Bob Dylan / 3:39
Musicians: Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar (?), accordion; David Crosby: vocal harmonies; Robben Ford: guitar; Bruce Hornsby: piano; Randy Jackson: bass; Kenny Aronoff: drums; Paulinho Da Costa: percussion / Recording Studios: The Complex Studios (?) / The Record Plant (?), Los Angeles: February–March 1990; Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood, California (Overdubs May 2 and 8, 1990) / Producers: Don Was, David Was, and Jack Frost (Bob Dylan) / Sound Engineer: Ed Cherney
“Born in Time” was left over from the previous year’s album Oh Mercy. Bob Dylan integrated melancholy impressions to express all the sadness of a man who loves, but is not loved in return. The song was left off the track listing of Oh Mercy. “Born in Time” was entirely transformed when Dylan rerecorded it, presumably at the Complex Studios in Los Angeles. On May 2, the excellent Paulinho Da Costa recorded percussion, and on May 8, Robben Ford added a great guitar part. Don Was: “At the session, he just sat down at the piano and played it for everyone. Once the groove was established, Bob yielded the piano bench to [Bruce] Hornsby and picked up an acoustic guitar for the take. There was so much going on at that moment that I didn’t really focus properly on the lyrics as they were going by. It took years for me to realize how deep that song is.” He added, “There is a world-weariness in Bob’s vocal that is integral to the song…”143 The version of “Born in Time” found on The Bootleg Series Volume 8: Tell Tale Signs has a rather different but equally strong vibe.