When Bob Dylan released ‘Oh Mercy’, it marked a creative spark that had the music world buzzing. Recorded in New Orleans with producer Daniel Lanois, the album shimmered with nighttime mystique, poetic grit, and late-80s groove. Here are 5 fascinating facts behind this haunting classic.
1. Dylan and Ronnie Wood recorded a whole other version first
Before New Orleans, Dylan tried tracking the album with Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood. The sessions produced a complete version of ‘Oh Mercy’ that never saw daylight. Dylan later decided to start fresh, and that decision led to the version fans know today.
2. The album was born under the moonlight
Producer Daniel Lanois insisted that they record only at night. He believed the human body moved differently after dark, when “the pushing and pulling of the moon” shaped rhythm and mystery. The result was a sound designed to be heard at night, with every note drenched in atmosphere.
3. Bono helped connect Dylan and Lanois
The partnership between Dylan and Lanois began thanks to U2’s Bono, who introduced them in the late ’80s. Dylan admired Lanois’s work with the Neville Brothers on ‘Yellow Moon’, and the two clicked immediately. That meeting sparked one of Dylan’s most distinctive sonic collaborations.
4. Some of Dylan’s best songs didn’t make the final cut
“Series of Dreams,” “Dignity,” and “Born in Time” all came from the ‘Oh Mercy’ sessions but were left off the album. Each song later appeared on future releases, including The Bootleg Series and Greatest Hits Volume 3. Dylan’s cutting-room floor was filled with gold.
5. The cover art was discovered on a Manhattan street
The mural of two dancers on the cover wasn’t staged or commissioned. Dylan spotted it on a wall outside a Chinese restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen. The artist, known as Trotsky, lived nearby and gave permission. It became one of Dylan’s most striking and serendipitous album covers.