64. Blonde On Blonde

Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
1966


1. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
2. Pledging My Time
3. Visions Of Johanna
4. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)
5. I Want You
6. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
7. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
8. Just Like A Woman
9. Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)
10. Temporary Like Achilles
11. Absolutely Sweet Marie
12. 4th Time Around
13. Obviously Five Believers
14. Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands

Brie: This is the first Bob Dylan album I ever heard. I swear I haven't been the same since. Blonde On Blonde is often considered one of the best rock 'n' roll albums in history. I challenge you to find me a better album than Blonde On Blonde. It is also thought of as the conclusion to Bob Dylan's remarkable trilogy of his prime. (Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde On Blonde). This album has elements of folk, rock, and blues all rolled into one. It was also revolutionary because of its incredible length (it was a four sided album), and the final song takes up an entire side. These songs cannot be put into words, but I will try.

"Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" was probably the biggest shocker to the folkies in '66. There is a great story about how the song was recorded. Apparently Bob didn't like how the recording musicians were playing at the time, so he took them out to the parking lot and had them smoke who knows what. Then he took them back inside and switched all of their instruments around and told them to just play. After a few minutes, they stopped and one of the musicians asked when they were going to record "Rainy Day Women" and Bob replied, we just did. Ha! Who knows if it is true. It is one of those stories that no one checks up on because everybody wants to believe that it's true.

"Visions Of Johanna" is one of Dylan's most beautiful ballads. It never ceases to amaze me how Bob can capture the most transcendental feelings into words, and brilliantly at that. "Visions" is kind of soft rock, but the guitar (played by Robbie Robertson) is hard rock. "One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)" is a rockin' little number about a failed relationship and discovering what went wrong. Dylan's overenunciation is perfection.

"I Want You" is too stunning for me to put into words, so I will include Bob's own words here: "It's not just pretty words to a tune or putting tunes to words... it's the words and the music together - I can hear the sound of what I want to say."

"Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again" is so groovin' and jovial, yet there is a sense of desperation. Is that a Casio keyboard? It also includes one of the most quoted Dylan lyrics, "here I sit so patiently, waiting to find out what price, you have to pay to get out of, going through all these things twice." I feel the need to say this to people in my daily life.
"Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" has some pretty rad guitar solos by Robertson (Do people still say rad? I'm bringing it back) and some pretty witty lyrics. "You might think he loves you for your money, but I know what he really loves you for, It's your brand new leopard-skin pillbox hat". "Just Like A Woman" is so tender and delicate as it describes feminine vulnerability.
"Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)", "Temporary Like Achilles", and "Obviously Five Believers" have prominent blues influences. Again with the fab keyboard on "Absolutely Sweet Marie" which has one of the best life lessons by Bob: "To live outside the law you must be honest".

"4th Time Around" was inspired by the Beatles song "Norwegian Wood". Norwegian Wood's lyrics were inspired by Bob Dylan's writing style. One critic said that "4th Time Around" was "Bob Dylan impersonating John Lennon impersonating Bob Dylan".

"Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands" is, in my opinion, the most beautiful song ever composed. It is magical, celestial, and lovelorn. At the time it was recorded, Dylan said "This is the best song I've ever written." Indeed, Bob, indeed.

I love every single song on Blonde On Blonde. I think this is as close to a perfect album as mankind will get. This album was startling in a sense when it came out. Dylan was light years ahead. And I think the rest of us still haven't caught up.

Bob's words in the ninties:
"The closest I've ever got to the sound I hear in my mind was on the individual bands in the Blonde On Blonde album. It's that thin, that wild mercury sound. It's metallic and bright gold, with whatever that conjures up!"

Below I have included an outtake from the Blonde On Blonde cover photoshoot for your viewing enjoyment.

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Amanda: Something seriously seems to be wrong with me.

I mentioned in a previous post that everyone I have read about who attempted this crazy project eventually warms up to Dylan.  I seem to be the opposite.  The more I listen to him, the more I hate him.  I am sorry, Brie, I gave this album a shot (and I will take your challenge; Rubber Soul!) but these songs are really obnoxious.  If anyone who read our blog left comments, I am afraid they would be quite nasty.  I find his songs choppy and I really hate the harmonica.  Who the hell invented that horrible instrument?  Since when is a screeching sound enjoyable to anyone?  I know Dylan is apparently deep but I would refer to get my wisdom from Henry Fielding or Joseph Heller.  Not Choppy McScreechie here.  Two more albums of his...

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