Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You
"Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" | ||||
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Single by Bob Dylan | ||||
from the album Nashville Skyline | ||||
B-side | "Country Pie" | |||
Released | October 1969 | |||
Recorded | February 17, 1969 | |||
Studio | Columbia, Nashville | |||
Genre | Country rock | |||
Length | 3:23 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bob Dylan | |||
Producer(s) | Bob Johnston | |||
Bob Dylan singles chronology | ||||
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"Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" is a song written by Bob Dylan from his 1969 album Nashville Skyline.[1] It was the closing song of the album. The song was the third single released from the album, after "I Threw It All Away" and "Lay Lady Lay", reaching #50 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and reaching the top 20 in other countries.[2][3] It was anthologized on the compilation albums Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II and Playlist: The Very Best of Bob Dylan '60s.[3]
Background and composition
Dylan arrived at the Nashville Skyline recording sessions having written just four songs, including "I Threw It All Away" and "Lay Lady Lay". Having recorded these and three other new songs on February 13 and 14, 1969, he needed a few more songs to fill out the album. "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" was written over two days at the
The lyrics of "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" mark a change from many of Dylan's earlier love songs, which expressed a restlessness in search of perfect love.[7] In contrast, "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" expresses Dylan's devotion to his lover and willingness to stay with her.[3][6][7][8] Even though the line from the title, which is repeated at the end of each verse, only explicitly expresses a willingness to stay "tonight", the implication of the song is that the singer is willing to stay permanently and become a family man.[3][6] Train imagery runs throughout the song, but unlike earlier songs that used similar imagery, in this song even though the singer "can hear that whistle blowin'" he wants to "throw [his] ticket out the window" and let "a poor boy on the street" have his seat so that he can stay with his lover.[6][7][8][9] The accompaniment includes piano, pedal steel guitar and bass guitar.[3][9]
Reception
Upon the single release,
Live performances
Dylan did not play "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" live in concert until the
References
- ^ "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
- ^ Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-55652-843-9.
- ISBN 0-306-80782-3.
- ^ ISBN 0-9723592-0-6.
- ^ ISBN 0-8264-6382-7.
- ^ ISBN 0-8230-7974-0.
- ^ ISBN 1-56025-185-9.
- ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 18, 1969. p. 34. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ^ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. October 18, 1969. p. 86. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ^ "Single Reviews" (PDF). Record World. October 18, 1969. p. 134. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
- ^ "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2021-05-14.