Bob Dylan - "Sara"

It was 1976 and Bob Dylan was going through another artistic high or resurgence after his iconic 60's output. He had only just released 'Blood on the Tracks' a year earlier and now with the release of 'Desire' he was back at his best again. I was a big fan of 'Desire' and it was my first vinyl purchase before I went through his back catalogue. The recording of 'Desire' was at a chaotic period for Dylan with the huge array of collaborators and friends that came through the sessions and subsequently the 'Rolling Thunder Revue' tour that followed. The guests included musicians such as Scarlet Rivera on violin, Emmylou Harris on backing vocals and while the sessions started off with up to five guitarists in the studio, including Eric Clapton, they were narrowed down to a band of session musicians... although, the Rolling Thunder Revue tour was full of additional guests. The final result of 'Desire' was an album unlike any other Dylan record. The violin was prominent and the song styles varied and there was a strong folk presence but this time more frivolous at times but on the serious subjects he still had that protest singer's sharp tongue... which was prevalent in 'Hurricane". 'Sara" was a tribute to his wife Sara (Lownds) and it was written when the marriage was on shaky ground... they had already experienced a separation a year earlier. Sara apparently turned up in the studio when Dylan sang it... in what was then a serenade, with her sudden appearance. This song was Bob Dylan's attempt to reconcile with his wife and it worked. Well, it supposedly bought him another year or so with his wife until they finally divorced. This has to be the greatest love song ever written. His most soul baring and heart wrenching moment. In fact, his whole fucking soul is in this song.