Because of a "big mistake" rocker Huey Lewis will probably never live down, the new Broadway musical based on his music won't include one very notable song: a custom composition written by Bob Dylan.
Lewis spoke to Jimmy Kimmel on Monday night to promote the jukebox musical "The Heart of Rock and Roll," based on the work of his band, Huey Lewis and the News. The pair also discussed some of Lewis' previous work, including his time recording the "We Are the World" charity single with music legends such as Dylan.
That's when it was revealed that Lewis, the "I Want a New Drug" singer, once told Kimmel something that he simply can't get over: Dylan offered up a song he wrote for Huey Lewis and the News to record.
"He sent me a cassette and a lovely note saying he liked the last record and here's a song of mine," Lewis said. "And not only did I not cut it, I don't actually know where the cassette is."
"You lost the cassette?" Kimmel asked over the audible groans of the audience.
"No, it's part of my cassette collection when there's thousands of cassettes there," Lewis said. "I could probably find it eventually."
Kimmel suggested that Lewis start digging and add the track to the end of the musical, which premieres in New York City at the end of March.
Dylan, a 10-time Grammy winner, is considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history. He rose to fame in the 1960s and the 1970s and became known as the voice of his generation.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 2016 for his “poetic expression” in his lyrics. A biopic is in production, with Timothée Chalamet portraying Dylan.
Lewis admitted to Kimmel that it was a “big mistake” to lose the track and that he has no idea why the band never recorded it.
“Note to self: When Bob Dylan sends you a song, record it,” he joked.
