The Flatlanders Release Cover of Bob Dylan's 'She Belongs To Me'

Today, The Flatlanders, the iconic Texas-based trio of Butch Hancock, Joe Ely, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, released their take on Bob Dylan's "She Belongs To Me." The song premiered via The Boot and is the second to be pulled from Treasure of Love, their first album of new recordings in more than 12 years that will be released on July 9 via Rack 'Em Records / Thirty Tigers. Treasure of Love is now available for pre-order.

"I loved this song the first time I heard it and have never grown tired of it," said Jimmie Dale Gilmore, who lends vocals to the song. "Although it is written from the male perspective it touches upon the plight of a strong woman living in (what is still) a man's world. Dylan was prescient in his understanding of so many of the dilemmas that have now become almost common knowledge. Butch, Joe and I have shared an appreciation of Dylan's artistry and wit from the beginning and after performing this for so many years I am happy to finally have a recorded version of it on a Flatlanders' release."

"From swapping songs sitting on some floor after midnight in Lubbock, Texas, to stage after stage from Italy to New Zealand, Jimmie's voice and this song still echo the miles and smiles The Flatlanders have shared. This was always a great song to dream on," said Butch Hancock.

Earlier this month, The Flatlanders announced their new album Treasure of Love with the official video for "Sittin' on Top of the World," which was embraced by American Songwriter, Rolling Stone, and more. Completed during COVID-19 lockdowns with the help of longtime friend and collaborator Lloyd Maines, Treasure of Love finds The Flatlanders in classic form, serving up a rollicking collection of twang-fueled, harmony-laden performances full of wry humor and raw heartbreak. While a few of the songs here are never-before-heard originals, the vast majority of the tracklist consists of vintage tunes the band picked up during their 50-year career, some stretching as far back as the group's earliest performances in the honky tonks around Lubbock, TX.

"I like to say that this album evolved more than it was recorded," explains Joe Ely, who hosted the initial recording sessions and worked extensively on the tracks at his Spur Studios in Austin, TX. "We'd been chipping away at these songs for a while without ever really finishing anything, so when lockdown started, it seemed like the perfect time to really focus on it."

The 15 tracks on Treasure of Love revisit songs they enjoyed playing from the early days and capturing them for the sheer joy of it. Not realizing at the time that they were actually making a record, the trio worked fast and loose in the studio, laying down raw, playful takes whenever they had free time between sessions or tours. It was only when the COVID-19 pandemic forced Ely, Gilmore, and Hancock to simultaneously clear all of their calendars that the band realized they had an album on their hands and the time to finally complete it.

Listen here:

Photo Credit: Matthew Fuller

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