"Sara" is a song from

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

's 1976 album ''

Desire Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like "wanting", "wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of aff ...

''. It is the closing song on the album. Unlike many of the songs on the album, which were written by Dylan and

Jacques Levy Jacques Levy (July 29, 1935 – September 30, 2004) was an American songwriter, theatre director and clinical psychologist. Early life and education Levy was born in New York City in 1935 and graduated from the City College of New York in 1956. ...

, "Sara" was written solely by Dylan, as an autobiographical account of his estrangement from then-wife

Sara Dylan Sara Dylan (born Shirley Marlin Noznisky; October 28, 1939) is an American former actress and model who was the first wife of singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. In 1959, Noznisky was wed to magazine photographer Hans Lownds, during which time she was ...

. It was recorded on July 31, 1975.

Background and recording

The song is named after Dylan's wife at the time, and the song alludes to their earlier relationship, including the couple's children together. In his book ''Down The Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan'',

Howard Sounes Howard Sounes (born 1965) is a British author, journalist and biographer. Biography Born in Welling, South East London, Sounes began his journalistic career as a staff reporter for the ''Sunday Mirror''. He broke major stories, including one ...

quoted Jacques Levy's account of the recording of the song, stating that Sara was present at the studio and listened "from the other side of the glass" as Dylan played the song. According to

Larry Sloman Larry "Ratso" Sloman (born July 9, 1950) is a New York-based author. Career Sloman was born into a middle-class Jewish family from Queens. His nickname Ratso came from Joan Baez who said Sloman looked like Dustin Hoffman's character Ratso Rizzo ...

, Dylan turned to Sara just before beginning the song, and stated, "This one's for you."''Bob Dylan: The Recording Sessions'' by

Clinton Heylin Clinton Heylin (born 8 April 1960) is an English author who has written extensively about popular music and the work of Bob Dylan. Education Heylin attended Manchester Grammar School. He read history at Bedford College, University of London, ...

, p. 114. The song contains the line "Staying up for days in the Chelsea hotel / Writing '

Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" is a song by American singer-singwriter Bob Dylan. First released as the closing track on Dylan's 1966 album ''Blonde on Blonde'', the song lasts 11 minutes and 22 seconds, occupying the entire side four of the doub ...

' for you," a reference to the

Hotel Chelsea The Hotel Chelsea (also the Chelsea Hotel or the Chelsea) is a hotel in Manhattan, New York City, built between 1883 and 1885. The 250-unit hotel is located at 222 West 23rd Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, in the neighborhood of Ch ...

, where Dylan had resided in the 1960s. It is also the only instance of Dylan deliberately quoting one of his own song titles in the lyrics of another song. That first take of the song, recorded on July 31, 1975 in New York City, at Columbia Recording Studios, Studio E., is reportedly the one featured on the album. Bob and Sara reconciled after the recording of the song but would divorce in 1977.

Reception

"Sara" has been called one of Dylan's best love songs. ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

'' stated the song was "as beautiful an expression of the preciousness and frailty of human love as has ever been put on a record." ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' called the song perhaps his most personal song in his career. "Sara" was also featured at No. 48 on ''Rolling Stone'''s list of 100 Greatest Bob Dylan Songs.

Other versions

In 2002, a live version of the song from the 1975

Rolling Thunder Revue The Rolling Thunder Revue was a 1975–1976 concert tour by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan with numerous musicians and collaborators. The purpose of the tour was to allow Dylan, who had now become a major recording artist and concert perfor ...

tour was featured on '' The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue''. In 2019, that recording and four other live performances of the song from the tour were released on the box set '' The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings''. In 2004 researcher Kim Beissel claimed that "Sara" was the basis for

Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Ca ...

’s 1997 song " Where Do We Go Now, But Nowhere?"''

Original Seeds ''Original Seeds: Songs that inspired Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds'' is a various artist compilation, which was initially released in June 1998. It was re-titled as ''Original Seeds Volume 1: Songs That Inspired Nick Cave and the Bad Se ...

Vol. 2: Songs that inspired Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds'', Kim Beissel, CD liner notes, Rubber Records Australia, 2004

Personnel

– vocals, guitar, harmonica *

Scarlet Rivera Donna Shea, better known as Scarlet Rivera is an American violinist. She is best known for her work with Bob Dylan, in particular on his 1976 album ''Desire'' and as part of the Rolling Thunder Revue. Career Bob Dylan is said to have discover ...

– violin *

Rob Stoner Robert David Rothstein (April 20, 1948, Manhattan, New York, United States), better known as Rob Stoner, is an American multi-instrumental musician. Early life His father, Arthur Rothstein, (July 17, 1915 in New York City – November 11, 1985 i ...

– bass *

Howard Wyeth Howard Pyle Wyeth (April 22, 1944 – March 27, 1996), also known as Howie Wyeth, was an American drummer and pianist. Wyeth is remembered for work with the saxophonist James Moody, the rockabilly singer Robert Gordon, the electric guitarist L ...

– drums

References

{{Bob Dylan

External links

Lyrics
at Bob Dylan's official site
Chords
at Dylanchords 1975 songs Bob Dylan songs Songs written by Bob Dylan Song recordings produced by Don DeVito