Bob Dylan Band • Page 5

Just came in to say Time Out Of Mind is still his most underrated record, and might be his most honest and heartfelt record

 

Anyone ever spend way too much time wondering what might have been if he hadn't had the accident? Would we have gotten some more albums in the vein of Highway and Blonde? Or was he already ready to move on?

 

Maybe we would have, but it also might mean that we never would have gotten Blood on the Tracks. Seeing as that's my favorite Dylan record I'll take what we've got!

It does seem that over the course of his entire career Dylan has gotten bored every few albums, so I doubt that he would have mined the vein that produced those '65-66 records much further anyway.

 

Listening to Under the Red Sky this morning for absolutely no reason other than randomly picking an album from his discography.

 

In celebration of finally going to see him live, I'm going to listen to all of his studio albums at random, at least one a day.

I haven't heard a lot of his studio records front to back (I know most people are in the same boat) and I think it'll be fun to do! I've heard a lot of the obvious ones time and time again like Blood On The Tracks, Highway 61 Revisted, etc. The one I picked at random this morning is Oh Mercy.

 

Which of these should I pick to listen to today and why?

 

Planet Waves. And "because The fucking Band is on it"

 

The fact that Rolling Stone could make a list of the top ONE HUNDRED Dylan songs and miss "Boots of Spanish Leather", "When the Ship Comes In", "Standing in the Doorway" and "When the Deal Goes Down" is legitimately insane.

 

Okay, so first impression:

This album is really great, and there's some wonderful songs on it ("Going, Going, Gone", "Never Say Goodbye"). "On A Night Like This" is going to be an evening jam this weekend on my boat. It suffers in the middle because: (1) Who the hell needs a fast version of "Forever Young" right after the slow version? It's not bad, but make a better build so it feels like one long album or else bookend the album or something like that. (2) "Dirge" is not a good song and its 5:34 length breaks up the relatively crisp runtime that the album had going for it.

Honestly, I'd put this solidly in the upper-middle of his discography. Cut those two tracks I mentioned, get us down to 33min, and this would be a reallly interesting album. Starting it again right now!

 

My preference between versions of "Forever Young" goes back and forth.

But then again I'm a heretic who thinks Peter, Paul and Mary do the definitive version of it.

 

This is both surprising and not surprising at all considering that it's a Rolling Stone list. Don't get how you don't include either "Boots" or "Ship."

 

Isn't "Boots" universally recognized to be one of the iconic Dylan songs? I've always thought of it that way at least.

Except for "Times" and "Blowin" I can't think of another pre-electric Dylan song that is more prominent than "Boots."

 

Ehhhh... I can think of quite a few that are more iconic. "It Ain't Me Babe", "Don't Think Twice...", "A Hard Rain's...", "Masters of War", "With God on Our Side" (off the top of my head).

 

"Boots" is one of Dylan's 2 best songs, for my money.

 

I wouldn't put it on my top 20

 

@Matt Chylak How offended would you be if I did a list like yours? Like legit copied it haha

 

I'd be honored. I have one in the Springsteen thread as well.

 

I'm going to do my list a little differently. I'm going to revisit every album of his, even if I've heard them a bunch like Blood On The Tracks/most of his 60's output, starting with my first random listen yesterday.

So far:

1. Bringing It All Back Home
2. Blood On The Tracks
3. Nashville Skyline
4. Oh Mercy
5. New Morning
6. Desire
7. The Times They Are A-Changin'
8. Planet Waves
9. Infidels
10. Bob Dylan
11. Under The Red Sky
12. Knocked Out Loaded

I'm doing all of the original studio records, which I think are all included. If I'm missing anything, or if there's anything that is a MUST, please let me know so I can add it!

Still to listen:
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Another Side Of Bob Dylan
Highway 61 Revisted
Blonde On Blonde
John Wesley Harding
Dylan
Self Portrait
Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid
Street Legal
Slow Train Coming
Saved
Shot Of Love
Down In The Groove
Good As I Been To You
World Gone Wrong
Time Out Of Mind
Love And Theft
Modern Times
Tempest

 

I'm not sure I would've ever taken the time to listen to Oh Mercy, let alone his entire run if it weren't for this thread.

Oh Mercy is truly an incredible record

 

Street Legal is an interesting listen. I've always kind of avoided it because it seemed like it's been panned for the most part but I thought it was pretty solid. Stylistically it's a clear predecessor to Slow Train Coming and the born again era, with the addition of backup singers and a horn section. Don't know how much i'll revisit it but still think it's a little overlooked. Changing of the Guards, No Time to Think, Is Your Love in Vain?, Where Are You Tonight?, all good tunes.

 

It's prime Blood On The Tracks listening time

 

The new bootleg series is amazing.

 

Seems like only ten songs available on Spotify. There’s a ton more in the package, right?

 

Yeah I've only been listening to the standard edition. That package is insane -- like six discs all with different versions of the 10 songs on the album.