"WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" was recorded early in 2006 for 'Modern Times', released in August of 2006. The live debut of "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" in Vancouver, British Columbia during the opening night of the fall tour of 2006 was the first song from 'Modern Times' performed on stage. Altogether this song appeared in 19 of the 29 shows during that tour.

During the fine European tour in the spring of 2007 "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" appeared in every show except the first one. The first European version was with Bob on guitar, all others with Bob on piano. During two of these European versions, in Düsseldorf and in Frankfurt, I had the pleasure to be a part of the audience.

During the North American summer tour of 2007 "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" was performed in 15 of the 27 shows; and during the New Zealand and Australia tour in August 2007 "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" appeared in seven of the 12 shows. During the USA fall tour of 2007 "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" was performed in 10 of the 30 shows.

In 2008 "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" was performed fifteen times during the (mainly Latin American) tour in February and March.
[Check out the mp3 below of the third Dallas show from Feb.23rd, and listen to the last verse.]

During the (mainly European) tour from May to July 2008 "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" appeared ten times, at first during one of the warmup shows in Canada, then in Iceland, in Denmark, in Estonia, in the Czech Republic, in Italy, and finally four times in Spain. The last Spanish version, in Mérida, I had the privilige to witness from the center of the first row. It sure was a great addition to the concert, and to my ten day holiday in Spain.

From August 2008 to November 2008 "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" was performed in 12 more shows in North America, before in the spring of 2009 "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" appeared in another nine European concerts, in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, England, and Scotland. During the summer 2009 minor league baseball stadium tour in the US "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" was performed five more times; and during the fall tour of 2009 it appeared seven times.

The first two performances of "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" in 2010 were in March, in Tokyo, Japan; and the next one was in June, in Bulgaria. In the US "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" appeared four times in 2010. In 2011 Dylan chose to perform "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" only once, in April, in Darling Harbour, Australia; and in 2012 Bob Dylan again chose to perform "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" only once, in November, in Madison, Wisonsin.

One year and two days later, during the "static set list year" 2013, the one and only appearance of "WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN" was in Rome in November, during the second of the two "mix up" shows, in the middle of Dylan's fine European autumn tour. To my ears this unique gem is one of Dylan's finest vocal performances of that year (for mp3 link see below).

Biblical references:


~ John 14:1-3 ~

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."


~ John 19:2-5 ~

And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!”