Zuma's Top 50 - 1 Bob Dylan

[Zuma]

Some of you may call him Bobby, Some of you may call him Zimmie. I call him Lucky - George Harrison 1992

Here begins the daunting task of giving my Top 50 - 1 for the great man, Bob Dylan. I will try and keep my comments brief and will post the lyrics to each song and a video if available.

Beyond Here Lies Somethin'

 

[Zuma]

50 - Tweeter and The Monkey Man - Volume One - 1988

I've decided to kick things off with Dylan's pisser of a story song written and recorded for The Travelling Wilburys Volume One. Perhaps the most fun he's had with a record Bob almost parody's himself and makes a few Bruce Springsteen references along the way with an enthusiastic vocal performance over the many verses backed by his Wilbury Brothers Roy, George, Tom and Jeff.





Tweeter and the Monkey Man were hard up for cash
They stayed up all night selling cocaine and hash
To an undercover cop who had a sister named Jan
For reasons unexplained she loved the Monkey Man

Tweeter was a boy scout before she went to Vietnam
And found out the hard way nobody gives a damn
They knew that they found freedom just across the Jersey Line
So they hopped into a stolen car took Highway 99

And the walls came down, all the way to hell
Never saw them when they're standing
Never saw them when they fell

The undercover cop never liked the Monkey Man
Even back in childhood he wanted to see him in the can
Jan got married at fourteen to a racketeer named Bill
She made secret calls to the Monkey Man from a mansion on the hill

It was out on thunder road - Tweeter at the wheel
They crashed into paradise - they could hear them tires squeal
The undercover cop pulled up and said "Everyone of you's a liar
If you don't surrender now it's gonna go down to the wire"

And the walls came down, all the way to hell
Never saw them when they're standing
Never saw them when they fell

An ambulance rolled up, a state trooper close behind
Tweeter took his gun away and messed up his mind
The undercover cop was left tied up to a tree
Near the souvenir stand by the old abandoned factory

Next day the undercover cop was-a hot in pursuit
He was taking the whole thing personal
He didn't care about the loot
Jan had told him many times it was you to me who taught
In Jersey anything's legal as long as you don't get caught

And the walls came down, all the way to hell
Never saw them when they're standing
Never saw them when they fell

Someplace by Rahway prison they ran out of gas
The undercover cop had cornered them said "Boy, you didn't think that this could last"
Jan jumped out of bed said "There's someplace I gotta go"
She took a gun out of the drawer and said "It's best if you don't know"

The undercover cop was found face down in a field
The monkey man was on the river bridge using Tweeter as a shield
Jan said to the Monkey Man "I'm not fooled by Tweeter's curl
I knew him long before he ever became a Jersey girl"

And the walls came down, all the way to hell
Never saw them when they're standing
Never saw them when they fell

Now the town of Jersey City is quieting down again
I'm sitting in a gambling club called the Lion's Den
The TV set was blown up, every bit of it is gone
Ever since the nightly news show that the Monkey Man was on

I guess I'll go to Florida and get myself some sun
There ain't no more opportunity here, everything's been done
Sometime I think of Tweeter, sometimes I think of Jan
Sometimes I don't think about nothing but the Monkey Man

And the walls came down, all the way to hell
Never saw them when they're standing
Never saw them when they fell

 

[Zuma]

49 - Ain't Talkin - Modern Times - 2006

The closing track to Dylan's 44th studio album and his first number 1 album in 36 years the masterful Modern Times chronicles one's continued quest for spiritual enlightenment in this modern world.

Ain't Talkin, Just Walkin', Up the Road, Around the Bend, Heart Burnin', Still Yearnin', In the last outback at the world's end

 

[Zuma]

48 - Oh, Sister! - Desire - 1976

Oh Sister, when I come to knock on your door. Don't turn away, you'll create sorrow. Time is an ocean but it ends at the shore, you may not see me tomorrow.

This contemplative ballad sung with the emerging Emmylou Harris with its violins sounds like one of many songs written during this period around his ailing relationship with wife Sara Lowndes with Dylan longing for forgiveness and perhaps looking to religion to that quest love and follow his direction

Oh Sister was a great live song during the mid 70's and captured nicely on the Dylan Live 1975 release.

 

[Zuma]

47 - If Not For You - New Morning - 1970

A simple, sincere and sentimental love song from Bob who was not really known for such. It is no lyrical triumph and was arguably best recorded by and given a lusher treatment with slide guitar by close pal George Harrison for his All Things Must Pass album and the following year it became the title track for a young Olivia Newton-John. Dylan's version however is effective in conveying the simple emotion that it does and this gets a nod in my top 50 because its an underrated little love song IMHO

 

[Zuma]

46 - Every Grain of Sand - Shot of Love - 1981

A beautifully performed often forgotten piano ballad from Dylan's "born again Christian phase" which had been interpreted as a religious convert contemplating his own sinfulness. The song was also performed at Johnny Cash's funeral by Emmylou Harris.



George Harrison recorded this song too

 

[Zuma]

45 - Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands - Blonde on Blonde - 1966

The closing song from the groundbreaking first ever double album Blonde on Blonde finds Dylan slurring his lyrics and recording this song with his band in one take at 4am one morning. The title of the song was created from the letters of his then wife's name Sara Lownds whom this song is about. Like many from this period it features alot of Bob's harmonica.

With your mercury mouth in the missionary times
And your eyes like smoke and your prayers like rhymes
And your silver cross, and your voice like chimes


Richie Havens cover

 

[paddy18]

This is going to make great summer reading. Great reviews so far

 

[bungalow_bill]

Not a huge Dylan fan but love some of his stuff - Fourth Time Around is a gem, obviously a take off on Norwegian Wood

 

[Zuma]

Not a huge Dylan fan but love some of his stuff - Fourth Time Around is a gem, obviously a take off on Norwegian Wood

A year earlier Lennon's "Im a Looser" from Beatles for Sale clearly shows the huge impression Dylan had on John

 

[Zuma]

44 - Isis - Desire - 1976

A lively attempt to write an old western ballad ala his old backing band The Band. It is commonly believed that "Isis" the female character in this song is a goddess in ancient Egyptian mythology who also is believed to be his wife Sara Lownds. Dylan goes on a journey searching for something but thinking of "Isis" to the point where he wants to ride back home to "just to tell her that I love her" Dylan had her on his mind in many of the songs on what is one of my favourite albums Desire where Dylan sings his lyrics with alot of intensity in what I reckon was the best his voice ever sounded, loud, clear, defiant, expressive the phrasing is brilliant . "Isis oh Isis your a mystical child, What drives me to you is what drives me insane"

 

[bungalow_bill]

A year earlier Lennon's "Im a Looser" from Beatles for Sale clearly shows the huge impression Dylan had on John

There's no doubt that Dylan was a big influence on Lennon. And visa versa.

 

[Zuma]

43 - Highlands - Time Out Of Mind - 1997

The closing track by some old dude that Usher likes to call Bill Dylan The title Highlands was taken from Scottish poet Robert Burns' "My Heart in the Highlands" is Dylan's longest known studio recording clocking 16.31 mins no chorus, no bridge and a recurring old blues riff. Listen out for where he name checks Neil Young and longs for the days of his youth "All the young men with the young women lookin so good, Id trade places with anyone of them, in a minute if I could"

 

[mellowyellow]

Masters Of War better get a lookin Zuma or I'll spew

 

[Zuma]

Masters Of War better get a lookin Zuma or I'll spew

Sounds like something Terry Wallace would say during a Bulldog's spray rest assured Masters of War will be inside the top half of this 50 to 1

 

[mellowyellow]

rest assured Masters of War will be inside the top half of this 50 to 1

And with that news all is good with the world again

 

[Zuma]

42 - Tight Connection to My Heart - Empire Burlesque - 1985

A slick production and an oriental flavoured music video with Dylan partaking in some synchronized dancing render this song worthy of a place in my 50-1 alone Sung is Dylan's trademark whine with nice shades of harmonica, back up singers through the mix, a bit of mid 80's easy listening with a slight funk bent, nice guitar solo on this very 80's song. Reminds me of Dire Straits. A longing love song, one of my favourite lines what large from a distance, close up ain't never that big Some didn't care for this song of this album but it is very listenable and almost danceable

 

[Zuma]

41 - You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - 1971

Bob wrote this great acoustic and harmonica singalong in 1967 during the Basement Tapes sessions and re- recorded it in 1971 , true to his character of going against the grain of the popular sounds that came out of the Summer of Love. I am glad he re-recorded it this way as I don't really like the version that appeared on the Basement Tapes release. The Byrds covered this song soon after it was written.


Byrds cover from 1968

 

[Zuma]

40 - Forever Young - Planet Waves - 1974

A hopeful ballad and a real torch song from Dylan that found popularity in mainstream culture over the years. I have always loved the lyrics written as a lullaby to his son Jesse as they are have beauty in their simplicity but deep at the same time. The song doesn't leave you questioning "what does that mean" He is in great voice and the musicians who recorded this song gave it the deft touches it deserved. Howard Cossell recited the song after Muhammad Ali won his 3rd heavy weight crown and I have always heard the song as the inspiration to the other "Forever Young" song that Youth Group recently covered.

 

[Zuma]

39 - Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat - Blonde on Blonde - 1966

An outrageous 12 bar blues from Blonde on Blonde with a screaming guitar solo the song captures Dylan at the peak of surreal and playful lyricism this time ridiculing a past ladies fashion trend. The musical performance never gets tired and the song remains full of life to this day.


First song on this clip is a live performance of the song from 1996

 

[Zuma]

38 - Positively 4th Street - Single - 1965

You got a lotta nerve
To say you are my friend
When I was down you just stood there grinning
You got a lotta nerve
To say you gotta helping hand to lend
You just want to be on the side that's winning

You say I let you down
You know it's not like that
If your so hurt why then don't you show it
You say you've lost your faith
But that's not where it's at
You have no faith to lose and you know it

I know the reason
that you talk behind my back
I used to be among the crowd you're in with
Do you take me for such a fool
To think I'd make contact
With the on who tries to hide what it don't know to begin with

You see me on the street
You always act surprised
You say how are you good luck but you don't mean it
When you know as well as me
You'd rather see me paralyzed
Why don't you just come out once and scream it

No I do not feel that good
when I see the heartbreaks you embrace
If I was a master thief perhaps I'd rob them
And though I know your dissatisfied
With your position and your place
Don't you understand it's not my problem

I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
And for just that one moment I could be you
Yes I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
You'd know what a drag it is to see you

Someone may have experienced this in Sydney 1966

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

37 songs better than that... wowee

One of my favourites

 

[Nostradumbass]

44 - Isis - Desire - 1976

A lively attempt to write an old western ballad ala his old backing band The Band. It is commonly believed that "Isis" the female character in this song is a goddess in ancient Egyptian mythology who also is believed to be his wife Sara Lownds. Dylan goes on a journey searching for something but thinking of "Isis" to the point where he wants to ride back home to "just to tell her that I love her" Dylan had her on his mind in many of the songs on what is one of my favourite albums Desire where Dylan sings his lyrics with alot of intensity in what I reckon was the best his voice ever sounded, loud, clear, defiant, expressive the phrasing is brilliant . "Isis oh Isis your a mystical child, What drives me to you is what drives me insane"

I'd put this higher myself.

 

[Zuma]

37 songs better than that... wowee

One of my favourites

Youve got alot of nerve Some great lines in this classic, looking at the songs to come it will be classic after classic after classic what a songbook bob has

 

[JeffLynnesBeard]

39 - Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat - Blonde on Blonde - 1966

An outrageous 12 bar blues from Blonde on Blonde with a screaming guitar solo the song captures Dylan at the peak of surreal and playful lyricism this time ridiculing a past ladies fashion trend. The musical performance never gets tired and the song remains full of life to this day.


First song on this clip is a live performance of the song from 1996

giddy on up!
great choon

cold irons bound for top 20 sir