The Bob Dylan Thread

[Neonmoon 38130]

How is there not a Dylan thread yet?
 

Slow Train 
https://vimeo.com/406978048

 

 

[GhostOfTomJoad 9437]

"All the truth in the world adds up to one big lie...I used to care but...things have changed"

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

Mehh, he doesn't even sing perty.

[PRONG HORN 3160]

8 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

How is there not a Dylan thread yet?

 

8 hours up and two posts.  He's ugly and mumbly.  Like Tracy Chapman.  

[Ignatius 4081]

29 minutes ago, PRONG HORN said:

 

8 hours up and two posts.  He's ugly and mumbly.  Like Tracy Chapman.  

And the phantom’s shouting to skinny girls:

”Get out of here if you don’t know”

Shakespeare is indeed in the alley....

[Vic Mackey 47372]

Never was the biggest Dylan fan but decided to give him another chance and run through his discog in order. I still like listening to full albums vs greatest hits. Started off great. But then around the album Nashville Skyline (maybe even the album before), his style completely went in another direction. I didn't like it at all. And then the Self Portrait album was fucking terrible. I left off at this album. Does his music get better?

[PRONG HORN 3160]

 

 

[Druggist 303]

Funny.  Nashville Skyline is my favorite Dylan album. The musicianship on that album is as good as the songwriting.

Of all of his songs, Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right might be my favorite.  His demo version on the No Direction Home soundtrack is fantastic.  His fingerpicking is beautiful and the lyrics are on another level.

“I give her my heart but she wanted my soul“

Just brilliant.

 

[abuelo gringo 323]

12 hours ago, Vic Mackey said:

Never was the biggest Dylan fan but decided to give him another chance and run through his discog in order. I still like listening to full albums vs greatest hits. Started off great. But then around the album Nashville Skyline (maybe even the album before), his style completely went in another direction. I didn't like it at all. And then the Self Portrait album was fucking terrible. I left off at this album. Does his music get better?

Two of my favorites (this side of Highway 61 Revisited) are Blood on the Tracks and Time Out of Mind.  I also like Desire, but think it might be less intriguing to non-fanatics. I think some of his later stuff is consistent with the old stuff -- just different.  Maybe because I've aged with him.

 

I never got into the Gospel years albums, nor his foray into Sinatra like music.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

He's one of my top 5, and one of the triple D group. Dead, Doors, and Dylan.  I can listen to those 3 all day.

[alincoln 2385]

Rolling Thunder Revue FTW

[Druggist 303]

52 minutes ago, alincoln said:

Rolling Thunder Revue FTW

One of the beat live albums ever.  The Isis and Hattie Carrol are both bad ass.  Mama you been on my mind with Joan Baez is awesome too. The Like a Rolling Stone from the live Dylan and The Band album is my favorite version of that.

[abuelo gringo 323]

45 minutes ago, alincoln said:

Rolling Thunder Revue FTW

Saw the spring leg of the RTR at Austin Municipal Auditorium in May of 1976.  Desire had only been out a few months, and it was great seeing Dylan and Baez together and Dylan backed by Scarlett Rivera.  Really enjoyed Roger McGuinn and Mick Ronson also.

Only saw him once again at the Austin Music Hall in 1995, with guest appearances of Doug Sahm, Ian Moore, and later bandmember, Charlie Sexton.

Probably won't see him live again.

[Druggist 303]

Seen him a few times.  The first was in ~99 with Paul Simon at Erwin Center with Charlie Sexton in the band.  By far the best show of his I saw.  This might have been the show where he put in a plug for Jupiter Records at Hancock Center (I think). It was weird and about the only thing he said all night.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

2 minutes ago, Druggist said:

Seen him a few times.  The first was in ~99 with Paul Simon at Erwin Center with Charlie Sexton in the band.  By far the best show of his I saw.  This might have been the show where he put in a plug for Jupiter Records at Hancock Center (I think). It was weird and about the only thing he said all night.

I've never seen him live, and heard he doesn't generally do well in live settings... heroin is a helluva drug...

[Ignatius 4081]

1 hour ago, Druggist said:

One of the beat live albums ever.  The Isis and Hattie Carrol are both bad ass.  Mama you been on my mind with Joan Baez is awesome too. The Like a Rolling Stone from the live Dylan and The Band album is my favorite version of that.

Also really like Hard Rain...from the Rolling Thunder album. Whole thing is awesome....

[alincoln 2385]

36 minutes ago, Ignatius said:

Also really like Hard Rain...from the Rolling Thunder album. Whole thing is awesome....

Yessir.  The Hard Rain is fantastic

 

 

[Druggist 303]

3 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

I've never seen him live, and heard he doesn't generally do well in live settings... heroin is a helluva drug...

The other three shows I saw varied, but that one was amazing from start to finish.  His set blew Paul Simon away to my eyes and ears.

[GhostOfTomJoad 9437]

Oh Mercy is often overlooked IMO. Maybe some felt that Daniel Lanois's production wasn't to their liking but I've always thought it has some great songs. Most of the Time, Man in the Long Black Coat, What Was it you Wanted, Everything is Broken...quality stuff.

Scorsese's doc "No Direction Home" is a great watch.

[Beantown Express 2.0 6568]

On 8/9/2020 at 10:13 PM, Vic Mackey said:

Never was the biggest Dylan fan but decided to give him another chance and run through his discog in order. I still like listening to full albums vs greatest hits. Started off great. But then around the album Nashville Skyline (maybe even the album before), his style completely went in another direction. I didn't like it at all. And then the Self Portrait album was fucking terrible. I left off at this album. Does his music get better?

So glad we have a Dylan thread since as revered as he is I think many people don't give him enough credit because of his voice.  I disagree with your view of Nashville Skyline.  That is one of his best albums in my opinion as almost every song is good.  It's also pretty historic with his merging of folk and rock with country music and it really opened up country music to a lot of people that weren't really listening to that kind of music back then.  Not to mention all the famous people on the album like Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, even a young Kris Kristofferson who was a janitor in the studio supposedly was asked to hold the bongos on Lay Lady Lay.   Self Portrait kind of sucked but after that you have some classic albums like New Morning, Blood on the Tracks and Desire which have tons of great songs like, "If not for you", "Sign on the Window", "The man in me", "Tangled up in Blue", "A Simple Twist of Fate", "Shelter from the Storm", "Buckets of Rain", "Hurricane", etc...  You can also throw in songs like "Knocking on Heavens Door" and "Where are you Tonight" from some other albums during the 1970's.  The guy is the greatest song writer ever in my opinion and I have grown to learn how good of a musician he is between his guitar, harmonica and even piano playing on some of these albums.  He is a flat out musical genius.
 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

2 hours ago, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

So glad we have a Dylan thread since as revered as he is I think many people don't give him enough credit because of his voice.  I disagree with your view of Nashville Skyline.  That is one of his best albums in my opinion as almost every song is good.  It's also pretty historic with his merging of folk and rock with country music and it really opened up country music to a lot of people that weren't really listening to that kind of music back then.  Not to mention all the famous people on the album like Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, even a young Kris Kristofferson who was a janitor in the studio supposedly was asked to hold the bongos on Lay Lady Lay.   Self Portrait kind of sucked but after that you have some classic albums like New Morning, Blood on the Tracks and Desire which have tons of great songs like, "If not for you", "Sign on the Window", "The man in me", "Tangled up in Blue", "A Simple Twist of Fate", "Shelter from the Storm", "Buckets of Rain", "Hurricane", etc...  You can also throw in songs like "Knocking on Heavens Door" and "Where are you Tonight" from some other albums during the 1970's.  The guy is the greatest song writer ever in my opinion and I have grown to learn how good of a musician he is between his guitar, harmonica and even piano playing on some of these albums.  He is a flat out musical genius.
 

I think the fact that his voice was never his strong suit, and he's still regarded as one of the American, musical icons of the 20th c.  just shows how much of a genius he is.

His beautifully crafted words, and music with his rough voice are a perfect amalgamation. I think of he, and Woody Guthrie in the same chain of thought.

[abuelo gringo 323]

20 hours ago, Druggist said:

Seen him a few times.  The first was in ~99 with Paul Simon at Erwin Center with Charlie Sexton in the band.  By far the best show of his I saw.  This might have been the show where he put in a plug for Jupiter Records at Hancock Center (I think). It was weird and about the only thing he said all night.

As the thread says "Getting Old Sucks."  I forgot that I saw him with Paul Simon, too.  BTW Larry Campbell was in that band also.

Edited August 11, 2020 by abuelo gringo

[Deej 77201]

 

[Neonmoon 38130]

Even though I agree that music is completely subjective and everyone is entitled to their own equal opinion, if anyone doesn't like Dylan, or his voice, I think their musical opinion has no soul, and is garbage. I say this fully knowing my wife does not like Dylan because of his voice. 

[Kennythetiger 9500]

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

14 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

Even though I agree that music is completely subjective and everyone is entitled to their own equal opinion, if anyone doesn't like Dylan, or his voice, I think their musical opinion has no soul, and is garbage. I say this fully knowing my wife does not like Dylan because of his voice. 

I'll disagree about his voice. Dylan is my man, and I love his music (and his voice) like few other musicians, but I get why people have a hard time with his voice

(SEE: Janis Joplin as his female counterpoint, but no where near as gifted as Mr. Zimmerman).

[GhostOfTomJoad 9437]

Bruce covered it best when he gave Bob's induction speech into the RnR HOF.

The first time that I heard Bob Dylan, I was in the car with my mother, and we were listening to, I think, WMCA, and on came that snare shot that sounded like somebody kicked open the door to your mind, from “Like a Rolling Stone.” And my mother, who was no stiff with rock & roll, she said, “That guy can’t sing.” But I knew she was wrong. I sat there, I didn’t say nothin’, but I knew that I was listening to the toughest voice that I had ever heard. It was lean, and it sounded somehow simultaneously young and adult, and I ran out and I bought the single. I played it, then I went out and I got Highway 61, and it was all I played for weeks. Bob’s voice somehow thrilled and scared me. It made me feel kind of irresponsibly innocent.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bruce-springsteen-elvis-freed-your-body-bob-dylan-freed-your-mind-68215/

[thrillhammer 684]

On 8/9/2020 at 10:13 PM, Vic Mackey said:

Never was the biggest Dylan fan but decided to give him another chance and run through his discog in order. I still like listening to full albums vs greatest hits. Started off great. But then around the album Nashville Skyline (maybe even the album before), his style completely went in another direction. I didn't like it at all. And then the Self Portrait album was fucking terrible. I left off at this album. Does his music get better?

yes

[UncleSonny 6637]

https://uproxx.com/indie/bob-dylan-albums-ranked-80th-birthday/

Really good (albeit long) Steven Hyden article ranking his studio albums. Pretty solid ranking, I think I'd have "Blood on the Tracks" at the top personally. 

[smwhorn 483]

Happy 80th Birthday Bob.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/24/entertainment/gallery/bob-dylan/index.html

Edited May 24, 2021 by smwhorn

[thrillhammer 684]

page 11.   thats where i had to go to get this.  dont have anything particular to say about bob but one thing i just discovered is, scrolling through 10 pages of music threads, a good chuck of those were rip threads.   its shocking and sad to see how many greats we've lost.

anyone been to the center in tulsa?  i went and thoroughly enjoyed it.  would definitely go back.  the woody guthrie next door i feel like i got everything out of there was to get, so no need to go back.  but for a dylan fan, you could spend more than a full day at his place.

reading a book now by a harvard professor, called why dylan matters.  it's pretty interesting and am enjoying it.

[alincoln 2385]

I like Hyden's placement of Street Legal at 10.  That and Oh Mercy are my favorite somewhat ignored Dylan albums.

[thrillhammer 684]

3 hours ago, alincoln said:

I like Hyden's placement of Street Legal at 10.  That and Oh Mercy are my favorite somewhat ignored Dylan albums.

street legal was mindblowing.  for a long time it was my favorite album.  it was totally new - nothing like anything he'd ever done, or anything anyone else had ever done.  i get blonde on blonde, hwy 60 revisited, etc are rated so high.  over the test of time, and the impact they had on music since.   i think my favorite phase was actually recent, and he still may be in it.  from 1997-2009 he released time out of mind, love and theft, modern times, and together through life.  those first three especially are really good albums and i would have to put them all in the top 5 or 10.  denny freeman, charlie sexton, augie meyers, cindy cashdollar.   great songs on there.

[Not that Bob 739]

On 8/16/2020 at 3:50 PM, GhostOfTomJoad said:

Bruce covered it best when he gave Bob's induction speech into the RnR HOF.

The first time that I heard Bob Dylan, I was in the car with my mother, and we were listening to, I think, WMCA, and on came that snare shot that sounded like somebody kicked open the door to your mind, from “Like a Rolling Stone.” And my mother, who was no stiff with rock & roll, she said, “That guy can’t sing.” But I knew she was wrong. I sat there, I didn’t say nothin’, but I knew that I was listening to the toughest voice that I had ever heard. It was lean, and it sounded somehow simultaneously young and adult, and I ran out and I bought the single. I played it, then I went out and I got Highway 61, and it was all I played for weeks. Bob’s voice somehow thrilled and scared me. It made me feel kind of irresponsibly innocent.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bruce-springsteen-elvis-freed-your-body-bob-dylan-freed-your-mind-68215/

I get that his "tone" or "timbre" is different, and I get that to some it is not pleasing, but he hits all the notes. No sour notes. No waver or searching around for the note. A chainsaw playing middle C is still a middle C.  His guitar work is just fine. He's no Segovia, but he's just fine. 

 

[Litig8r 415]

So my former law partner, played in a band that opened for Dylan.  It was sort of last minute deal and they flew in just in time to go to sound check.  Whoever was running the show said, whatever you do, do not look Mr. Dylan in the eye as he pointed to a curtained off square room.  He said that is your green room and we will let you know when Mr. Dylan is finished with sound check but don't look him in the eye.  My buddy had a female singer in the band and they went into the curtain room and there was one chair and bottle of water.  They all had to chance in the curtain room.  He was like "well fuck, it is Bob Dylan".  They followed the rules and did the show.  He was thinking about not going through the same shit the next day and when they got to the gig, they were shown to a super nice dressing room with food, whiskey and all kinds of ranch dip and shit."  He asked the promoter about what gives and he "Bob was just fucking with your yesterday".  

[4th&Five 41709]

 

[freyguy 4333]

okay, that looks really good.

[GhostOfTomJoad 9437]

Edward Norton as Pete Seeger is making me feel really fucking old.

Looks promising. And now's my time to plug Scorsese's 'No Direction Home' which is an essential documentary about more than just Dylan but of the history of American folk, country, R&B and rock 'n roll in the early part of the 20th century.