Going to the End of the Line

Handle With Care
The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1
Wilbury : 1988
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Heading for the Light
The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1
Wilbury : 1988
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Rattled
The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1
Wilbury : 1988
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End of the Line
The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1
Wilbury : 1988
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Tweeter and the Monkey Man
The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1
Wilbury : 1988
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She's My Baby
The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 3
Wilbury : 1990
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Inside Out
The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 3
Wilbury : 1990
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If You Belong to Me
The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 3
Wilbury : 1990
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Devil's Been Busy
The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 3
Wilbury : 1990
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Wilbury Twist
The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 3
Wilbury : 1990
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Don't Treat Me Like a Stranger
The Traveling Wilburys
1990
[Listen]

Nobody's Child
The Traveling Wilburys
Nobody's Child [single]
Wilbury : 1990
[Listen] [Buy]

For those not in the know, the Traveling Wilburys were a supergroup consisting of Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison. They were called together to work on a b-side for one of Harrison’s singles and came up with the lovely Handle with Care. In ten days they wrote and recorded their first album, Volume 1, which was a critical and commercial success. Before they got together for a second go, Roy said “aw, mercy” and left the building. The remaining four Wilburys kept on keeping on and recorded a second album titled Volume 3, which wasn’t as successful. (Thanks, Wikipedia)

Both Volumes 1 and 3 had the special status of riding in dad’s green milk crate of tapes that sat behind the seat of his van, so I heard quite a bit of them. While consensus holds Volume 1 as the better of the two, I have to say I enjoy Volume 3 quite a bit. Each has a distinct feel. Volume 1 sounds lighter, smoother, and a bit gentler. Handle With Care, End of the Line, and Heading for the Light are all examples of tunes that have a wise and weathered shuffle to them. Rattled is a great throwback to old time rock and roll, and my favorite use of Orbison’s signature pipes on the project. Tweeter and the Monkey Man was one of my favorites as a kid, and the darkest tune on the record. It also might be their most recognizable tune.

Volume 3 starts with it’s foot on the gas, keeps a quicker pace and louder sound throughout, as you can hear with She’s My Baby and Devil’s Been Busy. Devil’s Been Busy and Inside Out touch on less than uplifting issues, but with a friendly, honest feel, which fascinated me when I was little and continues to today. It’s a rare quality.

The last two are new tunes to me, and thanks to these crazy magic tubes, can be new to you too. Nobody’s Child was recorded for a benefit by the Volume 3 era lineup, and has a pretty cool folksy feel to it. I dig it anyway. Don’t Treat Me Like a Stranger sounds like a Tom Petty b-side, which it very well could be. Many Wilbury’s diehards consider Petty’s Full Moon Fever (tunes like Running Down a Dream and Free Fallin’) as the Wilbury’s Volume 2 because of how many members of the group appeared on his album.

There’s your trivia for the day! Hope you enjoy the tunes. They make for good back road driving on those early spring days when it gets just warm enough to crack the windows. That is, if it ever stops raining and being all 40 degrees out.