Bob Dylan
1965
Tracks
1. Like A Rolling Stone
2. Tombstone Blues
3. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
4. From A Buick 6
5. Ballad Of A Thin Man
6. Queen Jane Approximately
7. Highway 61 Revisited
8. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
9. Desolation Row
Amanda: I keep giving Bob Dylan good tries. I have been reading a lot of other bloggers who start out disliking Dylan and then gradually "see the light" and fall in love with him after listening to a couple of albums. I feel like I did in my high school math classes. Everyone would start out confused, so I would feel really good and then everyone would understand it eventually and I am still like "whaaaa?" Ah, memories.
So I loved "Like a Rolling Stone". Well, loved is a bit of exaggeration. I really liked it but not for six minutes Dylan. Gees...
Then, as abruptly as it started, it stopped. The rest of the songs were hard to understand, long, and obnoxious. "Give me some milk or else go home"???? I am sick of him. Yuck, three more albums of his. Listen to this album, then vote The Beatles!
RATING:
Brie: When Bob Dylan went electric and recorded Highway 61 Revisited, he pretty much broke all of the rules and rewrote them. Artful. Literate. Profound. Powerful. Quelle masterpiece! From "Once upon a time you dressed so fine..." to the last beautiful strums of Dylan's acoustic guitar on "Desolation Row".
"Like A Rolling Stone". Need I say more? One of the most influential songs of all time. Life changing. And yes, I know all of the words. Who doesn't? "Tombstone Blues" has some pretty rockin' electric guitar. Notice how Dylan's lyrics became even more cynical on this album, which somehow made his music even better. Go figure. "It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry" isn't a favorite, but I still really like it. The same goes for "From A Buick 6". But if you like this album and are willing to give "It Takes A Lot To Laugh" another try, listen to the alternate version on the No Direction Home soundtrack. It has a quicker pace, which I personally prefer. "Ballad Of A Thin Man" is so cynical. Such a lyrical gem. I recently saw Bob in concert, which was incredible, and the last song he played before the encore was "Ballad Of A Thin Man". It was oracular.
The title track shows a more playful, sarcastic side of Dylan. Ahhh..."Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues". Such a sweet, pleasing tune. "Desolation Row" is just so expressive and melodious.
What an incredible collection of songs. Even if you don't like Dylan, you should listen to this album. Just do it. You owe it to yourself.
RATING:
I found this album captivating all the way through, no weak spots. This is mostly blues-rock I'd say, except for the last song which is pure folk. It's great for what it is. Intense and impactful. However, Bringing It All Back Home was more fun to listen to.
ReplyDeleteFavorite track: "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues"