The Jester

I said I'd post something sort of big about Dylan, as John seems to like linking to my blog for such things, so how about I run through Dylan's discography and give a little comment about each. I think chronological order makes the most sense.

Bob Dylan (1962) - Bob got his start in the folk world, and that is reflected in this album dominated by his arrangements (or sometimes his stolen arrangements) of traditional songs. His version of "House of the Rising Sun" is notable, if not great. It's also interesting that this album features "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down," which he has continued to play throughout his career as a straight rock number. The original "Song to Woody" is probably my favorite. This album is mostly for Dylan completists.

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963) This is the album people think of when they think of Dylan, or so I think. The album cover should be instantly recognizable, with Bob and his girlfriend of the time, Suze, walking arm in arm. The album is definitely worth a listen. Some of the songs you know doubt know already; "Blowin' in the Wind," "Masters of War," "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall." Others you may not have heard, but need to be heard if only for Dylan's bizarre sense of humor in dealing with racism, war and all that other stuff he's so famous for talking about; and I quote:

"Well, my telephone rang it would not stop
It's President Kennedy callin' me up
He said, 'My friend, Bob, what do we need to make the country grow' ?
I said, 'My friend, John, 'Brigitte Bardot,
Anita EkbergSophia Loren'
Country'll grow.

Hilarious.

The Times They Are A-Changin' (1964) - Dylan continues his folkiness, with more tracks that you know and a bunch you probably haven't heard, but should. This one lacks a lot of the humor of Freewheelin' but is pretty great, anyway. His arrangements here are kind of lazy, and these songs are better heard from concerts of around the time, I think. I'm sure you've heard the title track, probably "When the Ship Comes in" and "With God on Our Side," maybe even "Only a Pawn in Their Game," but my personal favorite is "One Too Many Mornings," which I think is a great title.

Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964) - This one's a bit more rock-y than the previous three, but still not the psychadelic Dylan tromping around with the band, hanging out with John Lennon and Allen Ginsberg. I actually almost never listen to this album, so I can't really say much. I'm sure you know "It Ain't Me, Babe," though that is one of my least favorite of Dylan's famous songs.

Bringing It All Back Home (1965) - This is where he starts stealing Elvis's thorny crown, but he's only halfway there at this point. The first half of the album is blues rock, which all his folky friends hated but I think is awesome. His bizarre sense of humor surfaces on tracks like "On the Road Again," and the epic "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream," a story-song that needs to be heard. He also shows he can right nice love songs with "She Belongs to Me." I'm sure you've heard the opening track, "Subterranean Homesick Blues." The second half returns to folk-style music, but he is heading towards the psychadelic here and away from his old-world we shall overcome rhetoric; "Mr. Tambourine Man," "Gates of Eden," "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)," and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" are all winners. Some people seem to dislike this album, but they are wrong.

Highway 61 Revisited (1965) - It starts with "Like A Rolling Stone" and ends with "Desolation Row." You need to listen to this album! Rolling Stone ranked it #3 best album of all time, if I recall, and while I like "What's Goin On," I have to say I feel Dylan got ripped off there. This album is fantastic, just blues and rock straight through on Bob's journey down Highway 61. He's spouting off psychadelic imagery like none other the whole way. I'm not going to list a bunch of tracks because it is great the whole way, but I should point out "Ballad of a Thin Man," a favorite of Eric's.

Blonde on Blonde (1966) - This album starts with "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35," known to most people as "Everybody must get stoned," but doesn't really get good until track three, "Visions of Johanna." This is one of the first Dylan albums I got, and it remains a personal favorite. Ris's favorite "I Want You" is on this album, as well as "Just Like A Woman," which I'm sure you've heard. Track twelve, "4th Time Around" has a special place in my heart for being Dylan imitating Lennon imitating Dylan ("Norwegian Wood"), and ending with the lines "I, I never took much/I never asked for your crutch/Now don't ask for mine." Also worth noting is the massive "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands," taking up an entire side of the record. "My warehouse as my Arabian drum," indeed.

Greatest Hits Vol. I (1967) - All good, but everything is better in album format.

John Wesley Harding (1967) - This might be my favorite Dylan album of all. If you have been listening to these in order, you should notice that this album is markedly different from the previous three. Bob suddenly switches from psychadelic rock to a much simpler style, forgoing the bizarre imagery in favor of dense lyrics that are still being picked apart by scholars. The album has something like a bazillion biblical references throughout and people should notice "All Along the Watchtower," a Dylan composition made so famous by some other dude that people tend to forget who wrote it. I actually like Bob's version better, but I'm just a heretic, I guess. One short story.

Eric and I decided to play at one of IWU's undercover events, which gives you the chance to perform two covers. I forget which song we played first, but the people didn't like it, it seemed to us, probably because they are philistines and thus could not appreciate it, so at the last minute we scrapped our second cover in favor of "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest," a lengthy talk-song with the same three chords repeated over and over again and a story that seems to be a morality play, but we never could really figure it out. It was amusing (to us) to watch the audience reaction go from interest to boredom to actual annoyance. As I recall, we celebrated our moral victory over the forces of bad taste with a couple ice cold PBRs.

Nashville Skyline (1969) - Dylan tips his cowboy hat and smiles at you from the cover of this acoustic country album, seemingly intended to confuse his fans. There is a mention of this album on an old SNL skit with Colin Quinn and Sting, talking about how it was a bold move, but I don't remember the skit and it was terrible, anyway. The man in black, Johnny Cash, duets with Bob on the first track, so I think Eric and I will have to cover this one if our paths should cross again. If you hate Dylan singing through his nose all the time, you might like this one because it is soft and sweet and he croons in a totally different voice, celebrating loves lost and won, and pie, of course.

Self Portrait (1970) - Only Dylan could make an intentionally bad album and still have people (somewhat rightfully) defending it. I also love the album cover, which I think he drew himself, because it is so terrible and reminds me of a book Emily! checked out from the library.

New Morning (1970) - It's worth noting that from 1963 to 1970, Bob recorded ten albums of original work, including a couple double albums. That's productivity, but he's about to slow down as he enters another period in his career. New Morning was presumably conceived as the comeback album to be paired with Self Portrait, having been recorded basically at the same time. Oh, Bob. This album is good, but not as great as the past few. Still, a couple tracks stand out. "If Not For You" was later covered by Dylan's buddy George Harrison. "Day of the Locusts" seems to be about Bob getting an honorary diploma. "Went to see the Gypsy" is about Elvis living in Las Vegas. "The Man in Me" was made famous by one of my favorite movies, The Big Lebowski, and is probably the catchiest thing Bob ever wrote. Check out the movie or the album.

Greatest Hits, Vol. II (1971) - Another greatest hits album, so you know, but there are a couple rare tracks which I love. This was actually the first Dylan album I ever owned, I think, and I had (have?) it on vinyl! "I Shall Be Released," "You Ain't Going Nowhere," "When I Paint My Masterpiece," and the lovely "Tomorrow is a Long Time" are all favorites.

I have to go to a children's center, so early era Dylan will have to suffice for now.