeLuxe Edition) #1
15 Jun 1965 3 THE CUTTING EDGE: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 12 / 1965-1966 (DeLuxe Edition) #2
THE BEST OF THE BOOTLEG SERIES [UNCUT]
25 Jul 1965 1 LIVE 1962-1966 Rare Performances From The Copyright Collections
LIVE IN NEWPORT 1965 (b)
29 Jul 1965 1 HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED
DYLAN (LaserLight) (b)
HIGHWAY 61 REVISTED AGAIN (b)
29 Jul 1965 6 THE CUTTING EDGE: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 12 / 1965-1966 (DeLuxe Edition) #3
29 Jul 1965 7 THE CUTTING EDGE: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 12 / 1965-1966 (DeLuxe Edition) #4
1 Aug 1971 THE CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH
19 Nov 1975 8 THE ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: THE LIVE 1975 RECORDINGS
20 Nov 1975 8 THE ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: THE LIVE 1975 RECORDINGS #2
21 Nov 1975 8 THE ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: THE LIVE 1975 RECORDINGS #3
THE BOOTLEG SERIES Vol. 5 LIVE 1975 THE ROLLING THUNDER REVUE
GET READY! TONIGHT BOB'S STAYING HERE WITH YOU (b)
8 Dec 1975 8 THE ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: THE LIVE 1975 RECORDINGS #4
NIGHT OF THE HURRICANE 1 (b)
THE HURRICANE CARTER BENEFIT (vb)
10 Jun 1988 SAN FRANCISCO BAY BLUES (b)
12 Jan 1990 TOAD'S PLACE VOL. 1 (b)
2 Nov 1992 HIMSELF (b)
21 Feb 1993 AND THE NEVER ENDING TOUR BAND (b)
27 May 1995 LOUD AND STRONG (b)