Vinyl Vault

After the runaway success of their first collaboration in 1988, the Traveling Wilburys decided to carry on in 1990, after the death of Roy Orbison, with a second collection of music. Named Vol. 3 in the spirit of the comical, laid-back proceedings, the second album by the supergroup comprised of Tom Petty, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, and Jeff Lynne was released with little of the fanfare that accompanied their first. But how does it hold up today? Let’s let a song-by-song review decide.

Vol. 3 (1990, Warner Bros.)

Side A

  A1. “She’s My Baby”
Things get off to a rollicking start with this song, which rocks harder than anything on the first album. The boys trade off double-entendres about a memorable maiden, that is until Dylan dispenses with the cheekiness and gets down to the heart of the matter: “She likes to stick her tongue right down my throat.” The ripping guitar solo is turned in by blues-rock veteran Gary Moore.

  A2. “Inside Out”
A nice mid-tempo stomper featuring producer Lynne’s favored walled backing vocals, this song really takes off once Harrison takes over on the elegant bridge. We should take this track to acknowledge the unfailingly steady drum work of Jim Keltner, an unofficial Wilbury whose rhythmic backbeat was a key element to the overall quality of both of the group’s albums.

  A3. “If You Belonged To Me”
The one indispensable track here. Maybe that’s because the group stops trading jokey verses and sticks to providing acoustic accompaniment to Dylan’s tale, which is part heartbreak, part anger over the actions of a wayward girl. In typical fashion, he tells a complete story in just the first two lines: “You’re waltzing ‘round the room tonight in someone else’s clothes/You’re always coming out of things smelling like a rose.” The song obviously left an impression on Harrison, who later ripped the arrangement and chord sequence for “Any Road,” the lead track off his posthumous solo album, Brainwashed.

  A4. “The Devil’s Been Busy”
This catchy little number features sitar from Harrison that spices up the roots-rock mix. The lyrics warn against apathy and even take on environmental concerns, albeit without preachiness. Dylan again gets in the last word: “Sometimes you’re better off not knowing how much you’ve been had.”

  A5. “7 Deadly Sins”
Doo-wop is the genre of the moment on this silly track, which is rhythmically reminiscent of “This Boy,” a song by Harrison’s other band. You might have heard of them. Anyway, it helps if you imagine Dylan in a flashy suit doing the crooning as the other three perform shuffling dance steps while providing backing vocals.

  A6. “Poor House”
Petty’s good-ol’ boy Southern accent mixed with Harrison’s weeping slide guitar, and it works. If that doesn’t prove the chemistry of these guys, I don’t know what will.

Side B

  B1. “Where Were You Last Night”
It’s hard to call any song with Dylan and Harrison trading lyrics inconsequential, but this trivial ditty comes darn close.

  B2. “Cool Dry Place”
Petty’s laconic sense of humor takes center stage on this bluesy rambler. Of all the things about which to sing the blues, the lack of storage space for a pack rat musician might be the most original.

  B3. “New Blue Moon”
Lynne gets his turn in the spotlight, but doesn’t do much with it on this forgettable, Latin-tinged throwaway.

  B4. “You Took My Breath Away”
Lynne’s biggest contribution to the proceedings, besides his production skills, is his amazing way with harmony vocals. Here, he provides them to Petty’s lead on this lovely, melancholy ballad, which could be taken as the group’s tribute to Orbison, their fallen “brother.”

  B5. “Wilbury Twist”
The boys go out on a hilarious note, providing a dance craze with ever-changing instructions on how to do it. The one constant seems to be a willingness to not take yourself so seriously, which might be the ultimate lesson to take away from the music of the Wilburys.

The Bottom Line

There’s no getting around the fact that Vol. 3 suffers in comparison to its predecessor both in terms of the quality of the songs and, of course, with the absence of Roy Orbison’s glorious voice. But just try putting this record on for a spin and then walking away without a smile on your face. Long may the Wilburys roam!

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