Blonde on Blonde

 


I get the impression that this is seen as being the greatest of all Dylan albums: the first double album in rock (I believe), the greatest artistic statement Bob ever made.

I mean, I like it  But I think I like Highway 61 Revisited more.

Rainy Day Women #12 & #35 used to be an irritation to me.  Now it seems more like a beleaguered pop star trying to make light of his predicament.  

Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat - ridiculous, makes me laugh every time.  We all know Dylan is funny, right?

Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands is a sustained, late-night meditation on love.  My favourite song on the album.

As for the rest?  I like them, but not as much as those three.

However, I've got the measure of this Dylan cove now. These albums change as the listener changes, and will mean different things as the years go by.  I'm looking forward to it, because I'm pretty sure I haven't really grokked Blonde on Blonde yet.  Perhaps never will.  And that's the idea, isn't it?


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

John Wesley Harding

Image
  Stripped-down and basic.  This album is baffling and mysterious: what is that house in The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest?  Is it St Augustine of Hippo? Canterbury? or some weird fever-dream angel/demon? It's such a total turn away from Blonde on Blonde: as if that was as far out as he could go, and he needed to come nearer to shore or he'd be swept away. Dylan truly is an artist who does exactly what he wants to, regardless of what others will think.  It's a cliché, but only because it's true.  In the same way Bowie completely sidestepped punk and emerged unscathed, Dylan dodges 1967 psychedelia for what would later be known as Americana: rootsy folk/blues/country/rock.   I'm really enjoying him now we're past the Mt. Rushmore of Blonde on Blonde.  As is always the case, the albums either side of "classics" tend to be just as interesting, or for me even better.
Read more

Highway 61 Revisited

Image
This is one of his great albums in the usual reckoning.  I can see why. But dare I say it?  Like a Rolling Stone goes on a bit. Unlike Desolation Row, which the more I listen to it, the more I want it never to end. I enjoy this album top to bottom.  Out-of-tune guitars still present! I will listen to this over and over and always get something new out of it, I'm sure. There is scope for a Dylan fancy dress party.  Einstein dressed as Robin Hood.  Dr Filth, and the nurse (a local loser) in charge of the cyanide hole and the "Have mercy on his soul" cards.  And so on!   I now expect and enjoy the wheezy harmonica throughout, it's all part of the song.  And he can really sing.   Why on earth haven't I given Dylan the time of day before?
Read more

Nashville Skyline

Image
  Bob goes gentle, and country, and Can Sing.  The voice he has adopted at any point seems to be the one he specifically chose.  Here his voice is sweet, pitched higher and is really rather beautiful.  There are many things you can say about his singing later, but "sweet" is not one of them. Lovely start with the duet with Johnny Cash, as ragged and wonky as it is.  Shame they never did more. Very accessible songs, much more straightforward than ever before.  Perhaps some are disappointed by that: I really like the fact he can do anything with a lyric. Pop, surrealism, proto-rap/talking blues: that's why he is really growing on me. I don't think this is my favourite album, but it's really easy on the ear in a good way.  And the standouts for me are Girl From The North Country and the hugely emotional I Threw It All Away. Glad to hear there's still the odd slightly out-of-tune guitar!  
Read more