Highway 61 Revisited

> the Beatles

It's a pretty good sign when I'm already starting to sing along with a song partway through my first time listening to it ("Tombstone Blues").

Rating: 4.5/5 Favourite Track: Queen Jane Approximately, Highway 61 Revisited Honourable Mentions: Like a Rolling Stone, Tombstone Blues, Ballad of a Thin Man A fun and chill album that's really heavy on story-telling and bluesy tones. I also approve of the harmonica but that may be a hot take. People in this review section seem to be divided by Bob Dylan's singing style, but I personally think it adds to the stories that are told through the music. In the context of 1965, this album is so ahead of its time because it wasn't just music, it was a seismic event that forced listeners to reconsider what popular art could accomplish.

As someone only familiar with the mainstream image and popularity of Dylan, this album was an incredibly fresh introduction to his catalogue. Bob is an amazing storyteller, whether fact or fiction, and several songs on this album show that in spades.

It’s what you expect from Bob Dylan!

Like the electric sound and rhythm and meaning from Dylan’s lyrics. Sensational

Best Dylan Album

4/5

Do I need to watch the movie still or is this sufficient? Best Song: Like A Rolling Stone Rating: 8.0/10 4 Stars

I was surprised how much I liked a previous Bobby D record on this list. This is more what I expect. It’s very Bob Dylan-y. This is good and bad. The reasons I don’t think I like him are back (the voice, mainly). But there are a lot of classic songs. I feel like, with a bit of a push, I might be able to get over my natural dislike for the way his voice sounds. It reminded me that I always used to think that he provided good songs for other people to cover. And I still feel like that. But I’m warming to him a bit more.

Hard linked to some tough moments in my past classic but powerfully painful

Solid listening for a day. Not sure how many other times I'll revisit this album in my life, though.

Great album!

Ik kan Dylan echt steeds beter waarderen. Over die stem moet je een beetje heen stappen. 3.5/5

god, this must be an incredible album to drive to. i don't think Dylan meant for the album to be heard on the car stereo (although it was possible in 1965 with the 8 track release) but the whole thing starts out feeling like you're undertaking this great journey in a big junky car, and you drive through the plains the whole time watching the telephone poles whoosh by and keeping note of every roadside stand and abandoned barn on the side of the building. you start asking yourself questions about what those barns were like, what people lived in them, what the memorials mean, and on and on until you come to a crash of thought and reason during the final stretch. i'm not a huge fan of tracks 3 and 4, but everything else feels killer, just loose and freewheeling. if i could pack as much venom as Dylan does in the chorus of "Like a Rolling Stone", i'd have killed millions. i really wanna invest in a CD of this and learn how to drive. it should also be summer. it just feels right.

This is the best of what we've listened to. Of the 4+ Dylan albums, I think I like this one the best.

Listened: 21/02/2025 Album no: 21 % rating: 78% Fave Song: Desolation Rown Absolutely love Bob Dylan, and love this album. Not my first time listening and definitely won’t be my last. Dylan was a big inspiration for me getting on the road with my guitar and playing gigs when I was younger. Great stuff. Love this.

It's Bob Dylan. Iconic.

classic. does it hold up or is it overplayed? Nah its good. a little sleepy and old-school, but classic.

A straight classic from Bob! Might not be my favorite from him but still a very good record. 8/10

yeah of course this one’s good

Oh thank god. I really thought I was just gonna not get bob Dylan after the last two albums, but here we go! First off, it’s the first of his albums that hasn’t felt like it dragged, despite being nearly an hour long, the songs are much better than anything I’ve heard off the other two, and his writing is still on point. Keep it up bob! Hopefully I enjoy the rest of your albums this much?

Previously Heard: A few scorching tracks, a few meh ones. Not my favourite Dylan album. Quintessential Dylan listening nonetheless.

Bob Dylan is always hit and miss, but this one is a hit. Opening track is good.

It reminds me of family I once had in a country I once knew.

Some of it goes over my head but my word this is great

Loved it!

A great collection of some of my favorite Dylan songs. Ballad of a Thin Man has a cool tone and story to it.

Interesting. I thought Bob Dylan only sounded like he does in the opening track, and never have it a second thought. He's good. I can see why so many people like him so much. Solid. My rating: 4/5, looking forward to other entries of his on the list.

Great album. Loved like a rolling stone. Great guitars and stora telling. Relatable in a lot of ways.

As a man in his forties, it is a challenge to listen to Bob Dylan at the height of his success - heights not many individuals match - carping at the downfalls and shortcomings of others. Even if 'Like A Rolling Stone' isn't about Edie Sedgewick's degradation in New York... Even if 'Queen Jane Approximately' isn't about the uncool Joan Baez and unhip Pete Seeger, now outgrown by Dylan... Even if, as some Dylanologists suggest, these diatribes are hard self-reflection on the effects of fame on the singer, they are bitter, sneering, and callous. They are the postcards sold at the hanging - takedowns exploited for coin. These are brilliant songs, of course. As are 'Ballad of a Thin Man' and 'Desolation Row,' although both fuelled by contempt for the listener: are you smart enough to know that there is no there there? This may be a clever response to the constant questioning about meaning he received in 1965, but sixty years later is hardly an edifying experience in itself. In comparison, John Lennon responded to similar inquery with 'I am the Walrus,' which is funny, charming, and welcoming. It is telling that this abuse and debasement is absent or tangential in tracks 2-4, three joyless slogs of no musical interest. Without the fire of self-righteousness, nothing sparks. I may have been the same when I was that age. Or I might have been if I had the cultural capital that Dylan could afford to torch. But, looking down the near end of middle age, I have enough acid reflux of my own without dealing with Dylan's. If I want to listen to a twenty-something who thinks he's smarter than me and everyone else, I'll take a call from my son. It would be the same length and there'd be no bloody harmonica. 3.5 It has been a few years since I sat down and listened to Highway 61. I have long had a mental picture of it as essentially two giant songs sandwiching a mixed bag of very good, somewhat goofy songs and dull, goofy blues procedurals. This time it changed for me. The curtailed phrasing and premature wail of delight that makes special It Takes a Lot to Laugh… and the marvellous, loose interplay between Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper in From a Buick 6 have become unexpected highlights for me. Tombstone Blues and Just Like Tom Thumbs still fall rather flat despite their energy but on the whole - this is a terrific album. 4/5

Incredible album. Found myself really enjoying each song, with great instrumentation and great lyrics.

Undeniably great album. Well known and lesser known songs are likewise interesting in their lyrics and musically rocking. Can have it on as the only thing you’re paying attention to or as enjoyable background to dip in and out of. So far I have yet to find a Dylan album I don’t enjoy.

It's good of course, but I'm starting to approach my Dylan LimitTM with this list.

Very good but a lot of it is not really my kind of music

I tried to listen to this album like 10 years ago and turned it off after track 2 thinking that he's just not for me. I still didn't care for those first two songs but I enjoyed most of the rest of it. I'll take Freewheelin' over this but I'm still interested into listening to more of his stuff.

Call me Judas if you must, but I prefer this to The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. 4.6 stars...rounding down.

Other than the obvious Like a Rolling Stone, I quite liked the moody Ballad of a Thin Man and Queen Jane Approximately, with its backing piano. Title track is good too, really the whole back half of the album is. Especially Desolation Row, a somber folk epic at 11+ minutes long. There's a lull in the first half, and overall it's maybe just too much harmonica for me, but I am a sucker for albums with a really strong opener and closer.

Ah, my third Bob Dylan album, and finally it’s one that I’m familiar with. I can’t remember when I first got this album, but I’m pretty sure it was at the recommendation of a friend of mine who was a big Bob Dylan fan. Bob Dylan is one of those artists that I say that I like, but I never know if I genuinely like him, or I just feel like I should because of how much I love music. I haven’t listened to Highway 61 Revisited from start to finish in quite a while; I usually just listen to “Like a Rolling Stone” and then call it quits, because I know that’s my favorite song on the album. However, I’m excited to revisit this today, especially since I’ve been underwhelmed by the Bob Dylan albums I’ve reviewed so far. This is easily the best Dylan album I’ve reviewed so far, but it was a little short of a five-star album for me. I really love Bob Dylan’s nasally tone on this album, something that was sadly missing from Blood on the Tracks. I love the pacing of his singing as well, and the way he works his way through each line of his songs. Mark Knopfler from Dire Straits and Adam Granduciel from The War on Drugs are some of my favorite vocalists because of their ability to channel Bob Dylan in their voices, and it was so great to be reminded of that while listening to this album. Dylan’s songwriting is incredible, and Highway 61 Revisited is a shining example of his talent. However, at over 50 minutes, I find it really tiresome to be flooded with a non-stop barrage of idioms, parables, and figurative language. I don’t mind lyrics that require a deeper dive, but this album is just too much for me on that front. Musically though, I really love the guitar, piano, and organ that were used on this album. Even though the lyrics can be a bit much for me at times, Highway 61 Revisited is a treat on the ears. The tone of the guitar is fantastic, and Dylan does a great job of blending the blues with folk music. “Like a Rolling Stone” is still my favorite song on the album. Musically, it’s a feast for the ears, Dylan’s vocals are perfect, and the allegorical lyrics are straightforward enough to not be cumbersome. I really love “Tombstone Blues” and “Queen Jane Approximately” as well; they both have some great guitar playing. “Tombstone Blues” has a great upbeat tempo, but at the other end of the spectrum, I love “Queen Jane Approximately” for being a bit more like a ballad, with a fantastic organ arrangement during its chorus. While I don’t think Highway 61 Revisited is perfect, I still think it’s a great album, and it more than earns its inclusion on this list.

Classic Dylan

Lyrics as thoughtful as good poetry

Sounds very of the times.

Probably his best work. I really enjoy the overall album and think it has quite a few great tracks. Great sequencing too. The biggest thing that holds it back is it's repetitiveness at certain points. 4/5

Pretty nice

forgot how much i loved this, just plain brilliance if it was a tad bit more versatile i'd have given it a 5 but a 4 isn't bad either xx

Great!

# Album Name: Highway 61 # Artist: Bob Dylan # Rating: # Comments: I’m not sure what it is with Dylan. There’s a track which clicks here or there, yes he does have some great lyrics, but overall I just don’t see or feel the grand appeal of the man. Highway 61 is probably his best album ive heard to date. Its starts with the fantastic rolling stone but its hard for the rest of the album to live up to this track. Theres some good melodies and tunes but it feels more like a lazy sunday afternoon or something id stick on in the background. Theres just something missing which would take it to a 5. I enjoyed it but it wasnt great. I cant put it up there with the greatest albums or even a low 5. So a 4 it is. A good solid album. # Top Tunes: Rolling stone / thin man / queen jane / HW 61 # Would I listen to it again? Yes.

His voice is annoying but his lyrics are great. I particularly like Ballad of a thin man.

Gotta admit, never been a big dylan fan.But I did like this album.

who are you meant to be ? I’m Bob Dylan, man

Calming and peaceful without being boring. Really nice to listen to

Had some really classics inside like "lay lady lay"

Classic, although not my favorite kind of music.

This period for Bob is SO good. I don’t know why but I’ve passed on listening to this in the past. Won’t make that mistake again!

honestly I quite liked it. sure bob's voice is what it is, the full blown harmonica does not sound very well etc. but I think that's the point I think is supposed to sound "bad" because it reflects the situation of the society he was living in.

I’ve never listened to much Bob Dylan so glad to have gotten this chance. Like a Rolling Stone is a slow rock song that’s pretty nice but long! Tombstone Blues brings a little Southern rock into the album which I appreciate. Dylan’s voice is so unique, a bit of gravel and a bit of smoothness. Fave song: Queen Jane Approximately Least Fave Song: Highway 61 Revisited Rating: 4/5

continua a non piacermi il timbro della voce, ma degli album ascoltati fino ad ora forse quello che mi è piaciuto di più. strappa un 4 risicato

Solid poetry by the guy unashamed of how his voice sounds

I'm not the biggest Dylan fan, but this album is fine. There is some good songwriting. I don't really have much to say besides that. Low 4.

Beautiful album. One of my favorite songs ever belong to this album. Tho there are 2 I really can’t force myself to get into. The only thing holding this from a true 5 star album. 4 1/2 if I could.

deze was lang geleden dat ik die nog eens hoorde... en onterecht blijkbaar, steengoeie plaat!

This is probably what you would imagine the stereotypical Dylan album sounding like but it’s hard to say that’s a bad thing.

4 - I liked this side of Dylan better, lots of accessible tracks with a lot of meaning behind them

Easy classic

I like this more than I thought I would. I am glad that this album was selected instead of one of the folk albums, since I tend to not be a big fan of folk. "Like a Rolling Stone" is on this one, and it is the greatest song ever written, according to Rolling Stone (seems sus, but whatever). I'm more of a, "A Change is Gonna Come" guy myself. My personal enjoyment: 3⭐️ Did it belong on this list: 5⭐️

Is always good to listen Bob Dylan

One of his albums I actually liked and listened to in full.

The 4th album I have had on this list by him already! Generally this one is similar to the others, but a few really great tracks stand out including the excellent Desolation Row. Top track: Like a rolling stone

In fairly quick succession, this is the 4th album we’ve had from Dylan. This list has taught me that I prefer young Dylan. This is young Dylan. This is a good album. I have nothing left to say on Dylan.

A pleasant album

Phenomenal lyrics. One of his best albums.

Lyrics: 3/5 Music: 4/5 Production: 3/5 Cohesiveness: 4/5 Overall: 4/5 Stand out songs: Like a rolling stone It takes a lot to laugh, it takes a train to cry Wasn’t sure if this was a high 3 or a low 4. I’m going to go with a low 4 Starts off very strong with like a rolling stone. Everything in that song is amazing there’s no denying it. The lyrics with Dylan’s style of singing is more like a spoken poem over some solid blues music - but that’s to be expected. Some songs definitely go on a bit longer than would be ideal. I agree that Bob Dylan’s voice is not the best in some other albums, but I feel his voice sounds great for this style in a lot of the songs, especially on ‘it takes a lot’. There’s a few weaker songs filling in gaps around really really good songs.

Almost as influential as it gets. It really is a great album if not as enjoyable for me personally

Weiß nicht was alle haben, finds gut. Vor allem Like a Rolling Stone und Ballad of a Thin Man.

viele songs mag ich sehr gerne

Like a rolling stone is one of my favorite songs. The rest of the album is solid but each song drags on for too long.

It’s not that I’ve ever thought I don’t like Bob Dylan, but he’s just never featured that heavily in my life- I think I’ve been intimidated by his back catalogue and without having had the kind of parents who introduced me to his music, I’ve just never really sat down with a Bob album and tried to get to grips with who he is beneath the legend. I got myself into Desire because of Sara (god I wish it had an h) and I’ve listened to Blood on the Tracks a bit because I love the concept of a classic break up album, but I could barely even name another album, and I really only know the hits. But listening to Highway 61 revisited was like watching Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot or reading The Bell Jar- through cultural osmosis I already felt I knew what a Bob album was, even though I’d barely heard a note. Without sounding too grand, our culture’s built on archetypes, and Bob Dylan is the genesis of one of those- the original hipster. Even where the album surprised me in places (I was surprised by how accessible the music was, honestly) I was always acutely aware this was Bob, and I was someone listening to Bob, and where I was bemused in places I was following in the grand old tradition of being bemused by Bob- something people have done since time immemorial, or at least since he went electric (another cultural touchstone I know about without understanding why). It definitely felt like the world was easing me into this album with Like a Rolling Stone as an opener, because I’ve even sung it at karaoke (more on Bob impersonations later). Actually listening to the lyrics, I hadn’t really picked up on the fact that it’s addressed to a woman, which I found kind of interesting- I knew Bob was anti-war and generally a solid leftie, but this is pretty much an attack on preppies and the unthinking rich, which I took with me through the rest of the album. Musically, Tombstone Blues and It Takes a Lot to Laugh reminded me of a train on a track (another archetype, hobo on a freight train), complete with wailing guitar whistle, and Bob singing like a preacher, which I loved with the bible talk. The lyrics to the title track really stuck out to me- God and Abraham shooting the shit and then Highway 61 echoed throughout history with Louis Armstrong and (I think!) a Shakespeare reference- I thought about the devil and Robert Johnson on a dirt road, another American legend. The last verse of that one, with the gambler starting wars and bleachers in the sun, felt like a nod to the atom bomb, but I enjoyed that it might be literally anything else and I might have missed some minor historical reference to a fucking Italian newspaper headline from the 1830s. There are so many lyrics here (and across the album tbh) that feel a million miles over my head, which isn’t exactly off putting, but does feel intimidating- I completely understand why there are Bob scholars, and why they counted him as a writer enough to give him the Nobel. I started wondering if to really understand Bob Dylan, you have to understand all his references, or if it’s meant to pass over your head, and he’s trying to be intimidating. He didn’t turn up for the Nobel ceremony, and I wondered how he feels about all of the university courses that study his work. Is he laughing at us all? This album kind of reminded me of a good rap album, if there’s any way that makes sense- when I’m listening to Kendrick Lamar I’ll put the lyrics up, and that’s at least partially because I’m a massive nerd, but without them I feel like I’m missing the point, and this gave me the same urge. On the other hand, I know that Kendrick probably wants us to be doing that- he actually turned up for his Pulitzer award. When Bob does Desolation Row with 26 verses you’ve never heard before at a gig, is that because there’s so much meaning he needs to get out into the world, or is it because he doesn’t want you to sing along? Does he want his audience confused? On my rap point, Ballad of a Thin Man particularly sounds like a diss track. The whole way through I was wondering to myself who is Mr Jones? I wondered whether it was Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones especially since Like a Rolling Stone is at the start but then I wondered whether he WANTED ME TO BE WRONG. When I’m doing my impression of Bob at karaoke, it doesn’t sound like an impression of anyone else. There’s no voice like his and outside of karaoke nobody even tries- if anyone came out sincerely impersonating Bob these days, it would be the most embarrassing thing- you just can’t ape that and be taken seriously. But of course the point is, however embarrassing it is, on some level everyone is doing Bob. I might say Ballad of a Thin Man sounds a bit like Tom Waits, or I might say that “And he says “How does it feel/ To be such a freak?”/ And you say “Impossible”/ As he hands you a bone” sounds like Leonard Cohen- but pre-Bob they were both basically crooners. It’s impossible to imagine a world where Greenwich Village didn’t happen- that movement made Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment worth $22k/month and it’s the reason Essex lads wear skinny jeans. Again, without sounding insanely vague and highfalutin, listening to this album felt like reading Shakespeare- there’s absolutely no arguing it’s anything other than a foundational text, and objectively important. There’s absolutely nothing hipper than your cultural references being impenetrable, and I think Bob might be why.

This album was better than some of the other Dylan albums I’ve had during the project so far.

The sentiment I see online towards Bob Dylan still confuses me. Of course, music is subjective. So I can’t speak for everyone. But the avid hatred that some people maintain towards this gentleman and his music is kind of intense. I personally have yet to see what’s not to like. And each record I hear unravels another layer of his history. A history which has imprinted itself into the ethos of rock music and its evolution. When you have such a wide range of incredibly talented people who wish to follow in your footsteps, I think it’s a testament to the quality of your musicianship. Either way, I’m here to talk about Highway 61 Revisited. One of the many lauded records from his catalog. I guess you can pinpoint his sophomore album as the establishment of his sound, which would then be back up by The Times They Are A-Changin' and Another Side of Bob Dylan. So when Bringing It All Back Home released, which would then be followed by this album, it upset a lot of people. You were seeing one of the biggest contemporary folk artists of the time period and watching him transform his sound into something very different. Quickly Dylan became the man leading the charge on the electric folk and blues rock movement. This change would obviously be immense, as it would result in the highlights we see here, along with Blonde on Blonde. And much like the best which that record has to offer, these highlights are definitely career all-timers. I mean, opening with Like a Rolling Stone starts things off really strong, and makes it very difficult to do better. But the rest of the album generally maintains the same level of quality throughout. Ballad of a Thin Man and Desolation Row are two of the best ballads of all time, but I’ll admit that the latter maybe runs a little longer than it needs to. And the rest of the album is made up of really solid blues and folk songs like Tombstone Blues and the title track. As I continue to hear more and more of what Dylan has created, it becomes increasingly apparent to me that he is a lyricist few can compete with. He just has an unparalleled amount of charisma and each line he writes is both poetic and fascinating. Another thing I’ll never understand is the criticism towards his voice. He lies in the same category as Neil Young, and they both get a lot of slack for the way they sing, but I think their voices are wonderful. So far I have seen great consistency from Dylan, and I think this takes the lead as my favorite album of his. Rating: 8/10

is bobby

1001 Albums #4 this one is fun actually, had it on repeat for a bit. kind of new to the world of bob dylan, but the style of music isn't new at all. i can see myself growing quite fond of this with some more time. 75/100

Pretty solid album. Bob Dylan is a hit or miss with me, but that’s to be expected with how many albums he’s put out. This LP is also very progressive for its time, it does not feel like a 65 album.

Quite enjoyable, but I don't want to add it to my physical collection.

The Good: Dylan applying Tesla The Bad: Too much AC, not enough DC The Ugly: The irony between Harmony and Harmonica… So, yeah, another Dylan album… and sadly, again I have to give a much higher score than I would like to. Does the man have a nice voice? No Should the man use his voice? Up for debate. Will the man surprise you with his craft? Absolutely! Solid 4* which is bordering on 5* if it weren't for the length of the last track...

Too much harmonica

9/10

My third Dylan already in less than 30 , have to admit the sound is getting repetitive … with 4 adds in 9 and some classics like Rolling Stones , ballad of thin man and highway 61 this is yet another class Dylan wouldn’t wana miss Ultimately I’m landing on where I did for the previous Dylan projects , a solid 4 .

Classic Bob, does exactly what you want it to do.

Another great early Dylan Album. Odd to me that the older I get the more I appreciate these 60’s albums. I think he was too Much of a caricature when I was growing up in the late 70’s that I could only see home as that. Glad I lived long enough to enjoy these.

Album 2 of the BD trilogy, and the randomised God's have given this to me consecutively. This album really is fucking awesome. Like a Rolling Stone is such a phenomenal track, and is usually a staple for getting introduced to Bob Dylan. My only gripe with this record is I get lost in the lyrics a lot of the time. Desolation Row and Ballad of a Thin man are shocking for this. I lost focus for like 2 seconds and had no idea what he was on about. Actually, now that I think about it, Ballad of a Thin Man is actually a pretty shit song lmao. Nearly a perfect album - probably worth the accolades it got, but there's better Bob Dylan albums out there.

Bob Dylan is a musician with a very wide range. The range being the quality of his songs. This album opens with Like A Rolling Stone, one of TWO Bob Dylan songs where his version is the best one and arguably the best Bob Dylan song (the other one being The Man In Me). I can't put into words how much I genuinely like this song, I get the feeling from listening to this song the same feeling I imagine boy lovers/lover boys in Ancient Greece would have felt listening to Homer prattle on about the Iliad inbetween slathering himself in olive oil and chasing after some Aegean bussy. This is followed up by Tombstone Blues, which is classic Dylan rambling. This song is ass. It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry and it takes a the supposed greatest songwriter of all time to come up with the worst title for a song I've ever seen, this song is alright but suffers from BAD harmonica. From a Buick 6 is a tight song with GOOD harmonica, and I quite liked this one probably because I just tuned out whatever bullshit Dylan was saying and enjoyed myself. I have previously said that Ballad of a Thin Man was best performed by Kula Shaker and I still maintain that but Dylan's studio version here is great. The instrumentation and the lyricism here is peak Dylan for me, this is one of his best. Queen Jane Approximately is alright, the thing that stands out here is a very groovy and understated electric guitar track. BAD harmonica present on this track. The title track opens with a really fuckin goofy slide whistle which tells you this song is gonna be dogshit. FORTUNATELY this song is actually pretty good! Dylan does some of his usual bullshit where he just rips biblical shit into this lyrics and boomers swoon over it. Despite this, I actually quite like everything about this song except for the stupid fucking slide whistle. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues is a fine song, more homeless man-esque rambling lyrics and GOOD harmonica features on this track. The instrumentation here really carries it but overall this song is fairly mid. Desolation Row is a song that if you described to me, I would hate it. I would describe it as the musical equivalent of being tired drunk at a party and some guy is just yapping your ear off talking about bullshit for 11 minutes. But I love it, this song fuckin rocks, and I can't explain why. The wikipedia page for this album has more glaze on it than a krispy kreme donut. On the standards of general music, this is a good album, on the standards of Bob Dylan albums this is a freaky fucked-up listenable aberration which makes it basically a masterpiece. A lot of the praise for this album is Dylan's lyricism and I feel like there is some big in-joke I am missing out on. Which is what makes my love for this album all the more confusing. To summarise my thoughts on this album, I will use the words of Werner Herzog: "But when I say this, I say this all full of admiration for the jungle. It is not that I hate it, I love it. I love it very much. But I love it against my better judgment."

7.5/10

51 minutes of Bob Dylan is quite a lot, but I prefer electric Dylan to his earlier stuff.

Even with Like A Rolling Stone, This album falls just short of 5 stars for me. $ stars or B+.

Dylan has never been my favorite but there are a few tracks I can't get out of my head. Will for sure revisit this one.

Don’t love Dylan’s voice, but the lyrics are beautiful.

Like Bringing it all Back Home, this album is also full of complex, multi layered songs, backed with an electric band playing with gusto and sung by Bob in his trademark honking nasal drawl. Every time I listen to Desolation Row, I swear that someone has put extra verses in that I’ve never heard before, and they still feel relevant - the bit about the passengers on Titanic arguing about which side they’re on feels very on the nose today. Bobtastic!

It's unarguably a classic, although the mouth harp is sometimes a bit annoying.

It was good

Would be 5 stars but can't cope with the q2 min songs Best tracks - just like tom thumbs blues - queen jane approximately

Really enjoyed

01) Like a Rolling Stone - 10,0 02) Tombstone Blues - 8,5 03) It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry - 7,5 04) From a Buick 6 - 7,5 05) Ballad of a Thin Man - 8,5 06) Queen Jane Approximately - 8,0 07) Highway 61 Revisited - 7,5 08) Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues - 7,5 09) Desolation Row - 7,5 TOTAL: 8,06 (81/100) Current ranking: 113/328

Great song writer. Voice is an acquired taste.

First time listening to Bob Dylan, I found the song structures very interesting. Will be listening to more

exceptional lyricisim

Highlights: Like a Rolling Stone Tombstone Blues It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry Desolation Row I'm not sure if can call myself a fan of Bob Dylan, not that I don't enjoy his music, I enjoy it quite a lot. But I haven't given his extensive catalogue the deep dive I this is required to ear the distinction of "true fan". Once again I find myself grateful that this project has prompted me to give a bit more of my time to an artist I have a passing familiarity with. I have always considered Dylan one of the best songwriters of all time, just not the greatest performer. His distinctive vocals have been something of a deterrent, especially for longer listening sessions. And the cryptic lyrics can come across as more pretentious than mysterious sometimes (Ballad of a Thin Man). All that said, I think the positives outweigh the negatives on this album by far. There is no doubt why this album has stood the test of time. Poignant, evocative, sorrowful, and sometimes silly; Highway 61 Revisited deserves a re-listen

ese corte me gusta

Very impressive album, both instrumentally and lyrically.I don't dig the harsh vocals but otherwise an excellent record.

Excellent Album

Good Dylan, but not great Dylan. This is a step or two behind Blonde on Blonde or Blood on the tracks. Still pretty decent though.

For whatever reason I really enjoy the sound of his voice

My fifth Dylan-album and the first not awarded five stars. Definitely prefer the follow up Blonde on Blonde.

Witty lyrics and swingy, bopping beats. I love bob dylan and this album but can understand criticisms about it. It gets a bit slow and long at times but overall a great album.

- Wie immer bei Dylan. Großartiger Komponist und Texter. Die musikalische Umsetzung ist einfach dann wieder nicht so meins. - Hier sind aber schon einige Tracks drauf, die einfach geil sind und es ließ sich für mich wesentlich runder und gefälliger runterhören 3,75/5

always reliable ofc, to the point where even tho i dont revisit this super often, our paths cross often enough that this is kind of a comfort album. ive developed a preference for bringing it all back home, but the ways in which this is an advancement make it absoloutely stunning that these came out mere months apart...the electric material on back home is not only so conventional by comparison but so much more Timid...dylan rly sounds like he's gonna conquer the world with his cascade of guitars and drums and organs on here. idk, u dont need me to tell u highway 61 revisited is good! my takes about it have remained almost entirely the same for almost half a decade...maybe ill have big revelations about it one day, but im fine with it the way it is

Like a Rolling Stone and Desolation Row are the standouts. The middle isn't quite as good as Blonde on Blonde. Still a 4 star album.

Klassiker. Roligt och bra album

3.5☆/5 09.07.2024

Like a rolling stone

This is a classic. Not a huge Dylan fan but this is a good one.

A classic, but I can see why Bob Dylan is an acquired taste/divisive. I grew up listening to his music, so this one's a winner.

Interesting how Bob does a lot of interesting wordplay in the verses and returns to the same words at the end of each musical phrase. Lots of good music that of course merits serious lyrical study that I don’t plan to do - oh well! Enjoyed it a lot.

Excellent songwriting

Bobby D, you did it again! Again! AGAIN! AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN!!!

Classic Dylan, maybe not at the level of Blood on the Tracks, but very very close.

Folksy, entertaining, witty, emotional. There's no denying that each song on this album is tells a story that hits all of these points with its lyrics, and manages to also be equally engaging musically. But I can't get past the fact that about half of the songs are brought down by Dylan's grating singing. The best songs are the ones where it works, the worst ones are where it doesn't. Unfortunately another album of his that would be perfect if it had someone else singing. Top tracks: It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry; Ballad of a Thin Man; Desolation Row

I’m no Dylan fan - in fact I was dreading this record when it came up but then I was pleasantly surprised - it’s short, well paced and highly listenable - found myself enjoying it quite a bit. So far my favourite Bob Dylan album - not the first that pleasantly surprised me - but the one I liked most.

I feel like Dylan needs his own scale, not because he's off the charts, but because his voice is a non-starter for lots and he has so many albums, it almost makes more sense to rate them against each other. This one has good energy and doesn't suffer from the "make it up as you go" lyrics I felt the last album had.

I'm very divided on Dylan albums, but boy I love his voice. It's objectivity not a good voice, rarely in tune and randomly whiney. And it is so evocative, the way it soars, the way he can't catch his breath cause he's singing with all he has. And I think the band members are each playing different songs. I love it. Like A Rolling Stone is one of the best songs out there, timeless.

Heard this before, but not for a while. Like a Rolling Stone is one of the great rock songs. Listening to it today I was surprised to hear the nice piano and guitar fills. Intersting to think what it might sound like if the "wall of sound" was turned down a touch and had a more balanced mix. I liked the rest of this more than I expected. Dylan sounds like he's having a lot of fun on this album, despite the cynical lyrics. "Aw, you never turned around to see the frowns On the jugglers and the clowns when they all did tricks for you"

I was a bit hesitant when this came up, but really enjoyed it. I listened to it a few times and only skipped a couple of songs on the third run through. He is such a good poet - and doesn't worry about rhymes being perfect.

This album makes me want to sit around in my pajamas till noon, drink coffee and read. I suspect that Mr. Dylan would think I missed the point. "And the only sound that's left After the ambulances go Is Cinderella sweeping up On Desolation Row"

Highway 61 is an album that you can easily dissect and find all the things you don’t like about it… from his definitively tiresome voice and out of tune instruments at times BUTTTT if you stop there then you’ll miss on such a beautiful piece of work. Dylan is finding himself, showing himself, and bringing to the forefront the highway 61 that represents unity in America by showing these deep emotions through incredible lyricism and poetry. Also important to know that this is the first time he really leaned into a bit more rock which combined with his background in blues is just sublime. Yes - Like a Rolling Stone might bore you over time…. But there’s so much there he wants you to enjoy, that’s why the single is the first track :) Would give it a 4.5 if I could

Rolling stone is such a strong start to the album- it hits and sets up exactly Tombstone blues is filled with nonesense that is still somehow captivating and clever. Dylan is a master of delivery. It does drag on just a bit On that note, the album does seem to drag at some times (ballad of a thin man) but I feel its a stylistic choice dylan made to capture the fluctuation of moods at the times (post beatnik pre hippie) Overall- solid album, catchy tunes, and easy to listen to. Skilled instrumentation. It does drag a little in parts.

Capturing the political and cultural atmosphere of the 60's.

solid album by the legendary singer/songwriter. not a bad song in the bunch. highlights: “like a rolling stone” “from a buick 6” “queen jane approximately”

I think I liked this better than the other Bob Dylan album I've had on this list.

Aujourd'hui je m'attaque à un de ces disques qui a une entrée dédiée dans le grand dictionnaire du Rock 'n' Roll, juste entre "Arrogance" et "Génie". J'ai nommé "Highway 61 Revisited" du Zimmermann. Pour votre gouverne, le numéro X de ma liste interminable. Et rien que d'y penser, j'ai le dos qui grince. Pas à cause de l'album, non. À cause de tout le poids de la légende qui pèse dessus. Soyons clairs, cet album est un putain de schisme. 1965. Le monde de la musique est encore gentiment assis sur son cul, et la folk music, c'est le truc des gentils barbus à chemise de bûcheron qui chantent des protest songs en grattant leur guitare sèche comme s'ils caressaient un chaton. Dylan, c'était leur pape, leur prophète, le petit gars du Minnesota qui allait changer le monde avec trois accords et des paroles plus longues qu'un jour sans pain. Et puis, paf. Le mec branche sa guitare. Je ne sais pas si vous mesurez le bordel. C'est comme si le Pape annonçait demain qu'il se mettait au death metal. Sacrilège ! Haute trahison ! Les puristes, les gardiens du temple folk, se sont mis à hurler "Judas !" comme des veaux. Et Dylan, du haut de sa vingtaine d'années et de son mépris cosmique pour tout ce qui n'était pas lui, leur a craché à la gueule un rock 'n' roll abrasif, électrique, rempli de fiel et de poésie surréaliste. "Highway 61 Revisited", c'est la bande-son de ce bras d'honneur monumental. On va évacuer le sujet tout de suite : oui, il y a "Like a Rolling Stone" dessus. Le morceau que Rolling Stone Magazine (tiens donc) a élu plus grande chanson de tous les temps. Est-ce que c'est vrai ? On s'en fout. Ce qui est vrai, c'est que ce coup de caisse claire qui ouvre le bal est l'un des "big bangs" les plus célèbres de l'histoire de la pop. C'est un single de plus de six minutes, une insolence totale pour l'époque, une longue plainte accusatrice et méprisante balancée à la face d'une pauvre fille qui a eu le malheur de tomber de son piédestal. "How does it feeeeeel?" C'est pas une question, c'est une exécution. Mais résumer l'album à ce seul titre, ce serait une connerie. "Highway 61 Revisited" est un road-trip halluciné sur l'autoroute qui relie le Minnesota à la Nouvelle-Orléans. Une virée sous amphétamines où l'on croise des prophètes bibliques, des freaks, des flics suspicieux et des amours déçues. Le son est rêche, urgent. La guitare de Mike Bloomfield lacère l'air, l'orgue d'Al Kooper tourbillonne comme un manège fou, et la voix de Dylan, eh bien... c'est la voix de Dylan. Nasillarde, teigneuse, à la limite de la justesse, mais habitée comme jamais. Ce n'est plus le folk acoustique et pastoral. C'est le blues. Un blues crasseux, urbain, électrifié jusqu'à l'os, un blues qui sent la sueur, la route et la paranoïa. Dylan brasse tout ça avec un talent d'écriture qui explose littéralement. Les textes sont des torrents d'images, des collages surréalistes, des pamphlets vengeurs. C'est brillant, parfois abscons, souvent méchant, mais toujours fascinant. Alors pourquoi un 4/5 et pas la note parfaite ? Peut-être parce que, malgré son importance capitale, l'album est un peu le son d'une mue. On sent la transition, la rage du changement. C'est un disque charnière, un coup de poing dans la gueule, mais est-ce le meilleur Dylan ? Le débat reste ouvert. Ca reste un disque fondamental. Un document historique qui a montré que la pop music pouvait être intelligente, littéraire, dangereuse et adulte. C'est le moment où un type a dit "merde" à son public et aux attentes, pour suivre sa propre voie. Et cette voie, c'était une autoroute à six pistes lancée à pleine vitesse vers le futur du rock. Un album à écouter au moins une fois dans sa vie, ne serait-ce que pour comprendre d'où vient une bonne partie de la musique que vous écoutez aujourd'hui.

Can't add much to what has already been said about this album.

This was such a pleasure. Great songwriting and while I found the harmonica droney at first it grew on me and I really enjoyed it. Ending with desolation row was great and despite its length it didn’t have me bored at all

I'm not overly fond of his later stuff but this one is right in the heart of his greatest period. All classic songs.

Good music. Ahead of it's time

Definitely more up beat and energetic compared to all the acoustic albums Bob Dylan released before this one. It’s more of a folk rock album with blues mixed in.

I'm a sucker for harmonica. This almost reminds me of Modest Mouse/Aeroplane in some ways. Maybe that's just the folk influence. I don't know much about folk or Bob Dylan. So interesting doing this project bc most of what I listen to is weird/contemporary, but like, ofc I've heard OF Bob Dylan, just never heard HIM, y'know?

Great musician - great poet.

.

Love me some Bobby D. This isn’t his best album but it’s good and I enjoyed it throughout.

Def one of the better albums. Fun listen

听不懂私密马赛

It's good. Lyrics are the highlight. Music is still enjoyable and engaging. No weaknesses, but nothing stellar either.

I was having a hard time really getting started on this one, which made me think that I was just going to like Like a Rolling Stone and the rest was going to make me realize that maybe I don't actually like him. I was totally wrong. I know he's known as more of a lyricist and that isn't typically my thing on initial listens, but I thought the whole thing worked musically despite his objectively bad voice. I was expecting lots of Desolation Row, which isn't my favorite, but I am saving Tombstone Blues, It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry, Queen Jane Approximately, and Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues.

Hot take: Desolation Row might be the weakest song on this album

this was a super fun Dylan album to listen to, and probably the favorite of all that we have had of his. i guess i prefer the less folksy sound of Dylan, and more of his rock styling. to each their own i suppose.

I can't exactly get into Dylan, but the sound and lyricism is clearly deep and influential. Electric guitar comes in and opens a new avenue of sound.

harmonica goes crazy. i always avoided listening to bob dylan because im not really all that big on lyricism. the storytelling in the songs are great though, especially ballad of a thin man. i just feel bad because im not fully appreciating the songwriting from bob dylan. the harmonica still goes crazy though and i like his voice. 4 personal favs: ballad of a thin man, queen jane approximately, desolation row

Wieso tönen eigentlich alle Lieder von Bob Dylan gleich? Vielleicht um den Focus auf den Text zu legen? Gefällt mir irgendwie.

Starts very good. Tails off a bit but still good overall.

I like Bob dydlan

A legend. Not necessarily my style but still great.

I like the western style.

Can’t really go wrong with Mr Zimmerman

Anyone who claims to have deep musical knowledge that can’t name the opening track from the first two notes needs to turn in their card immediately. Track 1 has to be the most iconic for this artist. Track 2 is an awesome blues jam, loved that one! And then….the speed limit drops drastically for me. I don’t think I will be revisiting past the first 2 mile markers on highway 61. He is a very talented lyricist and musician but I can only handle Bob in 10-15 min stretches. That said, I strangely liked the 11 min saga on the last track, and the title track. 3.75/5 3.5/5

At least I can say I liked this better than Blonde On Blonde. Shorter length, more sonic variety across the songs were definitely contributing factors. But his monotone vocal delivery will always unfortunately overshadow the poignancy of his lyrics which remain culturally and politically important.

Nearing the end of this album I thought to myself, “why am I enjoying this more than B on B?” Sure there’s a bit more variety in the songs, but I think it’s even more simple: this album is about 25 minutes shorter and Bob is best consumed in short chunks. That said, I did enjoy this album. Go Mavs! MFMFFL!

Another great from Dylan's heyday.

Great lyrics as always.

A brilliant work of poetry

Good motorway music

Easy to see how much he influenced a lot of my favorite modern folk artists. Amazing album! Loved some songs more than others but I can't say there was a single one I disliked.

If only there was a little more needless harmonic this would have been a 5 star! Great album from the maestro.

It's Bob Dylan, it is good, but some songs also go way too long... Still, above average

OOOH, first album on, and it's a personal favourite!

Classic.

...

Much better than expected. Desolation Row really is masterful. I hadn't expected such subtlety or lyricism from Dylan (I clearly don't know Dylan nearly well enough). It lifts the album to 4 stars.

If there is one thing I think Bob Dylan's albums stir in me, it is a hope that they'll catch something more on future listens. They do just enough to keep me interested, but the deeper cuts always take two, three, four, maybe even five listens before they tend to click. That's how it was with Blonde and Blonde, and I still think Bringing It All Back Home would benefit from me listening two or three more times. Dylan is fantastic at making the listener want more, and even if on initial listens I only find his releases "good," it is safe to assume in half-a-year I'll be singing the praises of one of his albums, just like everyone else. Highway 61 Revisited is no different, with exemplary songwriting, solid instrumentals that are just amateur and raw enough to be clear why this was such a shock to the folk audiences of 1965, and Dylan's voice isn't even generically poor here, despite the best efforts of those to discredit him. It hits every note with an emotion many artists strive for, and very little achieve, matching his music perfectly. Even if you find yourself bored musically, the lyrics will at least keep you invested even on the longest of tracks. Despite all of these qualities, I still fail to see past the musical flaws that this album is still too folksy. It can be repetitive, every track is a minute too long, and fails to have the variation found on the next album in his discography. This sound may have been risqué in 1965, but in 2024 it is mostly expected throughout its fifty-minute runtime, and can leave the listener fatigued. Not helping is the frankly boring closing track, which hardly has the hit power possessed in the opener, despite perhaps being the second-biggest track on the album. It has amazing highs, such as the back-to-back Ballad of A Thin Man into Queen Jane Approximately, but there are still kinks that will leave those ill-equipped bored, and in-turn, develop a deeper disdain for Dylan. Perhaps his most critically praised, but in my opinion, not a starting album for the musician, but rather a wonderful twilight on the general era this was produced. Music was changing, and Dylan decided to completely uproot a very traditional genre in the most fantastic way possible, but roots are roots, and those roots negatively affect this album the longer time passes. Dylan as a purely folk musician peaked here, but he had far more room to grow. That all being said, I promise you within a year's time I'll have this at a five star and think it is the best of its whole year. For now, though, I struggle to push past the couple barriers keeping me back from seeing this album's full potential. Still a great album, I continue to get the Bob Dylan hype.

Very good. Great story telling.

good bob, good.

Dylan grabs a band and goes rock n roll

Hard not to like Bob with a band.

I’ve only ever walked out of one concert in my life, and sadly, it was Bob Dylan. We all know he’s a poet, not a vocalist, but yikes. Still, I have an appreciation for his cultural significance, and this album is certainly one of those touchstones. And thank goodness, it’s also a more palatable vocal performance.

I know a lot of these songs but have never listened to this album. This is my 3rd Dylan album in the Challenge and I've really enjoyed how absolutely scathing and funny some of his lyrics are. There was a lot of urgency in this one.

Love bobby

Dylan is a master wordsmith and this album is great. The first two songs are awesome. After that it meanders a bit until the title track and Desolation Row bring it back home. For an all-time great album, I should not have to skip any tracks but I simply cannot listen to Queen Jane Approximately. Rage builds in my heart and all I can think about is how satisfying it would be to launch that damn harmonica straight into the sun.

The beatnik rapper, the jester, the Lenny Bruce of Folk Music - the incomparable Bob Dylan at the height of his powers.

Like a Rolling Stone by itself gets this to 3 stars. Then you add in Ballad of a Thin Man, Queen Jane Approximately and Desolation Row and this easily gets to 4. Some of the others are a bit less impressive, so this doesn't get all the way to 5. Still love it. Welcome listening any day of the week for me.

Only knew Like a Rolling Stone and I am not a great Dylan fan but this had enough good songs to get 4 stars.

Not the biggest fan but this is good.

Jivin to thin man

bob. bob. bob. my dude. i think freewheeling is my fav of his, and this is my 2nd fav? no wait, blood on the tracks was also so good. too hard to decide.

66/1001

Not quite Blonde on Blonde but still an absolute classic.

America’s poet

I think it’s one of those things I probably had to be there for.

I think you either love or hate Bob Dylan and I find myself in the camp of love. His first non acoustic album and it was a revolution, creating an electric folk blues fused rock n roll. I love the production of the album where it feels like you are sitting in the room with the musicians in a shitty bar.

4 stars. need to listen to this one more.

Bob Dylan goes electric, with a fantastic backing band (The Band) What's interesting about Bob Dylan (from a lyrical perspective) is how the lyrics seem at once polished while simultaneously seeming like a total stream of consciousness. The lyrics sound good, the story-telling is amazing (and at many times funny) and yet something about his delivery and perhaps his willingness of veer off course narratively (though he always finds his way back) make it seems fresh. It's an interesting contrast with Leonard Cohen, who's lyrics sound totally perfect and thought-out. Dylan instead comes across as kind of wild and unpredictable (Cohen can be unpredictable too in his words, but everything seems pre-meditated) While with Dylan it's like fuck it, "the sun's not yellow it's chicken!" The first song is a masterpiece, just incredible story-telling. Every line is piercing, and often clever and devastating. You feel mixed about the once-rich main character who was fucked over by a diplomat with a siamese cat, yet was oblivious to inequality and suffering when they were well off. Tombstone blues is fantastic too, so fun and stimulating. Musically the album has it's high points but is less interesting than it's lyrics with some songs in my opinion being almost a little boring. The Band sounds better playing their own songs. However the high points are awesome, so I think 4 stars make sense. 5 stars lyrically, 3 stars musically.

Great, but not quite a 5 for me and certainly a notch below "Blood on the Tracks." One holds Dylan to a very high bar of course (but also a higher floor for his lesser works, which often turn out to be quite underrated in the end). "Queen Jane Approx" and "Tom's Thumbs" are longtime personal faves and "Rolling Stone" and "Desolation Row" are absolutely top-shelf songs. Several of the middle cuts here are pretty middling.

I have not heard of this album before but I have heard of Bob Dylan. I wasn’t sure what type of music he does but I liked the blues rock folk style of this album. I did know the song Desolation Row from seeing covers of it but I never actually listened to the whole thing. My favorite tracks were: Like a Rolling Stone and Ballad of a thin man. I will listen again!

Kicks off with an all-time classic in Like a Rolling Stone which is the obvious highlight of Highway 61 Revisited. Having not listened to this album before, I was expecting a let down after a high like that but Tombstone Blues keeps things "rolling" and really sets the tone for the quality of what's to come. While nothing tops the opening track, every other song compliments it so well to create a wonderful listening experience from front to back.

No one like sir Dylan

Great songwriter, but his voice just grates on me after a while.

He's kind of whiny

This is what I think of when someone says Bob Dylan. He is a master but I can only listen to that voice for so long. lol.

Beautiful.

4/5

First full listen of a Dylan album and I get the hype. Can seem repetitive or lyrically overwhelming at times, but theres no denying he's an influence on the entire industry.

A fantastic Dylan album, taking less of a folk-oriented sound and more of a rock n’ roll one instead. Dylan’s lyricism remains as rock-solid as ever, revitalized by the very blues-y tracks and rocking energy. I’m gonna bump it down a star because I feel some of them really started to blend together, but overall solid album.

I’m surprisingly unfamiliar with Bob Dylan’s discography, but after Highway 61 I know I need to do some digging. Like a Rolling Stone is genius and Ballad of a Thin Man is also a classic. I also appreciate how most songs are longer than 4 minutes. It really avoids the pitfall that most 60s albums suffered from of not being fleshed out enough.

I feel like I'm giving this album a 4 largely because that's what I gave the last Bob Dylan album my group covered (BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME). I mean, to me there's nothing really better or that much worse than the previous album that would give cause to a different rating. I think I ultimately prefer BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME, at least the electric side, for how much more it leans into Americana melodies—I **do** tend more towards melodies than meaning, after all. And believe me, this album has a **lot** of meaning. It was way more with this album than with the previous one that I got some people's problems with Dylan. I mean, most people, especially those who're recently born, don't go to music to analyze Balzac poetry, I get it. I don't, either, and I had to go to Genius.com to help me parse a lot of it. But if I'm the mood for it, it can be pretty interesting. Heck, I was having a time figuring out what "Ballad Of A Thin Man" meant to me. If I'm not, combined with the instrumentals, it woulda felt like an absolute slog, but thankfully... And I don't know how to close this review, since I'm kind of just stream-of-consciousness-ing out thoughts I had about this album while I was at work, so, uhm... I guess I liked the "It Takes A Train To Cry" song the best? Ironically the track with the least words. And given my group got BLACK HOLES AND REVELATIONS the other day, that's two non-consecutive albums we've gotten in such a short period of time with ties to the WATCHMEN movie. Weird.

A killer followup to Bringing It All Back Home that expands on the electric sound introduced in that album.

It’s a really nice 4. Ultimately, there’s just something about Bob Dylan’s music that’ll probably stop me from giving him a 5, maybe ever; sometimes his voice isn’t melodic enough, sometimes his songs go too long, sometimes I have no idea what the hell he’s talking about… but on this record he seemed pretty good across the board. Really inventive and evocative lyrics of images that have long since left the public eye, and references that are ironically probably too intellectually driven now in a world that values TikTok celebrity compared to poetic license (or at least that’s what Bob Dylan would probably say if he had another fucking verse on Desolation Row). I dunno, I just really liked the album. I wouldn’t say it has any standout all-timer songs, even with the super lauded Like a Rolling Stone, but there’s only really one or two misses on this album for anyone willing to sit through it. I just can’t go up to a 5 though; some of these ARE long as hell.

Much better than I expected!

I will always be such a sucker for Dylan. I don’t intentionally put him on often but I need to more.

I really like Bob Dylan’s style. Every song on this album is one that I would be happy to come up on shuffle. Some I knew before, some I didn’t, but I would happily listen to this album again. My only criticism is that a lot of the songs sound very similar in style, and listening to the whole album together didn’t give me a whole lot of emotional journey, but rather a blur of one feeling.

Never been a bob Dylan fan but it was very listenable and essential for hearing the influence on so many albums to come

Classic Dylan. Rambling lyrics, lots of harmonica, lush organ and guitar tones, wonderful melodies and just a nice listen. Do You Mr. Jones was a wonderful unexpected tune.

Good

I enjoyed it, hadn't heard a lot of these

Ripppppppper. 2nd best Bob D behind the freewheelin bobby D. Favorite track: Ballad of a Thin man.

Phenomenal album plumb full of Dylan charm. Specifically looking at lyrics and choice of simply melodies to convey complicated feelings. I think the only drawback to this era of bob dylan is the overuse of harmonica. I hate to say it its not even tasteful. It comes on and I have to lower the volume. 🥴

Gear: Dunu SA6 Mix: Referenz. Ja, selbst die Mundharmonika. Musik: Legendär. Bob Dylan ist allerdings nur in homöopathischen Dosen ("Like a Rolling Stone", "Ballad of a Thin Man") der und das Beste von der Welt - als Album aber kann man sich aber schnell überfressen. Wertung: 🥾🥾🥾🥾(🥾)/5

Haven’t been able to write as listening but super easy to listen to. Man knows his way around a ‘Monica. First time really sitting down listening to him, what a fantastic story teller. Does kind of feel a bit repetitive in the cadence of his singing and the guitar but none the less very cool to listen to.

Was very familiar sounding. Hknestly what blows my mind about these old albums is how clear the audio is. Maybe im used to Bills cassette player where that would all be old physical media but these digital remasters are quite amazing. Album was pretty good, I thought that is i was an angsty teen Id love it. Like the godfather of alternative and indie music. I really liked Tombstone Blues, had a great western sound and lyrical theme. Similar to how i feel about a lot of modern folk music, it seemed to blend together. Makes for a consistent album, but sometimes I want a bit of variety. The songs with piano like Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues and stood out for me. You can hear where Elton Probably got a lot of inspiration. Loved From a Buick 6, really brought me back to Bill just blasting his music from his office. So.etimes hearing the same song 15 times cause he kept needing to recapture it.

I really like this. I’d listened a couple of times in the past but something about it really stuck with me this time

I don't really like Dylan. And I don't like Dylan fans. Sure, I like the odd hit here and there and Tangled Up In Blue is amazing. This album is friggin great! I had no idea what to expect and to be fair I don't the know context at which this album was released. It was truly great from start to finish.

This is a great album but i liked bringing it All Back home More

Listened during a sunny midday walk through a small town, would recommend (3.5/5)

American folk blends with r and b to create rock and roll

My wife, big Dylan fan, views this as a more "poetic' Dylan album and feels it stands the test of time. I've never been a huge Dylan fan, but I enjoyed the album.

pretty good eh

I liked this way more than I thought I would. Bob Dylan's voice is perfect for the storytelling style of the album. I love songs that tell a story and almost every song in the album does that. I particularly liked Ballad of the Thin Man and Highway 61 revisited. Great album 4.5 stars

Pretty cool

I'm Bob Dylan howdoyado

Classic album

I like his music, but I don’t love it. I think a lot of the songs sound very similar, unless you really concentrate on the lyrics and I don’t really do that.

Never been a Dylan fan based on later years sound. This one is terrific!

Great

I liked it so much more than Freewheelin'. Great sound, playful but not silly, catchy, funny.

Like it, nice harmonica and Bob Dylan in general is a vibe.

Harmonica go brrrr

Another great album.

This was a really nice listen. Bob might not have the prettiest voice but his wordsmithing is brilliant.

Desolation row, queen jane are unreal

Good album. Classic Bob.

Really likes asking how people feel so that's cool.

Look, I get that Bob Dylan is writing poetry. That’s the genius here. I’ve never been especially drawn to lyrics when I listen to music, so as one would expect I just don’t appreciate this album as much as many clearly do. My next step is to find a repository of Dylan’s lyrics and just read them as poems. I’ll pass on the strumming, the droning, and the harmonica. Four stars out of respect but really … two stars.

Enjoyed it.

3.5 stars

I have been decrying the Dadrock nature of all the offerings on this project so far, and I stand by it, but this is an undeniably great album. The Highway 61 of the title refers to the road which leads from St. Paul, in Dylan's native Minnesota to St. Louis, Memphis, and New Orleans. The cradles of the music he mined (read: culturally appropriated) to make his "electric" album and piss off his fans. Well, the thing about pissing off your fans and cultural appropriation is, if your gonna do them, at least do them well.

Bob Dylan! I went through a Bob Dylan phase. It consisted of listening to … this album. So I know this album well. But it’s been a while. Like A Rolling Stone - truly one of the greatest songs of all time. I mean you can’t even debate it. Whatever the top of the scale it’s gotta be one higher than that. Definitely a time travel device to the 60s. 5/5 Tombstone Blues - this album isn’t as morose as you would think, considering the song titles. It’s a collection of a bunch of up-tempo blues-folk songs with a sly sense of humor. This definitely has one of my favorite Dylan lines: “the sun is not yellow, it’s chicken!” Who knew Bob was a dada-ist. 4/5 It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry - hobo song maybe? I can imagine Bob being a hobo. 3/5 From A Buick 6 - great title. People talk about Bob the Poet, but I can listen to this without hearing a word and still feels like a travelogue of mid-century America. First and foremost, Bob’s a song-writer who puts everything into the whole experience. 4/5 Ballad of a Thin Man - FOMO for all the old peoples. I wonder if the Boomers (and let’s be honest Gen X’s) of the world don’t realize they are Mr Jones. I mean I feel like Mr. Jones now. It’s depressing but what can you do? You get older. 4/5 Queen Jane Approximately - this is another great Dylan song. Is it a love song? I dunno maybe. 5/5 Highway 61 Revisited - When I first heard this song, it pretty much subverted my expectations. You think you’re getting another serious examination and you get what - is that a kazoo? - it’s like a clown song. 4/5 Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues - good song. I know it’s famous, but I don’t have much to say other than tight song-writing. 3/5 Desolation Row - the big conclusion. This is definitely a poem set to music, with its length and its consistent cadence. I go back and forth with how good this song is. Could be 3/5, but probably 4/5. Truly one of the greatest American records of all time. It feels sacrilegious to give it any less than a 5/5. Yet, it’s definitely dated, and I rarely get the incentive to listen to it. I can’t remember the last time I listen to any of these songs other than “Like A Rolling Stone”. The songs definitely hold up though. If I come back to Bob it’s not because of the Bob Dylan hagiography - the Poet, the self-serious folk rebel - but for the bluesy riffs, the more absurd lyrics, and sometimes the juxtaposition of Big! Important! Bob! against more modern Tacky! Hedonist! Commercial! songs. I mean you haven’t lived if you’ve never preceded Cardi B’s WAP with a Dylan song on a playlist. I love that kind of whiplash. So the question is, do you rate on history, importance, and overall impact of a record, or do you rate on your desire to re-listen? Is this an artifact of an older time, or does it still speak to me or people in general? I honestly don’t know. I’ll probably regret this but that tension forces me to give this a 4/5.

Always liked his lyrics. Liked this more than I thought I would. Forgotten how good ‘Desolation Row’ is.

Its alright, good stories Rusty voice is good too

Thanks for thr memories. Still don’t love his voice but can hear the talent.

listening to this I understand the hype surrounding bob dylan. not sure if ill listen to it more or not but it good

I liked the vibe and the voice, just didn't really go all the way

Never listened to a complete Dylan album before. Better than I thought it would be.

Dylans lyrics were crazy. Favourite songbwas Tombstone Blues

He rocks, harder than I remember. Singer songwriter vibe great for the rainy day, I really need to slow down and listen to lyrics to appreciate. Every verse has some lyrical gems. Rolling Stone is an all-time hit for a reason. Such distinctive voice.

Good Dylan album. Has some great songs!

Pretty nice album!

Classic.

4.1 2nd fave dylan faves: ballad of a thin man, desolation row

Parecido a todo lo que había escuchado de Dylan bastante bueno. Sin la traducción quizás pierde mucho...

Good album and I love story telling lyrics.

Very good refresher on a classic album!

Ein veritabler Klassik.

8/10

Ja lekker

Sehr schön, like a Rolling Stone als Eröffnungsnummer für das Album ist eine sehr gute Wahl. Leider kann es danach nicht mehr besser werden.

Known for poetic lyrics more than the music, where I prefer the music and let the lyrics wash over me without analysing. However found this enjoyable, especially Ballad of a Thin Man & Desolation Row

I've never really liked the harmonica, but I don't think an album has ever made me actively hate it the way this album does. The album itself is nice, there are some really good songs here. Maybe it's just the way the album was mixed, but the harmonica was painful.

Naja Mundharmonika... Sonst top Bob Dylan ist halt ne Maschine

Iconisch album!

Bob Dylan is sick as helll, funny and sassy but he'd become even better on his next one

Classic

Who is Mr. Jones?

Had to focus on the lyrics a lot more than I was expecting, was following along on Genius for the album. Lot of harmonica.

12/6: Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues

I actually do love me some Bobby Dylan. Genuine guy and voice.

So good love me some bob dyls

Timeless, open-road vibe. Storytelling legend. Excited to have more Bob Dylan on this list

Bookended by two excellent songs this album is a fully matured expression of Bob: strained throat, mysterious circumlocution, plain ploddy guitar with little lyrical bits to prevent too much monotony. Still, classic though it is, it's a touch gutless and annoying. Intellect over emotion, reference over experience, showy on occasion. I don't return to this one very often.

The older I get the more I appreciate Dylan.

Pretty cool. Haven't listened to much Bob Dylan before, I can see what the hype is abt

This must have been before his voice became the meme he was known for

Sick album, really got into it. Need to explore more of him and pay more attention to the lyrics

The 6th (I think) Dylan album I've gotten. It's enjoyable. The opening track is such a banger. Kinda loses steam a bit through but very enjoyable.

Bob not my thing but 4 stars out of respect

Really like a 4.9/5 but I simply cannot say 5/5 based on voice

Great album. Bob Dylan is an artist that still has not fully clicked with me and that says alot on the count that I stilll think it's a 4.

Lyrically, it's a 5/5. But it's lacking a bit of melodic interest for my taste. Still an excellent album though.

Great storytelling and still a great voice here

perhaps lyrically one of the best albums ever made. But it just doesn't sound that good. Tombstone Blues and Desolation Row are great as folk tunes but Dylan's voice and ceaseless honking on the harmonica put too much salt on the french fries

7/10

Dylan's best album.

This was much better than the other one suggested by this app. However, the harmonica sounds horrendous 9 times out of 10

Quintessential Dylan here. Might be his best album and the lyrics are spectacularly, randomly, nonsensically at times, brilliant.

Enjoyable relaxing music

Great songwriter. Definitely one of those albums you have to listen to many times to appreciate. Not saying anything groundbreaking when I say he is not the greatest singer, and the sound does get a little repetitive, but those are small criticisms.