Empire Burlesque is the twenty-third studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on June 8, 1985 on Columbia Records. Self-produced, the album peaked at No. 33 in the U.S. and No. 11 in the UK.
Accompanied by multiple session musicians—including members of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, and Howie Epstein—the album has a distinct “80s style” aesthetic. Fans and critics continue to debate the album’s merits, especially when compared to his 1960s and 1970s output.
Tracks
1 Tight Connection To My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love?) (Bob Dylan) 05:17
2 Seeing The Real You At Last (Bob Dylan) 04:19
3 I’ll Remember You (Bob Dylan) 04:14
4 Clean Cut Kid (Bob Dylan) 04:15
5 Never Gonna Be The Same Again (Bob Dylan) 03:08
6 Trust Yourself (Bob Dylan) 03:27
7 Emotionally Yours (Bob Dylan) 04:27
8 When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky (Bob Dylan) 04:50
9 Something’s Burning, Baby (Bob Dylan) 04:53
10 Dark Eyes (Bob Dylan) 05:08
Musicians
1 Tight Connection To My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love?)
| Bass | Robbie Shakespeare |
| Drums | Sly Dunbar |
| Guitar | Mick Taylor |
| Synthesizer | Ted Perlman |
| Keyboards | Bob Dylan |
| Synthesizer | Richard Scher |
| Background Vocals | Carol Dennis |
| Background Vocals | Esther Marrow |
| Background Vocals | Peggi Blu |
| Vocals | Bob Dylan |
2 Seeing The Real You At Last
| Bass | Bob Glaub |
| Drums | Don Heffington |
| Guitar | Bob Dylan |
| Guitar | Mike Campbell |
| Keyboards | Benmont Tench |
| Horns | Chops |
| Sax | Dave Watson |
| Percussion | Bashiri Johnson |
| Vocals | Bob Dylan |
3 I’ll Remember You
| Bass | Howie Epstein |
| Drums | Jim Keltner |
| Guitar | Mike Campbell |
| Piano | Bob Dylan |
| Vocals | Madelyn Quebec |
| Vocals | Bob Dylan |
4 Clean Cut Kid
| Bass | Jon Paris |
| Drums | Anton Fig |
| Guitar | Bob Dylan |
| Guitar | Ron Wood |
| Piano | Benmont Tench |
| Background Vocals | Carol Dennis |
| Background Vocals | Esther Marrow |
| Background Vocals | Peggi Blu |
| Vocals | Bob Dylan |
5 Never Gonna Be The Same Again
| Bass | Robbie Shakespeare |
| Drums | Sly Dunbar |
| Guitar | Sid McGinnis |
| Keyboards | Bob Dylan |
| Synthesizer | Anne Clark |
| Synthesizer | Richard Scher |
| Background Vocals | Debra Byrd |
| Background Vocals | Esther Marrow |
| Background Vocals | Peggi Blu |
| Vocals | Carol Dennis |
| Vocals | Bob Dylan |
6 Trust Yourself
| Bass | Robbie Shakespeare |
| Drums | Jim Keltner |
| Harmonica | Bob Dylan |
| Guitar | Mike Campbell |
| Keyboards | Benmont Tench |
| Percussion | Bashiri Johnson |
| Background Vocals | Debra Byrd |
| Background Vocals | Esther Marrow |
| Vocals | Carol Dennis |
| Vocals | Madelyn Quebec |
| Vocals | Bob Dylan |
7 Emotionally Yours
| Bass | Howie Epstein |
| Drums | Jim Keltner |
| Guitar | Mike Campbell |
| Organ | Benmont Tench |
| Piano | Bob Dylan |
| Synthesizer | Richard Scher |
| Vocals | Bob Dylan |
8 When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky
| Bass | Robbie Shakespeare |
| Drums | Sly Dunbar |
| Guitar | Bob Dylan |
| Guitar | Stuart Kimball |
| Guitar | Al Kooper |
| Synthesizer | Richard Scher |
| Percussion | Bashiri Johnson |
| Vocals | Madelyn Quebec |
| Vocals | Bob Dylan |
9 Something’s Burning, Baby
| Bass | Robbie Shakespeare |
| Drums | Don Heffington |
| Guitar | Ira Ingber |
| Synthesizer | Richard Scher |
| Synthesizer | Vince Melamed |
| Vocals | Madelyn Quebec |
| Vocals | Bob Dylan |
10 Dark Eyes
| Guitar | Bob Dylan |
| Harmonica | Bob Dylan |
| Vocals | Bob Dylan |
Other Musicians
Horns – Urban Blight Horns (Track 8)
Liner Notes
Producer – Bob Dylan
Engineer – Josh Abbe
Mixed By – Josh Abbe
Recorded By – Josh Abbe
Remixed By – Arthur Baker
Design – Nick Egan
Photography – Ken Regan
Mastered At Sterling Sound
Recorded At Cherokee Studios
Recorded At Power Station
Recorded At Delta Recording Studios
Recorded At Right Track Recording
Recorded At Shakedown Sound Studios
Phonographic Copyright CBS Inc
Copyright Special Rider Music
Empire Burlesque is the twenty-third studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on June 8, 1985 on Columbia Records. Self-produced, the album peaked at No. 33 in the U.S. and No. 11 in the UK.