Sara (Bob Dylan song)

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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/bob-dylan-stories-of-the-songs-314343.html|title=Bob Dylan: Stories of the songs|work=The Independent|access-date=12 July 2018}} In his book Down The Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan, Howard Sounes 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.{{Cite book|title=Down The Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan (New York, Grove, 2001)|last=Sounes|first=Howard|publisher=Grove Press|year=2001|location=New York}} According to Larry Sloman, Dylan turned to Sara just before beginning the song, and stated, "This one's for you."Bob Dylan: The Recording Sessions by Clinton Heylin, p. 114.

The song contains the line "Staying up for days in the Chelsea hotel / Writing 'Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands' for you,"{{Cite book|title=My back pages : classic Bob Dylan, 1962–1969|first=Andy|last=Gill|date=1998|publisher=Carlton|isbn=1858684811|location=London|pages=106–107|oclc=42406935}} a reference to the Hotel Chelsea, where Dylan had resided in the 1960s.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8676476/Future-of-New-Yorks-Chelsea-Hotel-hangs-in-the-balance.html|title=Future of New York's Chelsea Hotel hangs in the balance|journal=Daily Telegraph|date=August 2, 2011|access-date=12 July 2018|issn=0307-1235}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/gallery/2010/dec/19/10-best-chelsea-hotel-moments|title=The 10 best Chelsea hotel moments|last=Hoby|first=Hermione|date=December 19, 2010|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 July 2018|issn=0261-3077}} 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.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bobdylanencyclop00gray|title=The Bob Dylan encyclopedia|last=Gray|first=Michael|date=2006|publisher=Continuum|isbn=0826469337|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bobdylanencyclop00gray/page/198 198]–201|oclc=67346197|url-access=registration}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/with-blood-on-the-tracks-bob-dylan-bid-an-angry-ragge-1798283531|title=With Blood on the Tracks, Bob Dylan bid an angry, ragged farewell to his wife|last=Reiff|first=Corbin|work=Music|access-date=12 July 2018}}

"Sara" has been called one of Dylan's best love songs. The Irish Times stated the song was "as beautiful an expression of the preciousness and frailty of human love as has ever been put on a record."{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/a-taste-of-bob-dylan-10-songs-to-beat-the-band-1.2655127|title=A taste of Bob Dylan: 10 songs to beat The Band|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=12 July 2018}} Rolling Stone called the song perhaps his most personal song in his career.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bob-dylans-desire-an-exotic-masterpiece-turns-40-62458/|title=Bob Dylan's 'Desire': An 'Exotic' Masterpiece Turns 40|last=Doyle|first=Patrick|date=January 5, 2016|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=12 July 2018}} "Sara" was also featured at No. 48 on Rolling Stone's list of 100 Greatest Bob Dylan Songs.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-bob-dylan-songs-65159/sara-1976-142935/|title=100 Greatest Bob Dylan Songs|date=May 24, 2016|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=12 July 2018}}

In 2002, a live version of the song from the 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue tour was featured on The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-bootleg-series-vol-5-bob-dylan-live-1975-the-rolling-thunder-revue-mw0000229202|title=The Bootleg Series, Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975 – The Rolling Thunder Revue – Bob Dylan {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=12 July 2018}} 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’s 1997 song "Where Do We Go Now, But Nowhere?"Original Seeds Vol. 2: Songs that inspired Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Kim Beissel, CD liner notes, Rubber Records Australia, 2004

• Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar, harmonica
• Scarlet Rivera – violin
• Rob Stoner – bass
• Howard Wyeth – drums

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/sara/ Lyrics] at Bob Dylan's official site
• [http://dylanchords.com/18_desire/sara Chords] at Dylanchords

{{Bob Dylan}}

Category:1975 songs

Category:Bob Dylan songs

Category:Songs written by Bob Dylan

Category:Song recordings produced by Don DeVito