1975年末到76年初，鲍勃·迪伦率领一帮音乐家（包括琼·贝兹、Roger McGuinn等）以“滚雷剧团”（Rolling Thunder Revue）之名进行了一次马戏团式的巡回演出。其中1976年5月在科罗拉多州柯林斯堡休斯体育馆（Hughs Stadium）举行的一场演出被NBC电视台全程录制，并于同年9月作为一个小时的特别节目在电视上播出，《Hard Rain》呈现的便是这场演出的实况录音，另有四首先于演出录制的歌曲（"I Threw It All Away"，"Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again"，"Oh, Sister" & "Lay Lady Lay"）。这张专辑并不受乐评家的待见，也因其少有的聒噪与愤怒，被不少人称为迪伦的“朋克”专辑。 by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Hard Rain is a snapshot of Bob Dylan's fabled Rolling Thunder Revue, a traveling circus that was more notable for its excess and character than the music. Hard Rain bears this out, being neither as sacrilegious or as exciting as Blood on the Tracks, and never seeming necessary -- after all, it arrives just two years after the last live album. There are some new interpretations along the lines of what appeared on Before the Flood, but this lacks kinetic energy, rolling along on its own sense of inevitably. That's not to say there isn't good material tucked away here, as a few of the new versions hit home and Dylan is generally spirited throughout, but ultimately, this remains the province of the dedicated.