Bringing It All Back Home gives you both. Everyone will tell you Blood on the Tracks for acoustic and Highway 61 Revisited for electric though, and those are great, too.
There's a few ways you can go about this. 1. Start at the beginning. (Maybe skipping the self titled as it is mostly covers. Although "Man of Constant Sorrow", "House Of The Rising Sun", and "Song To Woody" are all brilliant). Start with "Freewheelin'" which is still my favorite Dylan album. He was 21 when he wrote it and it's truly fascinating how a young mind could come up with those songs. The next two albums are more politically charged but contain some of his best (and most hilarious) songs. From then on he goes electric. The run from "Bringing It All Back Home" to "Blonde On Blonde" is the best in the history of music. 2. Start with those 3 albums, then work your way backwards. 3. Start with "Blood On The Tracks". One of his most, if not THE most accessible record in his discography. IMO the greatest breakup album ever written. Here's my personal ranking: 1. Freewheelin' 2. Bringing It All Back Home 3a. Another Side Of Bob Dylan 3b. The Times They Are A-Changin' 4. Highway 61 Revisited 5. Blood On The Tracks 6. Blonde On Blonde 7. Bob Dylan 8. Nashville Skyline 9. The Basement Tapes 10. Time Out Of Mind HM: New Morning (could fit anywhere between 8-10 probably) Man, that's a tough list to make. It has the ability to change frequently, and is in order of what I enjoy and listen to the most, not necessarily what I think is the "best".
That's so helpful! Huge discographies like his are overwhelming to dive into. I've usually just listened to his popular songs or greatest hits playlists on Spotify. Really appreciate it @zmtr!
My pleasure, really. Haha. Report back! Also if you want to watch the greatest music based documentary ever made check out "No Direction Home" directed by Scorsese. I watch it once a month.
Just for the fuck of it, here's what I think are his funniest songs.. Some of them being laugh out loud hilarious. 1. Motorpsycho Nightmare 2. I Shall Be Free No. 10 3. I Shall Be Free 4. Talkin' World War III Blues 5. Talkin' Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues 6. Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat 7. Bob Dylan's 115th Dream 8. See You Later Allen Ginsberg 9. Million Dollar Bash 10. Rainy Day Women #12 & #35 // a song about getting high, multiply 12 by 35 ;) Edit: I forgot Idiot Wind somehow. Throw that in the list anywhere.
Really nice write-up on Blood on the Tracks as part of p4k's Sunday review series: Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks Album Review | Pitchfork
There are days where I like the Bootleg Series of the Rolling Thunder Revue as much as anything he's ever released.
thats a great one but I disagree James Brown didn't have an entire crowd of people screaming insults at him throughout half of his show
so much fucking yes I actually got to talk/drink with David for a couple hours and got to ask him plenty of annoying questions about him and Noah