Artists
Musicians featured in this piece are:
Willie Nelson – guitar, lead vocals
Reggie Young – guitar
Mickey Raphael – harmonica
Benmont Tench – organ
Don Was – bass
Jim Keltner – drums
Anton Fig – percussion
Written by Bob Dylan. Recorded live at Madison Square Garden, New York City, October 16, 1992, for The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration. Released on the Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration live album (Columbia Records, 1993) and the accompanying home video.
Originally a standout track from Dylan’s 1989 album Oh Mercy, “What Was It You Wanted” was performed here by Willie Nelson for the first time ever, in a slow, deliberate reading that reviewers described as feeling like a dialogue between a prophet and a disciple.
Willie Nelson – What Was It You Wanted Lyrics
What was it you wanted?
Tell me again so I’ll know.
What’s happening in there,
What’s going on in your show.
What was it you wanted,
Could you say it again?
I’ll be back in a minute
You can get it together by then.
What was it you wanted
You can tell me, I’m back,
We can start it all over
Get it back on the track,
You got my attention,
Go ahead, speak.
What was it you wanted
When you were kissing my cheek?
Was there somebody looking
When you give me that kiss
Someone there in the shadows
Someone that I might have missed?
Is there something you needed,
Something I don’t understand.
What was it you wanted,
Do I have it here in my hand?
Whatever you wanted
Slipped out of my mind,
Would you remind me again
If you’d be so kind.
Has the record been breaking,
Did the needle just skip,
Is there somebody waitin’,
Was there a slip of the lip?
What was it you wanted
I ain’t keepin’ score
Are you the same person
That was here before?
Is it something important?
Maybe not.
What was it you wanted?
Tell me again I forgot.
Whatever you wanted
What could it be
Did somebody tell you
That you could get it from me,
Is it something that comes natural
Is it easy to say,
Why do you want it,
Who are you anyway?
Is the scenery changing,
Am I getting it wrong,
Is the whole thing going backwards,
Are they playing our song?
Where were you when it started
Do you want it for free
What was it you wanted
Are you talking to me?
To listen to other songs from the Teleskop 11 program and the full program, click here.