Bob Dylan Stuns Fans by Kicking Off Concert With This Song for the First Time in Over 35 Yearsoriginally appeared onParade. He's been entertaining audiences for nearly seven decades, but bonafide music legendBob Dylanis still finding ways to surprise fans with his live performances. When the 84-year-old musician took the stage at the Outlaw Music Festival in Saratoga Springs, NY, over the weekend, he stunned concert-goers by kicking things off with "Positively 4th Street" — the first time he's used the song to open a show since 1989. A review on the blogFlagging Down the Double E'scalled the unexpected re-introduction of the tune to Dylan's set "a killer opening," noting that "Bob really leaned into the growl, while still belting to the rafters." Commenters on aTikTok clipof the performance were equally impressed, with several people saying Dylan's voice sounded the "best" it has in years (and others expressing their envy over missing the historic moment). Considered one of Dylan's greatest hits, "Positively 4th Street" was recorded during the sessions for his 1965 album,Highway 61 Revisited, but didn't end up being included on the record (it was released as a single instead that same year). In the decades since, fans and critics alike have debated Dylan's inspiration for the lyrics, with many believing the song to be aboutEdie Sedgwick, famous model and muse toAndy Warhol, according toFar Out Magazine. (The pair were rumored to have had an affair shortly before Dylan's marriage toSarah Lownds.) Whoever "Positively 4th Street" is really about, one thing is clear — Dylan wasn't very happy with that person when he wrote the tune, as this verse proves: "I wish that for just one time you could stand inside my shoes / And just for that one moment I could be you / Yes, I wish that for just one time you could stand inside my shoes / You'd know what a drag it is to see you." Related: Rare Footage of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash Recording Duet in 1969 Has Fans Reeling Bob Dylan Stuns Fans by Kicking Off Concert With This Song for the First Time in Over 35 Yearsfirst appeared on Parade on Aug 7, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Aug 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
