36. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
1963

Amanda: We seem to be on a row of cliches. You know those songs at the end of television shows when it does a montage of different characters living pathetic lives before it cuts to credits?  This is where I think some of these songs belong.  That is not to say I thought the songs were bad, it is just what I thought of.  Still, I feel like I should bash the album a little bit because I am sure you won't get anything from Brie on that front.  I liked it but I didn't love it and this is coming from someone who attended a Bob Dylan birthday party once.  I liked the style and it is cool that he wrote his own songs BUT I feel like the lyrics weren't clever enough for people to take him as seriously as say John Lennon.  But Bob Dylan himself said he didn't want to be a prophet so whatever! Pretty good. Sorry music people.

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Everyone seems to know this but in case you didn't, that is his girlfriend.

Brie: How can you top the Beatles? With the one and only Bob Dylan of course!! These songs aren't cliches. They are classics. They gave inspiration and hope to people in a traumatic time. These songs can still apply to events and situations today, specifically "Blowin' In The Wind" and "Masters Of War". Amanda, do you bash this album just because you know I love it so much?? "How many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry?" rings so true today. Whenever I hear "Masters Of War" I think about all of the images I see on CNN every night.

"A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" is a beautiful number whose every line is worthy of memorizing. "And I'll tell it I'll speak it I'll think it I'll breathe it and reflect it from the mountain so all souls can see it." The first time Allen Ginsberg heard this song he cried. That says it all. In the words of Bob: "A hard rain's gonna fall means something's gonna happen."

"Girl From The North Country" and my Gram's favorite "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" are sweet, mesmerizing love songs that you just can't stop listening to. Just listen to all of that talent there. You have the amazing guitar work and the harmonica just adds even more charm to Bob's raggedy persona.


I know what you are all thinking. Yes, the Bob Dylan birthday party was mine. There was cake, I lit candles, it was delicious. We listened to Bob's music and watched No Direction Home (which is incredible, so if you are into Bob at all I definitely recommend you watch it). Well, I watched No Direction Home and the other guests were bored, I think. Which is a shame, because I learned a lot about the culture at the time and really appreciated how Bob came to write the music he wrote even more. (To clear up any confusion, the birthday party was not celebrating my birthday, but Bob's 70th).

And I disagree. I think some of Bob's songs from the early sixties are definitely up there with John Lennon's "Imagine". The lyrics weren't clever enough for you? Are you screwing with me???

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When you death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
     -Masters Of War

Also see every line from "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall".
"Talking World War III Blues" is so clever and funny and witty. Same with "I Shall Be Free".

I can just see Bob's talent in its most raw form. When people heard this when it came out in 1963 they could tell he was going to be a massive star.


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Also, that isn't Bob's wife. That is Suze Rotolo, his girlfriend of the early days in New York City. They never married.