The Traveling Wilburys -- Volume 2 and Volume 4

The Traveling Wilburys – a band that some believe is the last great “supergroup” – released two albums: Volume 1 and Volume 3. The title of the second album was a joke. During, between and after those albums, the five members recorded together on various projects.

In attempting to create a Volume 2, I realized there was enough material for a Volume 4 as well.

The first was easy to construct. I used two Traveling Wilburys outtakes:  “Maxine” and “Like a Ship.” I added three songs from Roy Orbison’s solo album, “You Got It” and “California Blue” (both featuring Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne) and “A Love So Beautiful” (featuring Lynne and George Harrison); two songs from Petty’s solo album, “I Won’t Back Down” (featuring Lynne and Harrison) and “Zombie Zoo” (featuring Lynne and Orbison); two songs from Lynne’s solo album, “Every Little Thing” and “Lift Me Up” (both featuring Harrison); one song from Bob Dylan, “Under the Red Sky” (featuring Harrison);  and one George Harrison song, “Cheer Down” from the Lethal Weapon 2 soundtrack (featuring Lynne).

I tacked on the holiday message from George Harrison (as Nelson Wilbury) from the Winter Warnersland album as a bonus track. For the album artwork of Volume 2, I only added the word/number "Volume 2" on a picture I found on the web. 

SIDE A

1. You Got It

2. Lift Me Up

3. Like a Ship

4. Every Little Thing

5. I Won’t Back Down

SIDE B

1. Cheer Down

2. A Love So Beautiful

3. Under the Red Sun

4. Maxine

5. California Blue

6. Zombie Zoo

Bonus: Holiday message from Nelson Wilbury

For Volume 4, I took a similar tack.

The tracks include two Traveling Wilburys outtakes: “Runaway” and “Nobody’s Child.” Other tracks include two Harrison songs he recorded for a “Best of” collection, “Poor Little Girl” and “Cockamamie Business” (both featuring Lynne); a Del Shannon song, “Walk Away” (featuring Lynne and Petty); three songs from Lynne, “Stormy Weather” and “September Song” (both featuring Harrison) and “Blown Away” (co-written by Petty and featuring Shannon); one song by Petty, “Runnin’ Down a Dream” (featuring Lynne, plus Shannon in the ending message), and one mostly instrumental song by Jim Horn, “Work It Out” (written by Lynne, and featuring Lynne, Harrison and Petty). I used the original version of “Runaway” and added the remix at the end as a bonus.

Roy Orbison died in 1988, and there were rumors that Del Shannon would take his place in the group. But Shannon committed suicide in 1990. Shannon ends up featuring as lead singer on “Walk Away,” backup vocals on “Blown Away” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” and his song “Runaway” is covered. Plus Petty name-checks him in “Runnin’ Down a Dream.” So Shannon ended up being kind of a de facto member of the group.

Dylan is mostly a no-show on this album except for sharing lead vocals on “Nobody’s Child.” Considering both Orbison’s and Shannon’s deaths (and now Harrison’s and Petty’s as well), I think the album cover of a train wreck is appropriate. I found the old photo online, added some sepia tone and changed the words.

All tracks are available on the various solo albums and the Traveling Wilburys' box set, The Traveling Wilburys Collection, except the original version of “Runaway,” which was a non-album B-side of the band’s “She’s My Baby” single.

SIDE A

1. Poor Little Girl

2. Runaway

3. Walk Away

4. Stormy Weather

5. Runnin’ Down a Dream

SIDE B

1. Nobody’s Child

2. September Song

3. Work It Out

4. Blown Away

5. Cockamamie Business

Bonus: “Runaway” (remix)