Bob Dylan

[johnnyhoward]

Been getting into more of this guy's stuff lately and he is interesting at the very least. I prefer music to lyrics so it makes it a bit harder to appreciate some of the droning folk stuff he made early on with precious little melody involved. His voice is a bit irritating on those early albums, and it makes marathon songs like "Visions of Johanna" hard to sit through.

The melodies on "Tangled Up In Blue" and "Knocking on Heavens Door" make me wish he spent more time writing songs in that vein. These songs also had better production which might have helped (as with the 80s track "Jokerman").

Late in his career he seemed to write some dark, menacing stuff that was made all the more interesting by the absolute disintegration of his voice (it was ordinary to start with, but by the 90s it had just turned into something that was painful to listen to). Classic songs like Love Sick, Mississippi and Things Have Changed are maybe strangely enhanced by his terrible voice though. McCartney though, at the same age, hasn't seen his voice disintegrate a hell of a lot in comparison. Dylan today is indistinguishable from Dylan's voice of the 60s.

Anyone heard Dylan's whole catalogue? If so what are the highlights, lowlights and general thoughts on the man?

 

[John]

I am going to be very interested in the replies that you get to this thread. IMO the most misunderstood artiste by today's generation.

I can do nothing but quote the first line of his bio from allmusic. "Bob Dylan's influence on popular music is incalculable."
It was and still is and I am not even going to debate this with anyone. He to me gave music a street voice for maybe the first time and that changed everything. Anyone could get up and sing and not have to have a classic voice. He wrote songs that resonated with all walks of life. His lyrics told a story. He was at the vanguard of making folk popular and then changing overnight to invent and define genres such as Folk/rock and country/rock. To just use one small example of his influance I will mention Punk Rock and I say that in all sincerity. Listen to The Velvet Underground and Nico and listen to Run Run Run and it is a homage to Dylan. Listen to Punk in the 70's and it sourced songs like that as it's template. I could go on.

I could not pick a favorite Dylan album let alone an individual song. I tend to prefer his music pre 1976's Desire though in his last few years Love And Theft and Modern Times have been OK. I actually dug out Nashville Skyline a few weeks back and it was as fresh as when I got it many years ago.

Dylan. Nonpareil
​

 

[Theseventhhamster]

I may post more at a later date but for now just avoid the shit he made when he first found God.

 

[Oct19]

My favourite all time artist

In my opinion his best album is Blood on the Tracks it is his most cohesive, having a running theme of love, betrayal and loss and has killer tracks such as Tangled up in Blue, Shelter from the Storm and Idiot Wind.

His work does vary a lot which is probably one of the reasons for the love or hate relationship most people have with his music. He also changes up his songs live a lot, with different lyrics and tempos. This can work really well (i.e Rolling Thunder Revue versions of Isis and Knockin' on Heaven's Door)or it can work poorly (ie. RTR version of A Hard Rain's a-gonna Fall )

Also of note is his radio show, well worth checking out if only to see the eclectic songs he picks to suit the theme.

 

[chesson]

Also of note is his radio show, well worth checking out if only to see the eclectic songs he picks to suit the theme.

For sure, he's got the coolest most laconic delivery introducing his favourite songs.

 

[rainman06]

My favourite artist.

Forever Young
Mr Bojangles
Masters of War
All I Really Want to Do
Lay Lady Lay

^Being my favourite songs.

 

[Dippers Donuts]

Yep, love the Bobster. My all time favourite artist.
His concert last year was for me the nearest I'll ever get to having a religious experience.
Love all his stuff really, from the very early to the current.
His last three albums have been masterpieces, amongst the best he has ever done. How many artists, after nearly 50 years in the biz, could you say that about?
I just love his voice these days, sure its cracked (to say the least) but it's still strong and the lyrics just shine through.
Favourite Album: Blood on the Tracks or Modern Times.
Most Underrated: Infidels.

 

[chickawah]

Without doubt my favourite all time artist. Saw him in Melbourne last year twice, and as said above, it was like a religious experience, just unbelievable. He's one of very few people in the entertainment industry that I would truely call a genius. His ability to re-invent himself, and stay that little bit ahead of the game, even after 46 years. He has influenced so many artists, and genres, he released the first ever rap song, the first ever music video. Helped build the social conscience of the youth of the 1960's. Helped mix poetry and rock 'n' roll and bring it to the public. His influence is never-ending. He is also a fantastic author, anyone who hasnt already, should read Chronicles: Volume One.

My favourite album is probably Blood on the Tracks. Bringing it All Back Home and The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan unlucky to miss out. I suggest people try those albums plus Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde, if they are interested in finding out about the man and his music.

 

[campbell]

My favourite artist.

Forever Young
Mr Bojangles
Masters of War
All I Really Want to Do
Lay Lady Lay

^Being my favourite songs.

I love all those plus Just Like a Women ( my favourite), Your a big girl now, Like a Rolling Stone, and Rainy Day Woman.

I love Nina Simones version of Just Like a Women.

 

[chesson]

Dont Look Back is recommended viewing, documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker filming Bob Dylan during a three week concert tour of England in the Spring of 1965.

[youtube]PedxiosPF8U[/youtube]

 

[chickawah]

I'd probably recommend No Direction Home over Don't Look Back, it's more of an overview, whereas Don't Look Back is an interesting in-depth look at the man on tour.

 

[wce4premiership]

Legend.

 

[wally funk]

bob = gun. my favourite albums of his:
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home
Highway 61 Revisited
Nashville Skyline
Blood on the Tracks

whilst not a bob album strictly speaking, i'll also throw in traveling wilburys vol.1, because its simply amazing

 

[johnnyhoward]

Here's a brilliant performance of "Jokerman" on Letterman in the 80s with some punk band. Awesome watching a folk icon like Dylan pulling off dance moves and playing a harmonica to a punk beat And his vocals are pretty good too.
[youtube]kIS7jFSe8n8[/youtube]

 

[trueblue_91]

bob = gun. my favourite albums of his:
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home
Highway 61 Revisited
Nashville Skyline
Blood on the Tracks

whilst not a bob album strictly speaking, i'll also throw in traveling wilburys vol.1, because its simply amazing

My favorite artist and all his albums are incredible.

One album i do like that others i feel don't appreciate is Desire....some great songs on that album.

 

[Crosby87]

The avatar speaks for itself.

I remember being like twelve and hearing his songs in my old man's car. Being immersed in the crap that was pop at the time, I didn't think much of them - it was probably the voice. Anyway, I heard Blowin' In the Wind towards late high school, and that had me getting more songs. Tangled Up In Blue, The Times They Are-A Changin', Hurricane, Knockin' On Heaven's Door, y'know, the obvious stuff. Then I was buying albums, and you hear stuff like Visions of Johanna, Desolation Row, even songs like Love Minus Zero/No Limit and Stuck Inside of Mobile... and it blows your mind. Especially studying poetry and verse as I was at school at the time; to hear that coupled with song was incredible.

The thing about Bob is this - once you get tired of one era, you move on to the next. As soon as I had played Freewheelin' and Times to death, it was Bringing it All Back Home and Highway, or Nashville Skyline and New Morning, or Blood on the Tracks and Desire, or Time Out of Mind and Love and Theft. Then the the "Royal Albert Hall Concert" Bootleg album. God damn. A must hear for any music fan, period.

 

[sherrinorburley]

Based on a Bing Crosby tune "Where The Blue Of The Night (Meets The Gold Of The Day)" Dylan's "When The Deal Goes Down" from the Modern Times release is beautiful. Even more so with the gorgeous Scarlett Johansson in the clip.

 

[chesson]

So many of Dylan's songs are great.
A favourite is originally from the 1969 Nashville Skyline album.
Nicely presented here with a fan's personal touch..

Lay Lady Lay

[YOUTUBE]VfF0uHekcc8[/YOUTUBE]

 

[johnnyhoward]

Bumping this after I saw an hilarious video for Masters of War at the 1991 Grammy Awards:

[youtube]8RpJtIpXGK8[/youtube]

Dylan's vocals make me burst out into laughter, and how about this w***er smiling during the guitar solo?

 

[chickawah]

My favorite artist and all his albums are incredible.

One album i do like that others i feel don't appreciate is Desire....some great songs on that album.

I'm sort of the opposite, I feel that Desire is a touch over-rated.......not that it's not brilliant, but there are some songs on that album which aren't brilliant. Oh Sister and Sara are friggen great though.

 

[sherrinorburley]

The great man is giving away a tune from his new recording, 'Together Through Life'. Its a beauty. You can find a write up at the hound.

 

[johnnyhoward]

I didn't hear anything about this upcoming album until now, nice surprise.

 

[UpForGrabs]

I may post more at a later date but for now just avoid the shit he made when he first found God.

I'd say some of his most underrated work is one these albums. 'Pressing On' is one example.

 

[Jokerman]

My all time favourite artist, no one else even gets close and never will. I just love the way Bob keeps re-inventing himself and coming out with different stuff.

Favourite albums are Blonde on Blonde, Blood on the Tracks, Desire, Time out of Mind, Street Legal and Tell Tale Signs (TTS) (even though the later is a compilation is has some exceptional work on it). Recently I've been listening to TTS and The Basement Tapes which has been re-released after being digitally remastered is is a fine album.

Favourite songs are Abandoned Love, Changing of the Guards, Like a Rolling Stone, Isis, To Ramona, Just Like Tom Thumb Blues, the list goes on.

If you ever go to New York and are into Bob and how his lived his early days there, do the Bob Dylan tour of his old haunts like I did last September. It is somethink I will never forget.

In 1986 in Sydney I met Bob at the Sebel Town House (now demolished) in the early hours of the morning after waiting at his hotel for a long time. My mate and I got his autograph and we had a chat to him. We found him to be a terrific bloke, very friendly and obliging. That was the most memorable moment of my life.

 

[Crosby87]

I didn't hear anything about this upcoming album until now, nice surprise.

I don't think the media even knew about it. I read a while back there was a rumour that he was stopping with Modern Times, and boom, here's another one.