special introductory paragraph!

Bob Dylan

The Freewheelin'...

Live At The Gaslight 1962

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Another Side Of...

Bringing It All Back Home

Highway 61 Revisited

The Bootleg Series, Vol. 4 - Live 1966: The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert

Blonde On Blonde

Greatest Hits

The Bootleg Series, Vol. 7 - No Direction Home: The Soundtrack

The Basement Tapes

John Wesley Harding

The Bob Dylan/Johnny Cash Sessions (with Johnny Cash)

Nashville Skyline

Self Portrait

Dylan

New Morning

Greatest Hits, Vol. II

Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid

Planet Waves

Before The Flood

Blood On The Tracks

Desire

The Bootleg Series, Vol. 5 - Live 1975: The Rolling Thunder Revue

Hard Rain

Street Legal

At Budokan

Slow Train Coming

Saved

Shot Of Love

Infidels

Empire Burlesque

Knocked Out Loaded

Down In the Groove

Dylan & The Dead

Oh Mercy!

Under The Red Sky

The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991

Good As I Been To You

World Gone Wrong

MTV Unplugged

Time Out Of Mind

Love And Theft

1966-1978: After The Crash DVD

Modern Times

Bob Dylan - Columbia 1962.

Reader Comments

starostin@geocities.com (George Starostin)
A very good place to get started if you really want to dig into Bob's roots. Shows that a lot of his own acoustic (dang it, electric as well) compositions were heavily influenced by traditional folkie music. A lot. Really. Very listenable, and, surprising as it may seem, his voice here is much more varied than on Freewheelin'. Damn it, his guitar-only 'House Of The Risin' Sun' is every bit as good as the Animals' version and maybe better! I like it. Maybe not essential, but a brilliant debut nevertheless. An 8 is a perfect rating.

Waterloo78@aol.com
A consistently entertaining debut. He's come a long way, but damn if that kid wasn't endearing from the start. Love his "House Of The Risin' Sun" and "Baby Let Me Follow You Down", though he'd do an even better version in '66.

smuskol@online.no
I think this is his best acoustic album ever, even though it contains some weaker songs, like "Pretty Peggy O". Listen to his great guitarplaying on "In My Time Of Dying" (the best song on the album), with this incredible bottleneck (which, in fact is, the box of a lipstift). Songs like "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean", "Fixing To Die" and "Gospel Plow", is just great. His version of "The House Of The Rising Sun", is even better than the Animals` version. His two own songs isn`t as good as the rest of the album. On this album he sings great.

bcs2h@mtsu.edu
The debut of a legend. Like many musical legends, Bob's debut was relatively inconspicous. It's an alright album, but nothing special, and certainly nothing outside of the confines of what the other Greenwich Vilalge folksters were doing. But it gave Bob a foothold in the industry, and that was what was most important.

Only two originals from Bob here. "Talkin' New York," and his ode to his hero, "Song To Woody." Both songs are alright, but neither one could really clue you in to what Bob was about to do on his next album. There was no foreshadowing here.

"See That My Grave Is Kept Clean," "Man Of Constant Sorrow," and "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down," top my list of favorite songs off the album. Unlike some of you, Bob's "House Of The Risin' Sun" really doesn't do much for me. I may have just heard the song too many times from too many people. There's really not much else to say about this album. If you want to hear a legend beginning to feel his way around the industry, buy this album. If you're only interested in hearing the cream of the crop, go out and buy his mid '60s masterpieces.

My rating, a 5. (Now, all of my ratings are exclusive to the world of Dylan. They are all in comparison to other Dylan albums. If I rate a Dylan album a 6, that doesn't mean I think it's equal to an AC/DC album I'd rate a 6. Bob is much, much better than that. Bob just can't be compared to anyone else. He is a species unto himself. So a 5 for this album is in comparison to a 10 for Highway 61 Revisited.)

Reader Comments

hutchilj@aramco.com.sa (Lawrence J. Hutchinson)
Rating:7 - I always enjoy Freewheelin', but think that songs like "Masters Of War" sound a little overblown these days - you know, with an exaggerated anger thrown in to fit in with the times. The reason this album is good is because there are some very good humourous songs mixed in with the social commentaries, and "Corrina, Corrina" is sweet.

gstarst@freestamp.com (George Starostin)
No, no, this IS a wonderful album. The main problem is that it is very, very, very, very hard to get into it from the first time. Unstandard, even "distorted" melodies and that spooky voice can frighten off anybody; also, 50 minutes of pure guitar and harmonica can be bad for one's digestion system. Still, at least half of the tunes are enjoyable at once: "Blowin' In The Wind", "Masters Of War" (yes, a bit over-serious, but at least this varies the record a bit), "Hard Rain", "Don't Think Twice", and some others. The humour is good, and since this record is not as drug-influenced as the later ones, you can enjoy some serious and thoughtful lyrics too.

dunciad@bc.sympatico.ca (Animal)
just a quick word, Mr. Lawrence J Hutchinson, "Masters of War" is a song written about the kind of people who make a living building and selling machinery whose sole purpose is to butcher the youth of the world. If the anger which that inspires seems a trifle "overblown" in this day and age then perhaps it's on account of little rambo-watchin' squeaks like yerself have become jaded earlier than most. the sentiments expressed in that there song were not "thrown in to fit in with the times," because the "times" hadn't even started yet. get out some old pete seeger and peter, paul & mary albums and find vitriol like that anywhere.

the funny songs are good too.

darrenm@primus.com.au (Darren Moss)
"Masters Of War" overblown????? How can anyone miss the point to that degree??? Bob Dylan makes intelligent music... not just toe tappers (which he can and does do)- and this is one of the finest examples of his "protest" songs.

In fact, the sentiments in this song are still very much relevant today - if you'd care to leave the music/entertainment websites for a just a moment, and read the world news sites, you may see what Dylan is/was talking about....

But that may involve thinking....

This is a landmark album and will be remembered as such when 20th Century music is looked back upon by future historians.

Waterloo78@aol.com
Classic after classic after classic. THE folk album to own. Where does he get off writing such great songs as "Blowin' In The Wind" or "Don't Think Twice It's Alright"? Unheard of!

hutchilj@aramco.com.sa (Sean Hutchinson)
Darren, firstly, sarcasm has no place on a website that was designed to be a forum for the discussion and evaluation of Dylan's music. Secondly, Dylan, almost by his own admission, if you read the many interviews that exist, 'jumped on the protest bandwagon'. He used protest folk songs to become famous, when all he really wanted to be was a rock'n'roll star - that's why he almost completely dumped it after The Times They Are A-Changin'. He was never as passionate about it as people like Pete Seeger and Phil Ochs. He has said in a number of interviews that he didn't want to write "topical songs", and he was much happier 'doing his own thing' on albums like Bringing It All Back Home. That's why, now, unlike when I first heard "Masters Of War" at the age of 16, it comes across as less sincere. It's still a good song, but it sounds rather more opportunistic to my ears now. And, yes, I still think it's "overblown" - it's too extreme at the end in the "I hope that you die" verse - I don't like Dylan preaching, I guess.

cola@together.net (Colasacco)
As much as I love Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde and Blood on the Tracks, this and Bringing it All Back Home are Bob's most important recordings. Just browse through the song list on this one and you'll see why! "Blowin' in the Wind" is still the guy's most famous song, although I don't necessarily think it's one of his better. "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" is another mega-classic - in my opinion it blows "Blowin'" out of the water. "Girl From the North Country" is meditative and soothing (hard to imagine, isn't it, from this "Mr. Pleasantvoice"). "Masters of War" might be the best protest song ever written, and stands alongside "Positively 4th Street" and "Idiot Wind" as one of Dylan's harshest songs.

"A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," though...that's the guy's masterpiece! One of the best songs ever written. Apparently each line was originally going to have an entire song written about it, but he decided to just throw it all together. Good decision! I love the whole thing...so haunting, so mysterious, so Dylan! And the rest aren't bad, either. After "Corrina, Corrina," it's hard to see how people couldn't guess Bob would soon chuck his acoustic guitar. It's practically a rock song!

The closer is hysterical, by the way. What do we need to make the country great? More songs like that! A big, whopping 10.

robchaundy@yahoo.com (Robert Chaundy)
You can go on about Blood on the Tracks or Time Out of Mind or John Wesley Harding all you like, but for me the most atmospheric Bob Dylan albums are the very early ones. On this record especially there is an awesome feeling of a consciousness being articulated, and of folk music being a real, living medium rather than the cute museum piece it has since become. One can only imagine what it was like to be a dirt-poor, passionate, frightened student in the early 60s. Cuba, Vietnam, Rhodesia and 1968 were looming on the horizon, but armed with this record you would have felt just a little bit more confident about facing them. There was a real fire in young people back then. We have nothing like it today - today we have Limp Bizkit and Destiny's Child and Oasis. Oh how I hate them.

You know, it's October 2001 as I write this, and given what has happened in the past few weeka, I doubt anyone will ever again raise serious criticism of the likes of Masters of War. It may not be a great song - a different argument entirely - but the sentiment is truer and more grimly sincere than ever. War is hell.

Bob made two pretty big statements back in those heady days. He was right about the answer - it's blowin' in the wind today just as much as it was in 1962, but as for the times... well, they weren't really changing at all. But I have a feeling he knew that.

ajkenyon81@yahoo.com (Amanda Kenyon)
"Girl From the North Country" pisses me off. It is a cheap, unapologetic, carbon-copy ripoff of "Scarborough Fair." And I'm not pissed off because that's a Simon and Garfunkel song, I'm pissed off because it's a very old folk song and nobody (well, almost nobody, and if they do they're not saying anything) seems to realize that. Did he do that on purpose? Is it SUPPOSED to be a rewrite of "Scarborough Fair"? (If it is, it's not very good.) What the hell were his motivations here? Until I find this out, I will continue to be pissed off.

jim.celer@hhss.state.ne.us
Was about to put down my ink pen for the day (already sent two letters elsewhere). But then I read "sarcasm has no place on a website designed to be a forum for the discussion and evaluartion of Dylan's music".

Well. if that's the case -- let's "pretend that we never have met" (to quote a sarcastic Dylan lyric from two albums hence).

No, better - goodbye is too good a word, babe, so I'll just say "fare thee well."

watta502@yahoo.gr (Akis Katsman)
Freewheelin' is an excellent folk album. It's not that easy to listen at first, but then grows on you. It would be silly to pick up a favourite tune, as there are a lot of geniuses here. The only song that does nothing for me is "Bob Dylan's Blues". The rest is awesome, even the short songs. Rating: 10/10

uglytruth@hotmail.com (Hossein Nayebagha)
Considering how there are a bunch of unnecessary tracks on here (you would have said exactly the same thing if it didn't say "Bob Dylan" on the package), I might have taken one point off to make it an eight. I just think he's a bit too lazy on the vocals, well that may be his style, but it's too much sometimes...And if people listen to Dylan for his words, whatever. They're often very amusing, but I listen for the music and I don't care if that may not be the whole point, that it's very simple musically; that's what I want, I'm tired sick of all the "serious" garbage out there that...STOP.

"I Shall Be Free" is a FANTASTIC tune!!! I like a few others, but there are the two that I can distinguish as the highlights, and the other one is "Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall", so I obviously agree on that one, but man that last track, I never get tired of...Pretty guitar, kick-ass harmonica, funny lyrics and whatever it is that's special about Bob Dylan.

bcs2h@mtsu.edu
Dylan's first great album, and a major step up from his self-titled debut. Already, Bob was cementing his status as an epic songwriter. What other artist in his early 20s wrote a song as simplistically beautiful and profoundly meaningful as "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall?" It's a perfect anthem for then and now, and likely forever. Although we won't always live under the shadow of the bomb as America did in the '60s, there will always be some power hoping to wield it as a threat. So long as that is the case, this anthem's intense message will live on, for better or worse.

But this space isn't reserved for politics, so how about the rest of the songs? Everyone knows "Blowin' In The Wind," and rightfullly so. Fantastic, anthemic song. Truly a standard of popular music. "Girl Of The North Country" is a beautiful ballad, and superior to its sound alike sister "Boots of Spanish Leather" off Dylan's next album. "Masters Of War" is another epic protest song. Possibly Dylan's most vicious song to date, and almost certainly his most venomous protest song. "Talkin' World War III Blues" is one of Dylan's few "humor" songs that I actually find mildly humorous. Even manages to quote Abraham Lincoln in it (sort of). "Down The Highway' finds Dylan showing off some of his more impressive guitar skills (which most casual music fans will claim he doesn't have). And of course, "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" is one of Bob's more enduring love songs, and one of his favorites to play live. Oh, and I'll never understand the draw of "I Shall Be Free." I just don't like it much. But that doesn't take away from the fact that this is a fantastic sophmore album, and one hell of an accomplishment for a young 20-something.

Some people will tell you that Bob never surpassed this album. I won't argue that point, even though I don't agree. Everyone has their own specific taste. Although I'd certainly agree that this is the height of acoustic Dylan.

Overall rating, I give it an 8. And it's hard not to give it a 9, it really is. It's between an 8 and 9, and I'm gonna round down this time. "I Shall Be Free," "Corrina, Corrina," "Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance," "Bob Dylan's Blues," and "Oxford Town" are all just a little too pedestrian for me to give it higher than 8. Nonetheless, it's still one of the most important albums in music history, and was partially the impetus for The Beatles' "Rubber Soul," another epic '60s record.

marc.kreienbrink@gmail.com
Ahhh...The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. One of my all-time favorite albums. It was one of those albums that I just happened to discover at the right time in my life. I feel it's perfect in its simplicity.

10 out of 10.

Q. What's the difference between Bob Dylan and a dark reddish orange?
A. Well, one is 'burnt sienna' and the other was 'burnt out by 1977'!'

Q. Why did Bob Dylan cross the road?
A. To get to Another Side!

Q. How many Bob Dylan fans does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A. Theoretically only one, but he's been talking to the record store clerk for the last three hours!

Q. What was Bob Dylan's ass dildo doing five minutes after Bob ate at Taco Bell?
A. The answer, my friend, is "blowing in the wind"!

Q. What did Bob Dylan both say and experience after an all-night lovemaking session with his idol Woody Guthrie?
A. "'Morning, Wood!"

Now that I've saved society from certain suicibe, I plead with you to hear me as I discuss the recently-released recording of Mr. Dylan and his acoustic guitar performing a solo set of mostly traditional folk material at the Gaslight in 1962. The first thing to note about this performance is that Dylan sounds extremely uncomfortable; this is due to the Gaslight being not a club but an actual gaslight upon which Bob has accidentally sat while in the nude. Ha ha! No, see - I'm joking!

According to those in the know, Dylan performs two tracks from Freewheelin', one non-LP original and seven trad. arr. folk classics. Which reminds me - have you heard that Half Man Half Biscuit song "We Built This Village On A Trad. Arr. Tune"? See, now that's FUNNY! Why can't "Weird Al" Yankovic make us laugh like that anymore? Your enjoyment of this Dylan CD is going to depend entirely upon your interest in hearing him perform old folk tunes on his guitar with a hole in it. Do you like his debut album? I do. This doesn't really sound like it though. How about eggs? Do you like eggs?

Folk melodies aren't by nature the most exciting and novel riffs you're ever going to hear, but Bob does his best to make the set seem diverse by utilizing a number of playing techniques -- pretty pickin', happy strummin', sad pluckin', moody lickin', tough rhythmizing, and best of all, playing the incorrect chords! (listen closely to "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" for some ear-scraping wrong turns!). The lyrics seem fairly provocative too, particularly in the fanTAStic anti-war ballad "John Brown" and the goodtime drug celebration let's all take drugs drug anthem "Cocaine." But somebody should have decked him during "Rocks And Gravel"; I don't know that I've ever heard a vocal hook quite as purposely annoying as "Take some rocks NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN gravel baby...." Were there no violent rednecks around? Come on, what kind of beat cafe didn't have a bunch of Nazi skinheads and humongous drunken jocks hanging around every night? This is why I think it was actually recorded in a studio surrounded by policemen.

I have to assume Bob wasn't terribly popular yet because the crowd remains almost completely silent throughout the entire set, aside from singing along like a bunch of kindergarten children to "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall." Eh, I'm done.

Winner - 2005 'Best Ending' Awards

Reader Comments

alynn@erols.com (Alexander Lynn)
My two cents:

I agree that this album is a disappointment after Freewheelin'. While recently pruning my CD collection, The Times . . . was the first Dylan album to go. It's so dour and preachy that listening becomes a chore by the end. That being said, "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" does feature some beautiful harmonica work, and the tune overall is a fine one, and may be worth the price of admission (It's a sad song, in case the title didn't forewarn you). It is not a bad record, so much as one that has not aged well and now seems to us more a product of its time than Freewheelin' does.

This is one of several Dylan records that would have benefited from a more considered track selection. The outtakes "Lay Down Your Weary Tune" (included on Biograph) and "Moonshiner" (on The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1) would have helped to balance the album out, in terms of mood. But, what's done is done (and we listeners today can always make a mix tape that includes some of the less cranky outtakes) . . .

dube101@concentric.net (Dennis Dubrow)
Please...since when do we judge a Bob Dylan record on the musicianship, a good or bad harmonica break does not affect the package, how can you discount an album with "One To Many Mornings" on it. This song gives goosebumps when i simply sing it in my head, let alone listening to it and seeing Atticus Finch walking down the street ready to shoot a rabid dog. Sure Bob is dour on this record, it was a dour time, remember.

ram.elisha@fin.gc.ca
All right, fine, it's not the greatest Dylan album of all time (there can be, at most, two of those, and this one ain't them). The thing is, (as I sit here listening to it and munching on a turnip) is that it could easily have been, well, #3 or #4 . I mean, take any single song from this album and play it by itself, and it's like Wow! How does he do that harmonica thing and sing at the same time? More ketchup! This applies to just about every tune, "Times..", "1-2 many Mornings", "God on Our Side", everything. Great songs all. The shingle is, all of these songs are played at the same speed, with the same intonation, and it gives you a headache after a while. So go on, get out of here, and buy Highway 61 instead.

hutchilj@aramco.com.sa (Lawrence J. Hutchinson)
Rating:6.5 - Not an album that one can enjoy - far too bleak - no humourous songs at all, but you still can't help admiring the quality of the songs, even though there are no great songs here.

darrenm@primus.com.au (Darren Moss)
Once again the point is being missed here.

The Times They Are A-Changin' is "Too bleak to enjoy"????

That's like saying you didn't like Saving Private Ryan because it was short on laughs!!!!

And as for saying that there are no great songs on it... songs don't come much greater than "With God On Our Side", "Only A Pawn In Their Game" and the title track itself....

This album, along with Freewheelin' are both absolutely indespensible albums. Sparse, immediate and classic.

As for giving albums stars, does anyone else think that's a silly way to assess art, or is that just me?

Waterloo78@aol.com
Not in the same league as Freewheelin', but still worth owning for the title track, "Hollis Brown", "Hattie Carroll", "One Too Many Mornings", etc.

hutchilj@aramco.com.sa (Sean Hutchinson)
Darren, perhaps "bleak" is the wrong word, but I'm sure that Dylan didn't want to record a whole album of social comment and sad, wistful songs, or to appear on the cover in black and white looking so pissed off - that was the record company trying to cash in on "the times" - otherwise, why did he dump such songs as soon as this album was out?!

mspangle@chariot.net.au (Matt Ellers)
When The Ship Comes In is an outstanding composition

Zimmerman110@hotmail.com
LJ,

Times They Are A'Changin is too bleak?

Will somebody please explain the concept of folk music to this kid? You admire the quality, eh? Well that's very big of you. Next you're going to tell me "Dr. Strangelove" has too many people and the US should've won...

bcs2h@mtsu.edu
Half good. That's an excellent way to describe this album. It's quite possibly the Dylan album that I listen to the least. With that said, "When the Ship Comes In" manages to be an epic song while only clocking in at a little over 3 minutes. To me, it's clearly the greatest song on the album. Of course, the title track is the anthem of the album, and the anthem of the '60s. Considering our current political state, we may need the times to change again. But that's neither here nor there. So how does the album break down?

The Good Half:

1. The Times They Are A-Changin'
2. With God On Our Side
3. One Too Many Mornings
4. Only A Pawn In Their Game
5. Boots Of Spanish Leather
6. When The Ship Comes In

The Bad Half:

1. Ballad Of Hollis Brown
2. North Country Blues
3. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
4. Restless, Farewell

Okay, so maybe that doesn't break up perfectly into a half and half. But it certainly feels like there are more bad songs considering the length of the last two. And I know a lot of people like "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll," and I understand the message of the song. Good message, bad song. I just can't stand Bob's vocals on it. And I usually like his vocals. And having to hear "Ballad Of Hollis Brown" and "North Country Blues" within 20 minutes of each other makes me want to kill myself. And not because of the subject matter, I'm cool with that, I don't care too much that the album is "humorless" as some say. I just think they're not good songs. I like "Only A Pawn In Their Game," and it ain't a laugh riot.

Wait. Why am I writing this like I"m defending myself from criticism? I haven't even posted this yet. Overall, it's a 6, mostly on the historical significance of "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and the greatness of "When The Ship Comes In."

One warning I must give to you here though, my friends: If you, like me, first heard this album's most popular tracks as performed by other less vocally-challenged pop combos ("All I Really Want To Do," "Spanish Harlem Incident," "Chimes Of Freedom," and "My Back Pages" by The Byrds; "It Aint Me Babe" by The Turtles), it might take a few listens to get used to these rudimentary acoustic original versions. But you will, and eventually you'll even come to enjoy them as much as those fine cover versions (except maybe "Chimes Of Freedom" - I always thought it was an impossibly beautiful anthem until I heard Bob sing it! Still, the lyrics are godlike, you gotta give him that).

A fantastic, melodic, young, humorable album. His often irritating voice is probably a bit loud in the mix, and, though pretty, "Ballad In Plain D" sure gets tiresome after about 14 minutes, but the rest of 'em can - isn't it weird that we're all gonna be dead some day? Wouldn't it be weird if these reviews were my legacy? Or would that just be pathetic? I'm 23, see, and I have to feel like I'm creating something. Otherwise, I'll look back when I'm 30 and go, "Jesus Christ, what have I done? Wasted my life!!!!" I don't want to waste my life. Can you get me a job writing about music for money??? I don't get to spend enough time doing it, and it would be a heavenly way to spend 40 hours a week. I used the word "spend" twice in that sentence. Good way to impress editors.

Reader Comments

letson@mindspring.com (Pete Williams)
i realize what it's like to identify with the cover version of the song rather than the original. i heard elton john do "pinball wizard" before i heard the who. now that doesn't make me like his crapball version better than theirs but there was a time when i did. as for the byrds, well they're mostly for the birds. and as for david crosby mumbling some shit about how they actually co wrote "mr. tambourine man" because they took out some verses and added some harmonies that they ripped off from the kingston trio, well i just may have to kick his old tired ass one of these days. now as for you mark, you've done pretty well on this review, not like the hatchet jobs you've performed on some of the later records, but i'm limited in my time right now. what you did do was completely miss the point of "ballad in plain d," which might be the most honest song on this record. it's about the same woman "boots of spanish leather" is about. i'm resonably certain about that. the whole thing is incredibly moving to me, in much the same way "desolation row" is. i don't hear you complaining about the length of that one. "chimes of freedom" is fantastic as is "my back pages." it was that song with the line "...liberty is just equality in school" which made me realize that so much of what america is about is farcical. chasing after liberty when equality should be your goal. that line has resonated throughout my life for years. what you have in another side is a fantastic record sandwiched in between two other brilliant works. i just saw that you gave times a five, you gotta lay off that pipe son. at any rate i'll get to all those. this one has all of dylan's elements - the humor, sadness, profoundity, pride and passion. i think his voice is in fine form, you whine about people's voices boy and i know you're listening to metallica up there in yankeeville. so i know this is rambly but i'm feelin that way, to quote steve perry or whoever came up with that long lost nugget from journey. what you missed by having me tape the thing for you is the cool poems in the liner notes, called, "some other kinds of songs" there's some great stuff in those notes. as for writing about music, i'll take that gig too, let me know if we're hired.

hutchilj@aramco.com.sa (Lawrence J. Hutchinson)
Rating:7 - Better, because of the funny songs mixed in with the serious stuff, but no real Dylan masterpieces yet.

Waterloo78@aol.com
A step up from the last one. "Chimes Of Freedom" and "To Ramona" are some of his best. Also, i love "My Back Pages", but the lyrics are pretty friggin' vague. I know it's supposed to be autobiographical and all, but still... oh well, it's classic stuff anyways.

danzig9@hotmail.com (Daniel Lawrence)
This is no Blood on the Tracks (one of the best albums of all time by anybody), but it still rules. Once I heard the opening track I knew it'd be a good time and I was right. Man what a great lyricist he is. There are a few filler tracks that I can't remember right now, but even they're alright. It's too bad I didn't get into Dylan until two years ago because he really is great. People are always complaining about his voice and so forth, but I like his voice! It fits and compliments the music perfectly. Nice album here. Not great, but just okay. This gets a seven from me.

cola@together.net
In commenting on The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, I claimed that said album and Bringing It All Back Home were Dylan's two most important albums. But I really overlooked this little gem. Another Side of Bob Dylan presents the third-greatest American folk singer (after Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger) at his most revolutionary. With these songs, Dylan turned away from the inherently political nature of his genre. The record, however, retains the biting wit and lyrical mastery of his earlier work. A solid 10. Or a super-high 9, if you're only allowing one 10 (in which case it should be The Freewheelin').

Jcjh20@aol.com
Great album here, nice songs indeed. Definate 9 here. Songs like "To Ramona", "My Back Pages", "Ballad In Plain D" (i agree, gets kinda tedious, but i wont hold it against it because its a very nice song), and "It Ain't Me Babe" are beautiful, and songs like "Motorpsycho Nitemare", "I shall be Free No. 10" are hilarious! And fun of course. Also "Black Crow Blues" is a nice tune done on the piano instead of acoustic, which is a nice change.

robchaundy@yahoo.com (Robert Chaundy)
A great, great album. History will definitely show that this is the equal of any - or almost any - Bob Dylan record. Like New Morning, the fact that it is relatively unknown makes it all the more enjoyable. All I Really Want To Do is a beautiful, honest and oh, so simple opener: you hear it and you think 'but I could do that!' and then you try... and you realise you can't. And Mark is so right about the humour on this disc - Dylan must be one of the funniest songwriters of them all and Motorpsycho Nitemare one of his funniest songs. In the morning milk the cow indeed...

People rave and rave about the four songs on side 2 of Bringing It All Back Home being his peak as an acoustic songwriter. But they're wrong - I'll be damned if the last four songs on Another Side are not better. Much better. Truly, My Back Pages, I Don't Believe You, Ballad in Plain D and It Ain't Me Babe do far more for me than Gates of Eden et al. My Back Pages in particular is right up there with the greatest songs of a) Bob Dylan and b) the 1960s - its melody is sumptuous and it simply bleeds emotion. And Ballad in Plain D is very long, but it's also wonderful - I don't hear Desolation Row or Sad Eyed Lady coming in for the same criticism. It Ain't Me Babe speaks for its magnificent self.

I honestly couldn't name a Bob Dylan album I like more than this one. But I do recognize that in later years he took his art to even higher levels. So a nine, but as high a nine as the law permits. Amazing.

ddickson@rice.edu
Consarnit all, I think this is the best of his folk albums. I love every single song, except for "Black Crow Blues"--otherwise known as "Hey, Look At Me, I'm Playing the Piano While Drunk". And my fav is "Ballad in Plain D", believe it or not. Don't ask me why, I just dig it when Bob ditches the acid poetry and bitches about his personal life. That line "Are birds free from the chains of the skyway?" Mmm. Scrumptious. A perfect ten, hands down.

the_words@hotmail.com (Hossein Nayebagha)
I this record has a few boring tracks, "Chimes Of Freedom" being one of them, that Ramona song being another. The reverb on the vocals makes me associate it more to the pop music of its time, than Freewheelin'... My favourite is "I Shall be Free No.10", sweet sweet song...The opening track isn't bad either, at all. One down for all the boring numbers, so... 8/10.

bcs2h@mtsu.edu
I must admit, I was extremely high the first time I heard this album. I mean, really, REALLY high. At the time, Dylan's voice just seemed ridiculously loud in the mix. It hurt my head. And the simple, desolate sound of just Bob, his guitar and harp made the music sound like a wiide, open, lonely space. When I listened to it the next day, I realized very little of that was due to the drugs. That's just how the album is.

Despite that, this album is about how Dylan got his humor back. The brooding, angry Dylan from The Times They Are A-Changin' is gone on this album. Dylan is now a lover, and a joker, not a fighter. And he proves to be an exceptionally good lover (at least in song). "Spanish Harlem Incident," turns the typical love song on its head. Who else could write lines like "your temperature is too hot for taming/your flaming feet are burning up the street." Or "the night is pitch black come and make my/pale face fit into place oh please." As an extremely pale man, I know what he's talking about there. "To Ramona," "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)," and "It Ain't Me, Babe" all add more quality to this album.

As for the "comedic" songs, they're alright. I'm just not much for comedy in my music. Professional reviewers who have called Dylan songs "funny as hell" must suffer from some kilnd of humor deficiency. They're okay songs, but nothing special.

The two serious songs are what really stand out about this album for Dylan, though. Although I don't much care for "My Back Pages" (I hate the pitch of his voice at the opening of the song. It's just like "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" which is one of the only songs where his vocal delivery bothers me.) it essentially announces his artistic direction for the next few years. He says he's done with protest songs, and that's fine, he gave more to that movement with "Freewheelin'" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'" than any other artist did in their entire careers. The other serious song is "Chimes Of Freedom" which is both the best, and most disappointing song of the album. The lyrics are amazing, and it's a good melody, but Dylan doesn't put the necessary passion behind the vocals to match the words. His live versions of this song blow the studio one out of the water, and that can't be said about too many of his acoustic pieces. The version on the No Direction Home soundtrack has the proper performance behind the music, and shows us what kind of song this could be. Overall, the album is a 6. Good, not great, but it was certainly a necessary transition album for Bob. Once he got these songs out, he was ready to move forward to bigger, better things.

That said, I'd like to forget about this rock'n'roll side of Mr. Dylan for a moment and discuss the breathtakingly well- written serious tracks that close the album: "Gates Of Eden," "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)," and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" are the breathtakingly well-written serious tracks that close the album.

There. I have now discussed the breathtakingly well-written serious tracks that close the album.

Let me also say that, as much as I respect Beck for his little wacky bebop hoody-doo, he absolutely is not the "Dylan of the '90s." Dylan was probably the most perceptive songster of the entire seventieth decade of the 19th century (the first decade was 00-10); Beck writes non-sequitors (sequiters? aaah, who gives a crap?). Does Dylan have a '90s equal? I'd wager not; if so, I haven't heard him and he was probably just influenced by Dylan anyway so he doesn't really count, although granted Dylan was essentially just trying to imitate Woody Guthrie, so maybe I should just give the whole argument a rest. In closing, Dylan's move to Electricland (one damn passable Bad Company tune) didn't affect his genius one Lee Iacocca. A few of these songs are harrowingly lovely - except for that voice, of course.

Reader Comments

M.Eisenkraft@Juno.com (Michael Eisenkraft)
I think this is my favorite Dylan album (yeah I know I've said that before, but this time I'm sure.) Bringing It All Back Home has THREE ultra-super-incredible Dylan songs; "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)", "Subterranean Homesick Blues", and "Mr. Tambourine Man".

"It's Alright Ma" is powerful, catchy, and it features one of my favorite Dylan lines (I think, I suck at song titles) "even the president of the United States must sometimes stand naked."

"Subterranean Homesick Blues" is....great for lack of a better word. I've spent many an idle hour trying to memorize all the lyrics of that song ("you don't need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows", "twenty years of schooling and they put you on the day shift"). Dylan is raging at the "establishment" with a rapid song/poem/speech that I still find amazing every time I hear it.

"Mr. Tambourine Man" is an exquisite song, that's the only way I can describe it. The melody, the words, the chorus, even Bobby's much maligned voice, they all click together to form one hell of a beautiful song.

By the way, the rest of the album is wonderful too, just not ultra-super-incredible (more on the ultra-super level). If you are foolish enough to only want one Dylan album, get this one.

mark_richardson@bigfoot.com
It is a little-known fact that Bob Dylan actually wrote songs in the 20th century, not the 19th as you've represented here.

hutchilj@aramco.com.sa (Lawrence J. Hutchinson)
Rating:8 - The first great Dylan album - both sides work so well, especially the 'electric' side - no-one could fail to be impressed by "Love Minus Zero" or "Mr. Tambourine Man", and the humourous songs in the middle of Side 1 are among his best.

starostin@geocities.com (George Starostin)
Oh yeah. Both sides work well... especially the acoustic one. It's really a paradox: Bob just switched to electricity, but he was at his acoustic peak at the same time. Four acoustic tracks here, and all four - top of the crop! Even on his best early acoustic stuff you cannot find a sequence of any four tracks THUS great. "Mr Tambourine Man" - an obvious classic; "Gates Of Eden" - one of the most majestic melodies/lyrics Bob has ever come up with; "It's Alright Ma" - another absolutely original and complex melody; "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" - what was that? Bob's saying goodbye to his folky past days? Sure.

Still, the electric side is fascinating. "Subterranean Homesick Blues" is fast and furious; "Maggie's Farm" has a great lyrical hook; "Love Minus Zero" is a great emotional ballad. There are some songs you could call 'filler' here, although I prefer to refer to them as 'the usual Bobstuff', and I like 'em nonetheless.

And well, maybe he's riding the Stones vehicle, but I wouldn't mind. In fact, I'd never even suspected that before, his style is so different. The bluesy melodies are often much too simple, but that's OK by me. Remember - "all blues sounds the same"?

Waterloo78@aol.com
"It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" and "Subterranean Homesick Blues" are some of the greatest lyrics I've ever read. Oh yeah, the rest of the album is terrific too. A ten all the way.

erogozin@mtu-net.ru (Eric Rogozin)
Bob Dylan is genius! And he writes great songs. This album is brilliant!

Billsangry@aol.com
Has anyone else out there figured out that you can sing the lyrics to "Puff the Magic Dragon" over the top of "Mr. Tambourine Man?" Both are drug songs. Hmmmm...... This is the reason I dig Dylan. There's just so much there to absorb if you take the time to really LISTEN to the guy. Most people can't get past the voice. What a shame.

Muggwort@aol.com
I am a huge fan of bob Dylan. I think that he is the best lyricist ever, (and I think lyrics are really important) with bringing it all back home bob Dylan has some great lyrics (not as good blond on blond lyrics for sure but it still has "I try to be just like I'm/ but everybody else want's me to be just like them"), especial in the songs "subbterean homesick blues," "outlaw blue," and hilarious "bob Dylan's 115 dream."

8/10

Jcjh20@aol.com
Mr. Zimmerman goes electric! Amazing results of course, with the classic "Subterrianian Homesick Blues" and great rock 'n roll songs like "Maggies Farm", and "Outlaw Blues". Its not totally electricized though, of course. You can still hear the acoustic beauty of previous Dylan classics in songs like "She Belongs To Me", and "Love Minus Zero", just with a backing band this time instead of just Bob solo. Not to mention the hilarious intro to "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" (although the actual song is kinda repetitive and overlong though)! And of course those great acoustic songs on side 2 are absolutely timeless classics. Especially "Mr. Tambourine Man", "It's Alright Ma", and "Its All Over Now, Baby Blue", which are actually the best damn songs on the album! Isn't that ironic... A nine.

screaminglife@operamail.com (Michael)
"Subterranean Homesick Blues" would you agree could be considered the first rap song?

watta502@yahoo.gr (Akis Katsman)
Great album which shows both the electric and acoustic side of Dylan. Although it isn't on the same level as the excellent Highway 61 or Blonde On Blonde, maybe due to a couple of generic garage rockers, it is still essential Dylan. The second side is pure bliss, with "Mr. Tambourine Man" being my second favourite Dylan song ever. 9/10

ddickson@rice.edu
HA!! RAAHAHAH! A HAHA!! A HM HM HAHAHA. . . hm?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Oh, sorry, I was laughing at Bush W. Jerk's latest press conference. But what's this? THIS is funny too!! I CAUGHT you!! HAHA!! Always knew it would happen!!! You admitted you respect Beck for SOMETHING!! It's too late now!! You can't take back what you wrote a decade ago!!! Never ever!! Because people pick their positions at age 20 and never change them!! And I am Thomas F. Barton of Not in Our Name. I am a psycho who cheers when car bombs go off. Yay for mememememmm

Whew, sorry. Big stats test tomorrow.

Ah, you and your Beck Sucks fixation. I think you must've listened to all his albums that suck and nothing else. Odelay and Sea Change, goddammit. Read 'em and weep. Literally, I mean. Sea Change will make you cry. And he is NOT a groomed corporate MTV plastic-man, fuckdammit. Ska-funk-rap?? Must've done THAT on Mutations or some shit. Ah well.

But THIS album? Great LP, no question, but no comparison to Another Side, Highway 61, Blonde on, and Blood on. Like the entire rockin' side, looooove the original "Tambourine Man," dig the lyrics to "It's Alright Ma," hate absolutely everything else. I'm not kidding. How "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" came to be on one of his Greatest Hits compilations is way the hell beyond me--that song is uuuuuuuggly! Timely lyrics, yes, but the melody. . . yyyyuck. Same goes fer "Gates of Eden"--man can't sing worth a crap, but he pretends to. Still, that's two bad songs out of eleven. Better than any of the first three Pixies albums, that's what I say. I give it a low 9.

Hurricane Rita? More like Hurricane EAT A! (dick, that is.) I stayed in Houston for the big show. The highest winds we got were 60 mph, nothing exciting--and half the city left town anyway. Buncha weirdos. Oh well. Lake Charles got near wiped off the map, though. A girl I'm in love with lives there, and that's why I care so damned much. Unfortunately, it's the college equivalent of a Clapton-ish Layla situation, if you "Patti Boyd" my "George Harrison," and I think you do.

The point I'm trying to make with all this is: Watch the second part of the Bob Dylan Documentary tomorrow. It's gonna tear.

hunt125@msn.com (Hunter Brawer)
Say Mark, since I know you were thinking about it today, I'd like to share with you my little music buying expirience today.

Well, you know me, we go way back. So obviously, I don't have to tell you that after a good few years of smashing my head on the punk rock (and other music from the 80s/90s/00s), I've finally started checking into some groups from the 60s and things. Among these new interests, I've been looking into Bob Dylan, who's songs I've always liked a bit, although I've only recently gotten any of his stuff.

Anyway, so I'm at Manifest Records today, and I see "Bringing It All Back Home" for 6 bucks used. "6 bucks?", I said. "Now that's my kinda price!", said the women next to me. Well, she didn't but oh this is stupid let's just cut to the cheese here.

I get the cd, take it home, cherish the artwork, put in the cd that would normally start with "Subteranian Homesick Blues" to find...some boring ass 6 minute long song that is NOT "Subterainian Homesick Blues"! No, rather, when I popped the cd out of my player, I find that somehow, somebody stuck in the cd of "Infedels" and nobody ever noticed it when they bought it or sold it to me! And it skipped on the first song! Almost as bad as the time I bough "Sorry In Pig Manner", only to find no cd inside the case. Actually, it was probally better then, because at least I didn't have to hear boring crap in lou of good crap! Thankfully, there were 2(!) used copies of that, so I made a quick exchange...

So I guess the moral of the story is, is that

Do I like the album? Sure, I like it, but it's not necessarily a step up for Mr. Dylan. An overabundance of Stonesy rock'n'blues too often makes it feel like a retread of Bringing My Shoes Back Home. You know how it can be in life sometimes. The only tunes that really save it from a lower score on the Prickter scale are the dark piano grinder "Ballad Of A Thin Man," the sloppy sleepy blues ballad (and Beasties Boys sample) "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues," and then of course that last song. You know the one. The longest and most beautiful track he'd recorded yet? You know the one. The one with the lead and rhythm guitars coming together for a pretty "dugge-digge-doo-doo" there at the end of each verse? Oh man, you know the one. Ah yes, she's lovely. I could listen to her for the rest of my weeks without moanin' and complainin'. "Desolation Frank," I think she's called?

Reader Comments

M.Eisenkraft@Juno.com (Michael Eisenkraft)
You're overlooking two super-incredible things. The title song is incredibly cool, some of the best lyrics Bob's ever done (God said to Abraham, kill me a son, Abe said what, God said you can do what you want but next time you see me you'd better run, Abe said where you want this killing done, God said out on Highway 61; I LOVE IT!!!!). Also it connects to "Highway 51" on his first album (they both signify death). This album also has the best Bob Dylan line of all time "THE SUN AINT YELLOW, IT'S CHICKEN". It just doesn't get any better!

rpwinste@erols.com (John Winstead)
I've got to disagree with your opinion that Highway 61 is a retread of Bringing It All Back Home. I think of it as a progression from the previous album and hence a masterpiece. You can't find a fast tempo country tinged rocker like "Tombstone Blues" or a bluesy piano driven song like "It Takes a Lot to Laugh..Train to Cry" on the previous album. In the immortal words of Butthead, "I rest on your face."

alynn@erols.com (Alexander Lynn)
I disagree that this is a retread of Bringing it All Back Home. The A- or Electric side of Bringing it All Back Home was an experiment, a way of following through with the rock-n-roll rhythms and arrangements implied in Dylan's work as far back as Another Side . . ., Highway 61 is the production model, made after the prototype (Bringing . . .) has made her run successful. The guitar work by the sadly neglected Mike Bloomfield (check him out with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band) is the spark that galvanizes Dylan's electric venture here. It has more swing, volume, and speed than any of the guitar work on Bringing it All Back Home, and gives a lot to the simultaneously grave and Dada delivery of Mr. Dylan on this slab-o-wax. And dig that "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues". Fine Stuff. All that and a bag of chips.

mjb926@hotmail.com (Jim Blair)
This album kicks ass! I've heard "Like a Rolling Stone" lots of times, but I never get tired of it--it's such an intriguing song. I like it so much I find myself mentally replaying it or even singing it out loud when I'm walking around or showering. The other eight songs are also top rate, and "Ballad of a Thin Man" is especially amusing and disturbing (another song I love to sing or mentally replay). As much as I like Blood on the Tracks, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Another Side of Bob Dylan, Bringing It All Back Home, and John Wesley Harding, there's no way (at least in my mind) that any of these great Dylan albums should be rated higher than the great Highway 61 Revisited.

hutchilj@aramco.com.sa (Lawrence J. Hutchinson)
Rating:8 - I agree with you that this has been overrated over the years, and although this was the first Dylan album I bought, some 25 years ago, I went off it in a big way. I never understood why people liked "Ballad Of A Thin Man", and "Queen Jane Approximately" is so bloody dull, but the quality of "Like A Rolling Stone", "Tombstone Blues", and "Desolation Row" raises it right up. "Like A Rolling Stone" is simply the greatest song in the 44-year history of rock music - I just could never tire of it!

MSROELOFS@prodigy.net (Mike in Hawaii)
I have to agree with Mr.. Eisenkraft; you're missing everything that makes Highway 61 Revisited a truly great work. I certainly don't understand how you came up with the word "retread" to describe it. This record delivered everything that was promised by Bringing It All Back Home. Of course this is just my opinion, but lyrically this album represents Dylan's high-water mark. The fact that time and FM radio overkill have blunted some of the tracks' immediacy shouldn't detract from their significance.

dunciad@bc.sympatico.ca (Animal)
"BALLAD OF A THIN MAN"? "BALLAD OF A MOTHER-SHUCKIN' GOAT-SCOLDIN' GOLF-UMBRELLA-SWINGIN' THIN MAN"?? That song does more than just redeem the album (which would be dynamo without it, unnerstan'). My sweet-lovin' jesus, the 1980s, with their speedcore and their metallideth, and their rap and all never ONCE came up with a song as menacing as that. When Bob snarled, "something is happening, but you don't know what it is, do you, Mr. Jones?" you could smell corporate america crumbling. the fact that it never happened is just one of those great tragedies of the modern age.

starostin@geocities.com (George Starostin)
Nope. Not overrated. If that previous album was a 'treading water' piece, then this is the first Dylan's serious completely (or, well, almost completely) electric album. And let's see: everybody likes "Like A Rolling Stone". Everybody likes "Desolation Row" (except me, probably: I agree it's a classic, but as an overlong album-closer it pales in comparison to the far superior "Sad Eyed Lady"). Everybody likes "Ballad Of A Thin Man" (except Lawrence Hutchinson: if he doesn't understand why people like it, I'll tell him: it's one of the greatest counter-cultural anthems ever written. Point stated). Everybody likes "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" (me too! me too! this is really the song that got me into Bob in the first place, especially the line about the authorities who "stand around and boast how they blackmail the sergeant at arms into leaving his post"). And the title track? I dig that whistling, man! And the line "won't you come see me, Queen Jane?" It's just stunning! "It Takes A Lot To Laugh"? Do you call this song 'filler'? And there's more beautiful 'Bobstuff': both 'Tombstone Blues' and 'From a Buick 6' may look re-writes of the earlier material, but they aren't. Of course, Bob was more of a lyricist than a composer, so these two last songs were obviously just made up for his endless stream of lyrics, but that's OK by me. I dig the lyrics. It's just that I wouldn't advise anybody to listen to this album right after Bringing It All Back Home. You might get tired: but it's not the repetitiveness, it's just a matter of style.

Everettxxx@aol.com
What difference does it make if he sounds like he is repeating himself (which he is definately not). I have listened to countless recordings from this period, and even after absorbing the finest music of Dylan's competitors, quite frankly I feel this is the finest album of the rock era-Elvis and The Beatles never put out a record consistently as rewarding as Highway 61 Revisited. Dylan's ambition is simply unbelievable-not only was he a social commentator, and songwriter, but also surrealist poet along the lines of Ginsberg and Rimboud. Listen to "Like a Rolling Stone" and tell me you have ever heard a finer song..listen to "Desolation Row" and ask yourself if there has been another artist with as much ambition. All of the songs here are simply thrilling, and since I discovered this album as a teenager I have never got bored with it-each song (From a Buick nonwhithstanding) continues to haunt and intrigue me. Blood on The Tracks is obviously one of rocks finest statements, but even it pales in comparison to Highway 61 Revisited. This should be your first purchase...

Waterloo78@aol.com
A masterpiece of music, not just rock. "Like A Rolling Stone" and "Ballad Of A Thin Man" are still significant social statements set to killer music. And don't get me started on "Desolation Row". Damn, what was he on? And where can I get it? Well, doesn't matter. I'd end up writing MacArthur Park or some shit.

malester@cpuinc.net (Lester)
i just got highway 61 a couple weeks ago. It's really great, but does anyone else feel sad after listening to it? i know that "Rolling Stone" "From a buick 6" and the title track are all good happy grooves, but the rest of the songs are tragic-sounding, kinda like Romeo and Juliet (the play, mind you, not a movie or soundtrack or the ballet by Prokofiev (although that music is pretty amazing too.)). Only Bob Dylan can write a song like that; one that is sad and uplifting and amazing and beautiful all at once.

auabraha@online.no (Aud Abrahamsen)
I can't believe it's highway 61 revisited you are talking about! This album is undoubtely one of mankind's greatest cultural achievements ever! Along with the pyramids, wall of china etc., this is one of the wonders of the world.The first and the last tracks (like a rolling stone, desolation row) are two of the best songs ever written. But the rest of the album is also fantastic. So full of life and death. Emotional, angry, bitter , sad, beautiful.....You must get this!!!!!

hutchilj@aramco.com.sa (Sean Hutchinson)
Animal, and George, I still feel that Highway 61 is an album that starts off brilliantly and finishes on a high, but gets rather weak in the middle. The soft centre runs from "From A Buick 6" to "Highway 61 Revisited" - for me, they're all 'fillers' - whatever Dylan is trying to say on "Ballad", and however much that might mean to you, the song is rather dull. "Queen Jane" is pretty - nice melody and Dylan sings it well, but there isn't much to the song. But, "Highway" is a great album anyway because of the other 5 tracks.

jason_a@earthlink.net (Jason Adams)
Well I may be a masochist but I love Dylan's voice around this era; just flat and nasal and pissy. I'm amazed at how many mean, bitchy songs are on here. Hippies liked this? I don't hear a dud on here, including "Desolation Row", which has some of the greatest, most picturesque lyrics around.

Billsangry@aol.com
In my opinion, this is the first "Punk Rock" album. The writing is mean and bitter and Dylan's voice is truly an example of an artist at odds with his art. He truly spits in the eye of the crooner. His venomous phrasings are harsh and not meant to be enjoyed as one enjoys a pop group, such as the Beatles. I'm suprised more "Punks" haven't caught on to this album. It's kind of a 60s version of "Never Mind the Bollocks."

slb23@shaw.ca (Simon Brigham)
HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED is, IMHO, possibly the best 60's Dylan album. It's also possibly in the top 5 of the best 60's albums. I know it's definately in my top 5. Every song is great. However, it took me a while to like "Like a Rolling Stone". Dylan's voice is in fine form, and his backing musicians really rock (especially on the title track and "From a Buick 6".) However, my only complaint is that the harmonica was mixed too loudly and with too much treble, so that it is sometimes piercing to the ear. Oh well. My favourite songs are "Desolation Row", "It Takes a Train to Laugh, it takes a Lot to Cry", "Ballad of a Thin Man", and "Queen Jane Approximately". I think that Bob Dylan is one of the greatest lyricists in rock music, and HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED does justice to that statement.

watta502@yahoo.gr (Akis Katsman)
Essential 60's album, both musically and lyrically. It contains my favourite Dylan song ever, "Like A Rolling Stone", as well as the epic "Desolation Row", clocking over 11 minutes. This album has some of the best Dylan lyrics ever. It should be in your music collection by all means, even if you hate Dylan! You cannot deny he's a genius! 10/10

imus3@webtv.net
If you knew how little about music you know. you'd just shut up, your are Mr jones.
and learn how to spell fuck, instead of frig.

gag05@bigpond.com
Unbelievable. Between 1963-1966 Bob Dylan was churning out classics like a motherfucker, and Highway 61 captures him at his peak. Sure he may not have been the greatest songwriter ever but if you write lyrics as good as the Desolation Row or Ballad of a Thin Man then fuck melody. Dylan was capable of melody though and am I the only person alive who thinks Like a Rolling Stone would’ve sounded angrier, bitter and overall a better song if it was acoustic ala Don’t think Twice its all fucking right? It’s really a cool album though, Dylan was so far ahead with his lyrics, and he knew he was wittier, deeper and overall better with words than Lennon, Jagger and Townshend so he writes “Desolation” as a slap in the face saying “there you little cunts try and compete with that!”. How people can get bored with that song is beyond me, Stairway to Heaven bores me, Wont Get fooled Again bores me, Free Bird etc…but something about Desolation grabs me, maybe the atmosphere or the lyrics or the way Dylan sings it, just the feel of the song is amazing and it totally absorbs me in every time. 10

ddickson@rice.edu
Say! You know that Clapton-ish Layla situation I was moaning and stoneing and Sloaning about three centuries ago? I've COMPLETELY moved past it!! I even had time to set up ANOTHER opportunity with ANOTHER rock star's girlfriend! And I COMPLETELY blew it! Blew it away! Away, away. God. SO far away. I'm getting good at that. So goddamn good. Just like Van Hagar, except without the "feels" part. With "at" added.

Blowing opportunites, I mean.

Away.

That is.

I'm GOOD (at that).

Love opportunities.

But DYLAN sure didn't! Good fer him and HIS huge fuckin' mojo!!!!&^% This was the first Dylan record I ever got, and I must've listened to it. . man, a wolloping TWO times before something (forever undefined) clicked. Suddenly, I realized, all these nine songs kick ass! Maybe it's a retread of BIABH (my cousin from Zimbabwe, whom Dylan treads on every so often), but I wouldn't know and/or care one way or your mother, because I heard this one first. Lyrics? Awesome, but the music is where it's at, mite. These chord changes. . . not everyone could come up with these chord changes. At least I couldn't, so that's at least one person. And although "Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues" is kinda lame by my estimation, it was a hit, and I have to yield to the masses, because they can kick my, as it were. Life sucks to the fullest extent (and that's a HUGE fuckin' extent) but Dylan does NOT. And Blood on the Tracks can suck me. Yeah, it's BETTER than this album, and yeah, it's FAR more appropriate to this situation than HSOR, "Desolation Row" notwithstanding, but I REFUSE TO YILED TO CLICHES FOR THE LOVE OF PETE! WHO'S WITH ME

KONG DELTA??

Well I'll be Kurtzed.

Buy Bob Dylan and the Smashing Pumpkins right now. Before Billy Crogan whines you to death. Or something.

Oi!

JOHN.J.DOYLE@nuim.ie
Deserves a 10/10. ferfucksakesssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gawd, Mark, you really try my patience sometimes, you really do.........

The book? It's called Kind Of Live: The Making Of The Bob Dylan Masterpiece by Ashley FuckingprickwhomademewanttokillmyselfwhenIhadtoworkwithhimforthreemonths. But that's between me and my analyst.

And I DO mean "anal"!!!!

Reader Comments

cola@together.net
"Tell Me, Momma" is one of the best rock songs Dylan ever wrote, and it's only available on this Live: 1966. That alone makes it worth owning.

Billsangry@aol.com
This is essential. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Dylan's "voice" never sounded better then it does on the acoustic side of this CD. This is the only one I'd give preference to over Blond on Blond or Highway 61.

pedroandino@msn.com
mr.zimmerman goes electric! so what? this album is the document of the 1965/1966 tour that most people will never forget! the 1st disc is acoustic. acoustic folk jams that tell stories from maggie's farm to the lonesome death of hattie carrol. tell me momma is a great song! the 2nd disc is electirc and that is where folk fans hate! dylan goes CLANGGACHANGAJANGAJAJNAG! dylan does not give a shit! tambourine man rules! I don't belive you doesn't drag! desolation road is long! it's all over now baby blue is electric! most of the song are blonde on blonde and highway 61. if you love live dylan get this not at budokan! ew loved even though I do not agree with the bullshit reviews! they still suck!

bcs2h@mtsu.edu
This is the last review I'm writing tonight before I go to bed and remind myself never to spend another Friday night sober. That's when bad things like this happen.

So, the crowds didn't much care for Bob's electric friends in the mid '60s did they? Well, the crowds were full of idiots. Most crowds are. Seriously, try finding 5 intelligent people in a group of 100. It's hard. Very, very hard. Just think what that means for Congress. Like, 27 smart guys out of 535ish. This is why I can't tie my alligator to a fire hydrant in Virginia. That's Democrats for you.

But for the album review. Disc 1 finds Dylan performing acoustic tracks off his epic mid '60s trilogy to a silent crowd. They soak up every word, everyone harmonica riff, everyone strum of the guitar. And Bob plays some great songs for them. "Desolation Row," "Visions Of Johanna," "Mr. Tambourine Man," "Just Like A Woman,' "She Belongs To Me," and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." However, you can tell that Bob has grown a bit tired of playing these songs alone, the passion necessary isn't there. You can particularly tell on "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." I have bootleg performances of Bob playing these songs from '65 where he's clealry having more fun and putting more into it than he does here. With all that said, it's still extraordinary to here solo concert versions of "Desolation Row" and "Visions Of Johanna." To be fair, I should also mention that this album has yet another live version of "Just Like A Woman" that just doesn't work.

Now to the electric disc. Bob and The Band don't waste any time, immediatley kicking into the best rocker of the album in "Tell Me, Momma." I don't believe Bob ever did this one in the studio, and that's too bad, because it's one hell of a song. He follows that with a certifiably awesome versiion of "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)." Positively fantastic is the only way to describe it. I never get tired of hearing the opening with the interplay between the guitar and harmonica.

"Baby Let Me Follow You Down," "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues," and "Ballad Of A Thin Man" are all great cuts as well. The only weak song on the electric side is "One Too Many Mornings." I've just never thought it worked electric, mostly because it doesn't. "Leopard Skin Pill-box Hat" is serviceable.

So that leaves us with the JUDAS! version of "Like A Rolling Stone." An impassioned performance, no doubt. Bob's giving it his all. That said, I still prefer the Before The Flood version. Even I'm not sure why. And one thing I've never gotten is why critics like to write that Bob "dressed down" the heckler before he went into the song. All he says is "I don't believe you. You're a LIAR." Sure, he made his point, but I don't think he humiliated the guy or anything. Although I do imagine that jackass feels stupid everytime he hears his idiotic voice screaming out cries of betrayal when this record plays. Or maybe he's proud of himself, I don't know. But Bob asked The Band to "Play Fucking Loud," and they did. Good decision.

I rate it a 7. Same rating as Live 1975, even though I prefer '75. '75 isn't so much better than '66 to push it down a point.

marc.kreienbrink@gmail.com
Rock history, my friends. The moments after "Ballad Of A Thin Man" are priceless and can not be properly rated. I, however, am not proper nor have I showered today, so I'll just rate the whole album: 8 out of 10.

So, all son of a bitching and bastardizing aside, I'd like to confide that the major flaw I find with this ride is the length, the length, the filler just stinkth! Here's your Blonde On Blonde in a perfect world: Side one starts off with the sugary boppy poppy "I Want You," which flows into the heavenly murmur of "4th Time Around" which brings you just to the point of tears until the slaphappy hit epic "Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again" brings you back again before you are ahh, screw the diction, the side would end with the beautiful beautiful oh so beautiful ballad "Just Like A Woman." Then side two would be "Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands," which holds the world record as Bob's lengthiest and loveliest tune. And that's your album. Screw all that mediocre stuff - including "Rainy Day Women #12 and 35"!!!!! Everybody must get stoned, my eye. Have you tried marijuana? If so, go to jail.

You know what I just realized? "Just Like A Woman" does the same exact tonic-subdominant-dominant-tonic thing that every other goddamned song on this album does (aside from the traditional blues bores). So knock that one off too. Plus the lead guitar and harmonica are too trebly the whole fucking album! Why do people LIKE this thing so much!?

Reader Comments

jay44@webtv.net (Jesse McClung)
While I haven't totally gotten into the whole Dylan catalog of albums or anything, Blonde On Blonde is the first Dylan record I've purchased, This album at least for me anyway lives up to its mystique and has me wanting to go after other albums such as Highway 61 and Blood On The Tracks.

Weigelda@aol.com (Dave Weigel)
While I would argue that Blonde on Blonde deserves at least one more pimple on your rating system, I tend to agree with you. Everything's great, except for the blues crap. I'm sorry, the blues just bore me. Anyway, this album inspired the second stupidest thing ever said by a rock critic--"'Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands' just plain drags".

For the record, the #1 stupidest thing ever said was by some bastard in the Rough Guide to Rock who called AC/DC's Back in Black "patchy". Hmm. I just noticed how similar the two titles of these albums are. Neat!

dube101@concentric.net (Dennis Dubrow)
I was giving this site a shot until your review of Blonde On Blonde, wait, okay I just erased the bookmark. Blonde On Blonde is arguably the greatest record of the 20th century. If it is not the greatest, it is in the top 10. Stop looking for mind blowing alternative ill-defined improvisations and turn this record up and listen to it. Everything that is American music is included in these 4 sides, and these 4 sides sum it all up. The Blues meet rock and roll head on. And then there's "Visions Of Johanna".

You need to rethink your misguided criticisms.

jeffsl@pacbell.net
Can I just put a plug in for "Pledging My Time" to make your pruned-down version? "I got a poison headache but I feel alright..."

MRichardson@HEWM.COM (Mark A. Richardson)
In addition to being way off on Blonde on Blonde as a whole (it's a solid 9, losing one point because it IS a bit too long), I must take issue with your assessment of "Visions of Johanna." Now, I may have never played guitar for the Low-Maintenance Perennials, but I do not believe "Visions of Johanna" to be in the 12-bar blues format or any 60s derivation thereof. The melody is stunningly beautiful and unlike anything Dylan had recorded up to that point. And the words! Please, Mark, give this album a few more spins and I think that you'll see it to be a solid progression from the previous two.

gstarst@rsuh.ru (George Starostin)
Well, I finally got Blonde On Blonde, so that now I know not only the hits, but the complete record as well. And I think you are making a big mistake. You're always expecting something revolutionary from old Bob. Don't! In this aspect Dylan is no John Lennon or Pete Townshend. Blonde on Blonde sounding exactly like Highway 61? Well, yes... probably. And John Wesley Hardin' sounding exactly like his first acoustic albums, for that matters. And everything else, too.

So just don't take it so seriously. Sure, "Temporary like Achilles" and "Visions of Johanna" do sound like "Tom Thumb's Blues". And you do not mention that "Sad-Eyed Lady" in a lot of places sounds exactly like "Just Like A Woman" (some lines are almost identical), and sometimes like "One Of Us Must Know". And the instruments are always the same, and the song structure, and the voice, and everything - it all sounds just like one seventy-minutes long track, in fact! And if we recall that this album is the logical successor to the two previous ones, this seventy-minutes track becomes even longer.

Sure, you may say: "Why the hell do I need to listen to this overlong piece of almost the same music when I can go out and get myself some Beatles instead?" But this is just a question of taste. If you really enjoy Bobbie and his musings - you must be prepared for this "boring", many-many-hours-long sequence. If not - just throw it away, together with all the other albums!

My verdict would be: either this album deserves a 9, or all the previous albums deserve a 6 like this one - depending on the taste. 'Cos it's ridiculous to accuse Dylan of being unoriginal! He never pretended to be original. He never tried to be original. He was just a genius, and all those things, they were coming out of his head...

hutchilj@aramco.com.sa (Lawrence J. Hutchinson)
Rating:8 - Here we disagree, I think! There are some very weak songs on the album, and it would have made a much better single album. However, every time I've fallen in love I just have to listen to "I Want You", and I think "One Of Us Must Know" is just wonderful too. "4th Time Around" may be Dylan's "Norwegian Wood", but he sings it so well. I can't help liking "just Like A Woman" too, despite a lot of criticism of it over the years. "Visions Of Johanna" is contentious - it used to thrill me to bits, now I find it rather boring after the first few verses. "Absolutely Sweet Marie" is gorgeous, of course.

Gillianmf@aol.com
of course, while the chorus of "rainy day woman..." alludes to drug use, the song is, in reality, an indictment of a culture which, despite the tenets of the constitution, seeks to oppress personal liberty and individuality. c'mon man, you're smart enough to know that it isn't about smoking weed. and as a rare someone who has previously championed Dylan's sense of humor, you should appreciate the double entendre (stoned pot vs. stoned the lottery).

Furthermore, to complain about the length of blonde on blonde is ridiculous; 13 bucks for 73 minutes of stellar music-perhaps there is occasional justice. ironically, you consistently refer to Dylan as one the greatest artists of 20th century while dismissing his greatest works as derivative; you are indeed the sort of fella to whom greatest hits are marketed. on a brighter note, your brand of maverick idiocy is well suited to the net.

MSROELOFS@prodigy.net (Mike in Hawaii)
I must say, I'm getting tired of having to correct you half of the time. Where can I possibly start with your review of Blonde on Blonde? You're so far off the mark with this one that I actually caught myself gaping slack-jawed at the CRT. Stunning! You're sure you actually listened to this album, right?

I won't go into detail on every track, but you can't approach Blonde on Blonde like some kind of product that provides its consumer with a particular flavor of instant gratification. This album is not supposed to reach out and grab you the `nads; instead, it takes some investment on the listener's part. Just sit back, close your eyes, and let Dylan's stream of stunning imagery weave its tapestry around you. These tracks have a groove all their own; a listener conforms to the record. Ultimately, this ride is well worth the price of admission.

By the way, "Visions of Johanna" ranks as one of my 20 or 25 unwavering favorite songs of all-time.

Waterloo78@aol.com
Let's face it, by this time the man could not be stopped. Everything he scibbled turned to gold. How else could you explain a line like "With your mercury mouth in the missionary times"? And it still sounds great. "Sad-Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands" goes beyond even "Desolation Row" in that it has more than 3 chords. It's such a hypnotic song. But every song is a keeper, even lesser ones like "Pledging My TIme" and "Obviously 5 Believers". It blows my mind to think this came right after Highway 61, which itself came right after Bringing It All Back Home. Who knows what else the man would've done if weren't for that damn motorcycle crash. Oh well, at least that gave us the Basement Tapes and John Wesley Harding.

renita@ncn.net (Dan Schmidt)
This is perhaps the most misguided of your reviews. Blonde on Blonde is not Dylan's best album, but its certainly his most musically accomplished: the music isn't being "recycled", its "evolved".

Sure, "Rainy Day Women #12 & #35" is stupid, but its supposed to be. The drummer was playing his trapset backwards for Chrissake!

I just hope that no one is persuaded into picking up Planet Waves or Nashville Skyline before this. You're insane if you think those are better albums.

Kevman0001@aol.com
"Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" pretty much sucks.

OKAY, BEFORE ALL THE E-MAIL DEATH THREATS COMES FLOODING MY WAY, JUST READ ON A BIT

I mean that the melody isn't all that great; there's no shift in tone or time, it's just the same damn chords strummed over and over and over ad nauseam. The lyrics are old Bobo's best, second only to "Desolation Row." It can be better appreciated in his "Lyrics 1962-1987" book than on this album; if he had put a bit more musical effort into the song's production, it could HAVE BEEN THE GREATEST FUCKING SONG IN MUSICAL HISTORY!

I think the shorter "Visions of Johanna" is better (that organ in the background did it for me) and "Most Likely You'll Go Your Way" is one of the best cuts. "4th Time Around" is a fine classic; kinda like "Norweigian Wood" spread out over 4 minutes (I heard old John Lennon got spooked when he first heard this song). "Rainy Day Women" SATIRIZES instead of encourages the drug culture by the way; "Leopard-Skin," "I Want You" and "Mephis Mobile" are perfect examples that this coulda been a hit-laden album. Everything else is good to okay (yes, even that "classic" "Just Like A Woman).

Better off saving for Bringing It All Back Home, Basement Tapes, Blood On the Tracks, Desire, Highway 61, Time Out of Mind and both Bootleg Series (Volumes 1 - 3 & 4: Live At "Royal Albert Hall"). This is often referred to as the finest album of the 60's. What the fuck. But then again, what the hell do I know? I'm just a seventeen-year-old student who is on the verge of flunking senior math.

auabraha@online.no (Aud Abrahamsen)
You are approaching this album from the wrong angle. Do not think about Dylan's other albums when reviewing this. Just appreciate Blonde on Blonde as a whole. It's so playful, colourful, humurous, movind. Sure, all of the tracks are not THAT great, but all of them contribute to the album. And i don't understand what mean when you say that this album isn't varied. IT IS!!!!

And visions of Johanna is fantastic!!!!It's up there with Desolation Row. Rainy Day women is also a laugh.

I like this album because of the same reasons I like The Clash's London Calling; Diversity, layd-back charm, humour and the sheer length of the album

PRytur@aol.com
What I consider to be Bob at his absolute finest. A lengthy offering that never ceases to amaze. Extraordinary melodies, beautiful playing, and Dylan is in fine fine voice here. Where does one start to praise such a work of art? Do we begin by expressing the wonderment one feels at hearing a skinny white jewish kid from Minnesota playing the blues so commandingly as on "Leopard skin Pillbox Hat"? Or do we discuss how miraculous the multi-layered "Visions Of Johanna" haunts you for life with its unbelievable beauty? This double record (historically, a first I believe in rock music) is an indispensible addition to every record library. There is so much that is so right with this collection of songs, it belongs in a class by itself as a standard by which all other singer/songwriters should aspire. Monumental!

jason_a@earthlink.net (Jason Adams)
Longer and less consistent than the last album, but still full of gems. Not as pissed off, though. The opening track just blows. Terrible. "Visions Of Johanna", "Just Like A Woman", and "Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands" make up for this in spaydes.

cola@together.net
Did somebody say that this sounds exactly like Highway 61 Revisited? If so, I take offense. Highway 61 is one of Dylan's very best albums, while this is only one of his best (that "very" was the difference, in case you missed it). There's plenty here to be amazed at, especially with regards to the sheer size and scope of the album. But I very rarely listen to Blonde on Blonde, and when I do, it usually feels like a chore. Probably deserves an 8.

It's quite relaxing, though. I've fallen asleep to it more than once.

Muggwort@aol.com
mark i love your reviews and all but on this one you are completly wrong blonde on blond is dylan's best work an easy 10

Billsangry@aol.com
ATTENTION EVERYONE!!!!!!

Has anyone ever heard the saying, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone?" Well, that's what "Rainy Day Women" is about. It's not about getting stoned -- it's about being judgmental about others and "casting stones." Think about that the next time you hear Dylan wail, "Oh, I would not feel so alone. Everybody must get stoned." It puts the song in a whole different perspective.

They stone ya when yer driving in yer car..
They stone you when you're playing your guitar.. (Electric Bob?)

robchaundy@yahoo.com (Robert Chaundy)
I couldn't ever call Blonde on Blonde greater than Highway 61 Revisited, but the fantastic warmth and soul of the thing is a first for Dylan - this time creating a great song is more important than telling a great story, and how well it all turns out.

Disc one is far stronger than disc two - in fact (with the exception of Rainy Day Women and Pledging My Time) I think it might be the strongest single slab of shellac he ever laid down. Visions of Johanna is the perfect song on that heartbroken summer night, and Sooner or Later, in my fairly unhumble opinion, is a far greater rock song than Like a Rolling Stone. I Want You, meanwhile, is Dylan's greatest pop song by miles and miles.

As I said, the second disc is less good - mainly fairly derivative 12-bar blues - but it's hard to criticise any album that ends with Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. It's long but not a second too long, and comparing it with Desolation Row is stupid - let them stand side by side as different but equal folk-rock masterpieces, the like of which would never be seen again (Joey? I don't think so!).

I am sure Blonde on Blonde loses some fans' affection because of its length, but it shouldn't. The best songs on here are just about the most heart-warmingly tender music ever made, and every lesser track adds to the whole - there is no filler. For anyone wondering whether or not to buy this record - JUST GET IT. Ask questions later.

Jcjh20@aol.com
Well, i gotta give this one a 10! At first, i thought the same exact way, that it sounded like one big long boring ass song with no melodys at all and the only song i really liked was "Rainy Day Woman 12 & 35" cuz its so fun and hilarious, but i had my head stuck up someones ass too! 'Coz now im incredibly fond of this album. I especially love all the beautiful ballad-like songs; "Just Like A Woman", "I Want You", "Temporary Like Achilles", "Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands", "4th Time Around" etc. but basically i think the album is really damn great. I agree theres some normal, average 12-bar blues here and there but for some reason these really click with me. I love the lead electric guitar on "Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat", which was played by Dylan himself i believe.

watta502@yahoo.gr (Akis Katsman)
What can I say about this album? It's the best Dylan album, hands down. if you don't own it, your record collection sucks! It contains classics like "Visions Of Johanna", "Sooner Or Later", "I Want You", "Just Like A Woman" and the epic "Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands". Plus it has that cool 'wild mercury sound'. Essential is too small a word. 10+/10

MatthewByrd@hotmail.com
Something smells like a dirty sphincter! That means, well, you're an ass. This is the first time I have been here (well, 2nd, I think I remember spotting those odd circular ratings before) and I must say-you are an obnoxious reviewer who could use a good gassing. But seriously, I think your reviews are fine, you're just missing a few 'artists'..... Elvis Costello, Prince, Randy Newman............ and........ hm, well, that's all for now. Oh yeah, Blonde On Blonde is a 10, I say, it's all relative......... and so is Beggar's Banquet, Rain Dogs, Abbey Road, Born To Run and........ well, NOT Quadrophenia, I agree with you there.

the_words@hotmail.com
The reputation of this record is a joke, and so is the idea that "Visions of Johanna" is a "classic".

I think your original review pretty much nailed it, and there was no reason to take back any of it. As for the man's vocals on this record, I mostly feel the urge to punch the self-indulgent bastard in the face for it.

The people who say this is classic are either in search for a very male white role model, just like the critics... OR it's pretty much the first record they ever picked up.

For as much as many of the songs are decent, there's still no answer to the question, WHY should I spend my money on a bunch of mediocre songs? "Visions of Johanna" for instance, is pleasant, but it's background music at best.

There's only one great song on his whole album, Sad Eyed Lady. I don't think there's anything to be puzzled about, about why this record is not nearly as good as its reputation. The truth is Bob Dylan isn't a very good musician. When people say he's fantastic, he's just good, and when they say he's good, he's crap.

davethefish42@gmail.com
Back to a 6? YOU FOOL!

Zimmerman110@hotmail.com
I can atest that even people who claim not to like dylan would like most of this album. hell, it's perfect for drinkin...

ddickson@rice.edu
WHY must you listen to "Visions of Johanna"? I'LL tell you why you must listen to "Visions of Johanna." 'Cause it's the best make out song ever. Just ignore the lyrics and you'll hit us a homer.

I'm not shore what Rainy Day you smoked last year, mister, but this album, she's a classic. Now, granted, I listened to it first while I was eating jalapeno and buffalo chicken pizza and playing Starcraft deathmatch (my entire base got massacred early by a mere 13 Dark Templars in the first ten minutes, all to the tune of the text taunt "where's your god now"; damn him to hell)--but STILL. 14 songs, all of 'em enjoyable happy fun. Except for that lengthy crapsong at the end--I've never been much of a fan of Bob's expressions of love. His expressions of breakup are MUCH more bonus.

Fer me, 't'weren't an intellectual thang--BOB--hey, that's his first name!!-- why am I hooked on hyphens??--is just a fun lil' goodtime album that happens to be pretty intellectual and heady at the same time. It seems to me the culmination of a period when Bob simply couldn't write an un-memorable song, either musically or lyrically. 14 songs, 13 of which should be hits, and one of which is probably at least good torture device for the terrorists, so it's good for something. The man's on fire here.

And you KNOW what that first song is about, write?

Ever read "The Lottery"? No? Good!

thepublicimage79@hotmail.com
I dislike disagreeing with ye, but goddammit, Blonde On Blonde is one of the greatest rock albums ever made. It's Dylan at his peak for 74 minutes. What more do you want? Yeah, "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" does sound like "Tom Thumb's Blues," but it's funnier and Robbie Robertson was a hell of a soloist back in '66. But "Visions of Johanna"?! How in God's name can you bash that song? It's the closest Bob ever got to a soul ballad (that bass...), and lyrically he's on the highest ground almost anyone could get to. What you call filler I call genius. And what about "One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)"? The most even-handed, sublime breakup song ever? Since you have a head on your shoulders, you do praise "I Want You," "4th Time Around," and "Stuck Inside Of Mobile," but while I don't adore "Temporary Like Achilles," I also don't adore "Just Like A Woman." Good God, what a condescending song...I think. the lyrics are actually pretty confusing (big surprise), but that line "breaks just like a little girl" sounds just a little too cruel for comfort. The music's great, but a little sluggish (at least have a little more drive to it, like "Visions of Johanna"), but it isn't as amazing as the other songs here. So what that they sound kind of close to each other? If that's your problem, what about "Motorpsycho Nitemare" and "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream?" They're the same exact song except one has a band and one doesn't. I don't get what's the problem here. I'd give it a 10.

Reader Comments

la314w@crown.icongrp.com (Jesse Lara)
I totally agree except "Like A Rolling Stone" & "Sub. Blues" are some of his greatest hits and should have got more recognition on your site. The stupid English didn't like it. (Shows how much they have a taste for good music.) He wasn't getting away from folk; he was showing everybody what Bob Dylan could do. He was a man of many aspirations.

Waterloo78@aol.com
Worth owning for "Positively 4th Street" alone, unless you've got enough money for Biograph instead. Ah screw it, just get Biograph and forget about this album.

Review by Stephen Thomas GIRLYwine

The seventh volume of COB Dylan's Bootleg Series doubles as the GREYHOUNDtrack to No Direction E.T. PHONE HOME, FARTIN Scorsese's feature-length SCHLOCKumentary covering Dylan's SOMETHING GROSS IN THE REFRIGERATOR and WATCHING TV.

Okay now make a funny video and we're good to go. Thanks.

My notes page got ripped in half on the way to work, probably by an angry jealous rival record reviewer out to steal my 3500 daily visitors (and their 35,000 click-throughs), so I'm going to have to piece this together as best I can. First of all, the album appears to be called NO DLBESJIOM HOMO and is by who appears to be 'ROR DVIAM." Oh this'll never work. NEVER WORK! I'll have to review it from memory.

If memory serves, this double CD features 4 home recordings, 1 studio demo, 10 live recordings, 12 alternate takes and 1 album track of 7 Highway 61 Revisited, 4 Bringing It All Back Home, 4 The Freewheelin'..., 3 Blonde On Blonde, 2 S/T, 1 The Times They Are A-Changin' and 1 Another Side Of... song(s), along with 6 early rarities. If you were one of the first to purchase it, you might also have received a special bonus third disc, a record of B.D. Live At Carnegie Hall 1963 performing five The Times They Are A-Changin' songs and "Lay Down Your Weary Tune." Strangely, I find I like the Times A-Changin' songs a lot more now than I did back when I reviewed it for this lousy 8-year-old crap page that you should completely ignore because it sucks. I think the problem was that I didn't pay enough attention to the lyrics. Man, these songs are SAD! Did you notice that "Hollis Brown" kills his family and commits suicide just to save his loved ones from a life of poverty? Did you notice the depressing tale of the mine closing in "North Country Blues"? Did you notice the witty, sarcastic lyrics to "With God On Our Side"? I apparently didn't. Every day it becomes clearer and clearer exactly how big a dumbass I used to be. And probably will be now when I'm 40. Hah?

You want to know what the biggest disappointment is for me? When I heard about this Martin Scorcese movie, for some reason I thought it was going to be about Bob Dylan's entire life. Haven't we already heard enough about (and from) his classic early years? What we really need is somebody to (if they haven't already - if so, TELL ME!) trace his entire career, devoting special attention to boneheaded ideas like his attempt to actually 'sing' in the late '60s, the genesis of Self-Portrait (Actually, a whole movie could be devoted to that trainwreck alone!), his weird Christian phase, and that long string of horrific '80s records he made. What was he thinking? What happened to him? How did one of the most quick-witted and intelligent young men of the '60s turn into a hairy, clueless monster? And -- just as suddenly and jarringly -- suddenly become really GOOD again in the '90s!? Isn't anybody clamoring for a live version of "Tight Connection To My Heart"? Or his home demo of "Man Gave Names To All The Animals"? Who the hell needs to hear the fuckin' "JUDAS!" version of "Like A Rolling Stone" for the 50 thousandth time? Ahh I'm just a grouchy old man. With grouchy old ideas! Like this one -- FUCK YOU!

My more specific complaint about this release is that much of the material, although 'rare,' isn't all that great. None of the early rarities ("When I Get Troubles," "Rambler, Gambler," "This Land Is Your Land," "Dink's Song," "I Was Young When I Left Home" and "Sally Gal") rise above Dylan's basic folk/blues influences, and even a lot of his well-known material is presented in half-assed lazy versions that would look better on my bedroom floor, if some hot bitch in lust is wearing them down the street and aching for my touch. BULLET POINTS, PLEASE! (This next part will be presented in PowerPoint, by David Byrne)

* "Mr. Tambourine Man" somehow doesn't sound quite so good with Ramblin' Jack Elliott drooling heinously incorrect harmonies over Bob's shoulder the whole time.

* "Chimes Of Freedom" is shockingly lacking any sort of hook or melodic sense without the timeless input of David "Mustachioed Genius" Crosby. And what's with the ass-ugly tinny nasal hair-clogged-in-throat timbre of Bob's voice!? (let's) Y(f)uck!

* Maybe it seemed shocking and revelatory at the time, but the Newport Folk Festival rendition of "Maggie's Farm" today just sounds like a dopey bunch of unrehearsed losers goofing around on oompah bass, clumpity-dumpity drums, rhythm guitar that sounds like a toy and a lead guitarist pulled out of the Electric Blues Blues Rock Blues Combo. Bob's vocals are energetic, but the empty, crappy music sounds like shit! That's right - it's crappy and it sounds like shit! My parents paid for me to attend college, where I majored in English!

* "Desolation Row" lacks the 'diggy-diggy-dee-doo' bit at the end of each verse. And is thus long and dull.

* 12-bar blues snooze "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" and a bored boring bore bore bororiffic borley borton borpost boron borotomer boronimo version of "Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again" hit my ears as so depressingly underwhelming that it drove me to reduce my Blonde On Blonde grade from an 8 to its original 6. All without even listening to the album again! That's the power of negative thinking!

Soooo yeah. Enough reminiscing about the 'good' Bob Dylan. A more honest look at his entire life might not make for a more listenable CD, but it sure would be more interesting. Who the hell needs ANOTHER version of "Blowin' In The Wind"!? I'll tell ya who - some NITWIT!

I didn't mean to upset any nitwits out there.

Reader Comments

bcs2h@mtsu.edu
The soundtrack to the excellent documentary by Martin Scorcese. The music consists of mostly a bunch of alternate cuts of songs going all the way back to Bob's first album, and all the way up to Blonde On Blonde. Interlaced between the alternate cuts are a few rare songs (When I Got Troubles, Dink's Song, I Was Young When I Left Home) and live tracks (Blowin' In The Wind, A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, Masters of War, Chimes Of Freedom, and Maggie's Farm amongst other).

Disc 1 features a young Dylan playing a some mostly underwhelming folk tunes that weren't released for a reason. However, the life version of "When the Ship Comes In" and "Chimes of Freedom" are very good. "Chimes of Freedom" in particular is impressive. Bob finally plays this song with the passion that it needs. To me, that is how the song should have sounded on Another Side.

Disc 2 is a little bit more impressive. It features mostly alternate cuts of songs of Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde On Blonde. There's nothing especially profound uncovered here, you can understand why these tracks weren't chosen for the album, but there are a few things that are enjoyable about them. The alternate piano line on "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" is nice, and the live version of "Maggie's Farm" shows Bob in fine form.

The best cut off this disc is the alternate version of "Desolation Row." It features Dylan, a guitar, (which I believe is played by Al Kooper) and some guy on bass. As Kooper describes it in the liner notes, this version has a bit of a "punk" feel to it. Although the released track is clearly superior, it's interesting nonetheless, and is one of the tracks that makes me want to put that disc in the stereo every so often. Finally, there's an alternate cut of "Visions of Johanna" on here that just blew me away, but not in a good way. The "Visions of Johanna" from Blonde On Blonde is flawless. It's scary to think Bob even toyed with a rollicking rock version of this gem. It's not that it's bad. It just would have been about 50% as good as the Blonde On Blonde track. And I guess I should mention that the JUDAS version of "Like A Rolling Stone" is on here. I've covered that before, so there's not much else to say. I would've loved for them to have put one of the uncompleted cuts of "Like A Rolling Stone" on instead, but considering the context of the film, I can understand why they did that. The rest of the cuts are mostly average, and don't stray enough from the released version to mention, with the exceptions of "Stuck Inside of Mobile" and "Leopard skin Pill-box Hat." Unfortunately, both those cuts are vastly inferior to their album counterparts. The "Stuck Inside Of Mobile" version in particular is extremely weak on here. The accompaniment is sparse, and Bob really needed the guys to back him on that song. Fortunately, they figured it all out later in the session.

Overall, I give this album a 6. This is another one that's kind of hard to rate. Since I regularly listen to the cuts of "Maggie's Farm," "Chimes of Freedom," "When The Ship Comes In," "Just Like Tom's Thumb's Blues," and "Desolation Row," I think it should have a fairly good rating. That's fairly substantial for an album compiled of alternate cuts and rare live cuts.

fidelsjuarezg@hotmail.com
Please, people: It's SCORSESE with a triple 's'. Not "Scorcese". How would you feel if we, "non-americans" (sic!!!!!!!!!!!!; "americans"!!!!!!!!!!!!!), were to write "C(l)UNT(on)" instead of "CLINTON", or "BUSH" instead of "BUSH"? (That "BUSH" thing was out of line, I know.)

BTW, the documentary was fine, but not the greatest thing ever. Tell that to Mr. S.

Oh! And "This Wheel's On Fire" is pretty much amazing. A delightful record to perk you out of a bitter, melancholy, "I wrecked my motorcycle and my knee hurts" mood.

Reader Comments

hutchilj@aramco.com.sa (Lawrence J. Hutchinson)
Rating:6.5 - Some great stuff, but some very weak material mixed in, especially The Band's songs.

starostin@geocities.com (George Starostin)
Pretty average. Since there was no selection and they released everything, for every great tune you get yourself a duffer. Some good Band songs ('Kathy's Been Gone', 'Yazoo Street Scandal'), some good Bob tunes ('Odds And Ends', 'Lo And Behold', etc.), but a great lot of filler as well. And it's on 2 CDs when they could have easily made a single one! Which means I have to spend my cash on stupid songs I will never listen to of my free will. Sad sad sad... I wouldn't give it an 8. A 6 or 7 might do. Very raw. Music for the love of music, sure, but Bob wasn't gonna release it and he was partly right. Be careful.

Pierce.Brown@cbr.defence.gov.au
The Basement Tapes is one of the most enjoyable albums you are ever likely to hear and although I too was not a big fan of The Band, after listening to this delightful album I soon was. Many many classics from both Dylan and TB, The Basement Tapes is choc-ful of catchy and sublime melodies including the excellent Band material. You must own this masterpiece from the vaults. Stand outs: Orange Juice Blues, Bessie Smith, Crash on the Levee & You Ain't Going Nowhere.

Waterloo78@aol.com
This is such a departure from Blonde On Blonde, yet it's got a charm all its own. Of course, not all the songs work. But when they do, you get top-notch stuff like This Wheel's On Fire, Tears Of Rage, Goin' To Acapulco, Million Dollar Bash, etc. Of course, I've always wondered why superb songs like I Shall Be Released, Sign On The Cross, and I'm Not There weren't included? Oh well, that's why God invented bootlegs (wait, wasn't this a bootleg?).

InMyEyes82@aol.com (Zach English)
This double album is the peak of both Dylan's AND the Band's powers. Earth-shaking stuff, especially considering that there are hardly any of Bob's nonsensical ramblers or any of his time-tested, weather beaten political anthems which most critics tend to focus upon.

My highlight is "Tears of Rage," which depending on your viewpoint is either an account of a father's personal saga with his daughter or a broadly sketched metaphor for all the crap capitalism hath wrought upon this country. The melody is so beautiful it seems powerful enough to move mountains; listen to the way Garth Hudson's organ weaves its way in between the choruses like some loom on loan from the Confederacy, or the way Dylan slides his voice with a confidence and vulnerability he would only reach again on Blood on the Tracks.

Oh, and let me be the lone voice in the darkness on this point: I am a huge fan of the Band (well, their first two albums at least). Richard Manuel is one of the few vocalists out there capable of making me cry. His voice has this strangely feminine, vulnerable quality to it (listen to "Katie..." on this album for proof). They've written some of the most gorgeous rock songs of all time, and I think it's high time somebody reviewed them here.

Anyway, I'll chalk this baby up with ten stars. Peace.

jfiero1@lsu.edu (Joshua Fiero)
Unlike our esteemed webmaster, I, sirrah, am a Southern boy who has not forsaken his heritage. Unike the dastardly Prindle, I love the things that make these former slave states great, like frosty glasses of iced-tea with lemon wedges, trailer parks, Lynrd Skynrd, raping your sister, and those "honky-tonk thugs" themselves, the ever-lovin' blue-eyed BAND!! So I, a true southern gentleman, unreservedly give _The Basement Tapes_ a 9. It ain't that dirty jew Bob Zimmerman's best album or nuthin', but it's the most fun, and it's the best one for rapin your sister to! So there!!

gardner@localline.com
It doesn't hurt that I dig The Band, but I've always gone for this music in a big way. My first exposure to some of it was on an album by McGuinness-Flint, "Lo and Behold," that does the material up with polished, folk-rockin' arrangements. Like the Byrds and Turtles covers of some other Dylan material, "Lo and Behold" really brings out the pop qualities that aren't as apparent in some of Dylan's one-off recordings. It's a great album and the music might appeal to you more if you hear it done by this capable band.

One of the reasons Dylan recorded a lot of the Basement Tapes material, according to his biographers, was to generate cover versions. At the time, those were making him more money than his own records, IIRC. He laid down a bunch of these tunes for the purpose of getting other artists to record them (which apparently led to the McGuinness-Flint album). According to the "Down The Highway" biography, IIRC, someone stole the tape that was made to register the copyrights, and that tape was the source of the original bootlegs of the Basement stuff.

If you ever do get a taste for this material, there's a new bootleg set, "A Tree With Roots," that presents a lot of it with sound quality rivalling the legit release. Me, I can't get too much of it.

poorroyschieder@hotmail.com (Derek Nicholson)
Ya did it again. Will miracles never cease. You singleds out my favorite track on the legendary basement tapes. This wheels on fire is an absolutely beautiful and haunting song. My second favorite tune of all time. If you're interested #1 is A day in the life and #3 is Brown shoes dont make it. I tell ya ,every time i read another review on this site, I'm getting closer to believing you might be GOD!!!!!!

ddickson@rice.edu
Gotta warn you guise, I'm pretty dunk as a donut right now, so forgive my plagiarism from the Prindle Mark E. Smith interview. . .

WHY THE FUCK FUCKING FUCKALL FU(*gets zapped by Dobson's Ray of Death*)

I'm wondering. Why do folks rag on this album? It's no worse than most of Bob Dylan's '60's output, except he's suddenly lost his gift for wild mercury cougar blues Alan Jackson god that's a great song even though the artist sucks lyricism. Reeeal grungy and off-the-cuff, but if there ever was a dood better at off-the cuff shitake, I have yet to here it, hear. Not a song blows, except maybe "Tiny Montgomery." And the Band has rarely been better. And there WAS selection, all right, maybe a little slanted in favor of the Band, but slanting's all right by me! Especially if you slant the scales in my favor on the Scale of Mojo-Favoring Lover-man Kickassitude. I apologize fer sharing my inner, personal werkings with you gize. I'll stop now. Time to hoogle down without love!!! YEE-HAAW!! (eh.)

^
I
I
(that's Canadian. Robbie Robertson is from Canada. He speaks Canadian like a Canuck from Canada. I know these things.)

This album gets a rejection. I mean, a rejection. Dammit I mean, a NINE!! I mean. . . a rejection. Reject reject reject reject reject. .

The melodies are simple but harrowing, low-key but powerful, minimal but incredible - especially when taken as individual sections of a larger piece of art; song for song, there aren't a whole slew of hits here, but the twelve songs (plus the grimy album cover) work together to create a mood of such understated woodsy folk coldness that it's nearly impossible to remember that you're dwelling in late 20th century Manhattan while you're listening to it. That subway train? She's a horse! That crack addict? He's a lonesome ol' hobo!!! That Mayor Guiliani? He's a cruel shipcarpenter!!!! Oh, life is such a blast when you live in the past. Kudos to Bob for taking a chance on a completely different type of music and pulling it off with flying burritos. So why not a 10? Because the ugly squealing harmonica is mixed about forty times louder than every other instrument.

Reader Comments

M.Eisenkraft@Juno.com (Michael Eisenkraft)
You know I sort of like the harmonica; maybe it's some sorta masochistic impulse, who knows? Well I loved this album too; it was incredible. I love the John Wesley Harding ballad though the words were kinda boring. After all, how much can you say about a brave and true cowboy without sounding completely sappy (around three words I think)? My favorite song though is that Judas Priest one; I'm not sure why but it sticks in my mind. The melody is nice, but the words are incredible. I'm still not quite sure what he's talking about, but when I figure it out I'm sure it will be earthshaking (at least it better be, I've been looking forward to it for so long). Tell me if you've figured out the story. It's something about a friend going to a whorehouse, then he goes to heaven (figuratively speaking), then something else happens.

bluebird@tsixroads.com
How many stars would you give Christ for his Sermon on the Mount? What do you have to do to get 10*? You sound more like a Tiny Tim fan.

hutchilj@aramco.com.sa (Lawrence J. Hutchinson)
Rating:8 - A great album, we're all agreed. "Watchtower" is one of Dylan's Top 5, and "Frankie Lee", "Immigrant", "St. Augustine" and "As I Went Out One Morning', are all highly placed in my 'All-Time Best Of Bob Dylan'.

starostin@geocities.com (George Starostin)
I love everything about this album. The harmonica is simply beautiful. Indeed, these scary lines on 'Watchtower' blow away Hendrix's electric wailings on his stupid cover. And yes, you're right, this album just carries us away to an older world. Like, you can sometimes fall into oblivion and just dream of yourself as a lonesome hobo or a poor immigrant... 'Frankie Lee' is a bit dumb (the lyrics are somewhat crude), but that's my only complaint. I used to prefer Side A, but now I think each and every side is wonderful. And don't forget 'I'll Be Your Baby Tonight'! One of the best love ballads ever written, no doubt.

Waterloo78@aol.com
This album was responsible for my favorite Dylan cover (thank you Jimi), and paved the way for other similar, countryish albums. And oh, what nice songs, too. Although after the 1000th listen to Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest, I'm still not too sure what the hell happens. But I love that song anyway.

danzig9@hotmail.com (Daniel Lawrence)
Another consistent album from Bob. What can I really say about it? Great lyrics, nice simple acoustic lines, and nice overall feel to it come to mind when I think of this. "As I went out one Morning" is one of his greatest songs. 8

QUINN1856@aol.com
This is the only album review of yours that I agree with entirely; you go uot on a pretty long ledge for a few of these, especiall Highway 61 and <