Reviews (page 6 of 15)
Lyrics made the Legend.
Day 137 I love Bob Dylan! Sure his harmonica hurts my ears at times but I will easily look past that for his beautiful songwriting and the melodies. I think this was the first album of his I fell in love with. Its so simple yet so grand! (4/5)
What can you say about such a classic album? Even the cover photo is iconic.
I never need to hear Blowin' in the Wind again in my live, maybe not A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall either. They are staggering songs, and the idea that Dylan was 22 when these songs were recorded is impossible to fathom, but I've heard them more than enough in my life. Those songs alone would maybe be enough to give this album 5 stars, but then there's also Girl From The North Country and Don't Think Twice Its All Right. I'll never tire of these ones, no matter how many times I hear them. Then there's Masters of War and Corrina, Corrina. Its also very funny. Bob Dylan's Blues, Bob Dylan's Dream, Talkin' World War III Blues, and I Shall Be Free are hilarious. 5 stars.
Sure is Dylan
Still find that it’s more that I respect Dylan rather than love his work. This album is pretty frontloaded. Blowing in the Wind naturally best one here, Dylan’s Blues probably my favorite of stuff I’d never heard before
The last time a Dylan album came up I had a headache and his voice didn’t help that at all. This time I don’t have a headache, but boy am I getting one. I just really find his voice too whiny and whilst I can appreciate he made a massive contribution to culture in the 60’s and is a musical icon - I just don’t like his voice. There was a reason I ended up binging Joan Baez after watching The Complete Unknown and not Dylan. Not sure I can finish this album.
Another great Bob Dylan album. Missing enough standout songs to get 5. But it's an easy 4.
Some absolute classics like hard rain blowing in the wind and dont think twice.
nice songs, but not so wonderful albums. still love the man and vibe, from time to time
Juste vraiment pas terrible. Le style de Bob Dylan ne fonctionne pas forcément avec toutes les chansons.
Love it
Other than the odd moment when the harmonica makes me want to rip my ears off, it's great.
Oh man. Not for me, Clive 6 more albums of *this*? Sings like an unholy cross of a donkey and cat is being skinned alive, and then the fucking harmonica kicks in making you feel as if someone simultaneously sodomized the poor donkey/cat with a particularly hot pepper. No amount of great lyrics can save the boring music and awful singing. This is not a fun listening experience. I guess the second half of the album was somewhat better, but still.
Unbelievable! How does this fraud keep coming up?
I’m not the biggest fan of folk music but I enjoy a handful of Dylan songs that came after this album. I found the first half of this album to be kind of boring, but I enjoyed the second half much better.
I don't mind his voice. I like the music. I can get into the words. But goddammit I hate the harmonica. 2.5/5
Звучит приятно, но надо переводить.
Oh, bob, you asshole! I love this beautiful album save for a few songs (I hated the closing track, I shall be free, lol). Gonna have to do another listen through at some point
Dylan is something special I will never understand. He might be excellent, but I couldn't see this.
Historic prolific sing/song writer emersesed in the turmoil of the 60s. Great listen. True poet
Bättre än andra Bob Dylangrejer jag har hört, men vet inte riktigt när jag skulle dra igång ett sånt här album.
Decent
Old Standard. I like the songs but I like the covers better
I am a card carrying Dylan hater. I do however have a lot more respect for the early part of his career before his vocals changed for the even worse. One of the greatest songwriters of all time having such a grating voice is such a shame. 5 Stars for the songs, max of a 3 for Dylan.
yeah ok he's a silly goofy guy, things'll be great as long as this fella stays away from electric guitars
Some good songs but it's all a bit parpy parpy. Of its time I'm sure but sounds a bit superficial and lacking emotional depth for me.
Decent but also lackluster
After recently seeing the film about Bob Dylan, this is extra nice to hear
I'm not a Dylan guy, but I've softened on him over the years. Masters of War is a masterstroke and maybe the best anti-war song of the 60s. Other highlights: Don't Think Twice, It's Alright, Corrina, Corrina
Generational bangers & one of the best albums of all time. Possibly the ultimate singer-songwriter album... at least on the Mt Rushmore. Iconic music & songs that are just as relevant over 60+ years later. Listening after seeing "A Complete Unknown" movie about Bob Dylan helped understand more of the backstory. I'd give more stars if they had them : )
11/14/25. Not the biggest Bob Dylan person, but can't deny the impact this album has. Great storytelling and lyrics, however I don't like Dylan's voice. Still respect his music.
Great album, good oldie.
Fine album but I got a little tired of Bob Dylan around Talkin' World War III Blues
Good album. Early Bobby is quite enjoyable
Old school folk. The storytelling is great, but most other aspects of this album are kinda boring to me.
This almost put me to sleep.
How have I not listened yet? Amazing and excited for more bob
way more palatable than every other Dylan album on this list. Not bad, its okay, way more musically inclined and Bob carries a tune a little better than usual.
Hey Bobby D you know what sucks… a 12 second high note played on the harmonica.
Classic
five or six absolute all-timers (out of 13) is enough for a five-star rating, right? Or maybe it's this: if more than one song on the record can almost bring me to tears. FIVE STARS
Ahead of me there are two men named Bob. I approach the younger one. ~~{*}~~ I remember there was a time where I'd be excited to get a Bob Dylan album. Y'know, back when I started this project, and I was so fresh-faced and innocent, a Bob Dylan album would pop up and I'd go, "Wow!" Because why shouldn't I? It's Bobby D! Ol' Robert Zimmerman! He's one of the greatest artists of all time (so I'd been told, so I'd accepted)! So many of his albums had shown up on the Rolling Stone 500! Why would I've had any reason to assume I wouldn't love these albums? And maybe in the beginning I did. I'm not saying I was lying to myself to reinforce the legends I'd been told about Dylan — but at a point, I had to start admitting things to myself. To begin with, I couldn't even begin to understand the lyrics. It seemed to me as if Big Important Critics™ called them some of the greatest of all time because they were so meaninglessly obtuse that you could apply any meaning to them, if you squinted at them hard enough. And with my AuDHD, I couldn't even **begin** to squint. And if you're not into the lyrics, the music itself wasn't going to do anything for you. Before he went electric, it was a lot of acoustic strumming and harmonica honking — nothing particularly interesting. Even when he went electric the music was still only there to support the lyrics, without many hooks. For my kind of brain, it just didn't do it for me. Eventually I had to break and put it all in words, which I did in my babble about the "Royal Albert Hall" concert. It's not like I'd had much luck outside of Dylan, either. I mean, if I can handle Dylan, what made me think I was gonna be able to tolerate Joni Mitchell? Or Leonard Cohen? These 60's folk singer-songwriters — pretty soon they all sounded like poets who thought they could pretend to be musicians just because they could play a few chords. And I did not come to music very often for poetry. Just the kind of person I am. So when the Randomizer™ pulled up 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan', there was a part of me that kind of groaned. Another Bob Dylan album — another collection of songs I wouldn't even begin to be able to parse. Another album where my review where I'll say the same shit as I have for 'Court & Spark' or 'Songs Of Leonard Cohen', except with a side of tryna grapple with how I've bought into the legend of Dylan despite never clicking with his music. Here we go again. And yet ... the strangest thing happened. When I put this album on, and once I got past its biggest hit ("Blowin' In The Wind"), I ... kind of felt like I was getting it, actually? I listened to a song like "Girl From North Country" and I actually got what Dylan was saying. It's written somewhat poetically, as I expected, but I can parse it out! This is incredible! This is amazing! But, wait, wait. I had to recognize: "Girl From North Country" is a love song. Of course I could understand it; love songs are never too difficult to decipher. I was sure that once I hit one of Dylan's "finger pointin' songs," "Masters Of War", I'd be right back to square one not understanding. Much to my amazement, though: I **did** get it! I got what he was talking about! And it felt **relevant**! Relevant to shit that was still happening all the way here in 2025! I could nod along to his words and go, "Damn, you're right." And it kept going like that! Song after song, I was actually making heads and tails of them. And every time I did, the music underneath them kept getting better, even if it was just acoustic strumming and harmonica honking. Surprisingly, when you get the words, the music can actually support and elevate them, and vice versa. I had to wonder, what was even going on here? What was **this album** doing that all of the others didn't? It's real simple, sis: this is Bob Dylan's second album. This was his first album of largely original material; his self-titled debut only had **two** written by him. As this is so early in his career, he's yet to grow into those more "incomprehensible purple prose-listic" tendencies that would go on to define his body of work. So while he **is** writingly poetically on this songs, it's not to the one where you'd need an English degree and a few thesis to even begin to parse them out. I suppose it helps as well that this album **was** from Dylan's "finger pointin'" song days, which, by their nature **need** to be a little direct. I think the ones my group had gotten previously had all come from after he'd stopped doing those. And it really is something to be so engaged with Dylan's words. I can tell you for sure that if I wasn't, if I'd had the reaction to this album I'd assumed I would, I would not have even had time for shit like "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" or "Talkin' World War III Blues". Long songs about whatever the hell he's goin' on about ... I wouldn't've been able to stand it! But since his writing's a bit more direct, I can appreciate what each song is going for. Y'know, "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" is about how the narrator's seen, heard and met so much awful in the world, yet he's still gonna go singin' his songs, even before he knows them. It can come across as repetitive across seven minutes, but I appreciate its build. And then in "Talkin' World War III Blues", I was just really taken by this concept where everyone is dreaming about being the only one to survive World War III, and being the last person left alive and all alone. And, jus', the part at the end where Dylan says, essentially, "I'll be in your dream if you be in mine" ... in the whole context, it got me. I'unno. (I wanna shout out the end of "I Shall Be Free", too. Like, it's just funny that the entire album concludes on, essentially, "I'm gonna make love to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's gonna be **pissed** at me." Also, there was something about dinosaurs before that? Good stuff.) It's nice, too, to be able to consider what a good player Dylan is. Sure, I don't think anyone would say he's a top 10 guitarist (or even harmonica blower), but ... I mean, I've gotta realize that I always **did** kind of like this sparse guitar-and-harmonica arrangement stuff. It gets me thinking that maybe the reason why I liked the parody "Royal Jelly" from the film 'Walk Hard' so much is because it allowed me to enjoy this sound without having to worry about the words "meant." (And it's still a good parody either way, but still.) I know I've said that speaking in terms of Dylan parodies I'd always reach for Weird Al's "Bob" first ... but maybe I'm actually more equal on the two than I'd thought. And you know an album's good when it's getting me to reconsider my opinions this hard. Now, I don't know what my enjoyment of this album will mean for the rest of Dylan's discography. Maybe it'll mean I'd enjoy 'Bringing It All Back Home' more, or maybe I'd understand its words even less. Similar goes for artists like Joni Mitchell or Leonard Cohen. I can't tell you. Those answers are off blowin' in the wind. But for at least this moment, here and now, it just feels good to truly like a Bob Dylan album — and one of his early ones at that. Here this, Robert Zimmerman: this is the third time I've made this reference, and the first time I've truly liked one of your strummin' and honkin' records, no strings attached. And, I'unno — it just makes me happy.
Even from album No. 2, you can tell there's something special about Mr. Dylan's songwriting and how it just absolutely dug into the 60's zeitgeist. Solid 5 Stars.
Alright, fine. It’s a 5. Yeah, I’m just as surprised at myself at this point. When we got “Highway 61 Revisited” as the 68th album in this whole thing, I wrote down that “there’s just something about Bob Dylan’s music that’ll probably stop me from giving him a 5, maybe ever”, and yet, here I am, giving the guy his third 5 in a row. I guess I’ve learned to appreciate Bob Dylan, although I do think there’s a pretty clear reason I said that back then, and it’s a reason that this album thankfully doesn’t lean into very often. It’s not confusingly verbose purple prose half the time. Much like “Time Out of Mind”, I’d say a lot of these are surprisingly straightforward, just with a little more of a flowery language meant to evoke clearer imagery, as opposed to the more enigmatic riddles of “Highway 61 Revisited” or “Bringing It All Back Home”. I don’t wanna go track by track, but there’s a great blend of progressive social commentary mixed in with some genuinely witty / biting lines for the era, in a way that makes the whole “voice of a generation” thing feel a lot more earned. He was, what, 21 or 22 when he wrote most of this album? It’s not that he’s espousing anything new, he’s just putting it into words in a way that probably felt more contemporary for the era, especially with the conversational tone he takes on a lot of these tracks. There’s a lot of great verses here, and frankly, it’s too many to note. I think it’s all very digestible though, and certainly far more understandable on a first pass than whatever the fuck “Ballad of a Thin Man” & "Desolation Row" are supposed to be about. It also helps that Bob Dylan’s presence here really is stripped down to its bare essentials: you get him, his voice (which feels shockingly controlled, melodic & genuinely good on a strong number of tracks), his guitar, and his harmonica. He can rip some damn good harmonica solos. It makes me sort of understand why the shift to a more electric soundscape on his later albums was met with some level of backlash. The conciseness of these tracks, & how present Bob Dylan feels as a narrator in them, letting the music act as more of a backing soundtrack for his delivery, all adds up to create a super effective style that lets the lyricism breathe out more. Going electric took away some of the focus on that lyricism, and I’m sure some people would’ve preferred for Bob to stay as a folksy, singing narrator as opposed to… well, a singer. Again, I don’t really wanna go track-by-track here; I think the lyricism is what sells the album decently well (though the instrumentals are pretty damn good), so a lot of this album’s enjoyment will boil down to how much you can digest those lines / the humor in some of them, as well as dealing with Bob’s vocals, which are thankfully, nowhere near as nasally here as I thought they’d be. He still can’t really hold a note, though. It is a product of its time and there are definitely some dated references that will go over a less informed head (specifically for some actresses / name brands / other singers & whatnot), but I’m lucky enough to have a big trivia base in my head that I understood a good chunk of it. To my ears, I still don’t think it’s as good as “Time Out of Mind”; I think the last 3 tracks lose a little bit of steam, with 2/3rds being covers, and the last one being just a little too silly to close out what had been a mostly serious album to that point. They’re all good tracks, mind you, they just feel out of place in the track order. It is close to being in the conversation though, which I’m surprised by. All of that said, it’s a 5. A well-earned 5 too. Good job, Bob. P.S.: “Blowin’ in the Wind” really is THAT good of a track. No wonder this is the album that made him famous.
Timothee Chalamet did so much in that one movie that I now picture him when I listen to Bob Dylan. Anyway this is pretty much exactly what you'd expect
Dig these tunes
Good lyrics but I cannot get over the harmonica
So folksy.
This was ok. I didn't save any songs specifically, but this was enjoyable, other than the harmonica that borders on shrill.
I can appreciate his songwriting ability, but I’m bored and he always sounds like he’s hollering at me.
Solid album but there are more essential Dylan albums
Bob Dylan? Now that's a name i haven't heard in a long time. I already thought that the first album i did by him (Bringing It All Back Home) was mediocre and so is The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, in fact I'd put it below the former. It is kinda a shame since i do see quite a fair bit of promise with Dylan's songwriting as it did feel rather interesting for 1963. My main issue with this album though, is the music. This is really a case of if you heard one song, you've heard them all and quite a bit of the songs on offer (especially the longer ones) got really repetitive after a bit. I guess i should have seen this coming since i'm not a big Bob Dylan fan but i'm still just not a huge fan of this album. Best Song: Masters of War Worst Song: A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
Excellent
Next to impossible to consider this album with fresh ears, as some of these songs have been all-time favourites for most of my life. It's an absolute masterclass in songwriting, and another example of how incredible music from one man with a voice, a guitar, and a harmonica can be. As good as it as an overall piece of work, there is some room for improvement, and Dylan would achieve that as his career progressed.
Incredible and while Bob's "singing" voice is a bit... Well - Bob - it's an incredible and amazing album.
Again it's a talk show with some music to it. I don't really feel it as much as the others I've heard, but it goes down just fine.
As much for how classic the album is as for the quality. Its still hard to get over Dylan's voice.
Never been a Bob Dylan fan, still not a Bob Dylan fan
Fine. Not a Dylan fan really.
112/1089 Blowing in the Wind is a cute classic but that Harmonica is very grating to me. genuinely really like the song except from that part once again really liked Girl from the North Country but then the harmonica comes in and takes me out of it. it’s more bearable here though, until the awful long note at the end The disgust and scorn in Masters of War is palpable wow The harmonica in Bob Dylan’s Blues was soo much better overall a really nice album, i totally get the importance of Dylan and his music, his voice and style is singular. It’s not music that i’ll be listening to loads hence the score but i fully appreciate the impact faves: Masters of War, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, Girl from the North Country, Blowin’ in the Wind least fave: the screechy harmonica jumpscares 66/100
122 Logré entender por qué le ponen tanto color con Bob Dylan, varias canciones y frases me gustaron mucho, pero luego se ponía super country, y no me gustaba nada de nada.
Harmonica too high in the mix, very jarring.
I have to be in the right mood for this but if I am it’s great
Disco icônico no som e na capa. Truthear Zero: Red.
Listen, he can’t sing for shit but I love this album (except for Down the Highway but whatever)
I've never liked Dylan. His voice grates on me. He might be a great poet but I just can't hear what a lot of other people do. This is one of the more famous albums and it has songs like blowin in the wind and a hard rain's a gonna fall on but I just couldn't get into it. A hard listen for me and I sometimes wish I could get more from Dylan as the people that love him, really love him.
The best songwriting (lyrics) on an album ever? Dylan sings about war, love, heartbreak, politics, and absolute bullshit (I shall be free) and effortlessly flips tones (angry, contemplative, forlorn, drunk) and makes it all fit together.
Ok ok we get it. You can play the harmonica. I guess I don't really like that instrument. It was really starting to annoy me.
I like Bob Dylan more than I think. Easy listening while I worked and very useful for blocking out annoying workplace noise :). Reminds me of the texas country I used to listen to.
Having had Leonard Cohen and Johnny Cash recently, I guess it was only a matter of time before Dylan. This holds school memories of a somewhat eccentric teacher who was very into Dylan and played the harmonica. Once I got past that block I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
4/5
This was a difficult listen for me. I don't like folk music. Every song sounded the same and the harmonica was so jarring at times. Bob Dylan definitely had his moments, but they are just not for me.
Probs important but bored
Not too bad, but can he please stop with that damn harmonica.
There was false hope at the beginning that maybe Bob Dylan would be better. I was wrong and I still feel like Bob Dylan is sucking out the soul from my body.
Not as bad as I expected. He sings better than on some of his other records. The music is quite boring at times, but there's also some good songs. Favorite song: Corrina Corrina.
Lo confieso, Bon Dylan siempre me ha puesto nervioso. Me es difícil soportar un disco entero, aunque es verdad que en su dilatada carrera ha dado con bastantes buenos temas. En “The Freewheelin’” hay tres o cuatro de los más conocidos y muy hijos de su tiempo. No es difícil imaginar lo que su música representó en los 60 por el mensaje que llevaba consigo. Eso hay que reconocérselo. Musicalmente, no es un músico que haya aportado tanto a la historia como sí lo ha hecho al mundo de la poesía. Pero Bon será siempre Bob.
Loved it, especially the first two tracks which are absolute classics. Felt very much like an autumnal/wintery sort of album.
Super, Dylan bleibt ein Held
Listening to “Masters of War” on the day Dick Cheney died. Five stars.
It's a timeless album. Heartbreak, heartache, anger, bitterness, contemplative; all timeless and relevant themes that Dylan explores in a way that will always ring true.
Just listened to this not long ago, but don't mind doing it again. Love the different styles here and some songs are very fun. 4.5/5
Blowin' in the Wind, Girl from the North Country and Don't Think Twice, It's All Right are classics, but the rest of this album is quite boring. Sorry, Bob.
This is way better than when he went electric. I can actually understand him. Too bad he's a terrible lyricist.
Need to be in the right mood for some folk. But good story telling. Enjoyed Masters of War
Good album but you either like or don’t like Dylan. If you don’t, you’ll say it’s a bunch of gibberish and all the songs are similar. If you like him, you’ll listen to the lyrics and appreciate the musician he is. 3 really great songs worth downloading to a playlist.
Incredible album
If there is one thing that this project is proving to me is that Bob Dylan is not that good.
I love Bob Dylan, but most of this falls flat for me. I get to say that with the experience of having the years since when others have come along and tuned some of these more folkier styles up. There's no denying this influenced John Prine, but he also came along and did it better.
Bob Dylan was 20 when he wrote "Blowin' in the Wind," and now I'm 40 and writing on the internet, "Yeah it's good, but not QUITE five stars"
eh, alright
Not overly great. I like some Bob Dylan and his music writing skills are good. Usually prefer covers of his music.
i just don't like folk music. i respect bob dylan and his impact blah blah but i just don't care for it. some tracks i enjoyed still
political yeehaw
romantic type yee haw! always wanted to love bob dylan but.... i just cant.
but dont thinkk twiceeee its allriighttt
Appreciate this album and its historical importance. Songwriting masterclass, and a great folk album, and dare i say, a great harmonica album. Good for what it was. 3/5
Acoustic guitar, harmonica, and Bob. That's the best Dylan. It's iconic. The songs are musically simple but so poignant. Love him or hate him, you can't deny that this album has so much soul and feeling. It's folky and bluesy and it's still relevant. Usually when I get an album with just a guy and a guitar, I prepare to be a little bored (I know, I shouldn't pre-judge an album before listening) but that's never a concern with Dylan. The man's an icon for a reason, and he still holds up 60 freaking years later. My favorite moment of the album is Dylan so coldly delivering these lyrics: "I hope that you die, and your death will come soon.... and I'll stand over your grave 'til I'm sure that you're dead" from "Masters of War," and it's so hardcore I can't praise it enough. I feel this in my bones about so many ghouls that walk the Earth in 2025 and Dylan nailed the feeling way back in the 60s. Nothing changes. It's really hard to pick standout tracks here because they really are all so good. The whole album is standout, so I'll leave it at that. This might be one of the lowest-key albums sound-wise that I give 5 stars to, but Freewheelin' just hits so well that it deserves it. It doesn't need anything else other than the man, his instruments, and his ideas. It's haunting and every time I hear it, it grips me and makes me stop in place and just shut up and listen.
Prefer the full band albums but this wasn’t bad. Nice songwriting but some drag on.
I listen to this album at least once a week. More if I’m sad, or hungover
Dylan's second album, a huge improvement on the first. Some of his early classics are on this, a couple of not-so-interesting tracks too. Serious, surreal, love, and funny songs side by side. 4 Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes: 24/1001, 24/95 (25%) Will I get? Have multiple times
He sure likes that harmonica 4 ⭐️
This is peak folk Dylan, before he sold his soul to rock ‘n roll. Much of the album is highly political - “Masters of War” is a prime example - and the record contains folk songs that are among the best in the history of the genre, including my personal favorite “Girl From The North Country.” There’s a surprising amount of variety here including songs that lean toward the blues. Not everything works perfectly, but its an ambitious folk statement that is miles more creative than anything that had come before.
Lotta fun. Can’t believe he was only 20. Very 60’s. Saved.
It’s all been said before, but my main praise is the scope: it’s thought-provoking, tender, brutal, hilarious, heartbreaking and more, all before you even flip to side two. I’ve been listening to this for 30 years now and it keeps on giving. A very early high watermark.
I’m not always a fan of Bob Dylan or this era of Folk music. This was an okay album.
Hate to say it because I think a good portion of Dylan's career is Bad, but this is packed with hits. I think if he existed in 2023 instead of 1963, nobody would pay attention to this, but the fact that he made it possible for someone to sing, play, and have read at least one (1) book in their life probably blew the doors of pop music possibility wide open. It helps that the songs are good. Mostly. Some of it's so on the nose that it's hard to take seriously. I think the idea of this guy as a nobel laureate are ridiculous, but that doesn't mean I don't think he writes good songs! They're just not THAT good! As to the album, we've heard this a thousand times since, sometimes more tuneful, sometimes more introspective, sometimes more virtuosic, sometimes more poetic, but Dylan did it all in one go. Credit where it's due, even if parts of it are overwrought bullshit
Probably my favorite Dylan album, and the only one I could close to this high ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm quite tepid on Bob Dylan as an artist, but I must say that the first few tracks here are quite strong. "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Masters of War" are effective protest songs (right in Bob's wheelhouse). "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" is another notable protest song, but more of a direct response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. The only other notable track to me was "Girl from the North Country", a love song of sorts with the subject of the "girl" being intentionally vague. The rest of the album doesn't quite stack up IMO. I can recognize that this album houses some of the Bob Dylan "essentials", however.
I’m not sure if it’s a 5 because a few of the songs are annoying by themselves. But others are simply some of the best songs ever, so it’s a 5.
Pretty good songwriter for a 22-year-old. 🤪
As classic album as classic albums get.
Same as other "influential" albums of that period in time: I do not have the context to know how big it was at the time. That being said, it's a Bob Dylan record. A lot of classics and timeless songs, just not really my style. And his voice can be pretty devisive. It does not bother me, but I can see why to someone it does... overall, it's a listeanable record, but you really need to like the author and the genre to give if 4+ stars.
probably more like a 4.5 bc some songs are too dylan-y for me but still fav songs: blowin in the wind, a hard rain, don’t think twice
I don't know how this can be hailed as a groundbreaking masterpiece. To me, Hard Rain and Don't Think Twice aside, it is slight, laboured and strained.
A different vibe from Dylan here but I still liked it! Can see what influence this had on a lot of stuff I liked decades later!
По музыке однообразно. Тест в полной мере не могу оценить. Плохо владею языком.
Not my vibe
I don't disagree that he's talented. But, he certainly has "a sound"
A classic. Gorgeous. Forever relevant.
Not a huge fan of mumbling acoustic guitar guy in general, but I really liked the imagery in A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, and the Abraham Lincoln joke in Talkin World War III Blues.
Ganske bra lyrisk. Litt vel mye munnspill, kanskje. Men alt i alt bra.
Bob Dylan’s Freewheelin’ is where his ethos first took the world by storm. He had already established himself as a folk musician on his debut, but this was where the anthems first appeared. This is where the era defining “protest” master Bob Dylan came from. I’ve only heard his later works delving into more elaborate arrangements, so hearing stripped back Dylan was quite the change. This isn’t my first go-around with this record though. During my junior year dual credit history class, I was tasked with writing a profile on a historical figure. I chose Dylan mainly because I was unfamiliar with his work despite hearing about it many times. To get an idea of what his music was like, I listened to the first three songs of Freewheelin’. I believe that’s when I first discovered the appeal of Dylan’s music. The lyrics are at the front and center of my attention often captivating me with a warm emotion and focus. This is the most present with Blowin’ In The Wind and Masters Of War; both songs that spoke to me clearly then and still talk now. This was, however, my first time listening to the entire record front and back. My initial observation is that the “hits” everyone knows are hits for good reason; they’re incredible songs. Along with Blowin’, A-Hard Rain and Don’t Think Twice are masterful numbers. The rest of the album can range from really good to a simple ramble that doesn’t bother me too much. The lead-up to the end isn’t so spectacular, but I did think Corinna Corinna presented a slight shift from the textbook “Dylan folk”. It’s a fine introduction to what this period of Dylan was about: a man with some words and an acoustic guitar/harmonica. His later works mean so much more to me, but to the world, some of these songs are greater shadows. Don’t think twice…(7/10, 4/5 on this scale)
Bobs 2nd album and his first that really defined what his career would become. Some absolute classics as well as some impressively reimagined folk standards. The definitive album of his early acoustic period.
I liked the lyrics and ideas expressed, but the style wasn't my favorite
Po pravic povedan, se zjutraj, k sm vidla, ker album me čaka dons, nism neki veselila tko kmal spet Dylana poslušat. Ampak, mam earl grey skuhan, travo prštimano, petek je - pejmo! "Blowin' in the Wind" je preprosto lep komad, ful znan. Nasledn, "Girl from the North Country" mi je isto lep, prijeten, chill. (In moj spomin me spet izdaja, sj ne morm verjet - ta komad mam na playlisti všečnih komadov, ampak verzijo, kjer je zraven Dylana še Johnny Cash & je amazing verzija!) V "Masters of War" se sliš jezo v vokalu. Udarn protest song. Nasledna ("Down the Highway") je bluesovska, z ornk kitaro. Sledi še prou " Bob Dylan's Blues" k je mal bl razgiban, hiter s ful orglicam. Kr najs. Naslednega pa poznam od prej & mi je bil zmer ljub ("A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall"). Na splošno mi je ta album ljubši od prvega, k sm ga mogla poslušat. (Lol, js mam tok za en kurac spomin, 4 zvezdice sm mu dala & všeč mi je bil. Torej, mogoče bl: o, ta album mi je tud všeč, tko k mi je bil že prejšnji!) Sledi mi tud znan & hud komad, "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right". Nimam kj ful zanimivga za pripomnit, razen, da morm očitno kdaj vključit Dylana v mojo rotacijo. Večinoma albuma je sam Bob, kitara, orglice. "Corrina, Corrina" je izjema, k ma cel band poleg Dylana in njegovih orglic & je prou prijeten komad. Sledi zabavn, pospešen cover starga blues komada, "Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance" in smo že pri zadnjem komadu.
Markanter Bob Dylan Sound mit einigen seiner besten Songs. Die Stimme von dem Typen ist echt wie warmer Honig im Ohr
Ich will Bob Dylan hassen mit seiner Stimme und seiner Mundharmonika, aber manchmal ist es dann doch gut.
Rating: 6/10 More folky Dylan which I think is inferior to his other albums on the list. Still a fun listen, did not care for a lot of it though.
Zzzz
112/1001 :: Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan Heard before? ✅ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: 9 Listen before you die: Yes Fav Songs: Masters of War, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, Corina Corina This is the album where Dylan became Dylan. Not sure how you could listen to songs like Masters of War, Blowin’ In The Wind or A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall and not feel something. These protest songs made Dylan the voice of generation whether he wanted that title or not. And then he follows that up with songs like Girl From The North Country, Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright and (the cover) Corina Corina just to pull on the heart strings. The one liners from this album also legendary: - How many times must a man look up before he can see the sky? - You ain't worth the blood That runs in your veins - Where black is the color, where none is the number This is definitely an all timer and he was only just getting started…
Album No. 0035 on my list. This is my 3rd Dylan album within a month (and the 2nd within a week). The ones I previously reviewed were “Highway 61 Revisited” and “Blonde on Blonde”, so both albums from the 60s as well, but from Dylan’s electric periods. And I have to say, I like electric Dylan better. While “Blowing in the Wind” is arguably his most memorable song (contested perhaps by “Like a Rolling Stone”), the others are much less so. Maybe I’m just not that much into folk. I liked “Girl from the North Country” and “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” as well, and the rest of the songs are not necessarily bad, but to be frank, the songs bore me out a little. Maybe it’s the album’s age, maybe - again - folk doesn’t appeal to me that much. Still, not a bad album obviously, and I get why it is on the 1001 album list. 3/5 stars.
Top tier Dylan album.
Some good songs on this, but after a while, it bores me.
Wow I mean this is quite incredible for this early on in his career, I feel like the more Bob Dylan I listen to the more I like it. Obviously the storytelling and words are probably the main attraction, as well as his singing voice and stuff, because instrumentally this isn't that complex, but I think that shows that a vocal and acoustic guitar are really all you need to be endlessly influential emotive. Its actually crazy to think that nobody really made music like this before him, as it seems so universal that 'folk' music should exist. Its also very socially and politically conscious, and I suppose hi being anti-war was probably seen as quite progressive for the early 60s. He also doesn't take himself too seriously at all, as he's not afraid to reference himself in songs, have quite unserious lyrics, and he always seems on the brink of laughter (notably the last song where he does loads of goofy lines). Favourite songs: blowin' in the wind girl from the North Country, masters of war, Bob Dylan's blues, a hard rain's a-gonna fall, talkin' world war III blues, Corrina, Corrina. Overall around 8/10
Gotta love Bob. The voice of a generation.
I didn’t realise Dylan could be so upbeat! Really enjoyed that and I might even listed again.
Beautiful and hard hitting by turns. Proof of how much great lyrics can add to a song. There's a reason this guy won a Nobel...
1/5
Beautiful art. Killer cutting political folk, beautiful understated delivery of some trad style stuff and some of the best ballads in that style. I love the electric albums soon after this and their cryptic lyrics, but it's so good to hear him being so direct and honest and raw here first.
I don’t think I like harmonicas really. Kinda hurts my ears in some of the songs. Favorite song: Blowin’ in the Wind
A great songwriter and musician and a classic album. Sometimes Dylan is TOO Dylan for me, though.
This was the first time I caught a glimpse of why he might’ve been such a whirlwind through the public consciousness, why he might’ve have been called the voice of a generation. Disagree, but he brung it good on this album.
A classic. Not always to my taste but I can appreciate the art.
God there is just endless Bob Dylan on this list. 1001 Bob Dylan Albums. Probably the most harmonica one filled yet. Actually a bit painful at times, even as a harmonica lover.
This is just a guy singing by a campfire making up lyrics as he goes. And, like, he's pretty good at it as campfire singers go, but there's a reason why people don't line up to see the one guy at a frat party who brings an acoustic guitar. I don't like Bob Dylan.
A classic album from a great Nobel Prize Winner. Only his first complete originals album and already packed with timeless and actually still acutely relevant messaging. Blowing in the Wind, Masters of War, A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall, Don't Think Twice It's Alright. And how young and yet mature his voice sounds.
Wonderful energy to the album, easy to find yourself humming along. Harmonica pops up everywhere which gives its a consistent sound to.
Bob’s first album of mostly original songs. So many classics.
Blowin' in the Wind Girl from the North Country Masters of War A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Pretty good. Can’t argue
Amazing!!!!
Such a good classic with fantastic storytelling, which I understand from reading other comments that this was brand new at the time. It is a dense album for sure but really worth the time, especially if you like contemporary folk!
Country vibes
Sounds at times like Bob Dylan doing an impersonation of Norm MacDonald doing an impersonation of Bob Dylan. Probably a 4/5 album, but only a 3/5 when compared to the rest of Bob's catalogue.
2/5 boring
I'm aware this is going to be controversial, but I found this really boring and one note for large parts. Lyrically it's excellent, but sonically it failed to capture my imagination.
God I fucking hate Bob Dylan. Unfortunately can never esacpe the harmonica solos. Terrible artist, shit singer, awful lyricist and in general this man drains my will to live.
Try not to mention a highway challenge: impossible First two songs are good, the rest sound like this: "Ohhh I doodled my pen, 'til I ran out of ink. Found a new girl and I pounded her pink. *harmonica solo*"
Probably one of the best and most significant albums of all time.
Harmonica
I went into this looking back and thinking that I quite enjoyed Highway 61 Revisited. I quickly realised that most of the songs basically sound the same and Bob has the vocabulary of a 6-year old who just discovered rhyming pairs. The harmonica is sometimes a nice touch, but only as it's an excuse for him to stop fucking talking for a while. Draining.
Masters of war brings it down. A little too earnest.
Highlight Song/s: Masters of War, A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" Not too long after my previous and first Bob Dylan album (Bringing It All Back Home.) This one was pretty good vocal wise compared to Bringing It All Back Home at the cost of less interesting instrumentation, which is honestly fine to me; It is a fair trade. I've been wanting to listen to songs in a similar format to The Times They Are A-Changin' and this is album is what I wanted. As in the delivery of the lyrics and instrumentally. None of the songs are as good as that track, the closest is A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall. Some thoughts that didn't quite fit elsewhere: -Bob Dylan is quite vicious on Masters of War, a shock compared to his other stuff. -Harmonica on Bob Dylan's Dream sounds like the The Times They Are A-Changin' interludes.
Great album. Full of soul and Dylan’s truth.
Ok
Wow so voll von Ideen
Enjoyed it more than expected. Although Dylan is below average as a vocalist, it is really apparent that he does not care, he cares in delivering his massages and in delivering he succeeds. Love the attitude.
Love it
Not my favorite Dylan record but a clear improvement over his debut and kicks off one of the best and most consistent album runs on music history for Dylan from 1963-1966 with Dylan Releasing 6 albums in 3 years all of which are bonafide folk music classics. Blowin in the wind, girl from the North Country, and Don't think Twice it's alright are all incredible and really no duds on this album he just evolves to get even better over the next three years.
classic
I just need to accept that I like Bob Dylan. I don't think his early stuff is his best, but there's some great stuff on this album alone. Blowin In the Wind, Masters Of War, Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall, Oxford Town, Talkin' WWIII Blues and I Shall Be Free are all great.
As someone who doesn't particularly like Bob Dylan, I actually thought this was a pretty decent listen. A number of songs on here are iconic, even as a non-fan (Don't Think Twice and Blowin' in the Wind are probably the top two). The rest of the tracks really aren't that bad either. Part of my issue with Dylan is that his voice/style is very grating. I can listen to him for a few minutes, but the longer he goes, the worse it gets. Generally, even when I like his songs, I prefer versions of them by other artists over his own. Here, the issue was muted a little bit, as he really wasn't as overbearing as I am used to. When he started to get too bad, he often broke it up with a song that soothed the feeling somewhat. That said, I think I would've liked the album more if it were shorter. A few songs really didn't add very much except making the runtime longer (and my tolerance thinner). As a whole, the album was solid-to-good, with very little I would call plain bad. Notwithstanding my feelings for Dylan as a performer, I liked many of the songs here. I'm not sure if I'll ever listen to it again, but it at least was a good listen this time. Overall: 3.3/5
Hard to argue against this one. Some real classics.
Heard it before. I'm a massive normie when it comes to Dylan but I do love this album. Playing Don't Think Twice, It's All Right anywhere near me should be illegal because it makes me too sad 4/5
I get the hype. This was a folksy / bluesy album that defined a generation and a movement
Well a classic album that I greatly appreciate. I do love Masters of War - amazing and affecting song!
This one is hard too. Feels a lot like hunky dory to me, even closer to 5 star. It’s barely not palatable enough for me, it the tracks are pretty catchy and it could almost be a 5.
Great album!
A classic, maybe more harmonica than my likely (personal opinion), but a classic none the less
Bob Dylan
I was feeling a bit guilty for giving 3 stars to albums that are quite good, but not GOOD. GOOD ones are the ones I want to listen to quite often. But then, when I put something like Bob Dylan's Freewheelin’ on, I feel good, because I know this is what EXTRAORDINARY music sounds like. These are the ones I reserve for 5 stars.
Bob Dylan - the king of making songs that other people do better
A classic!
The voice, guitar and harmonica just match. Great songs from a great artist. Although I prefer later works for more diversity.
I still think Bob Dylan is too full of himself for his own good, but this album hits hard right now - particularly Masters of War
Pretty decent.
Another Bob Dylan album, and just like the others I see why people like it, but it's just not for me
Are you fucking kidding me?! 1963?! (Essentially) his debut album?! It’s nearly unbelievable that this happened that early and that this was his first full length album of original songs. As tribute to genius, this could be top 10 on the “1001 best debut albums to listen to”. Would be interesting to go back to these near-perfect debut efforts to see if they tend to portend genius songwriting going forward….
This album is part of my DNA. I grew up listening to Dylan and then actively sought him out in high school, digging out my dad’s old dubbed Dylan tapes he made when he moved to Canada. When I started university, I picked up a copy of Freewheelin and was immediately hooked. I played it for anyone that would listen. I still think it’s one of his best and unbelievable to me that he was still in his early 20s. The songwriting is beautiful and astounding and he only got better from here.
This is my 2nd favorite Bob Dylan album right behind blood on the tracks So 9/10
It was Alr, to slow and couldn’t enjoy without chewing on grass
Too slow for me but if I owned a ford f100 and smoked Marlboros shit would be fire
Good album! Great old school Bob Dylan! One of his classics!
Good folk music. A little slow for my taste. Thank you
There are some genres I don’t understand, get, whatever you wanna call it. This is one of them. I guess because it’s not the late 60s protesting against war or whatever, I don’t feel it. Idk, it puts me to sleep.
The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan is packed with fantastic songs — some of his most iconic, in fact — and you can feel why this record became such a touchstone. The writing is brilliant, pointed, and timeless. That said, the lack of variety keeps it from being a flawless listen start to finish. It leans heavily on acoustic guitar blues, and I found myself wishing for more instrumental color to break things up. Still, the strength of the songs shines through and cements its importance, even if I don’t consider it a perfect 5.
Quintessential folk Dylan. Despite not loving his voice, hard to deny that this is clearly a classic. I think probably also my favorite Dylan album (or maybe Blood on the Tracks)
We did it guys, I found a Bob Dylan album I would give a 4! Maybe I've been worn down after another 4 albums, but this one actually resonated with me.
Great Songs: Girl from the North Country, Oxford Town, Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance Good Songs: Blowin' In The Wind, Bob Dylan's Blues, A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall, Don't Think Twice, It's All Right, Bob Dylan's Dream, Corrina, Corrina, I Shall Be Free Mid Songs: Masters of War, Down the Highway, Talkin' World War III Blues, Bad Songs:
Whiny drawl.
Listened on the subway in Manhattan. There are multiple masterpieces on this album. Maybe it’s corny but I will never not be moved by Blowin’ in the Wind. Masters of War is another 10/10, as is Don’t Think Twice. I could keep going and going
I can’t believe this is only Dylan’s second album! I feel like there are so many quintessential Dylan songs on this album that have become some of his greatest and most recognized songs. Overall, I felt like this was a great album with a mix of folk, rock, and blues vibes. I would definitely listen to this album again in the future!
I’m not a big Bob Dylan fan but the more I listened to this album the more I found things I liked about it. It was a rainy dreary day and this album matched it well in my opinion. I still wouldn’t call myself a fan but I do have more appreciation for his music now and I think I understand the appeal. Added to Library: Blowin in the Wind Girl from the North Country Masters of War Down the Highway
This is just not for me personally even if I can appreciate parts of the album.
I enjoyed it was a good listen
Bob Dylan was the artist that opened my eyes to what music could be and how transformative and transportive it could be. I gravitate towards the electric material but this record has a stack of stone cold classics: Blowin In the Wind, Girl from the North Country, Masters of War, A Hard Rains A Gonna Fall, Don’t Think twice It’s Alright, I Shall Be Free. A great career for anyone else. For Mr Bob Dylan, its maybe his tenth best record
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Probably closer to a 4.5 album. Really enjoyed this one
There's nothing quite like someone sitting down and singing their heart out while playing the acoustic guitar. The album, while somewhat simple, is very pretty and the type of music I imagine being listened to around a campfire (in a good way). Bob Dylan doesn't exactly have my favorite voice, but I think it works with this style of music. It isn't an album that I felt too strongly about either way, but it's a nice, pleasant listen.
Solid 4 (elevated by high highs, but otherwise would be solid 3). For me, the highs are pretty high (typically the more folk-y songs like "Blowin' in the Wind", "Girl from the North Country", " A Hard Rain's A-Going to Fall", "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right") and the rest, especially the more bluesy stuff, was overall just fine. The first full Dylan album I listened through and I realized his voice didn't bother me as much here as when I've listened to single songs from him in isolation. Not sure if it's just this album or if you need to sink into the world of his voice.
Bestimmt n gutes Album nur nicht meine Musik
Four, I guess. But only because it’s not quite as good as the 1965-66 masterpieces
Clearly on the list for a great reason but Dylan went far beyond this with time.
I like when he is doing folk more than the blues. Blowin' in the Wind and Don't Think Twice are good songs. I didn't enjoy this listen. The guy can write some good lyrics tho sonically most of it wasn't working for me.
Bob Dylan is a great songwriter. His protest lyrics are timeless and are just as relevant today as they were when he wrote them.
I liked this more than I expected, especially Masters of War. I really liked the bitterness at the end; it'll stick with me so I can pass it on... I'm not really turned on by lyrics. I prefer my music to be loud, upbeat and fun, but actually this did make me pay attention. Probably because not a lot else is going on. It works though. It's even quite annoying, but I get it. Hateful old bastards ought to listen and remember what it was like to care about, well, anything besides themselves. It's not something I'd actively stick on, but I'm glad I listened.
Every night you stare at the same spreadsheet even though it hasn't changed in weeks. The focus shifts from hope to despair and back again over the same question: is Quinn Hughes the man? *wails on the harmonica* 3.5
Instant classic. Timeless. Just for the opening song alone.
I wish I liked your music more, Bob. Because you’re really cool. But it’s just not my style. I find his sort of rambling singing style endearing though. He’s just saying what he wants. I like that. But this isn’t something I’d listen to again. But I feel bad because this album isn’t something that should be critiqued and rated. It’s just something someone made cus they wanted to. It’s a showcase of pure messy and nonsense humanness. I don’t think Bobs intention was to make a musically genius and outstanding album. He just made it because he liked making it. And the fact that that pure unconditional need to pour your true soul into something, without worrying whether or not the outcome is conventional and meets expectations shines through his songs is reason enough to give this album three stars. But because I want to stick to my rating system of rating these albums based on how much I enjoyed them — this is getting two stars. Sorry Bob.
This one to me is a masterpiece. It has my favorite Dylan song on it, "Don't think twice it's alright." It has other incredible songs like Oxford Town, Girl from North Country and Blowing in the wind. I love his voice on this, the simplicity of the songs, and it's amazing to think he did this around the age of 20. Absolutely incredible.
Je l'aimé à 10 ans, quand mon père me l'a offert à Noël, et c'est toujours aussi bien.
Favorites: The whole album Iconic. Plenty of meaningful lines, songs that make you think.
The opening 2 songs are great. Girl From the North Country has sentimental value for me. After that the album faded to the background while I was working so I didn’t really get to dig in. Which is a shame, because there’s a lot going on in the lyrics. I don’t know a lot about Dylan but I did watch A Complete Unknown. It seems he didn’t like the mantle of protest singer/voice of a generation that this album saddled him with. I have a feeling we’ll be hearing from Bob many more times in this challenge.
I love this album. I know this album pretty well. It's the starter album for anyone trying to get into Bob Dylan. I listened to it a bunch in my 20s. I really enjoyed revisiting it. It's wild that Bob wrote all these songs at 22. They stand up so well 60 years later. They are so intense and beautiful and even funny at points. The lyrics are iconic: the politics, the heartbreak, the moment he's capturing in the world. And it's just him, an acoustic guitar and a harmonica (a touch of drums on 1 or 2 tracks). He does so much with so little. It's pure magic. This is probably a 4.5 for me and I'm gonna round up. It's not perfect, but there are just so many classic songs on this album. It deserves a 5. Specific track thoughts... Blowin' in the Wind - What more is there to say? It's probably the most influential protest song ever written. It's pretty great. Girl from the North Country - What a devastating song about a past a love. You can feel how much he still loves her and misses her. I almost can feel the cold of the north country when he's describing it. It's such a beautiful track. Masters of War - this one is so intense. It's one of those relentless Dylan songs about how awful things are. Sadly his critiques around governments and war are still valid today. Down the Highway - i love the chaotic blues guitar riff. It's wacky and weird and loose. I'm not normally a big traditional blues guy, but Bob pulls it off. Bob Dylan's Blues - An early diss track. I love him roasting tin pan alley song writers. They cranked out pop songs like an assembly line for decades and he's just like "i don't need a team of writers, i can writer a bunch of classics on my own, get fucked." And he was right. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall - One of those massive, behemoth Dylan tracks that just goes and goes and goes. You can feel a whole world in this song. And the chorus hits so hard (hard hard). Don't Think Twice, It's All Right - this is my all time favourite Bob Dylan song. It's this perfect, pretty little breakup song. It's sentimental but bitter. It's witty and sad. It's beautiful. The lyrics are just incredible. So many lines that stick with me: "I give her my heart but she wanted my soul" "You just kinda wasted my precious time" "Goodbye's too good a word, babe, So I'll just say, "Fare thee well"" The way they all come together... it's insane. O and the gentle picked guitar is just magic, and so is the harmonica. Just a perfect track in my books. Oxford Town - It's a fun little country song. Just the way he delivers it, it has this endearing country twang. Corrina, Corrina - Just another pretty, kinda swinging sad bluesy song about missing someone. It's simple but it works so well. Also i think this is one of the few songs with drums on it? I didn't notice it till i was really digging into the track. Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance - this is just a goofy, funny strange rippin fast folk jam. Turns out Bob Dylan can have fun and it's great to hear. I Shall Be Free - Also another funny folk number. It's kinda silly but it's very charming and a good relief after some of the serious grinding political tracks on the album. I don't have a lot of negatives about it. There's a couple songs that i didn't review specifically that are solid, but not special in the way the rest of the album is. It's just a really great album. I love it.
Rating: 1.7 It wasn’t unpleasant per se, but it was kind of like listening to ambient noise. He just drones on forever about shit that doesn’t matter and randomly plays a harmonica in between. Making that sound moderately pleasant at all is in fact a talent but as of now I’m in the minority of people who just don’t enjoy this guy. I guess I have like 10 more albums to find out for sure.
One of his better ones, great songs, crap voice
Bob Dylan’s second album cemented his reputation as a voice of a generation. With timeless protest songs like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Masters of War,” Dylan blends sharp social commentary with poetic intimacy. His sparse acoustic arrangements allow the lyrics to take center stage, showcasing his gift for turning everyday struggles into universal truths. While some tracks feel less essential compared to the classics, the album remains a landmark in folk music history.
Boring whiny voice
Classic Dylan
Great album with some awesome songs. 7.3/10
Classic. I'm bored. I dont think there is much variety. the folk guitar and the playing annoys me
Not a bob Dylan fan. Music from this era is difficult because I feel like "you just had to be there" I "get" it, like I get why it was popular and iconic but it's not for me.
Album: Contemporary Folk Dylan’s second album, but his first in his confident, fully folk self, full of original compositions, is enjoyable to listen to. Before his voice really took off and became over-the-top, the 21-year old Bob Dylan sounds like someone who knows what he’s doing. An album that might not be my favorite genre, but one where you can really hear how influential this must have been when it was released. Not a listen I’d choose, but it’s very good, all things considered. 4/5
Mies ja kitara. Ja huuliharppu. Simppeliä musaa mutta vahvaa sanoitusta. Sodanvastaiset tuulet puhaltaa tällä levyllä.
tranquille ça a bien fitté avec ma marche du matin
Munnspillfaen
Some albums are classics for a good reason.
Didn’t want to give instant 5 stars because it’s Bob. Don’t think twice… it’s alright.
It’s crazy that this is so compelling and it’s mostly just a guy and a guitar. Usually that would get old fast especially with a 50 minute run time, but this never bored me. Of every song was amazing, but it was consistently interesting.
A trailblazer in political movement whose music in this day and age have unfortunately been misinterpreted and distorted to fit a narrative that he would have never supported. The leader in political movement music who would be deeply ashamed of the state our country is in, but ultimately not surprised
excruciating
Important album … great songs… never could get used to his voice .. 3 stars
This is Bob Dylan at the peak of his game for me (he stayed up there for a long time, fortunately). His strengths here are his lyricism and musicianship, of course, and his distinctive voice lends a grounded, common-man quality to this music. This album features a number of hard hitters: "Blowin' in the Wind," "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," "Oxford Town," "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," and more. We are lucky to have him.
A masterpiece. I don’t listen to this album as much as some of his later stuff and I don’t know why because it’s up there with his best works. So many classic tracks 9/10
Mile bardzo chociaz momentami zbyt krzykliwa harmonijka
I liked this more than I thought I would; it fit a Monday vibe. I'm not a Dylan fan at all. In fact, I'd generally say I don't really like his music at all. Maybe it was just the right day and the right mood, but this clicked for me.
Two stars for two good songs
Negaliu patikėti, bet nebuvo blogai. Jo, armonika griežė per dantis, bet tekstukas įdomus, balsas neįkirus, visai nieko.
It has been a long time since I listened to this and it was a lot better than I remembered. I don't care much for Blowin' In The Wind but Girl From The North Country is a great song and Masters Of War is very powerful and sadly even more relevant in 2025 than it was in 1963.
Really enjoyed it and the story telling is great!
I likey
This was a tough listen for me. I have never been a fan of Bob Dylans voice, however my son loves him. He told me what he likes about Dylan and I re-listened to some songs through his ears. That did bring my scoring up because you should give kudos where kudos are due. Dylan was a talented musician. His songs were messages for the generations and his music not so overpowering so that message could be heard. I picture sitting around a firepit with a beer singing along side Bob Dylan with a group of like minded people. Which is saying something, because I don't like beer or most people 😁
Who doesn’t know Bob Dylan? I have yet to watch the recent movie that came out about him, but I have seen the Girl from the North Country Musical based on his music, it was okay. I can’t say the harmonica was what I wanted to listen to first thing in the morning. If I’m being honest with myself…. I respect and recognize Bob Dylan’s music, but don’t often want to listen to it.
And all the boomers gave up
Definitely need to take some drugs before listening to this next time
I mean come on. Dylan at his rawest form. Some songs I had never heard before that RULED. I feel like this is the moment that Dylan became Dylan like some of these songs will be played for the rest of time. Bob Dylan’s dream was my fav
CLASSIC! Lived up to expectations, just folk songs at their best. Both timely and timeless.
Bob :c
Fav: I Shall Be Free Least Fav: Bob Dylan’s Blues Bob Dylan try not to use a harmonica after speaking every 5 words
One to listen to again and again - starts off with one of Dylan's finest (Blowin') and just keeps going through to my fav of Hard Rain. So incredibly well written that it could be taken by Bryan Ferry and made into a pop classic. Girl From The North Country is another special track - 5 stars are not enough for this album!
It's a nice album. I think? I’ve just never really been a big fan of Bob Dylan. He’s fine, I can respect what he’s doing, and I get that he's a huge figure in music history, but I never find myself wanting to play his songs. Most of the time, I just find them a bit boring. He feels like a bit of a marmite (or vegemite??) artist, you either love him or you don’t, and I just don’t. There are a couple of tracks that stand out, sure, but overall I’m not really sure when or why I’d ever put this album on. I’m not planning any campfire singalongs or sitting on a veranda with a toothpick and a thousand-yard stare anytime soon. The album is fiiiiiine, I get its place in the world, but it’s just not for me. And yeah, it weirdly makes me feel like a bad person to say that… but it just does not hit.
I'm sure we'll be getting a fair bit of this guy, so here goes. I really like the album cover. It's really sweet. My brother owned a copy of one of his albums (Blonde on Blonde, maybe?) and it just showed a grumpy looking man on the front. Uninviting. This cover actually made me WANT to listen to this album. 'Blowin' in the Wind' was nice. But as the album went on, the nice disappeared. By the end, it felt like he was just rambling. 'Talking World War III Blues' I could liken to a guy who shouts random comments on Courtnay Place in my hometown. There are some little moments of respite, 'Corrina Corrina' is a nice one. But am I the only person who doesn't like his harmonica playing. His songbook has been reproduced by everyone, Albert Hammond Jr did 'Dont think twice, it's alright' a few years back. I was actually annoyed to discover it was a Dylan tune. So, is it fiiiiiiiine? It's okay. I wouldn't listen again. Country folk that wasn't promised by the mood set on that cover. Speaking of judging things the cover... Nope, I don't have a snappy line to go out on. 2 Stars.
This album is like visiting your grandparents on a warm Sunday afternoon. You sit in the lounge at their house, surrounded by the comfortable but admittedly stuffy aroma of old books and photo albums. After updating them about your life, your grandmother heads into the vege garden to do some pottering. You decide to stick around for a while to talk to your grandfather. You pour him another cup of tea, and gradually the conversation flows from last night's sporting fixtures into him recollecting stories from his earlier days. Occasionally he weaves a bit of life advice into his stories. Sadly you'll only realise this a couple of days later, by which time the lesson will be lost.
Another album you probably had to be there for. Still holds up as good folk music, but nothing special. Good voice, good story telling, but too much same same.
Classic for what and who it is to music!
I kinda liked it, even though Bob Dylan's voice isn't my favorite. But I really can't stand the harmonic, it makes my ears bleed.
This album certainly did not create a whole new genre in folk, but it certainly is responsible for 99% of what came after it. 5/5
All the songs still resonated.
The best songs
Timeless classic, I enjoyed every song but the two "Blues" songs on this record. I had forgotten how good Bob Dylan's guitar strumming sounds!
Worst singing voice in history. I’d take Biz Markie over Dylan any day of the work.
A very strong showing of acoustic Dylan.
Can't get on with Bob Dylan.
7/10
Dylans voice never sounded better after this record and the songs did not mean as much. At the time of release the beatles were emerging and elvis was still vital. Here is the 3rd pillar of that era at his very best. Masters of war, a hard rain is gonna fall and blowing in the end are warnings to the immediate future for the united States. There is a bit of indulgent piffle at the end of this album which stops it short of full marks.
Loved traveling back in time. While I don't think Dylan would win "best voice" his lyrics hit it out of the park. Some of the songs are rants and rages but he knows how to switch gears to memories of lost love. Loved the album.
Bob Dylan is great and this album is no exception, but there's only so much you can listen to in a row.
I don’t really like Bob Dylan. But listening to this album taught me that I do like Bob Dylan’s lyrics. In another universe, there’s an Elton John/Bernie Taupin arrangement where the Bob Dylan teams up with someone who’s actually good at singing, and in that universe, I love Bob Dylan. But this is the universe I’m stuck in…
I think Bob was what the people needed at the time, but I have a hars time connecting with him today. Also not a huge fan of the screeching shrill of the harmonica. Too much!
That voice. That harmonica. Those are the two things I absolutely can't stand about Bob Dylan's music. Every cover I've heard of a Bob Dylan song is automatically 1000x better than the original just by virtue of not having Dylan's voice on it. Everything else about this album is fantastic. The guitar playing. The songwriting. Phenomenal. 5 stars for the songwriting and guitar playing. -1 stars for the vocals and harmonica. Averages out to 2 stars.
I don't care about Bob Dylan. This is another artist where better music would have been created by others had he not filled the space.
So often albums fail to properly capture and evoke the spirit of the era in which they were recorded. Not the case here.
Low 4 for me - not my usual style but I still liked it.
Eher nervig.
Classic. What a genius.
I accidentally looped it a few times without realising it was replaying. It’s nice, some funnies, but ultimately quite plain for me.
Yep, It's another Bobby record. He's good, I don't know if you knew that. What uh, what else is there to talk about?
Dylan's first great record and best acoustic album; the one that'd establish a stranglehold on American folk he'd spend decades tightening and loosening at will.
Standouts Blowin' in the Wind Masters of War Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
I was dating this Dutch girl, who always tried to prove to me that she was hip and ‘knew’ America by playing Freewheeling over and over. We took a roadtrip to Nashville, so I put on Nashville Skyline. She was like ‘what is this shit?’ I said, ‘it’s Bob Dylan.’ She said, ‘shut up, that isn’t Bob Dylan,’ then she turned off Nashville Skyline and threw Freewheeling back on. Usually, I prefer Nashville Skyline, but on that trip, I felt like Bob on the Freewheeling album cover (we did start our roadtrip from Greenwich Village) and she was that smiling, cozy girl on my arm. Hell, I didn’t care what we were listening to. Blowing in the Wind is no longer a Bob Dylan song. It’s an American folk song. It was the rallying cry for the sixties, and without it, we’d have no Beatles Revolver. We’d have no future eras of Dylan as he tried to reinvent himself to stay relevant (he’s had so many eras that watching Taylor Swift’s Eras tour is like watching a woman change clothes twenty times and then sound kind of the same on the next song). If you don’t like this album, too bad. It’s not going anywhere. It’s in everything that you listen to already. Try listening to Freewheeling forty times on a roadtrip, and the lyrics will begin to set with you. Then, a decade on, you can play it again and it’ll feel like a lost part of you returning. Just an idea for a project if you’ve got the time and an encouraging Dutch girlfriend. Dylan’s debut was a great album, but Freewheeling is a GREAT album. It’s a legend. Although Dylan went on to possibly greater heights, he never caught the ineffable ‘something’ that exists in Freewheeling again. It’s a monument of a time, a vibe, and an attitude.
It's fine. It's Dylan. We'll see him a lot on this
Better than the previous listen of him from this list, but I’m tired of the obnoxious screeching harmonica. I do not agree with the general opinion that Dylan is a great lyricist. Overhyped and irritating music
As I get older I feel like I appreciate Bob Dylan's work more and more. This album is incredibly dense. Put aside that he isn't a great singer and the harmonica gets a bit old; his influence on both music and society is way understated.
This is Dylan's second album, thought it was going to be a little more energetic, but this one was a very soft one, good to listen to once in a while, but not a favorite of mine.
very good
When I saw I had another Bob Dylan album my eyes rolled back in my head. I get pretty sick on Bob Dylan quite quickly. Don't get me wrong, I think he is super talented but his voice just gets on my nerves after a while. This was a bit of a pleasant surprise to me. Could we do without the strummy songs, sure, is the harmonica annoying at times, also sure, does his voice still get on my nerves.... yup. But I still enjoyed this album more than I thought I would.
Another album that’s very hard to write about. You’re not going to break any new ground. First of all, it’s Dylan, and second of all, it’s Freewheelin’ Dylan. Most of the songs here have well-known covers. There’s nothing to say about the songwriting past acknowledging its excellence. I’ll give it a go anyway. Sometime in ‘04 Dylan sat down with 60 Minutes, and attested that the songs that made up the peak of his career through the sixties and seventies couldn’t possibly be thought of by him now, they seemed to manifest from some magical power. And whilst Freewheelin’ may not be his most magical of albums, it is most certainly his morph from up-and-coming “Green-which” Village folk singer from his self-titled album into the foremost voice of a nation’s youth on his second. Of course, Blowin’ in the Wind is the supermassive standard, but it’s the little tidbits that lie in the lesser-known songs that conglomerate to make this album into the cultural behemoth that it is. You can talk of the make-believe conversation with JFK in I Shall Be Free or the on-the-nose title of Talking World War III Blues, but most of all you can talk of the utterly staggering Masters of War. If there’s any track that came to Dylan from a higher power, it might well be that one. It was a cold snowy day in New York when Bob and Suze Rotolo walked near West 4th Street for the cover, but the everlasting intricacies of Freewheelin’ shall warm and inspire for ever.
I respect Bob Dylan, but I can’t stand Bob Dylan