Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Bob Dylan made important contributions to music and he was very talented, unfortunately his music really isn’t for me
Another master stroke from Mr. Dylan.
you might think he loves you for your money but i know what he really loves you for its your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat
3.5
If you "don't like Bob Dylan's voice" you are weak.
This could really be any Dylan album as it’s hard to discern much difference between any of them! This one was ok but songs a bit too long in places. A few good songs though so definitely not the worst Dylan album. Just same old Dylan really.
Folk, country, rock, blues, our Bob nails them all in one album! Good stuff if a little long. Top track: Stuck inside.. 3.75
I feel like I’ve come a bit full circle on Mr Dylan. Having never listened to an album before this list and with a general assumption I didn’t like his music. I’ve been won over by ‘Bring it back…’ and ‘Blood in the tracks’ was OK. However, this one just sounds exactly like what I thought he sounded like before this whole exercise began, and I don’t care for it. Just all a bit slow (and some songs just too long) and samey, and with too many of my least favourite vocal inflection traits. I’m guessing there will be another one on the list. Guess that’s gonna decide my long-term view…..
Ticks all the boxes in 66.... Bob at his least annoying and you can feel the legacy of it all. Never listened to it but will revisit.
Never thought I’d like Bob Dylan. I like this one too. I gotta listen to him more often.
I love the instrumentation, though it's a bit predictable at times with some of the more standard blues songs like Leopard-Skin Pill Hat. Vocal-wise I feel he's putting effort into singing, though it's a bit uncontrolled. I always quite liked I Want You. Fourth Time Around is a new favourite. I also think it's pretty cool that I can hear his influence on other bands/musicians.
Pretty good I don’t have much else to say about it. Kind of reminds me of Mac Demarco
I tried, but I couldn't get into it.
No.
I guess it's just time to admit that I'm simply not a Bob Dylan fan at this point. Three albums of his received already this year through this challenge, including this one, and none have really spoken to me or really blew me away. I can, and already have, recognize Dylan's adept songwriting ability, but the gap between the aforementioned songwriting and actual artistry/lyrical delivery is annoyingly wide. It all kind of grows stale too, if I'm being honest. Too much content is thrown onto these albums without much substance in each. "Blonde on Blonde" specifically has some moments, highlighted by many blues & folk ballads about women and being lovelorn. It just gets duller the longer it goes on, though. There weren't really any worthy-sounding singles here, just a lot of similar arrangements.
Iconic shit, man. Dylan achieved what he set out to more than any other record. Great range of songs. Great lyrics, great instrumentation and production. I enjoy every track. It’s a double disc, but I see no reason to cut any songs. It’s beautiful and damn near perfect. 5/5
Liked it overall but hated harmonica sounds :(
I really loved it. Great music that sounds really unforced, pure Bob Dylan in every way possible. Although I didn't get the idea of the album as of a whole and complete unit and shamefully think that one can listen to this album on shuffle.
Oh no... not more Dylan. I wonder if his moaning, disguised as singing, has peaked on this record? 'I Want You' is a very good song, and the 'Stuck Inside The Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again' is good as well, but the rest is... ok I guess? If it wasn't for his crappy singing this would've gotten 3 stars, but that just drags it down for me.
I like Dylan, some of his albums are among my favourite albums. Listening to him always feels comforting and safe. Blonde on Blonde while not one of my favourite albums, is still very decent. You have the hits where I think the quite happy "I Want You" is my favourite with its simple chorus. "Rainy Day Women" is just a fun romp, "Visions of Johanna" is a vibe. The tail-end lacks the same punch as the first part but still a 4 for me. I just like my Old school Dylan!
So much harmonica
I know I said Joni's the GOAT in my Blue review but Bob is also the GOAT. The jury's still out imo on if this is his best album or not, but it's two discs, chock full of bangers, and he really is at the height of his powers here, musically, instrumentally, lyrically. The run of tracks from Visions of Johanna to Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I Go Mine) is just crazy stuff man, seven of the best songs ever just back to back. Monumental. Best Track: Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again Worst Track: Pledging My Time
Best Song: One of us must know Worst Song: Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
So ubiquitous that not having experienced it at the time it somehow almost seems like a parody of itself. Though I guess that’s part of being iconic?
No. 290/1001 Rainy Day Women 3/5 Pledging My Time 3/5 Visions of Johanna 4/5 (2x) One Of Us Must Know 3/5 I Want You 4/5 Stuck Inside of Mobile 4/5 (2x) Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat 3/5 Just Like A Woman 4/5 Most Likely You Go Your Way 3/5 Temporary Like Achilles 3/5 Absolutely Sweet Marie 3/5 Fourth Time Around 4/5 Obviously Five Believers 3/5 Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands 4/5 (3x) Average: 3,55 Lyrically another masterpiece. Musically not my favorite from Dylan.
Wow, I get why Bob gets talked up so much, I’ve never heard an album where some elements felts decades ahead while others felt perfectly plucked from the early days of recorded music. Great lyrics although the rhymes can come off as a bit silly sometimes. Didn’t expect so much harmonica but it worked well. My only major complaint is that it ran a bit too long, the song mobile in particular feels like it could’ve been cut in half. That being said I think this will only grow on me on continued listens
There is obviously some great song craft here, but I still want to launch that damn harmonica straight into the sun. Like every single Dylan album, if it was 8 songs instead of 14 it would have been much more enjoyable.
If Bob Dylan’s voice didn’t sound like the sonic equivalent of floppy pizza, this album would be incredible.
Finally m. Absolutely one of his greatest
full album. lots of harmonica. too whiney
Delightful, ear-piercing harmonica. Pretty good, not as good as Freewheelin'.
Lots of harmonica in the folk
Storytelling and inflection
Thoughts before listening: One of the most universally praised Dylan albums, with this always landing at the top of best album lists. Review: Despite starting with one of my least liked Dylan songs in "Rainy Day Women", this is a really good album worthy of its praise. I don't think it's my favorite by Bob, but it does have some of his best songs. "Visions of Johanna", "I Want You", "Stuck Inside of Mobile...", "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat", "Most Likely You'll Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine", etc all rank amongst my most loved Dylan songs. That being said, there is some filler here that just doesn't resonate with me like some Dylan albums. 4-stars
This is the best Bob Dylan album, in my opinion. The songs are great, there is good mix of lyrica themes, even Dylan's singing is the best it's ever been. This is also, I believe, the firsr rock double album (of original music, that is) in history. Quite the achievement, considering it doesn't feel like it drags at all. Key tracks: Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 Visions of Johanna One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) I Want You Just Like a Woman
Alright. Pretty chill. Very story teller vibes.
Classic album by an all-time great. What's not to like? Dylan has one of the most distinctive, if not strangest, voices of all time.
Some good, some not so good.
I've never really decided if I like Bob Dylan or not. Sometimes his music seems great and others it just grates on your brain. Like, dude enough with the poorly played harmonica already. And he's always hailed as like this poetic/lyrical genius but honestly I don't see that. I mean his lyrics are good but I don't really see that he's so much better than any number of other people in his same genre. As for this album, it does belong on this list though it isn't really one I would play again. But that could be said about anything by Bob Dylan really. I'm just not really a fan at all I guess. 2/5 for me on this. And as an aside, I'm confused by the choice of the cover photo. I would imagine that conversation went something like this: Bob Dylan: here's my new album (plays harmonica for a few seconds) all recorded and ready for approval (more harmonica) Record Exec: the songs are fine but you can't use this photo for the cover, it's all blurry and out of focus. BD: yeah well so is my voice, it'll be fine (harmonica) unless you want to pay for another photo shoot (harmonica) RE: yeah it's probably fine.
the best Dylan project ive had to listen yet. Still struggling with this guy on album length. Few songs were really likeable but it felt dragging to the end. His writing is very good but his performance and harmonica never really been.
Dylan is a contrast unto himself. Lyrics both dense and ephemeral, sound both melodic and grating, tongue in cheek while being deadly serious.
I didn’t like it as much as Blood on the Tracks, but I think I’m just overall a Dylan fan.
Will never forget first hearing Visions of Johanna
If I wanted to like this artist I probably had to have been alive at the time. Lyrically quite talented and realized. Everything else is meh at best. I've seen him live and felt the same way. I wish I could see what so many others do because I have to admit that they seem to find him captivating.
Albumi #104, 09.11.2024 Bob Dylanin suuruutta etenkään levyttävänä artistina en ole koskaan ymmärtänyt. Muutamia hienoja kuolemattomia biisejä, mutta laulajana Dylan on yhdentekevä. Blonde On Blonde on Dylanin seitsemäs albumi vuodelta 1966 ja samalla yksi parhaimmaksi arvioitu. Ei vaan tipu mulle. Ei vaikka miten yritän.
not a Dylan fan
Harmonica is officially my least favorite instrument.
I’ve been a little surprised to learn through this project that Bob Dylan albums are very hit or miss for me (well, mostly pretty neutral with a few standouts). While this one wasn’t bad, it got old quickly. Too much harmonica?
Artiste connu de nom uniquement. Le premier contact est malheureusement très mauvais, je trouve le morceau 'Rainy day Woman' vraiment inintéressant avec son instrumentation type fanfare. Et je n'apprécie pas vraiment la voix de BD. Le second morceau est un blues très classique, avec un chorus d'harmonica moyen. La suite n'est guère plus originale. L'ennui m'a gagné assez vite et j'ai sauté d'un morceau à l'autre pour terminer. =>1/5
Started off very strong with Rainy Day Women (one of my favorite Dylan songs), by the middle of the album I was thinking "boy this is a lot of harmonica" and by the end I was getting a bit tired of his super stylized voice. I guess I'm just not a "listen to an entire album" kind of Dylan fan.
Too much harmonica. Maybe it would be better on speakers instead of earbuds.
Not quite peak Dylan, but close.
Blonde On Blonde is great and quintessential Dylan. In fact if you wanted a litmus test for if you could be a Dylan fan, I'd have you listen to "I want you", it's the Bobbest Song that ever Dylan'd and if you can enjoy it, you can enjoy his whole catalog. Bob Dylan has said that this album is the closest he ever got to the sound that is in his head. He tries to capture a metallic quality and while he does hit that here, I think it's for the best that he doesn't often get it. This is one of those times where the music that your favorite musician listens to isn't the music that you want to listen to. So much of this album has a jingly coin purse sound to it and it isn't my favorite. I think while as a group the sound is consistent and there are great moments, it just isn't a sound that people like any more. This is really the end of this sound because this was around the time that Dylan started touring with the Band who was fusing folk with psychedelic, jam band, and RnB sound. One thing about Bob Dylan is that he is willing to change and grow with the times. I think this album is consistent and contains some of Dylan's best tracks while maintaining a consistent theme of rebellion, detachment, and the messiness of life as a 24 year old. Lyrically and thematically I think it tells a story as good as anything out there. He doesn't seem like such a rebel anymore but these tracks were statements that you could be a poet no matter who you are or where you come from. Moving south of the Mason Dixon line I don't know if the spirit of Dylan is still here. Maybe people got tired of hoping. Maybe life has gotten so easy people have redirected their energy into college football and fighting against abortion. Maybe people have decided that they don't have to do any soul searching, maybe the answer is right here in the North Carolinian soil and traditional way of life. I can't help but wonder if Bob would have voted for Trump. I think Bob would have written songs about what tragedy it was and how the people are have given away their power to a tyrant. I'm not sure it would have been enough to do anything. Bob was an observer of the world, and successful enough to live in the clouds and write about the world below. Maybe he was the voice of a generation, a generation that has been sedated by words with friends and ai images on facebook. Perhaps the problem with Bob Dylan is that it's been 60 years and we're still listening to him.
Maybe I don’t get Bob Dylan.
I just can’t with this man.
I can't get over his weird wheezy voice. The music itself seems well constructed and thoughtful, but I will never be a fan. Sorry y'all.
Dylan is a cult folk hero to many. Age wise, I missed his heyday, and will admit I haven’t tried hard to catch up and join the flock. I think it’s a New York, Center-of-the-Universe thing… and that’s foreign to me. Repulsive actually. I honestly like everything about him and his music, and this album is one of his best. There is growth in me left to be done before I die, if only I’d let it happen. Bob might lead me.
Not one of my fave Dylan albums, but the poetry is still there.
When you've heard 1 of 3 types of Bob Dylan songs, you've heard them all. I can't speak for any impact this album had at the time of release but personally it was forgettable.
Blonde on Blonde is often regarded as the best work of Bob Dylan's incredible career, and sits near the top of many "best albums of all time" lists. This was Dylan's seventh studio album, and the third of his "electric rock" albums of the mid-sixties. Among other accolades, this is one of the first double albums in rock music. The album includes a few of Dylan's well-known songs, like "Rainy Day Women," "I Want You," and "Just Like a Woman." Dylan's career includes so much interesting, influential work; it's hard to suggest that there he has a "best album." If there is one, this may be it. With this and the two albums that preceded it, Dylan became a central figure in American rock, well outside of the folk/songwriter world he started his career within. His influence was significant; his version of country and folk infused rock inspired decades of popular music.
Just Like A Woman is one of my favourite songs as is One Of Us Must Know. His songs just have a way of sticking with you.
Less revolutionary listening to it now compared to when I listened to it the first time when I was 16 or 17. Still some good Dylan at least. Couldn't decide between 2 and 3 stars. Settled on a 2 since I felt like I probably wont listen to this again for another 20ish years.
It's Bob Dylan ... it has some greats stuff ... and stuff you want to skip over. Because his voice is awful. Because of the greats I give it 4 stars, but I had to skip a few ....
Mid
3rd Dylan album and my opinion has not changed. Would rather listen to a wet dog fart than hear his voice
Well I’ve listened to it 3 times today, I quite like it. I suspect had I heard it 10 years ago I would probably have hated it. I’m a firm believer in certain music happening for you at different times of your life. As someone pointed out to me, it’s now difficult to fully appreciate how ground breaking this album, Bringing it Back Home and Highway 61 revisited were at the time, but I’ve tried to keep that in mind while listening. I think it definitely belongs on the list
As much as I love Bob Dylan, I have to admit that I think I'm bad at critiquing Bob Dylan. He's the best lyricist we'll possibly ever see in popular music, but I find his biggest appeal to be in how effortless he adopts various styles of American music. From the talking blues of his debut album to country on Nashville Skyline, the soft rock of Infidels to the electric blues of Modern Times, Bob doesn't get enough credit for being a chameleon; he takes his lyrics over wherever he sees fit and it (generally) works. Besides Johnny Cash and arguably Bruce Springsteen, he *is* the American songbook. Blonde on Blonde is my personal favorite of his commonly accepted 60s peak. Ironically in the middle of peak Bob Dylan hate, this album has a slightly jovial tone to it. Tracks like "Rainy Day Women" and "I Want You' are among his most upbeat and carefree, though I rarely listen to them outside the context of the album. The real gist of BoB and what makes it one of his best is that despite its length (nearly 75 minutes) and three of the songs eclipsing 7 minutes, it never gets old or tedious. "Memphis Blues" feels FAR too short. Above it all, Blonde on Blonde feels like an outlaw's manifesto, Dylan running from the expectations of fans and critics alike, trying to chart his own path as a songwriter. Unfortunately, this rebellious attitude of mid 60s Dylan was cut tragically short by a motorcycle accident in July 1966. After this incident (which is shrouded in mystery, some questioning if it even happened), he came back with a more stripped back sound highly influenced by country. Where this version of Bob would end up, if he would even be alive in two years time, is a mystery. And maybe it's better that way. 9/10
Not a fan of Bob’s voice, and for the most part the arrangements aren’t interesting enough to make up for it, but dammit if I didn’t like this album by the end.
En su estado puro.
These are the plums I've been looking for all weeeeeeeeeek. The curse of the double album strikes again. This would probably be a 5 if the weaker songs were cut. Just Like a Woman, One of us Must Know and I Want You are classic Dylan but there's too much filler and Rainy Day Women is annoyingly crap.
⭐ visions of johanna
Incredible album. I get the hype and he was on an absolute heater when he put this out. Love how warm the arrangements are.
AWESOME ALBUM. Low key this is the first bob Dylan that super clicked. Just great tunes and the band sounds so good
That's not my taste in music. But ok.
I don’t understand the appeal. But I can appreciate his work.
five stars for anyone else
I can’t. I just can’t. I barely made it through two songs. I’ve tried Dylan in the past. I can respect that his music has spoken to many people, but I’m just not one of them. I don’t get it. Never have. Never will. Next, please.
It was an okay enough album, don’t see the hype behind it. I think the cohen album I got earlier was better overall.
Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. I am just not a Bob Dylan fan. I did particularly enjoy the song about eating ass...but that might not have been what he actually said. A double album of Dylan is a bit much.
Classic.
Dylan's a legend for a reason. Lovely album. When he comes in with the harmonica it really hits. I know some people don't think he's a great singer, but I find his voice perfect for his songs. My favorite song was Just Like a Woman. This is the first album I've gotten from him but I'm excited to hear more.
Won me over
Oh good grief, another one already? OK here we go, so far I've rated Dylan 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4. Is he growing on me? Will this finally be the 5? Or am I oversaturated? Turns out this double album just about broke me. Got to the sustained harmonica notes in Pledging My Time and knew this was going to be a long slog to the end. And it was. Please let this be the last one.
Eu amo essa gaita do Bob Dylan, mas eu achei esse álbum com pouco brilho. Há outros álbuns mais emblemáticos.
I can't decide if it's 3 or 4. I didn't grow up listening to Dylan, but he obviously influenced a lot of musician I did listen to even in my home soviet country. When it started, I thought I am going to love it. Rainy Day Women is an awesome song. Music and lyrics wise, the album is awesome. But after a few songs I found it was too much of the same thing, and Dylan's voice grows grating after 5-6 songs in. I couldn't take it anymore at some point. So 3.5.
Good stuff from one of the best songwriters.
Best of Bob's best. Full band first of all.... no whiny acoustic/harmonica combo that plagued his first few efforts. Top notch writing and arrangements.
Surprisingly boring. And the liner I listened, the more I couldn't shake the getting that Bob would be insufferable in person.
This is cute. Longer I sit with it, the more I really like it. Gets better the longer you listen, too.
It was fun but it's not really my thing
Fuck it we 5 mentality. This has always been my favorite Bob Dylan album. It’s his peak of songwriting and instrumental sound IMO. So many bangers on this one like I Want You, Stuck Inside of Mobile, Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. It’s also versatile, with wacky songs like Pill Box Hat and Rainy Day Women. Altogether a phenomenal album. Probably a 9/10 rounded up
It’s okay I guess if you can channel some inner crusty artsy hippiness and ignore the hideous harmonica every other song. 1.5 good songs on here but I’m pretty much never in the middle for this kind of music.
Los críticos alabaron este disco doble como uno de los mejores del genio de Duluth, y mira que tiene discos buenos. En él mezcló folk rock con blues y country consiguiendo un sonido emocionalmente potente. Las letras cripticas y surrealistas sobrevuelan canciones como las emotivas baladas "Visions of Johanna", "Just Like a Woman" o "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands". Me gustan especialmente la canción de amor "I Want You" y el rock eléctrico potente de la canción con la que se abre el disco, "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35". También la conmovedora "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again".
Bob Dylan- not for me. Grasping to find the appeal
What exactly is a "thin, wild mercury sound"? If you'd asked Bob Dylan in 1966, he'd have answered with this album. "Blonde on Blonde" was supposed to be the closest representation of the sounds in his head that Dylan ever achieved, and marks the culmination of his oft-labelled "electric trilogy". It's brilliant, sprawling, dense, abstract and a little messy. First things first, there are some absolute classics here. "Visions of Johanna" has been one of my favourites since the first time I heard it, sounding both impossibly profound and utterly ludicrous at the same time. "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)", the first song recorded for the album, boasts a chorus one can't help but yell along to, Dylan's one-of-a-kind vocal stylings out in full force. The jubilant "I Want You" shrouds such a simple, direct hook with impenetrable surreal imagery. "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" takes this even further, with a runaway verse structure that could run and run. "Just Like a Woman"'s lyrics haven't aged so well, but its melody is truly gorgeous. To me, "Blonde on Blonde" is also notable for Dylan revelling in having fun: as well as the above tracks, there's also the ridiculous "Rainy Day Women #12 & #35", the knockabout "Obviously Five Believers", the winking innuendos throughout "Absolutely Sweet Marie" and the brassy strut of "Most Likely You'll Go Your Way And I'll Go Mine". These are all quite lightweight by Dylan's standards, but do add an interesting dimension to the album. Where "Blonde on Blonde" is most let down, though, is in some disappointing, dawdling blues tracks. "Pledging My Time" and "Temporary Like Achilles" are particularly generic, and the former has Dylan's shrillest and most grating harmonica solo I've heard committed to tape. "Leopard-Skin Pill Box Hat" is a fun takedown of materialism, but naggingly non-essential. And even "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands", much as I used to adore it, has cooled for me over the years: I'm not entirely convinced it warrants a full twelve minutes at the end of the record. On the whole, though, "Blonde on Blonde" is another great entry in an inarguable canon from everyone's least-favourite Nobel-prize winning rockstar. Also, a Dylan review isn't a Dylan review without singling out some favourite lyrics, so here are mine: "The ghost of electricity howls in the bones of her face; where these visions of Johanna have taken my place" "He just smoked my eyelids and punched my cigarette" "With your silhouette where the sunlight dims; into your eyes where the moonlight swims" "It balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine: your brand new leopard-skin pill box hat" All, of course, perfection.
5/5
I should give Blonde on Blonde a 1/5 but I am going to give it a 2 because I didn't actually like any of the songs but I do like his weird grating voice and his songwriting
After listening to “The Free Wheelin’ Bob Dylan” (my first ever Bob Dylan album) a few weeks ago and hating that album, I rolled my eyes when I got another entry on my list from this man. I cannot stand Bored Dylan’s vocal style. He sounds like someone thinking they can sing while constantly slipping in and out of consciousness. I’ll give him this though, this album sounds much better than the last entry I had from him. Mostly because the instrumentation behind it actually makes the album feel alive. Many of these songs have more of an uplifting swing to it, which I can enjoy. Aside from Dylan’s voice, I found it to be a decent record that I thoroughly enjoyed the instrumentals on.
I just couldn't do it. I tried but it's just soooo.... Obnoxious to me. His voice... His harmonica... Just not for me dog. I appreciate the newness it gave for the time, and the lyrics in a writing sense. And some of the moments of music is nice, but all together in the same pot just ain't it. Like putting cheddar cheese over brownies. each good, together fucking bad
loved the music and liked the lyrics when i could actually bear to listen to them delivered by dylan’s herky-jerky singing style. his voice put me in a bad mood. overall the album felt like being dizzy, faint and sweaty in an antique store but you can’t leave because your friend wants to look at every booth
probably wouldn’t listen again, but i enjoyed the journey
It was alright
Dylan at his finest. For some that’s a low bar. But I love it.
Man, Bob Dylan. A prime example of right person at the right time.
Expected some classic singles on here but none to be found. Another album I recognise the cover off but none of the tracks are stand outs! I don’t know how this made it on 1001 list.
Nice instrumentals pretty chill, ruined by too much harmonica unfortunately. Terrible singing voice with questionable lyrics (nonce?). No clue how this is so highly rated I’d rather listen to KSI no joke
I have a theory that the reason Bob released so many albums was so he could try and bury this one. Death by harmonica.
I’m not wasting my time with this shite.
I like a few Dylan Songs, I understand he can be an incredible songwriter. That being said this album was bloody hard work, and the god damn harmonica squealing away like a butchered pig. The most infuriating part is bobs pronunciation on words, drawing out the syllables on everyyyy, siinglee woooord. Not for me, never again
Not for me, I've never been a Dylan fan. I appreciate some great lyrics and the message he is putting across in some songs. It's all the same; vocals, harmonica, vocals, harmonica. You would have thought he could have paid a session musician to play harmonica whist he sang at the same time! I notice some of his biggest hits such as Blowing in the wind and Times they are a-changin' are not on here so I'm guessing there are more Dylan albums in the 1001 ffs! For me the best track was Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlands ....... because it was the last one
Hm, dafür das der Typ so berühmt ist, fand ich das Album jetzt nicht so pralle
Paar Lieder ganz nett, aber diese schief klingende Mundharmonika macht mich wahnsinnig. Lied zur Playlist hinzugefügt: Stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues again
I don't really get Bob Dylan. It's not that he's not talented or his songs are shit, but I don't get the reverence he's afforded. Maybe you had to be around in the 60's (although plenty of younger people also worship him too)! Take this album for example, it was ok, there wasn't anything offensive or jarring on there - but to me it sounded no different from any bloke+guitar you can hear down your local pub on a Friday or Saturday night. In much the same vein as Ed Sheeran really ... don't get me started on that monotonous ginger cunt, it still brings me some happiness that after 250 or so albums on this site I've yet to be served an Ed Sheeran album. If (when) that happens I may have to stop listening.
I still don't really get Bob Dylan. Leaving the scratchy voice and harmonica aside, he's much vaunted for his lyrical content. Maybe they're just too verbose for me to listen to whilst doing other things, but having read some of them I still can't draw out some great meaning, maybe you need a 200 IQ to really understand Dylan idk.
Good electric blues/folk with Bob Dylan’s famed songwriting
A classic's classic.
No need to waste time here either. Electronica followed by this, just brutal. No more Dylan.
3.5 You can definitely tell this came right after Highway 61 Revisited, being that Bob seems to have taken the full-band approach he toyed with on that album and ran with it here. It’s definitely an evolution of his sound, but I don’t really feel that it’s better - Highway 61 just comes off as much better balanced and paced in my opinion, but still, this album certainly isn’t bad. I mean, it’s definitely his most diverse-sounding work I’ve heard - besides just folk, there’s blues, country, and even some rock to be found. While I wouldn’t exactly say he nails the landing with each attempt, at its worst, it’s still at least pretty decent in most cases. Lyrically, it’s a lot more romantic/hornier than his past work, to a degree that I didn’t even realize the guy was capable of, but it actually results in some of the best songs here (and quite possibly across his entire catalog) - for me, those being Visions of Johanna, Just Like a Woman, I Want You, and the powerful ballad, Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. It’s not quite as strong of a song as Desolation Row in my opinion, but it is a very solid concluding track nonetheless. While there are definitely some songs I liked more than others, there was really only one song that stood out to me as one I disliked - and I’m pretty sure it’s a bit of a hot take, so brace yourself if you’re like a 50+ music nerd, cause this’ll probably hurt. I just don’t get Rainy Day Women #12 & 35. Yes, I get it’s about weed, but it has the most annoying carnival-esque marching band backdrop to it. Knowing Dylan, it’s probably a purposeful juxtaposition, but I don’t think that makes the song any less corny. That said, the vast majority of the guy’s music has been something that has required time to grow on me, so it’s totally possible that’s the case here as well. Overall, I think this is a mostly strong Dylan record, particularly in the lyrical department, I’m just not quite yet sold on hearing full accompaniment behind him. Though, considering my thoughts on The Band’s debut breakaway record from Dylan, maybe it’s just these guys I’m not particularly fond of.
I’m a fan of Bob Dylan but not his best album.
Meh
Singles were excellent but general sounds don’t do it for me.
Sounds exactly like you’d think it does
Sounded like Mr Boom falling down the stairs
Definitely one of Dylan's best and a good starting point if you're not familiar with Dylan. Classics such as I want you, Just like a woman and One of us must know. 4/5
It’s alright
Another classic / canonical album. Not something I listen to these days (2024), but I remember being impacted when I first discovered.
I wish I enjoyed Dylan more, but I just feel ambivalent about his music… there are many others here that could tell about how great an artist he is, but it’s just okay to me. 3.5/5
I never really “got” Bob Dylan, and listening to this album all the way through has helped. I’m really enjoying it, although I do feel like it’s too much music to fully digest in a single listen. I’ll be coming back to it!
Ehh
I wasn't a big fan. Didn't really like his voice, couldn't get into it much.
Yeah, no matter how much Bob Dylan you push down my throat, I am not going to like it. At least in a few of these songs he sounded like he wasn't depressed.
It is listenable, but like much of Bob Dylan very samey. A nice balance of different musical styles. Can't see myself wanting to listen to the entire album again
its alright, never been the biggest Bob Dylan fan, but he does put out some heat. Most of this, unfortunately, was not it though.
Nope. Not for me
Really cool album, might not be his "best", but there is something about Dylan where his music either works, or it doesn't quite get there. A few tracks don't quite stick the landing for me, but overall there's some really great tunes that have you scrunching your face as guitar bends and harmonica slides shape blues and folk sentiments into something that seeps warmth.
DNF. I’m sorry but there’s no way I can listen to this guy for over an hour.
Classic of that genre
Harmonica is nice but talk like singing tone is awful.
Really enjoyed this
One of Dylan's best albums of this era. The lyrics of lost love always get me and the band sounds sweet, especially the organ backing.
I recognized a few songs. That’s about it. Never been a huge Dylan fan and listening to this album did not change my mind.
Have long been a fan of Bob, and this is a great album. It feels a little less human than some of his other stuff, and maybe more polished.
You got me
Nailed it.
I just don't think I'm a Dylan-type. I liked a few, but I think he's an acquired taste.
En mi opinión, el mejor álbum de los primeros años de Bob Dylan. Rico en tanto a letras, divertido en tanto a música y sumamente atrapante en tanto a creatividad. Muchos se cuestionan por qué Bob Dylan ganó el premio Nobel de Literatura, pero personalmente creo que no hay mejor estadounidense para escribir sobre las realidades de la clase trabajadora norteamericana que Zimmerman; aún más cuando era un "joven revolucionario". Escúchelo, no se arrepentirá.
Bob dylan eins og hann gerist bestur. Eini vínillinn sem ég á með kauða.
Fínasta plata hjá Róberti. Mætti slaka aðeins á með þessa munnharmonikku sína samt. Fannst hún smá pirrandi. Svo er myndin ekki í fókus.
Góður Dylan.
Poetic barroom slop! And I am 100% here for it. There are a lot Bob Dylans, but I think this one is my favorite.
pela importancia 3 / 4
Visions of Johanna is a new favorite Bob song, the beauty of it and the sounds of it are all so perfect. I’m definitely not the first guy to say this but man could this dude write songs, love it
One of his best
Genuinely surprised I liked this at all. I only know a few songs by Dylan and I really am not that wild about them. Definitely actually a few tracks on this one I really liked. At it's worst though his voice is annoying and the music too sparse to make up for it. At it's best it's a fantastic expression of his poetry. The lyrics are definitely the most powerful part of the music, even the songs I dislike are that way. All in all, this averages out to a 3* for me. Worth a listen once in your life, it may be exactly your thing.
A true classic from when bob had a bit of a voice.
I finally get it. I really enjoyed this and feel like I need to go back to Blood On The Tracks. 4.5/5
One of Bob’s best.
Bleh
7/10, papa loves a good harmonica solo though
Overall I did like this album. One obvious criticism of Dylan's work is his less-than-stellar singing voice, and some of his tracks were alittle disjointed at times for me. But the songs that connected with me were very heartfelt and well-written. That and the folksiness of the harmonica always gets me in my feelings somehow. I don't think I'll go into a deep Dylan kick based on this record, but I respect his place in the pantheon of great songwriters more deeply now. Notable Tracks: - Visions of Johanna - One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) - Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again - Just Like a Woman - Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands 7/10
An all-timer. This should be the blueprint of how to successfully reinterpret the blues (as well as evolving off the 50s folk revival). Mayall and the rest of the Brit blues-rock faction should have taken notice
I love Dylan. Not my favorite album featuring a backing band (The Band, the Hawks, whatever), but it’s up there. One Of Us Must Know was a standout track, it’s been a long time since I heard that and I really loved it. Listening to this album is like walking into a saloon, it just feels older than his early solo work. The band is on point and Dylan doesn’t disappoint with his trademark, sometimes over the top, descriptive lyrics. Great album.
Love the lyrics. Never got used to the voice
Favourite tracks: rainy day woman; I want you; visions of Joanna; just like a woman
Tylsä af, en tykkää yhtään Dylanin äänestä/tavasta laulaa
Makumatka Bluesin syövereihin
Vittu tää äijä kyl rakastaa huuliharppuaan. Alussa se oli hauskaa, keskivälissä vähän puuduttavaa ja lopussa olin jo et vedä bob viel yks huuliharppusoolo. En myöskään pystyny lopettaa sen ajattelemista et timothee chalamet tulee näyttelee bob dylanii ja i hate to admit it but i kinda see it....
I understand the sentiment many have about certain artists maybe appearing on this list more than is warranted. But I’ve personally never felt this way towards Bob Dylan. Ever since I heard his sophomore album, I’ve genuinely looked forward to hearing the best of his career. Plus, as the weather gets colder and closer to autumn, his music really seems to thrive. I’m making a pretty big jump here, to Blonde on Blonde. Which is one of the most critically well received records he ever put out. It was the finale to the trilogy of rock records he put out in the mid-60s, which many would argue was the best period of his career. And it definitely feels like a direct evolution of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. It highlights every aspect of what makes this version of Dylan so memorable. The backing band is definitely present, but it works best when the changes they are adding are more subtle. Like the brief snippets of organ sprinkled in here and there. And although I didn’t really need to hear another album to know if I was sure of it, this listen absolutely cemented my thoughts on Dylan as a writer. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for the argument to be made that he is the greatest lyricist of our time. I can’t think of any other artist who can claim to be a Nobel laureate for literature. His style is distinct, evocative, strange, and infinitely influential. The dude has been around for 60 years. Name one famous rock artist that’s made music between 1975 and now, and I can guarantee you Dylan inspired them in some way. And there are some absolute career highlights here. Visions of Johanna would be the magnum opus of an average person, but it kind of just feels like another song for him. I think that’s what draws me to his music so much. For as much of a rockstar as he is, something about him has always felt very ordinary and normal. He represented the same corner of music as Jerry Seinfeld once represented for comedians. I’ll be honest though. This isn’t as good as I anticipated. Considering it’s a double album, it maybe drags on a bit longer than it needs to. And some of these tracks sound very similar to each other. But by no means is this a bad album. Rating: 7/10
I don't like Bob Dylan's voice, so it's difficult to enjoy any of his stuff.
Meget same nærmest naivt anime agtigt
Dylan is altijd goed...
I don't know why I keep on doing this to myself - hopefully this is the last damn Bob Dylan album on this list. I can't do this, I'm sorry Bob.
One of the best
Not using a private spotify session, though I thought about it. It's hard to get past Dylan's nasally drone and my dislike of that much harmonica, but the melody sound nice and I've been told that he is a great lyricist. There is definitely appeal here, but I don't get why people rave.
Not my favorite. Can’t get into Dylan
As great and envelope-pushing as it is nasal and occasionally soporific. It rewards repeated listening but also punishes it. Dylan leans into his craft and elevates songwriting both for previous and future generations. The production lacks bottom, but Dylan's vitriol pushes the beat forward. Like the blurred cover portrait, though, you can feel his hard edges softening.
All sounds the same. There are much better Springsteen albums around!
Such an iconic cover photo. What's on Bob's mind? Is he sad? Is he angry? Has he forgotten where he parked the TARDIS? I believe this is the moment he thought up the line "her fog, her amphetamine, and her pearls" and is saying to himself, Bob, that slaps. Surprisingly, this is pretty good. Half a point off for too much harmonica and another half for going on too long (I'm looking at you Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands - her eyes were sad because Bob just wouldn't stop singing and she had to get up for work in the morning).
i think bob dylan would be way cooler if there was less of him. maturing is not immediately giving this album one star in retribution for having to listen to too much bob in the car as a kid. 3 points for being way nicer than yesterday's (perspective is a wonderful thing), harmonica skillz, and also the fact that the record cover is great to take photos of over your face from a slight distance
I have similar feelings about this album to Dylan's earlier album Bringing It All Back Home, although the latter is better in my eyes. Dylan has a weird vocal that, in many cases/genres, would be very unappetising – but he generally makes it work. His sound is also immediately recognisable and distinctive, primarily because of his voice but also his melodies, which often center around "blue notes" (e.g. F# or Eb during a C major chord) or his very long rambly lines that only commit to rhyming at the very end (or sometimes not at all). These "Dylanesque" motifs are strangely comforting amidst all the horrific Britpop, hip-hop, and post-punk on this list. It's also fun to see these patterns and how they shaped folk rock for years to come. Unfortunately, unlike his predecessor albums Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde On Blonde doesn't have any particularly standout tracks. They're all just kind of "there" – good, but not great. (I'm disregarding the lyrics here, because that's the way I prefer to listen to music. Judging by the reviews, the lyrics easily bump this album to a 4 or higher.) Absent are the fresh organs and biting phrasing of Like A Rolling Stone, or the memorable melody of Mr Tambourine Man and Subterranean Homesick Blues. In addition, there's really a lack of variety and adventurousness (other than being one of the very first double-albums) – especially looking at it through a modern lens. 3/5 Key tracks: Just Like A Woman, I Want You, Absolutely Sweet Marie
Not the biggest Dylan fan. This is fine.
I can appreciate Dylan but I can’t enjoy him. It just doesn’t grab me
One of the best Dylan Albums, lovely listen
Boring
3 out of 5. I'd say this matches Freewheelin' as far as placement goes, maybe just above. Some songs, like Mobile, ran on longer than they probably should have. I said it on my last Dylan album review and I'll say it again that this whole list needs to be revised and lower the amount of duplicate artists appearing.
Bob being himself I fear...
Upon listening to the first track, I thought this record was probs not for me. I carried on trying to be less judgemental of a genre I am less familiar with and surprised myself. I particularly enjoyed the lyrics, they tell a believable story when trying to, and express very real feeling, not glamourised or embellished. Some of the songs were not for me, and this is not the type of thing I would usually listen to, but i still enjoyed the record overall :) Plus cool album name and cover! Highlights: - Visions of Johanna - One of us must know (SoL) - I want you - Just like a woman <3 - Absolutely sweet Marie - Fourth time around - Obviously five believers - sad-eyed lady
Nyt selvisi se, että en voi sietää Bob Dylanin lauluääntä.
I'm more a seventies Dylan fan. Some of it is probably a bit dated and hippy lyrically. I've owned this album for decades but haven't really played it or thought about it for a long time. I feel that very few double albums can maintain a consistent standard throughout this one probably makes seventy five percent.
Bob Dylan gives me the creeps and his music sucks
If you’ve already made up your mind on Dylan, this album probably won’t change your mind even though it’s phenomenal. Yes, there’s a great deal of harmonica. Yes, his voice is nasally. 5 stars.
A lot of these lyrics are really fucking off putting and creepy/egotistical at best. The delivery is one of the most irritating things ever put to record. I retain as a child and don’t get Dylan at /all/. What a fucking slog persisting with this this was. Absolutely dreading him coming up again.
A lot of these lyrics are really fucking off putting and creepy/egotistical at best. The delivery is one of the most irritating things ever put to record. I retain as a child and don’t get Dylan at /all/. What a fucking slog persisting with this this was. Absolutely dreading him coming up again.
NO, NO, NO! Not Bob Dylan, AGAIN!!! Bunch of noise! One star is too high.
Bob Dylan never leaves you cold.
People rave about this, but to me it's incomprehensible. I Want You is probably the most typical Dylan song for me, i.e. stuffed with imagery that makes no sense, huffed out in his unique but imitable style. Although I would like to be wrong, I really think the emperor has no clothes.
Welp, I guess it's about that once a decade point in time where I try out a Bob Dylan record to see if I finally get it. I don't.
I have to admit I'm coming around on older Bob Dylan music. It's almost festive in a simple way, and enjoyable to listen to. I especially liked the last song: Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands.
Love Dylan, I'm glad I got to listen to this today.
3.5☆/5 09.02.2024
scheiss harmonika. hated it
Blurry man, for god's sake, stop abusing that harmonica
He has a very unique voice, his little harmonica thingy is pretty versatile too. Too slow for my liking but 8.348/10.
Visions of Johanna is a great song. Rest of it is good too 4/5
I'm a Phil Ochs guy but this wasn't bad
Superb. Will listen again.
Not my favorite Dylan which I came to much later than I did for favourites like Blood on the Tracks, Bringing it on Home, John Wesley Harding and especially Highway 61. The first time I listened to the album from start to finish I found nothing revelatory. I already knew about half the songs and the one's I didn't sounded like filler rather than classic deep cuts. It doesn't help that musically it is blues album a genre I don't have much fondness for. Comparing directly to highway 61, this is a much more subtle album with better or at least more varied arrangements than 61, but 61 is more visceral and in your face with songs that demand your attention. B on B reminds me of The Basement Tapes another album that never grabbed me. It's still Dylan in his prime so their are a bunch of great and important songs but the throwaways like Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat, keep it from a top ranking from me. 4 stars
Have it on vinyl. Blow your harmonica, son.
Classic album. Pretty solid overall
Honestly I had trouble focusing on the lyrics or melodies because I was so distracted by Bob Dylan's weird vocal style. The twang at the end of his lines is probably an acquired taste and maybe if I force myself to hear him sing like this over and over I could tolerate it.
I came around on this one. At first it seemed a little meh. But then the tracks really grew on me and I heard a lot of influence on bands I really enjoy today. Solid one.
Completely insufferable
My 100th album! I do struggle with the singing but the music and lyrics are brilliant and I realize it's on purpose. Not my favourite but can recognise quality 4.5
Had already put this album on favorites for future listening after an earlier Bob Dylan album on here. Definitely worth listening to.
Everybody must get stoned! Stuck Inside Of ..., Sad-Eyed Lady ... and I Want You are three of my absolute favorite Bob Dylan tracks. Absolute classic album and easily one of the best Bob Dylan albums.
Dit was de eerste LP die ik kreeg van mijn vader. Fantastisch album, al had ik wel wat tijd nodig om het te appreciëren. Een 15-jarige luistert namelijk doorgaans niet naar Bob Dylan. Op m'n 18e terug uit m'n kast gehaald en damn, wat een album. 4.6 sterren, want hij heeft betere.
My favorite Dylan album (along with Time out of Mind). Whether you like him, his voice, or not this is the album that you can clearly hear his influence and poetry and how he very much drove a change in popular music almost by himself.
Not my cup of tea but I respect the artist
Why did he think (and his fans) that piano bar music was ok? A few great songs but not many.
In high school, I worked 1 week for two summers on the cornfields. I remember downloading albums like "Top 100 country hits" and a wide selection of Bob Dylan "best ofs". Blonde on Blonde took me back to those times. I loved it.
His harmonica played the skeleton keys and his brand new leopard skin electric guitar solo jaded the folk scene. But it is the way this noble poet half-spoke his rhymes like a slow-motion rapper that "showed, corrode, flowed, the road, was owed" and "explodes" in our ears. A great album that rewards repeated listening. Four 'I-want-you's plus a 'so-bad-honey'. 4.5
This album is not really my vibe
5/5
This album has some good tracks and the also brings to mind the realization that a little Bob Dylan goes a long way.
one of the best of dylan albums from his peak years, also regarded as the one that got him the nobel prize. favorite track: i want you other picks: visions of johanna, stuck inside a mobile, leopard-skin pill-box, just like a woman
ehrlich? ich glaube das war das erste album von dylan welches ich einfach geniessen konnte! tolle songs, präzise gespielte instrumente und gute arrangements. gerne wieder!
Fantastic
This one still creeps into a 5 star rating and used to be arguably my favorite but it has since fallen since I’ve relistened thru his iconic run again. The songs do tend to go on and on compared to his other stuff which slogs it down. Still a lot of my favorite tracks on here though. Rating: 4.6
Blonde On Blonde, expertedly documented in the biography Bob Dylan In America, is an ambitious double album concluding the unparalleled album output that Dylan achieved in the 60s. A level he would not reach again until 1975's Blood On The Tracks. The decision to move the recording sessions to Nashville and find new allies in the form of prominent studio musicians turned out to be brilliant. Dylan's lyrical work is of course great, but it's the accompanying band that really sells Blonde On Blonde for me. 'Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again' might be my favourite studio recording ever with the keys and guitar almost playing as many tricks throughout as there are twists and turns in Dylan's fantastic narrative.
Dylan probably never had a better band than the one on Blonde On Blonde. Another peak in his 60's discography, almost making it seem like an entire mountain range.
Blah
4.5★. A bit like the Beatles' White album in that it’s not the greatest collection of songs necessarily but it is a thoroughly enjoyable ride for me nonetheless. Moreover, this one happens to be one of my favorite favorite soundscapes in general. And besides the many fun songs you have the unimpeachable Vision of Johanna + Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again + Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. (The latter two especially are some of my favorite songs of all time, with their swirling, dizzying, hypnotic repetition that just goes on and on and on in a wonderful crescendo.)
- I don't think I need to write anything about this one .... -
No. Fuck you, Bob.
Ole Bob cuts loose a little here. Some pretty fun songs even though his singing is Bob singing.
Didn’t hate this one, definitely prefer more of his other work but this one wasn’t too bad. Added a few to the playlist so I came away respecting it
Definitely not a must
This is so fantastic - from start to finish. One of my favourite Dylan albums, although I have a good handful of massive favourites of his.
Folk Rock isn't exactly my thing, but I think that the music is okay. The rest, that is Dylan's lyrics and his voice and the way he sings, especially on this album, is between boring and annoying.
C'est bon, mais c'est long. Je comprend qu'il y a tout un arc narratif qui se cache derrière les lyrics, mais d'un point de vue musical, les tounes semblent trop étirées, comme s'il s'était rendu compte dans le milieu qu'il devait remplir un double album. Sa voix est aussi un hit or miss pour beaucoup, pour mon goût il était pas mal tout le temps dans la zone verte. Le son folk est bien travaillé tout au long de l'album et les solos d'harmonica ferais rougir les solos de bien des guitaristes de ce top. All in all, c'est un bon double album qui aurait pu être excellent une fois condensé en un album simple, qui aurait pu compétitionner avec Bringing It All Back Home.
Not my favourite Dylan album. A fair number of the songs are very good but they go on a bit.
I was already familiar with Bob Dylan as a folk legend who pivoted towards rock halfway through the 1960s. I saw that this album was the third of a trilogy where he was making that rock pivot. Yet, I was unprepared for the twisted marching band sound of the opening track "Rainy Day Women". That was surprising, but still pretty good. The rest of Blonde on Blonde might not have the same initial shock value as that first track, but it's still got a lot of good folk-rock songs that occasionally dip into blues. Tracks like "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again", "Just Like a Woman" and "Obviously Five-Believers" are well executed by Dylan and the session musicians, as he delivers lyrics exploring difficult relationships and double entendres, all culminating into the 11-minute closer "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" in dedication to his first wife Sara Lownds. There are only two contentious points to be had with the album. First is the overall length, clocking in at over 70 minutes where a break in between was necessary. Second is Dylan's vocal delivery, which is a make-or-break deal for getting into his work. I enjoyed Blonde on Blonde as a whole, and look forward to checking out the other two albums in this rock trilogy.
I've had a lot of Bob Dylan albums now, but I'm pleased to say this is on the higher-end of the scale. I don't really like his warbly voice, and I'd still rather he wasn't always defaulting to his harmonica all the time, but the song-writing is undoubtedly good and there's some jams in here. It's got a real nice vibey upbeat feel to it for the most part. 3.5 rounded up.
I said it once and I'll say it again: I'll like Dylan when he respects women in his lyrics.
I'm definitely a music over lyrics type, but can appreciate Dylan since I can at least hear what he's singing. Tracks 3-6 are fantastic, as is the final one. There is a five star single LP within the overlong double album. One of Us Must Know might now be my favourite Bob Dylan song.
6.5/10 This is very Bob Dylan, so if you like him you’ll like this. It plays into his strength - singing style, poetic lyrics, harmonica, guitar. But it doesn’t exactly mix it up, making it very monotone and probably 3 to 4 tracks too long. Sorry bob, you get boring after a while. Best: One of Us Must Know
solid effort from the weird little fella
He really does have a stupid voice though doesn't he
Classic - some excellent tracks. At points over-indulgent lyrics but not enough to spoil the album
I really don't care too much for Bob, but can't deny his greatness and relevance to the times and music at large.
"Visions of Johanna" is everything I have ever wanted a song to sound like, what I've wanted a song to say to me. It is my favorite song of all time, across all artists, time periods, and genres. "Visions of Johanna" is a masterpiece of symmetry, returning to its main theme just when it's supposed to, neither a moment too soon nor too late. It is a song wherein the present wrestles with the past, where mundane life struggles against (and ultimately loses to) shining memory. It possesses some of Dylan's most unforgettable and most poetic lyrics, simultaneously clear and inscrutable, such as "Mona Lisa must have had the highway blues, you can tell by the way she smiles" and "Little boy lost, he takes himself so seriously." It's like Dylan is talking about something particular and universal at the same time. And then there is the pure word painting, where the music comes to life in frightening clarity: "the ghost of electricity howls in the bones of her face" or "the harmonica plays skeleton keys in the rain". And through it all, the visions of Johanna haunt him. He cannot be free of her, no matter what he does, no matter where he runs, no matter whom he fucks. Every day the sun sets, the world quiets, and he is left alone with his thoughts, full of visions of Johanna. All night long. I don't know a more perfect song. If "Desolation Row" is a world unto itself, "Johanna" is the world of one man's mind, and that is just as vast. There are three musical gravity wells on this album: "Visions of Johanna", "Just Like a Woman", and "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands". For me, the whole album revolves around these three masterpiece tracks. Like Johanna in the song about her, the woman in "Just Like a Woman" is both specific and general, showcasing the personal heartbreak a man might feel when faced with a messy breakup as well as the lashing out he might do against the entire opposite sex. But more than this, it's clear he is criticizing a certain type of woman, not because she is a woman but rather because she is vapid and vain, like a socialite or a debutante. The lyrics "just like a woman" are like some kind of beautiful triple spondee, where each word is stressed, driving home the message in what looks on paper to be overkill but in reality turns out to be just what the brain wants to hear. Like the last word in an argument. This is Dylan sneering, and his sneer can pull anyone down from his (or her) horse. As Bowie sings, "a line from your old scrapbook could send her home again." Words are weapons, and Dylan is a master smith. Dylan sculpts a woman out of words on "SAd eyed lAdy of the LOWlaNDS", a beautiful, epic meditation--almost religious in music and song construction--on the effect Sara Lownds is having and going to have on his life, how her footsteps toward him are the footsteps of doom, woman...come to tear down the pride and riches of a world-famous musician. The way to her is barred, however, as long as his warehouses are laden with silver, gold, and every trinket embodying the vanity of man. Shall he leave it all by her gate? Like the other two anchors on this album, "Sad Eyed Lady" feels at once intensely personal (autobiographical) and generally philosophical, as if--if you were but to crush it a little--you can apply this song to any woman you might know intimately.
Bob Dylan is mid
Enjoyed the music.
Listening to this album made me want to kill myself. Bob Dylan's whiney talk-singing and the shrill harmonica made my ears bleed.
Just reminded me of Neil Young, in that the music itself is nice but the vehicles are very distracting and unpleasant. The songs have a interesting structure and the lyrics seem probably artistic and meaningful. Most of that was drowned out by Bob Dylan sounding like a caricature of himself.
легко и весело
Gonna catch flack for this but i don’t like this era dylan much at all.
It doesn't manage to keep my interest. I'm always sound>lyrics so Dylan is often a miss for me.
Top 5 songs 1. Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again 2. Absolutely Sweet Marie 3. One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) 4. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat 5. Visions of Johanna
Having not really listened to much Dylan - it’s a daunting task on where to start. One of the main reasons I started this project was to discover albums just like this! Incredible! I’m starting to get the whole Dylan thing! How can something make you feel equal measures solemn and happy at the same time? I haven’t felt that since I had a really difficult wank in 2015. 4.8
4.5
Hupsista keikkaa ei ole arvostekua muistettu laittaa... niin masentava albumi masentavat aiheet en itse pidä masennuksen harjoittamisesta onsekumma tälläistä halutaan vapaaehtoisesti päähän laitattaa..
One of the first double albums in the history of rock music and boy does it pay off. This is one of the most expansive musical statements of all time, simple as that
It's literally Bob Dylan
cannot believe i'm giving this a 5 but on relisten it really is THAT good
Wish I had more to say about this one, I wrote a review a week ago then lost it. Probably for the best too, I was extremely drunk based on the fact that I was moments away from turning 20 when I listened to this. So I have no idea how coherent that review would've been. Anyway, this is the best Bob Dylan album, he's one of the best songwriters to ever live and this is his finest achievement. 9.5/10
Not a huge Dylan fan. It's a pretty boring album and some of the songs are dumb.
Gotta be in the mood to have your ears talked off to enjoy Bob Dylan. Today, I did. Over half of the songs were just okay, but I appreciated the standouts. I don’t think I liked this album more than The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, but it still has its charm and reason to be sung. You get to hear how he strains notes at the end of his sentences in every song. Standouts: One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later), I Want You, Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues, Fourth Time Around, and Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands.
Bueno
Bob Dylan is a very polarizing artist for me. Sometimes he is tolerable, sometimes not. This album was tough to get through. The first track could have passed as a literal Adam Sandler skit, complete with the laughs, then it got real nasally real quick. Bob also seems to double or triple the amount of vowels in some words and it got to be where I had to cut several tracks short. There were also some oddly specific songs like the Leopard print hat one. It plays out as extremely bitter about a little hat. Mobile and Memphis is also pretty unrelatable. I understand his influence to the music world, but one of the bigger artists I just don't click with. Favorite track "One of us must know" 2/5
Brilliant
I'm not going to get into whether this is Dylan's BEST album.
Not great
Very chill just very samey
Highway 51 is the masterpiece, but this is superb. My god, Dylan, beach boys, Beatles, Who. Those acts that grew incredibly as artists. 18 months earlier, you’d never have picked Dylan doing this. Just superb. One of the few double albums I can abide. 25000 stars.
Ever feel like the odd one out? I intellectually 'get' that he's a good song writer . The folk Blues style music. But his wonky wah-wah / louche, almost drunkassstykised singing voice (like when Alan Ginsburg did that reading) stops me enjoying or getting any real emotional connection to the music. Especially in this album. He may have captured the voice of a generation. Try as I might I can't plug in .
I probably didn’t hear these songs in their double-album format until I got a copy in the early 70’s - I couldn’t afford to buy single albums in the 60’s, let alone expensive doubles. But I knew it from the two singles it spawned in Australia - Rainy Day Women & Just Like A Woman - which both were Top Ten hits on Sydney’s 2UE Top 40. (Although I think the Manfred Mann cover of Just Like A Woman, one of four Dylan covers that band had hits with between 1965/68, got a lot more airplay than Bob’s original.) I found I Want You on a cheap CBS sampler, “26 Groovy Greats Volume 2”(1967) - I kid you not. The rest of the album I heard in bits & pieces, mainly from John Thompson’s Underground, a late-night radio show on 2UW. Highlights? It would be easier to consider what isn’t a highlight on this record. Dylan broke the rules again - the first rock double-album & the fact he agreed to record it in Nashville and use country session musos. It worked. My faves? Visions Of Johanna - one of rock’s finest lyrics, let alone Dylan’s, & one of his most compelling vocals, with Robbie Robertson’s guitar & Joe South’s bass outstanding; Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again - memorable lines abound here; Most Likely You Go Your Way &I’ll Go Mine - in 2007 I went out & bought a 7” single (for an extravagant price) of the Mark Ronson remix, because I was a Ronson fan, but found it quite underwhelming - it’s like toying with perfection; & Absolutely Sweet Marie - a great tune & I can’t tell you how I laughed years later when I read what the phrase “beating on my trumpet” meant. I’ve also always loved the fact that 4th Time Around was Dylan’s reply to The Beatles Norwegian Wood. And that Joan Baez still believes Sad Eyed Lady was written about her, even though Dylan insists it was about his new wife Sara Lownds & that her surname is part of the word Lowlands. It’s a record I love deeply.
Blonde on Blonde; what can you say about this album that hasn't been said before? It is really great, but secretly, I don't enjoy it all that much. There are some all time classic songs and performances on here, but I still find it a bit like homework. As a record collector, of course I have a copy on my shelves, but it is not the Dylan album I reach for. And I find it a bit long. truth be told, I think it could have been trimmed to an outstanding single album (much like Highway 61 Revisited or Bringing It All Back Home). But Dylan's gonna Dylan, and you can't stop him..
His voice really took a moment to warm up to, but about a quarter into the album is when I really started to appreciate it. I love his lyrics and overall had a great time with this album!
A classic
Reminds me of mum
first time listener!!! i loved the bit with the harmonica
Shall I be the skipping record and repeat all that others have said before me? Dylan might be an auteur, and technically speaking a chansonnier, but his delivery shouldn't be something applauded... And then, while I am typing this, "Just Like a Woman" plays, and you forget about the fact that Dylan doesn't have a pretty voice, and you lose yourself in the magic that can be music. So, 3 1/2 ***
harmonica
Didn’t like it
Songs so essential they are woven into the very fabric of the culture.
Another masterpiece by Dylan. It's wild how many classic songs this guy has written. 5 stars all day on this one.
Pretty good after all these years.
Bon harmonica, but rien de si nice que ça
Cool
Blah, blah, stoned, blah.
own
ну что сказать? охуенный, пиздатый, невбъебенный альбом!
Love this album, track 3-7 are incredible!
2 Sterne. Lieder zu lang, und der nuschelt so
My favorite Dylan album. Highway 61 Revisited might be his first electric album, but I think this one is the one that truly showed that it was the future. Lyrically, instrumentally, and emotionally it’s still in a tier of its own.
damn he really ramped up his harmonica usage compared to highway 61 revisited. someone gotta get the harmonica away from this menace. anyway, its a nice album and i enjoyed it as much as i did for highway 61 revisited. i really liked the run from one of us must know to just like a woman; hit after hit besides leopard skin pill box hat but that songs still fine. pretty indifferent to most of side a and c but theyre still nice songs. pledging my time sounded like a comedy relief song until bob started singing and i found that really funny for some reason. the lyrics overall are pretty nice, though im not really one to dive too deep into it. id listen to most of these again. 4 personal favs: one of us must know, i want you, sad eyed lady of the lowlands
I wasn’t able to give this the time it deserved, but the middle was incredible writing
Poetic folk + blues rock from the master Bob Dylan. Hard to contextualize that this album came out almost 60 years ago, as it still sounds relevant. Dylan spits his wordy, visual, lyrical stories while the musicians serve the songs perfectly - contributing and enhancing the songs without being flashy or distracting from Dylan’s ramblings. A monumental album for the future of rock music. All good songs, some brilliant songs, that mesh well together to make a cohesive and innovative album.
the songs i love on this album i 5 out of 5 love. The others, i’m indifferent to. The quality of the songs i like is enough and frequent enough for 4 stars.