Not Dark Yet

"Not Dark Yet" is a song by Bob Dylan, recorded in January 1997 and released in September that year on his album Time Out of Mind. It was the first single from the album.

This article is about the Bob Dylan song. For the David Walker book, see Not Dark Yet: A Personal History. For the Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer album, see Not Dark Yet (album).
"Not Dark Yet"
Single by Bob Dylan
from the album Time Out of Mind
ReleasedAugust 25, 1997
RecordedJanuary 1997
GenreRock
Length6:29
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Bob Dylan
Producer(s)Daniel Lanois
Bob Dylan singles chronology
"Dignity"
(1995)		 "Not Dark Yet"
(1997)		 "Love Sick"
(1998)
Time Out of Mind track listing
11 tracks
  1. "Love Sick"
  2. "Dirt Road Blues"
  3. "Standing in the Doorway"
  4. "Million Miles"
  5. "Tryin' to Get to Heaven"
  6. "'Til I Fell in Love with You"
  7. "Not Dark Yet"
  8. "Cold Irons Bound"
  9. "Make You Feel My Love"
  10. "Can't Wait"
  11. "Highlands"
Audio sample
"Not Dark Yet"
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Critical reception

"Not Dark Yet" received widespread acclaim upon its release in 1997 with many critics citing it as the highlight of Time Out of Mind. The refrain "It's not dark yet but it's getting there" is often interpreted as Bob Dylan, or at least the song's first-person narrator, confronting his mortality.

Gilbert Cruz, writing in a Time magazine article about "The 10 Best Bob Dylan Songs", termed it "a moving end-of-life song written and sung by an aging artist who has somehow managed to remain vital."[1]

Rolling Stone ranked it 50th on a 2015 list of "The 100 Greatest Bob Dylan Songs", calling it "hauntingly beautiful" and noting that Dylan sang the lyric in "the weary and weathered voice of a man facing the twilight of his life."[2]

In the "Fortitude" chapter of his book Dylan's Visions of Sin, literary scholar Christopher Ricks wrote a lengthy analysis in which he compared the song to the John Keats poem "Ode on a Grecian Urn", whose narrator is likewise "half in love with easeful Death."[3]

Cover versions

"Not Dark Yet" has been covered by many artists: Eric Clapton played it live during his 2009 Ireland/UK tour; Robyn Hitchcock covered it for his 2002 album of Dylan covers Robyn Sings; Lucinda Williams for her 2020 live album Lu's Jukebox Vol. 3 - Bob's Back Pages: A Night Of Bob Dylan Songs; the Silversun Pickups for the Chimes of Freedom compilation; Kirsti Huke for her album Deloo; Jimmy LaFave for his album Cimarron Manifesto; Trey Gunn for his album The Waters, They Are Rising; Calum Scott for his 2018 album Only Human; Barb Jungr for her album Every Grain of Sand: Barb Jungr Sings Bob Dylan; Julie Felix for her album Starry Eyed and Laughing; and sisters Allison Moorer and Shelby Lynne for their 2017 collaborative album Not Dark Yet, which takes its name from the song.[4]

Inclusion on soundtracks

"Not Dark Yet" has been prominently featured on the soundtracks of many films and television shows, including Wonder Boys, The Passion of the Christ: Songs Inspired by The Passion of the Christ.,[5] Why We Fight, the Dylan-starring Masked and Anonymous, Life Itself (2018 film), the Showtime program Californication (Season 3, Episode 3), Deadwood (Season 2 premiere "A Lie Agreed Upon, Part 1"), Henry Poole Is Here, Knockaround Guys, and Richard Linklater's Last Flag Flying where the song plays in its entirety over the closing credits.

  • The song is referenced in the dialogue of the movie High Fidelity
  • The chords were rearranged by The National guitarist Aaron Dessner to write the song "Slipped" that appeared on their 2013 album Trouble Will Find Me.[6]
  • The song was played at the end of Robert Icke's production of William Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Almeida Theatre, London.

Track listings for CD singles

CD (COL 665443 2):

  1. "Not Dark Yet" – 6:29
  2. "Tombstone Blues" (Live) – 6:26
  3. "Ballad of a Thin Man" (Live) – 8:47
  4. "Boots of Spanish Leather" (Live) – 6:35

2-track CD (COL 665443 1):

  1. "Not Dark Yet" – 6:29
  2. "Tombstone Blues" (Live) – 6:26

Not Dark Yet: Dylan Alive Vol. 2 Japanese EP:[7]

  1. "Not Dark Yet" – 6:29
  2. "Boots of Spanish Leather" (Live) – 6:34
  3. "Tears of Rage" (Live) – 7:20
  4. "Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)" (Live) – 4:39

Notes
  • "Tombstone Blues" and "Ballad of a Thin Man" were recorded live at the House of Blues, Atlanta, GA; August 4, 1996.
  • "Boots of Spanish Leather" was recorded live at the House of Blues, Atlanta, GA; August 3, 1996.

References
  1. Cruz, Gilbert (2011-05-19). "'Not Dark Yet' | The 10 Best Bob Dylan Songs". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  2. Rolling Stone (2020-05-24). "100 Greatest Bob Dylan Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  3. Ricks, Christopher, 1933- (2004). Dylan's visions of sin (1st American ed.). New York: Ecco. ISBN 0-06-059923-5. OCLC 54611300.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-05-25. Retrieved 2017-05-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. Jurek, Thom. "Various Artists: The Passion of the Christ: Songs Inspired by The Passion of the Christ". AllMusic. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  6. Barton, Laura (2013-05-09). "The National: 'Our songs are about death – but in really fun ways'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
  7. "Bob Dylan: Not Yet Dark Live, Vol. 2". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
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