The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
1963
Album Summary
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on May 27, 1963 by Columbia Records. Whereas his self-titled debut album Bob Dylan had contained only two original songs, this album represented the beginning of Dylan's writing contemporary words to traditional melodies. Eleven of the thirteen songs on the album are Dylan's original compositions. It opens with "Blowin' in the Wind", which became an anthem of the 1960s, and an international hit for folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary soon after the release of the album. The album featured several other songs which came to be regarded as among Dylan's best compositions and classics of the 1960s folk scene: "Girl from the North Country", "Masters of War", "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right". Dylan's lyrics embraced news stories drawn from headlines about the Civil Rights Movement and he articulated anxieties about the fear of nuclear warfare. Balancing this political material were love songs, sometimes bitter and accusatory, and material that features surreal humor. Freewheelin' showcased Dylan's songwriting talent for the first time, propelling him to national and international fame. The success of the album and Dylan's subsequent recognition led to his being named as "Spokesman of a Generation", a label Dylan repudiated. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan reached number 22 in the US (eventually going platinum), and became a number-one album in the UK in 1965. In 2003, the album was ranked number 97 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In 2002, Freewheelin' was one of the first 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.
WikipediaReally up my alley, don't know why I hadn't jumped into Bob Dylan's discography. That guitar strumming, that lyricism. His voice is full of emotion and carries the words so well. BUT? He sounds nasally as FUCK. An acquired taste that I have not entirely acquired.
Not my favourite Dylan album, but holds a lot of magic. So self-assured and pure. Hard Rain has been a huge influence. Don't Think Twice is one of my favourite love songs ever.
i don't care if i sound shallow but this is one of the best albums of all time sure his lyrics are dense and it's kinda pompous but u just gotta roll wit it
Another Dylan master class for his second album more blues and less folk, less biblical and some really profound lyrics when everyone else was singing about taking girls to discos. For a point of reference 1963 was the same year Cliff Richard released “summer holiday”. This is why Bobby D was a groundbreaking artist, maybe not the most technically gifted musician but his lyrics are more like poetry and will go down in history as great feats of English literature. In my opinion this album goes beyond music.
Difficult to actually hear as I know the album so well, for so many years. Struck by the skillful way he uses his voice - variety of accents, young/old, the rhythm, the poetry.
Bob turns up proper on his second album. Finger pointing protesting love/hate songs. This album sounds like it's going to be friendly with the finger picking acoustic and down home folky couple on the front, but it picks you up by the ear and kicks you in the balls. After that, if you still don't like it it means you haven't been paying attention. Best Tracks: Girl From The North Country; Don't Think Twice It's All Right; Talkin' World War 3 Blues
Oh yeah, this feels iconic - you can definitely see how Dylan captured the zeitgeist of the times. Most of these songs could be dropped into the soundtrack of a scene and instantly paint a picture of 60s cultural tumult... Fave track - toss up between "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" and "Masters of War"
This is where Dylan began to establish himself as a serious songwriter and accidentally ended up changing songwriting itself. Starts incredibly strongly with the first three songs being absolutely timeless pillars of music that will last through the ages. It's almost as if Dylan was a human version of the monolith from "2001: A Space Odyssey" and everyone who came into contact with his music began to evolve after listening to it. He's still in the shadow of Woody Guthrie here when he wants to be, but at this point I think it's more to temper the sheer power that is pouring out of him with something more down to earth.
I can respect him as an artist. I think that Bob Dylan was a trailblazer for folk music, but personally it is not for me.
No. No Bob Dylan. I can't stand the sound of his voice, I can't stand the fawning hero worship, I can't stand his terrible paintings. I flatly refuse to even entertain the suggestion of listening to this. No.
Dylan's a great storyteller and now I wanna buy a harmonica, this Aussie gives it five Kanos from Mortal Kombat out of five.
Classic album, I’ve heard most of it before. Girl from the north country w cash is better.
Que disco tan agradable, lleno de canciones clásicas y de contenido poderoso. Cuando todavía no se le atoraba la nariz y todavía cantaba sin maullidos tan pronunciados; eso de entrada ayuda mucho. Las canciones perfectos ejemplos del rock folk más puro y bien hecho, melodías extraídas perfectamente del Mississippi, Pantanos y los Montes Apalaches con letras totalmente modernas para su tiempo, hablando desde mujeres, protesta, humor, derechos civiles, discursos políticos y hasta letras que a veces son demasiado perdidas en su propio mensaje y solo dejan confundido. Un álbum que no solo tiene la importancia de haber iniciado todo un movimiento y la carrera de quien (queriendo o no) fue un portavoz de una generación, sino que también ha envejecido con muchísima gracia y se sigue escuchando tremendamente bien. La amplitud de temas en las canciones, los cambios al cantar entre amores perdidos a sentimientos de verdadera devastación por la sociedad de su tiempo reflejan muy bien los tiempos tan difíciles y cambiantes que había. Tendría un detalle en que ciertas canciones se sienten de creación improvisada en su letra (p. ej. Bob Dylan's Blues) al punto en que no solo son difíciles de seguir, sino que a veces me dejan con una gran interrogación flotando arriba de la cabeza sobre qué trataban. Decir que es un disco excelente e importante se queda corto. Creo que sin duda es un disco que debería estar calificado al menos dentro de los 50 (si no es que 20) mejores discos de la historia. Sin banda, solo con una guitarra y una armónica es una postal perfecta de cómo era el mundo en ese momento y cómo estaba por cambiarse mucho en la manera de pensar y la trayectoria tanto de la música como de la sociedad.
Five all day long. Can understand those who don't like his voice but to write songs of the lyrical power of Masters of War; Hard Rain; BITW at what must have been 21/22 is mind-blowing. Impressive and depressing in equal measure.
Amazing album; Hard rains a comin, girl from the north country, and Bob Dylans blues among my favorites.
Possibly Bob Dylan's best album before he went electric and a personal favorite of mine. 9.4/10 Best Tracks: "Blowin' in the Wind" "Girl from the North Country" "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" "Bob Dylan's Dream"
4th favorite Dylan album which still is a no-brainer 5 star choice. Even if the 2nd side is quite a bit weaker than side 1...that side 1; WOW
27th August 2021 Was supposed to listen on Friday but had bad side effects from Covid jab the day before. Listened on Saturday morning while getting the house cleaned up before Gareth came round and watched Liverpool Chelsea. Dylan before the cycism set in. Beautiful, passionate and intelligent.
Folk masterpiece. One of Dylan's best from the 60s. Some of the second half tracks are very... Dylan-y, perhaps too Dylan-y. 9/10 1. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall 2. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right 3. Bob Dylan's Dream
It is a 5, however there are some notes -we all know there is an inferior cover -is masters of war THAT good a song -don’t think twice and hard rain gonna fall are AMAZINg songs
Classic. To carry 95 of the album with just a guitar is incredible. Everything is right; lyrics, melody, balance of ‘heavy’ to ‘light.’
Quel Album incroyable. On dirait un album qui pourrait changer le monde ou du moins amener un peu de paix. C'est un classique des classique. Il n'y a pas de mauvais moment pour écouter cela . 5/5
What artist fills this album? What poetry? Blowing in the Wind is a standard for the ages; Masters of War takes its place in the ranks of angry, powerful protest songs; Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right is a charming, elegant song; Corrina, Corrina a
Love this album, really good early raw Dylan with a lot of classics, just him and his guitar
This is one of the best albums ever made. His voice was really peak and the songs are of a cleverness and creative quality few artists match
Not my favorite of Dylan’s early all acoustic stuff (that would be The Times They Are A-Changin’) and a tad inconsistent, but “Blowin In The Wind,” “Girl From The North Country,” “Masters Of War,” “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall,” and “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” are among the greatest songs ever written.
9/10. I think this might be my favorite Bob Dylan album so far. It's nice to not have any ridiculously songs, and a lot of the songwriting here felt less rambley than many of his songs, though that's hard to quantify.
I don’t really have anything to say about this album that hasn’t been said by many people. It’s in the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress, for Pete’s sake. There are better Dylan albums, but this is a better album than most artists will ever dream of making. It’s an important marker of the era in which it was made, but also a timeless work of art. Fave Songs (All songs from most to least favorite): Don't Think Twice, It's All Right; Girl from the North Country; Blowin' in the Wind; A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall; Masters of War; Corrina, Corrina; Bob Dylan's Dream, Talkin' World War III Blues, Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance; Oxford Town, Down the Highway; I Shall Be Free
The messages in the protest songs remain as strong as they did when the album was released.
And so it did happen like it could have been foreseen The timeless explosion of fantasy's dream At the peak of the night, the king and the queen Tumbled all down into pieces - Ballad in Plain D (the other side of Bob Dylan)
This Dylan album gives everyone something to love. Rock, folk, politics, swagger. All encompassed in incredible music sensibilities and outstanding lyrics. Just wow.
This is obviously a landmark album. It’s not necessarily Dylan’s most enjoyable but the significance is undeniable.
A great record! It's got two stellar break-up songs, "Blowin' in the Wind" is one of Dylan's most iconic songs, "Bob Dylan's Dream" is great but heartbreaking, and "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" is epic, despite the limited instrumentation. At 50 minutes, it could have been a little shorter, but I personally don't think it overstays its welcome, even if I don't really like "Down the Highway" or "Bob Dylan's Blues" all that much.
I'm not the greatest fan of Dylan and I'm not alone in thinking I should like him but don't. I appreciate how hugely influential he was at the time but he grates after a while and gets a bit samey and again I'm not alone in this. Maybe the issue lies with me being spoilt by 58 years of ever more technically advanced and innovative music since this and I'm comparing it on the same level? I mean it's like listening to a recording of Robert Johnson and saying "He can't sing and his guitar goes right through me". Some things deserve respect.
Here it is, finally! I'm not sure if this is my favorite Dylan album, but I knew it was only a matter of time until we got one that is a five star for me. This is easily one of my favorites from Bobby boy. It's that early, folksy style that I love, even veering into blues territory. There's a few classic bangers on here like "Blowin in the Wind" and "Don't Think Twice It's Alright," but the depth is extremely rewarding. I love the story-telling Dylan over acoustic guitar and some harmonica here and there, long before he expired. Take "Down the Highway" for example, just a long blues progression with a story and that repeated, lilting vocal inflection is just so addictive to me. He sounds like he's a thousand years old, like the mysterious man singing "O Death" in O Brother Where Art Thou. As much as I rag on Bob Dylan for some of his later stuff (I've given one of his albums a one star already), he's really an incredible songwriter and musician, and this album is one I will always champion. One of the best. Favorite tracks: Don't Think Twice It's Alright, Corinna Corinna, Down the Highway, Girl from the North Country, Talking World War III Blues, I Shall Be Free. Album art: One of his must unassuming. Of course I've seen it a million times, but it doesn't leave much of an impression. I like that humility. Is that Corinna he's walking with? Is she from the north country? 5/5
This is where the mythologizing of Bob Dylan begins. In only fifty minutes, he conveys the spirit of an upcoming tidal wave of deep seated unrest, rebellion and questioning of authority figures and anointed deities. This album is just one of the cracks in the facade that was the conceived aura of the then-present, Bob's voice being the thundering sensation that roused the generation that venerated him. Essential listening.
[Heard Before] (+) Girl From The North Country Masters of War Down the Highway Bob Dylan’s Blues A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right Bob Dylan’s Dream Talkin’ World War III Blues Corrina, Corrina (-)
This is Bob at the height of his poetic social justice power. And it’s only his second album! He comes out swinging with Blowin’ In The Wind. The songs are beautiful and moving, the music is an emotional and endearing accompaniment. It’s flawless, an impactful listen every time.
Couldn't really work out what to rate this. Obviously not his best album, but as his debut into songwriting this a very strong start. Immediate classics. Songs that helped define a mood that was brewing in the 60s. Pure folk, but with something special.
I think this olis one of the best Dylan albums. The way it can pivot from dark and serious, to light and moving, to downright silly shows his absolute gift for songwriting. And it's STILL not his best album. Despite Blowin in the Wind being one of those songs that transcends the writer - it has always existed now, it is just a fact of life, you're born knowing it. Absolute five star album.
Enjoyed this album. I like Bob Dylan but this is the first album I’ve listened to. Easy background to my day music. Very political in lyric.
Probably the peak of Bob Dylan's early folk/protest singer period. Half the songs on this album are all-time classics, and the rest aren't bad either. 5 stars easy.
That guitar strumming with those lyrics. It brings you to another place and time. His poetry is artful as it is real and a masterpiece when he sings it.
It's a classic! How can you rate an album containing the song Blowin In The Wind any less than 5? That is a great great song that continues to move people to this day. We sang it in school choirs, everyone knows it. The other songs are pretty good as well. Love the album cover too. A moment in time.
Da je sve normalno, na današnji dan po meni bi jesen krenula, 21.09., i pogle koji album bi započeo sezonu? :)
Classic slice of Zimmerman. Went on to make better albums, but this early number is archetypal Dylan for the purists!
I like the message in so many of these songs, definitely worth it for the lyrics. Folk country sounding.
A classic. Sparse, full of Dylan's wit, and contains what I consider some of his best songs. Favorite tracks: "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright", "Masters of War", "Girl From the North Country"
loved the ballad song form, very simple background music wise which makes it even more beautiful.
Morning Coffee/Tea music. Sitting outside on a porch or in the woods and watching the world wake up. Feels like a chilly morning sunrise.
My feelings regarding Bob Dylan are incredibly complex. On the one hand, I am aware that his music and unique sound revolutionized music and influenced so many. On the other, he stole much of his music from Appalachian artists, sounds repetitive, and can be annoying. This is likely his best album, however.
Spent more time listening to the lyrics as I wasn’t working this time and they are incredible. The music I do find repetitive throughout though
I loved a lot of the romantic songs on this record, it feels really freeing and original, clearly one of Dylan's best efforts. "Girl from the North Country" is the best of the bunch imo but there are loads of classic Dylan songs on here!
You can feel the raw emotion on a lot of these tracks. This once again reminds me of how produced new music is. You're not hearing the bests of thousands of takes that are strung together and heavily edited, tweeked, and fixed. You're hearing what's probably the first take, warts and all. I'm imagining what it would be like if this was released today. Not with the references to Kennedy, but a modern poet with a guitar writing folk songs that capture the imagination of a generation I find it curious how this track ages. There are so many references to the culture that these tracks were made in that some are universal and timeless, and others you have to google the lyrics to figure out what he's talking about What does a rating mean in this instance? How do you rate an album like the Freewheelin' Bob Dylan? It's a great album, a bulwark in time, with many great songs on it. 4/5?
What a legend, once again! So many hits on the same album, and such genius writing. If it mere a bit more musically interesting, I'd probably give it a 5
Surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did - never gave Dylan a critical listen before. 4 stars, Bobby. Well done.
Always knew Dylan was the protest song guy, but never knew how ANGRY he could get. Love it. Screw the fat cats!
les paroles de la contre-culture et du changement qui curieusement sont encore d'actualité ce sont ses début pour devenir légende accompli
Enjoyed a bit of Bob. Once again I was reminded of my grandad, who regularly played the harmonica. Even my youthful Uncle John doesn't really pick up his guitar or banjo any more. A grandad himself, his light is fading. The politics in Bob's lyrics are dated and, in some ways, have lost their relevance, but still a good listen
His second studio album and in my opinion beaten only by Blonde On Blonde and Highway 61 Revisited.
bob released this when he was 22. twenty fuckin two and it has masters of war, blowing in the wind, girl from the north county and don't think twice. Some filler, granted, but easily 8.8/10. And it's probably only my 5th or 6th favourite dylan album.
4/5 A lot better than I thought it would be. Modern singer/songwriters owe Dylan a lot.
Good simple rendering of Dylan's signature voice and guitar sound. Blowing in the Wind is my fave. Some are not as good. Good for background while working or crafting.
Great album - you can hear the influence in several of the lyrics that have been borrowed or interpolated over the years in music and culture. Tons of important protest songs.
A classic. It's not a surprise to me that Dylan is considered one of the best songwriters of all time.
Great album to start, always liked Dylan but never properly listened to him. Don't think twice it's alright was my favourite.
Not my favourite Dylan album but enough to warrant a great review, there are 5 or 6 absolute masterpieces on this album but a couple in the second half that I can easily avoid. A Hard Rains Gonna Fall & Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright are always welcome.
First time listening: 10/13 songs liked I don't know what it is, but I freaking love Bob Dylan. lyrics aside, which elevates his songs to another level, his form for simple folk melody and guitar picking is intimate and relatable. Some out-of-tune strings on some songs, but I'm just being picky. 5 songs saved
-I like the jamming harmonica on "Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance" -All of it sounded exactly how you'd expect Bob Dylan to sound, some guitar playing with Bob Dylan talking/singing lol
I like Bob Dylan anyway but had only listened to anthologies. I liked this but there were definitely stronger and weaker tracks.
Really relaxing music with a flavour of sadness Cool use of the guitar and accordion 4/5
A classic album that gets better with a second listen. It reminds me that I should listen more to Bob Dylan, still haven't listened to the other studio albums at all.
I've always like Bob Dylan songs, but I never really go out of my way to listen to them. Despite his niche voice, his songs are very endearing when combined with his acoustic guitar and harmonica, and despite him being so influential on music, these songs still sound fresh which just goes to show how important good songwriting is. That all being said, I think that there are other Bob Dylan records that I will like more than this one. It's pretty good, but I have a feeling there is better Dylan out there. Highlights: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, and 13.
Este disco no es mi estilo musical, pero sí se disfruta para estar descansando y escuchando lo que dice el gran Bob
Amazing songwriting over folksy instrumentation. Standout Tracks: Blowin' In The Wind, Girl From the North Country, A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, Talkin' World War III Blues, Corrina Corrina, I Shall Be Free
De onde vem o hit Blowin in the Wind, realmente era como o álbum teria que começar. E tem também master of War.
have to be in the right mood for Dylan. I can see the appeal and love some of his lyrics and his energy. 4* for the high points outnumbering the tedious.
This was the album that made Dylan a hero to a certain section of the American public, via his mature acoustic guitar and his even more mature lyrics. There are better Dylan albums but this is the one with the best lyrics.
1st one! Was pretty good, listened while playing arena, maybes would’ve given 5 if listened to lyrics more.
The album that kicked off Dylan's career as a genius songwriter. A pure folk album with blues underlying several of them. Most are based on traditional folk tunes through the centuries. Lyrics cover themes of nuclear war and heartbreak among others. We have some of the most influential songs of all time on this album, starting off with the protest anthem "Blowin in the Wind." So simple yet so powerful, with a juxtaposition between the clear visibility or ambiguity of the wind symbolism. Another protest song "Masters of War" gets increasingly intense and confrontational, what I consider to be a precursor of where Dylan will take music. But that's not the most morbid song. That goes to "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," one of the most complex songs in his repertoire. The song is full of a hundred stories, contrasting the experiences of an apocalyptic world, whether frightening, pitiful, or innocent in the face of fallout. I love how he just goes on and on. The next side gives us another masterpiece, "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." My favorite part is how we learn more about our protagonist and his relationship with his ex (with some ambiguity). More than just a simple breakup song. There's something special when a songwriter can get us to change our judgments of the story as the song progresses. Tracks flow really well. All the songs are well written. Although I felt the more blues songs were on the weak side. Album dragged on longer than necessary, but the choice of closing track was good, ending on a lighter note.
Enjoyed this more than I though I would. Sometimes his voice just irks me, but not this time.
Having heard some of the songs before, after listening to the whole album I think Dylan's Nobel win is a bit more reasonable.
Bob Dylan is the type of artist that that has so much material to dive into, it's pretty intimidating for the uninitiated as to where to start. Invariably in these cases, people start with greatest hits compilations, and then it becomes difficult to assess individual albums because you've listened to all the bangers in one place. That said, this albums first track became the anthem for an entire decade. So..... props for that
Bob Dylan is always a great listen, what a magnificent storyteller but in this case, the bare bones acoustic background music just left one wanting a bit more
The greatest storyteller and by all accounts the first rapper. The only difference is instead of beats, it is an acoustic guitar and harmonica. Incredible and legendary songs. A but more dynamics would make this a 5 star like his electrical debut, but an amazing piece of songwriting work.
The first Bob Dylan album I've drawn on this list, and it runs right back to the blooming of his career, with a set of razor-sharp songs that cut to the bone. At once concise and sprawling, playful and venomous, "Freewheelin'" is magic. Young Bob must have shaken the folk scene inside out here, creating a book of new standards with a set of originals (some arrangements lifted from existing folk songs). It's incredible to think that "Blowin' In The Wind", "Don't Think Twice...", "Masters of War" and "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" all bloomed from the same album, and for most of the world it was the first they'd heard of this promising young enigma. All four are amazing songs with no case to argue, so I don't feel much need to eulogise about them further... except to say that for me, "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" is the clear standout- dense, dramatic, foreboding and still rendered somewhat ambiguous by its major-key singalong quality. Is that rising chorus doom-laden, cathartic, triumphant? No idea, but it's fun as hell to join in. There are some other great concise works on here worthy of mention: "Oxford Town" zips by in protest and muted anger, while serving as one of the record's catchiest songs. "Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance" demonstrates a yo-yoing, flexing vocal and some energetic guitar work, even if it doesn't showcase the record's typical lyrical depth. Some of the lesser material appears throwaway by comparison: "Bob Dylan's Dream", "Bob Dylan Blues" and "I Shall Be Free" paint a picture of a freewheelin' artist having a lot of fun, but don't capture the intensity of the other work, only hinting at the surreal stream of consciousness masterworks that would be yet to come. "Talkin' World War III Blues" does the talkin' blues style best and renders these other tracks obsolete by comparison. The few duds aside, "Freewheelin'" is a stunning portrait of Dylan the folk artist: he really did have the world at his fingertips here, armed with no more than his lyrics, an acoustic guitar and some harmonica. For a moment listening to this album, I can sympathise slightly with the outraged "Judas" crying folkies in '65. Even when the drums and bass enter the mix on "Corrina, Corrina", it feels slightly jarring: was it strictly needed here? There's no doubt that this is a masterpiece in folk music and deserves to be remembered as such. While it's a clear 9/10 for me personally, I also much prefer the work Dylan would go onto just two years later, so I'll keep this one at a four.
Decent album, the lyrics definitely stand out and it's the kind of thing that I could possibly go back to revisit, yes.
Bob Dylan is a favorite and it's hard to beat some of the songs on this record. Having said that, this isn't one of my top Dylan records. For instance, I tend to prefer the period after he went electric over this one. Some of the deeper cuts can get a little tedious. Still, definitely a classic.
A true classic with some great songs on it. Gets a little samey, but it's early Dylan doing his thing.
Very much a defining album in music history. I'm glad to have heard it. I don't believe it will make it into my daily rotation, but will probably listen back to some of the tracks.