Bob Dylan

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This album now seems as remarkable as his mid-'60s breakthoughs. Like Presley's Sun Sessions, it is both the remnant of a lost rural America and the seed of rock culture. The music is primarily Dylan, with acoustic guitar, barking traditional folk, and blues. He was 20, a Northern hick come to New York to be the next Woody Guthrie. It's amazing that at 20 he sings "In My Time of Dying" and "See That My Grave is Kept Clean," not as traditional songs, but making their doom and resignation sound personal. --Steve Tignor

Tracks:

Thunder On The Mountain
Spirit On The Water
Rollin' and Tumblin'
When The Deal Goes Down
Someday Baby
Workingman's Blues #2
Beyond The Horizon
Nettie Moore
The Levee's Gonna Break
Ain't Talkin'

Amazon.com

At a time when the majority of those his age are drifting into retirement, 65-year-old Bob Dylan has put the capper on a three-record run that ranks with the best in his storied, 44-album career. Like Time Out of Mind and Love and Theft before it, Modern Times is a rootsy, blues-soaked pool of the purest form of Americana--skipping the progressive bells or whistles for an understated backing by his touring band. Dylan's voice, which cracks, rasps and moans from the pop singer's pulpit, hasn't been this rich and emotive since 1976's Desire. And while his lyrics prolong his steadfast allusions to a higher power and his own immortality, they are not without the Dylan mirth, as when he sings of tracking pop queen Alicia Keys from Hell's Kitchen to Tennessee in "Thunder on the Mountain," the album's opener, which teams with "Someday Baby" and "Rollin' and Tumblin'" (for which Dylan misguidedly claims writing credit) as the record's most fiery numbers. Still, it's the Dylan that tells of a slave-loving owner ("Nettie Moore"), brings New Orleans to the front burner ("The Levee's Gonna Break") and plays the part of an eloquent lounge singer ("Spirit on the Water," "When the Deal Goes Down" and "Beyond the Horizon") that makes Modern Times sound just like old times. --Scott Holter

Dylan Classics and Collections

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Bringing It All Back Home

Highway 61 Revisited

Blonde on Blonde

Blood on the Tracks

No Direction Home: The Soundtrack

Biograph (Box Set)

Bootleg Series 1-3: Rare 1961-1991 (Box Set)

Album Description

First new album in 5 years featuring 10 new songs

Customer Reviews:

Modern Times is a modern classic.......2007-07-14

Don't worry: no matter what the title may imply, Modern Times is not Dylan attempting to update his music to fit current trends. He has yet to do that. Instead, Modern Times is for the most part a bluesy album: he even rewrites a few blues classics ("Rollin' and Tumblin" becomes, well... "Rollin' and Tumblin'"; "Someday Baby" is a slightly different "Trouble No More" with the "Hip Shake"/"La Grange" riff, and "Levee's Gonna Break" is little more than a rewrite of "When the Levee Breaks"). "Rollin'" is energetic, but it's also probably the weakest moment on a generally strong record - original blues songs like the wrenching "Workingman's Blues #2" and hard-rockin' "Thunder on the Mountain" (love the guitar solo!) are the two indisputable highlights, and they're perfectly contrasted by jazzy country-blueses such as "Spirit on the Water", "Beyond the Horizon" and "When the Deal Goes Down". The country songs here are all among the greatest Dylan ever did in the genre, though to be fair none of them are "Lay, Lady, Lay" - "Horizon" is a bit too long, but only by about a minute or so. And while Dylan's melodies are normally nothing worth getting excited about, I love the melody (and the lyrics, and everything else) found on "Nettie Moore". In fact, I think "Nettie Moore" is my favorite song on this album - it hasn't gotten the hype of songs like "Thunder on the Water", "Workingman's Blues #2" or "Spirit on the Water", but it's a fabulous folk song and I will definitely stick up for it. Give it ten years; this'll be one of Dylan's classic songs. You see if it isn't. Oh yeah, and "Ain't Talkin'" has the best lyrics found on this album. And I really like the song's dark, doomy atmosphere too, with the violins and such. Plenty of albums by awful artists came out in 2006, and it's nice to hear Dylan (who's twice the age of most members of My Chemical Romance - third behind the Eagles and Green Day as the band I unnecessarily insult the most in my reviews, by the way) showing them all up. This is his best in a very long time.

As good as Dylan gets.......2007-07-12

Its a shame that so many folks become closed minded to new music at a certain age. This is as good as anything Dylan has ever done, but because of the above it won't be remembered as well.

Still the greatest of all time.......2007-07-10

At 23 years old I am not your typical Bobhead, I own all 30+ Dylan albums including bootlegs. I have been to several Dylan concerts over the last few years. Dylan has come out with 3 studio albums the last 10 years all critical successes. With Modern Times Dylan was the oldest artist to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Out of the three this is my least favorite. I loved Love and Theft and liked Time Out of Mind. Love & Theft was loud, funny and all around great. Time Out of Mind was a little depressing but had amazing lyrics. Modern Times is a mix between the two albums. To be completely honest I only liked three songs on this album: Thunder on the Mountain, Spirit on the Water and Workingman Blues #2. Someday Baby gets better with every listen so maybe I will put that one on there too. But who cares? It's Dylan....get the cd already.

Is It Rolling Bob? You Bet It Is!.......2007-07-02

For 40+ years, Bob Dylan has spilled my heart, stripped bare my soul and rattled my complacent mind. Modern Times reassures and re-inspires. Aging we may be but still relevant: older, wiser, gentler, more tolerant and deeply clarified about the daily human commonalities that join us all. Just when fans think they have a handle on Bob Dylan, he shifts gears and opens his reach in a new direction letting us know that the rest of us can do the same. No other artist steps as unfailingly in rhythm with my generation as Bobby D. He knows where we are, who we are, and I hope, in the still of the night, I'll be with you, Bob, When the Deal Goes Down. Like Highway 61 Revisited and Blood on the Tracks, Modern Times calls us to A New Morning.

I heard the deafening noise........2007-06-26

This is Bob Dylan's 32nd studio album. Most of the songs are adaptations of older songs (mostly blues songs) with new lyrics by Dylan. The music has a rather "rootsy" feel to it, while still sounding modern. I won't get into a song by song analysis, because many more knowledgeable people than me have already done that. I'll just call it a damn good album of Dylan singing the blues and leave it at that.

Traveling Wilburys (2CD/1DVD, Deluxe Edition)

Average customer rating:

Roy, George, & Bob, YEAH, but WHY Petty & Lynne???
Quintesential Must Have
Finally, the Traveling Wilburys!
Travelling on
Traveling Wilburys...It's about time!

Traveling Wilburys (2CD/1DVD, Deluxe Edition)
The Traveling Wilburys
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000OYC1J0
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Tracks:

Handle With Care
Dirty World
Rattled
Last Night
Not Alone Any More
Congratulations
Heading For The Light
Margarita
Tweeter And The Monkey Man
End Of The Line
Maxine (Bonus)
Like A Ship (Bonus)

Tracks:

She's My Baby
Inside Out
If You Belonged To Me
The Devil's Been Busy
7 Deadly Sins
Poor House
Where Were You Last Night?
Cool Dry Place
New Blue Moon
You Took My Breath Away
Wilbury Twist
Nobody's Child (Bonus)
Runaway (Bonus)

Tracks:

The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys [DVD]
Music Videos
Handle With Care [DVD]
End of The Line [DVD]
She's My Baby [DVD]
Inside Out [DVD]
Wilbury Twist (2007 Version) [DVD]

Amazon.com

The Traveling Wilburys were one of the few supergroups that lived up to their promise, because they didn't try to. Things started inauspiciously when George Harrison, needing a B-side for a 1988 single, called in friends Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Roy Orbison for assistance. Two albums later--the second without Orbison, who had passed away shortly after the first was released--the loose-knit collective had recorded material that was as durable, and occasionally eclipsed, the participants' legendary solo work. The Wilburys succeeded due to a genial and contagious camaraderie that permeates both discs. What could have been a train wreck of ego clashes instead resulted in a frothy meeting of the minds. These guys are having a blast, trading lead vocals and harmonies on energetic folk-rock, quirky rockabilly, and Beatlesque pop that shimmers with the respect and esteem the members clearly hold for each other. Harrison and Lynne's rather slick production polishes off edges that might better have been left unvarnished, but there's no denying the loosey-goosey craftsmanship at work in tunes such as "Handle with Care," "End of the Line," and a striking Orbison performance on "Not Alone Anymore" that ranks with any of his finest. Both albums were million-sellers, but oddly went out of print for about a decade until Rhino resurrected them, adding two rare tracks per disc as well as a DVD of music videos and a band documentary. The resulting package is a comprehensive overview of a once--well, twice--in-a-lifetime project that, especially after Harrison's passing, will never be repeated. --Hal Horowitz

Album Description

Featuring classics like "Handle With Care," "End Of The Line," and "Heading For The Light," super-group Traveling Wilbury's Collection highlights all of the band's music and previously unreleased bonus tracks through this re-mastered double album. The DVD features behind the scenes footage of the band writing and recording, along with their 5 video clips. Limited edition Deluxe package includes 40-page booklet and other exclusive extras.

Customer Reviews:

Roy, George, & Bob, YEAH, but WHY Petty & Lynne???.......2007-07-15

Yes, I was very, very happy with this CD when it came out in 1988 (for...several reasons, one being mainly acoustic rhythm guitar predominated), and to this day, "Tweeter & The Monkey Man" is played with regularity on my stereo. "Handle With Care" beats most anything that George did (by himself, anyway), and Roy Orbison's "Not Alone Anymore" ranks right up there with "Sweet Dream Baby" or "Pretty Woman." But...I mean, that's IT - I detest "ELO," and Tom Petty makes me wish he'd taken up needlepoint or something (doesn't he EVER wash the sleep residue out of his mouth? He sings here with the very same mono-tone he has inflicted on us ever since "Breakdown"). So, no, I can't justify a "Wilbury III," or (Heaven help us!) a "Wilbury video." It's just too damned disrespectful of Roy and now George. But hey, "that & a dime," etc, & if you've already decided you're gonna purchase this, most Amazon "reviews" won't change your mind. Coupla hints, tho: Ringo "Newest AllStarrs" (the 2001 tour) DVD with Roger Hodgson, Ian Hunter, & Greg Lake is a MONSTER; Or check closely to see if there's anything by Paul, circa the "Venus & Mars" era.

Quintesential Must Have.......2007-07-13

One of the greatest compilations of influential musicians ever. No egos involved in the making of this music nor was there an infighting amongst the artist. Dylan, Petty, Orbison, Lynn and of course George Harrison all bring their life experiences and musical talent to two unbelievable albums that will leave you asking why that more musicians can't create artistic masterpieces like this. The first album has some of the best compositions from all the journeymen while the second seems to be a tribute to Roy Orbison while maintaining teh artistry of the first. Haunting lyrics, amazing melodies and unbelievable harmonies appear at some of the most unexpected places in all the songs. Nobody's Child which was recorded as an awareness song for the people of the world for all the orphans is one of the hidden gems on these albums as well as the remake of Runaway which seems to be a tribute to Roy Orbisons origins in Rock and Roll history. If you are a music lover or collector you need this set in your collection and if you are just getting started in collecting music then this set is a must have.

Finally, the Traveling Wilburys!.......2007-07-12

I have been searching used music stores everywhere for the Traveling Wilburys, and with no success. So when I saw the deluxe edition being released I was ecstatic. What a group! This is my favorite music buy all year.

Travelling on.......2007-07-12

Long overdue re-release of some classic material. How sad that Roy did not survive to see the reception the Wilburys' work got. Not one single track on either CD disappoints. I had forgotten the odd track from the second album but it soon came back and sounds better today that it did back then. The DVD and accompanying booklet/photographs completed a truly memorbale collection. If there were more than five stars this colection would be worth it.

Traveling Wilburys...It's about time!.......2007-07-12

I ordered this set for my husband for Father's Day. He absolutely loves it!
He's wanted this collection of music for as long as I can remember and I am so happy I could give it to him. The "making of" DVD is outstanding and I recommend this collection most highly.

Average customer rating:

The Essential Bob Dylan is essential
Essential To American Culture
Complete Dylan
Like The Old Days, Only Better
"She wrote me a letter and she wrote it so kind" from Not Dark Yet.

Essential Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Modern Times
Greatest Hits
Experience Hendrix: The Best of Jimi Hendrix
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The Who: The Ultimate Collection

ASIN: B000050HTO
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Tracks:

Blowin' In The Wind
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
The Times They Are A-Changin'
It Ain't Me, Babe
Maggie's Farm
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
Mr. Tambourine Man
Subterranean Homesick Blues
Like A Rolling Stone
Positively 4th Street
Just Like A Woman
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
All Along The Watchtower
Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight

Tracks:

Lay, Lady, Lay
If Not For You
I Shall Be Released
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Forever Young
Tangled Up In Blue
Shelter From The Storm
Hurricane
Gotta Serve Somebody
Jokerman
Silvio
Everything Is Broken
Not Dark Yet
Things Have Changed

Amazon.com

Two discs of music don't exactly provide for a thorough overview of four decades of recording, particularly if the subject of the retrospective is one of the most important and prolific performers of his time. So The Essential Bob Dylan definitely skates over the leagues-deep oeuvre of Dylan, summarizing his monumental first half-dozen years in disc one and skirting over the following 34 years in disc two. Delving into Columbia's three Dylan greatest-hits packages (though curiously purging "I Want You," a genuine hit single in its day), Essential offers only a few surprises, opting for The Basement Tapes version of "Quinn the Eskimo" over the Self Portrait remake that made it onto Greatest Hits Volume II and tossing in "Things Have Changed" from the Wonder Boys soundtrack for completists. But this 30-track overview is designed with newcomers, not Dylanologists, in mind. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

The Essential Bob Dylan is essential.......2007-03-01

Glad I bought this. I'm trying to replace the old vinyl albums I once had and this is a good start to my new collection of Dylan CDs. It satisfies the immediate need until I can afford all of the replacements.

Essential To American Culture.......2007-02-23

Bob Dylan is the greatest living American composer. As essential to his generation as Irving Berlin and Cole Porter were to theirs and sure to be remembered with the same reverence. This is a great collection of most of his finest work -- all remastered. An avid Dylan fan, I can't help but notice the absence of some of my favorites, like Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You, from Nashville Skyline and One More Cup Of Coffee, from Desire. I guess I would have liked to see a three disk Essential -- he certainly deserves one. That said, it is hard to argue with the song selections. For example, other than the original Greatest Hits collection, which was originally released in the '60's, this is the only other place you can find Positively 4th Street -- his follow-up single to Like A Rolling Stone.

If you want to purchase one disk for your CD collection that best represents Bob Dylan's body of work, this is the one to get.

Complete Dylan.......2007-01-16

This is the most complete of all the Dylan recordings I have and that dates back to the 60's.

Like The Old Days, Only Better.......2006-12-03

This is an excellent collection for those who were Dylan fans back in the sixties. Those of us in the room the first time I played these CDs could sing along with every single song. There isn't a bum tune in the bunch. But unlike those old records I have boxed up in the garage, all cuts sound clean.

I don't have anything profoud to say. I just want to recommend this collection to any old Dylan fans who want to hear it all again -- without the scratches.

"She wrote me a letter and she wrote it so kind" from Not Dark Yet........2006-09-15

I'm new to Bob Dylan's music and I must say I really loved this cd. I was unsure about listening to it since I wasn't all that enamoured with Dylan's voice but when you listen to music it just clicks into place. Dylan is a master at lyrics and mood. Each song has a unique mood or message that he conveys in what seems like an effortless manner. I fell in love with some of his songs of heartbreak and change.

This compilation is broken into two disks. disk one covers music originally recorded from 1962-1967 and disk two covers music originally recorded from 1969-1999. Bob Dylan life time of music is rather prolific so creating a compilation of his music into two disks must have been a huge undertaking but from a novice Dylan fan I think a great job was done.

I can say with out a doubt that disk one, which covers `62-67, is my favorite from the two although I loved both but I find myself listening to disk one over and over. I have been very moved by his deep emotion on unrealized love with "Don't think twice, It's all Right" and his reflection on every day struggles with "Subterranean Homesick Blues". So many of the songs on the first disc most people have heard recorded by other artists like "Mr. Tambourine Man", "All Along the Watchtower", and "Quinn The Eskimo" which speaks to his wonderful writing and appeal to other musical artists.

Disk two brought more great songs but they have a different feel to them, some how more impassioned and sensual with a touch of humility on life. You see the sensual side in "Lay Lady Lay" and impassioned views on justice with "Hurricane". There is even a little sadness in the second disc, you have to wonder how difficult the 1970's were for Dylan to be able to write so many songs that echoed in the hearts of others. Maybe that's why I like disc one.....less sad. I have to give a big shout out for songs like "I Shall be Released", "Tangled Up In Blue", and "Jokerman".

As I said before, I'm new to Bob Dylan's music but I can also say I am now a huge fan. I'd also like to mention the song "Not Dark Yet" from the second disc, it speaks of a soulful reflective Bob Dylan that I find quite nice.

Great writing, great feeling, great music.

girldiver:)

Average customer rating:

Great hits, not greatest
Bob's biggest
Had trouble with vendor.
BOB DYLANS GREATEST HITS
Musical Genius? Is that an appropiate title? I think it sounds lame.

Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
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Modern Times
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Blood on the Tracks

ASIN: B00000J7SM
Release Date: 1999-06-01

Tracks:

Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
Blowin' In The Wind
The Times They Are A-Changin'
It Ain't Me, Babe
Like A Rolling Stone
Mr. Tambourine Man
Subterranean Homesick Blues
I Want You
Positively 4th Street
Just Like A Woman

Amazon.com

Then a holding action while Dylan unloaded his head after his May 1966 motorcycle crash, now a nostalgia merit badge for boomers and a course in Dylan 101 for '90s newcomers, Greatest Hits stands up remarkably well as a listening experience. Smartly programmed to ride all over any residual worries about acoustic-vs.-electric authenticity--in fact, blowing a raspberry in their face by opening with the Salvation-Army-band blast of "Rainy Day Women #12 and 35"--this best-of stacks AM smashes and protest anthems together in celebration of a pop star like no other before. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Great hits, not greatest.......2007-07-03

CD okay. Like BOB? Get "No Direction Home" double disc. It is great. Young Bob Dylan that is not yet commercilaized.

Bob's biggest.......2007-06-21

There's just 10 tracks on here, so of course it doesn't exhaust Bob's body of work. But the 10 that are here are all good, Bob's most recognzied and beloved stuff. An excellent quick shot of Dylan. Definitely worth having.

Had trouble with vendor........2007-02-02

Item never came. However in their defense refund was promptly given out. I only wish that I had a chance to receive this one.

BOB DYLANS GREATEST HITS.......2007-01-15

Hadn't heard these songs for years - just as I remembered them, especially " Positively 4th Street". Dylan was ahead of his time & has certainly stood the test of time. Was very pleased with condition/prompt delivery, thanks!

Musical Genius? Is that an appropiate title? I think it sounds lame........2007-01-10

As the title suggests, it's greatest, the greatest. Bob Dylan is infallible. End of story. That's it. That's where it is. That's where it's going to be. It's not going to change. Done. I'm done. This was my review.

Average customer rating:

there is bob dylan and then there is everybody else
As Great as Everybody Says it is.
the proof....even Dylan can't escape the evidence (but oh, how he tries...lol)
A Stunning Masterpiece
incredible

Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Blonde on Blonde
Bringing It All Back Home
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The Times They Are A-Changin'

ASIN: B00026WU82
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

Like A Rolling Stone
Tombstone Blues
It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
From A Buick 6
Ballad Of A Thin Man
Queen Jane Approximately
Highway 61 Revisited
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
Desolation Row

Amazon.com

Dylan was virtually gushing great songs when this masterpiece arrived in the summer of 1965. From the epochal opening of "Like a Rolling Stone" through the absurdly apocalyptic closer, "Desolation Row," his command of surrealistic language was daring and amazing. As a vocalist, he was rewriting the rules of the game. Jimi Hendrix made note of Mr. Z's technically suspect pitch and decided that he too was a singer. And the backing, though ragged, is precisely right. Is this the essential Dylan album? It's certainly one of them. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

there is bob dylan and then there is everybody else.......2007-06-26

this is the absolute TRUTH on REALITY. bob dylan mixes up surrealism, symbolism (from rimbaud)and good old fashioned rock 'n roll to make on of the seminal albums of the lifetime of rock 'n roll. he mixes up a tremendous lyrical beat, wild frenzy and articulated truth in his lyrics to make a classic that will stand the test of time for as long as time goes on. along with blonde on blonde, and bringing it all back home, he reached the absolute pinnacle of describing real reality in poetical terms. in all his later albums, he would never attain this wild greatness again.

As Great as Everybody Says it is. .......2007-06-19

I giggled a little bit when I saw that the 5 star to 4 star ratio for this record was 29 to 1 with no negative ratings whatsoever. Well, there's a very good reason for this imbalance; the perceptions of my fellow critics are totally correct. Yes, Highway 61 revisited is every bit as wonderful as everyone says it is. I'm not sure if I'm qualified to speak about it though as I've only listened to it 123,343 times over a two decade period. I do agree though that in life one quickly discovers that many things are overrated--but not this CD. It is unknown how one could improve on it very much. There's not much better out there unless it's Blonde on Blonde and even then it's close. The tracks here are absolutely seamless and the lyrical brilliance (at the time) was without precedent. If we rate songs on a scale from 1 to 100 I'd have to say that not one of these tunes would merit anything below a 90. Had Dylan only released this CD he would still have been remembered as a genius. The making of Highway was something unknown to me until I saw Martin Scorsese's No Direction Home in which Al Kooper tells the story of the recording sessions, and the interview with him became one of my favorite parts of the documentary. I won't spoil it for you but, for the Dylan fan, you must at least rent it. Hearing about the way Kooper stumbled into immortality is worth five bucks or more. Well, I'll stop raving now but these tracks are Olympian in their proportion.

the proof....even Dylan can't escape the evidence (but oh, how he tries...lol).......2007-03-26

The best and most important Rock and Roll album ever? Yeah, definitely. Blonde on Blonde may have come after, but for me this album was always a distillation of Blonde on Blonde...other people see that album as filling out the ideas on Highway 61, but to me it's just the opposite. I've owned one LP, 2 cassettes and am now on my second CD of this album. (no I'm not an old hippie...born in '64, thank you). Buy it, steal it,...but definitely get it.

A Stunning Masterpiece.......2007-03-17

If there's ever been a better album made in the rock era, I have not heard it. It opens with the landmark "Like a Rolling Stone" and sustains that high level all the way through. Combines various genres of music: rock, folk, blues, Tex Mex, country and the effect is mesmerizing. It's nice to hear Dylan when he could actually carry a tune, and his rich, raspy voice serves the material well. The musicianship is first rate. Especially noteworthy is the blend of organ, guitar and harmonica on several songs. Dylan kept raising the bar with his albums and it never rose higher than w/ this incredible album. Check it out.

incredible.......2007-03-11

this is probably my all time favorite album. its right up there with sgt pepper. the way it is with most dylan cds is i will like half the songs and the other half is just okay...highway 61 revisited...every song is just the best. when i first heard "it takes a lot to laugh, it takes a train to cry" i put my ipod on loop and just listened to that song over and over.

Average customer rating:

THE most influential album of the sixties
bringing it all back to where it belongs
BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME IS BOB DYLAN AT HIS VERY BEST !
A good place to start
Folk Rock's Definitive Masterpiece

Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Highway 61 Revisited
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
The Times They Are A-Changin'
Blonde on Blonde
Another Side of Bob Dylan

ASIN: B00026WU9Q
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

Subterranean Homesick Blues
She Belongs To Me
Maggie's Farm
Medley: Love Minus Zero/No Limit
Outlaw Blues
On the Road Again
Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
Mr. Tambourine Man
Gates Of Eden
It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

Amazon.com

"You sound like you're having a good old time," a purist Dylan fan is spotted telling the artist in the documentary Don't Look Back just after the release of this, his first (half-)electric album. He certainly does. Updating Chicago blues forms with hilarious, tough lyrics--in fact, all but stealing the meter of Chuck Berry's "Too Much Monkey Business" for "Subterranean Homesick Blues"--on one side, dropping some of his most devastating solo acoustic science ("It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," "Mr. Tambourine Man") on the other, the first of Dylan's two 1965 long-players broke it right down with style, substance, and elegance. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

THE most influential album of the sixties.......2007-07-16

This is IT.
This is where, in retrospect, it all started. I didn't realize it at the time but I do now. There were two sixties, the Beach Boys, Frankie Avalon early Beatle "I Want to Hold you Hand", crew-cut, A-line dress, weejun sixties, and the other sixties, the Revolver, Sgt Pepper, Jimi Hendrix, Steppenwolf, The Doors, Led Zepplin, Cream, United States of America, sixties that everyone today thinks was the sixties. and it started here!

Bob Dylan, the antiwar, civil-rights, Woody Guthrie-imitating darling of the folksingers, the Voice and Conscience of his Generation, after penning "Blowin in the Wind", and "The Masters of War", stunned his purist followers with "Bringing it All Back Home". Electric instruments and a turn from trying to change the world by preaching at it to a bemused surreal satire. This, and "Revolver" are the two most influential albums of the sixties, maybe of music history. I remember.

The Beatles were wildly popular with younger listeners, but generally dismissed by music critics of the time as being a wildly sucessful but totally Pop phenominon. Dylan said they were "Bubblegum". Dylan's friend Al Aronowitz (sp?), said that the Beatles weren't that bad. Dylan and friend were introduced to the Beatles at a certain party in Manhattan AUG 64, wherein there was some smoking. Dylan and Lennon talked and found they had a lot in common. Dylan suggested Lennon should put more of his feelings into his songs. Following this party the Beatles became much more introspective, and a few months later "Rubber Soul"and the "Revolver'!. See DVD "No Direction Home" directed by Martin Scorsese for details...

"Johnnies in the basement
mixing up the medicine,
I'm on the pavement
Thinkin' about the government...

...Maggie comes, fleet feet,
Face full of black soot
Talkin the the Heat put
Plants in the bed, but
The phones tapped, anyway,
orders from the D.A.,
say they must bust in early May...

"...Keep a clean nose,
Watch for Plainclothes,
You don't need a Weatherman
To know which way the wind blows!...

...Please her, please him,
Twenty years of schoolin'
and they put you on the day shift"...

How that for starting off with a (paranoid) bang?

(and where are those Weathermen, now ...?)

or how about the heartfelt:
"...She's got everything she needs
she's an artist
She don't look back..."

or the workaday world of:
"...He hands you a nickel
He hands you a dime
He askes you with a grin if you're having a good time?
And he fines you every time you slam the door.
I aint gonna work on Maggie Farm no more..."
(had bosses like that?)

or the surreal:
"I was riding on the Mayflower when I thought I spotted land
I yelled for captain Arab, I'll have you understand,
Who came running to the deck, said 'boys, forget the whale
we're goin over yonder, cut the engines change the sail' ...

...I think I'll call it 'America' I said as we hit land.
I took a deep breath, I fell down, I could not stand...

...A telephone was ringing, it just about blew my mind,
When I picked it up and said 'Hello', this foot came through the line...

...I repeated that my friends were all in jail with a sigh,
He gave me his card, he said 'call me if they die'..."

Pure poetry, funny, insightful. The sheer volume of Dylan's genius is so overwhelming you can only get it in small amounts - I didn't understand all at first. I still hear new ideas in these songs after all these years. Notes from the Underground.

And the backup band isn't "The Band", as I always thought, it's blues guitar great Michael Bloomfield with Al Kooper trying to learn organ.

After this brilliant album, Dylan met and influenced the Beatles. The Byrds did an electric version of his Pied Piper song "Mr Tambourine Man" ("...take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind...". Then came Donovan's "Sunshine Superman", Vanilla Fudge's "You Keep me Hangin On". After that, there was a sea change in culture and in popular music. There was an explosion.

It started here.
This album cannot be recommended too highly

bringing it all back to where it belongs.......2007-05-27

I used to fluctuate between this and Blonde On Blonde - or the rougher, leaner sound of Highway 61 Revisited, but neither really captured the Dylan i could and do identify with the most. This is not to say that there are not *plenty* of other songs (some less popular, like "up to me" ) that i don't just love, the way i love the riff to East Laredo Blues, but on the whole, i have to say that it is this album that does what the title promises... it delivers... it brings it all back home and wow, what a wallop it packs.

The set-list you can easily find here so i won't go through it all, but to miss this album would be to miss some of the classic Dylan and that would be to deny yourself just the chance to see whether or not you like this minstel or not. You may decide not - but don't make that decision until you've at least heard this one.

Dylan albums, like Dylan songs, are difficult to choose a "favorite." I'd be hard-pressed to pick a favorite Dylan song, but if i have to pick an album, and i admit this is tough, then this would be it.

Cheers,
s.r.p.

BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME IS BOB DYLAN AT HIS VERY BEST !.......2007-04-26

Bob Dylan's 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home is arguably his best work. It includes three of his very best songs, the magical Mr. Tambourine Man, the darkly disparaging It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding), and his tale of absolute reality, The Gates of Eden. These three are performed folk style with just an acoustic guitar and harmonica. On the album's first song, Subteranean Homesick Blues, Dylan rap-sings forboding lyrics over an electric guitar blues. He then rocks Maggie's Farm, becomes a surreal storyteller in Bob Dylan's 115th Dream, folk-sings his obligatory hate-song, It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, and even rolls out a love song (sort of) with Love Minus Zero/ No Limit, were he sings words of praise about the woman he loves.

My love she speaks like silence,
Without ideals or violence,
She doesn't have to say she's faithful,
Yet she's true, like ice, like fire.

Pure Dylan. Bringing It All Back Home has everything for the Bob Dylan fan. Folk songs, rock songs, and classic Dylan lyrics. It's a great album from a great artist at his very best.

A good place to start.......2007-03-12

Bringing It All Back Home, released in 1965, is Bob Dylan's first flirtation with electric rock/ blues. Since the album is half electric and half acoustic, it is a perfect place for new fans of Dylan to start because they get a sample of both his electric rockstar side and his folk singer side.

The album has quite a diverse selection of songs; fast, bluesy songs ("Subterranean Homesick Blues", "Maggie's Farm", "Outlaw Blues"), slower, melodic love ballads ("She Belongs To Me", "Love Minus Zero/ No Limit"), poetic folk songs ("Mr. Tambourine Man", "Gates Of Eden") and comedy ("Bob Dylan's 115th Dream"). One of the best songs on the album is the surreal "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue". This song always fills me with inspiration everytime I listen to it.

This is a great album and a good place to start.

Folk Rock's Definitive Masterpiece.......2007-02-10

Bob Dylan, the great alchemist of folk-rock music, was booed at the Newport Folk Festival, and Scorsese's 'No Direction Home' documents the hecklers yelling out "Traitor!" at many concerts. Perhaps like any genius this is the inscrutable, but predictable development for anyone who truly innovates the wheel. 'Bringing It All Back Home' is the culprit that showcases the trajectory of when Bob, the Bard, went electric. Arguably, this album is one of the three best of his entire career. It is perhaps his most innovative, but his achievements have a scope that render the past two assertions needing a huge dose of salt.

Heralding the album, "Subterranean Homesick Blues," while not as dramatic as "Like a Rolling Stone" is easily as brilliant. Complete with cutting, social commentary and plenty of images to debunk the nine-to-five existence, Dylan spills out his surreal period full throttle. Anthems rain with the raunchy "Outlaw Blues" and the folky "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)". Hypnotic, every song pulls a punch--or doesn't pull any punches! The most famous mesmerizing development is "Mr. Tambourine Man," making Dylan a troubadour for altered consciousness*. Despite the crossover, Dylan continued to be a great storyteller. The first person "Maggie's Farm" showcases his familiar wit with the details of menial labor from hell. Then, "On the Road Again" captures the same idea, but with more of a vagabond flair. "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" meets every element at the crossroads by telling a surreal story with pointed observations. However, some of the most delightful moments reflect upon love. "She Belongs to Me" and "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" both exalt and debunk the romantic tradition he helped overthrow. "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" ends the album with a brilliant story about a misfit who trashes every sensibility of romantic notions.

An unqualified achievement, 'Bringing It All Back Home' synthesizes the outlaw with the dreamer where both folk and rock, tradition and iconoclasm meet head on and make music and culture new.

(*Dylan has moved on, and hopefully so can we.)

Average customer rating:

4th time around...still love it
one bad long cut
Can't go wrong
3.75 Stars- Brilliant, at times.
A Masterpiece

Blonde on Blonde
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Highway 61 Revisited
Blood on the Tracks
Bringing It All Back Home
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
The Times They Are A-Changin'

ASIN: B00026WU8M
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
Pledging My Time
Visions Of Johanna
One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)
I Want You
Stuck Inside Of A Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
Just Like A Women
Most Likely You Go Your Way I'll Go Mine
Temporary Like Achilles
Absolutely Sweet Marie
4th Time Around
Obviously 5 Believers
Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands

Customer Reviews:

4th time around...still love it.......2007-07-03

This was my favorite Dylan album after "Oh Mercy" and before "Blood on the Tracks" was. I think "4th Time Around" or "Sooner or Later" are my favorites; but really all songs on hear are good. I will note though that I didn't like "Most Likely You'll go your way and I'll go Mine" at first but I love it now, and I don't really like Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat" much anymore.
Dylan Proves with this album that he is as relevant and fresh now as he was years ago. No Dylan fan should go without this, or any "Music fan" for that matter.

one bad long cut.......2007-06-27

blonde on blonde is along with bringing it all back home and highway 61 revisited dylans major claim to poetical genius. he never attained these wild heights again. sad eyed lady of the lowlands, which encompasses one whole side of a double cd, is a real downer and a flop. it goes on and on with no real great melody and platitudinous lyrics. dylan wrote it too fast in the chelsea hotel and it just doesn't work in any shape or form. aside from that, the whole cd is a work of a genius which really rocks. look out especially for visions of johanna and absolutely sweet marie which george harrison ripped into in dylan's 30th anniversary concert.

Can't go wrong.......2007-05-12

One of Bob Dylan's greatest albums. Can't go wrong with this purchase!

3.75 Stars- Brilliant, at times........2007-03-16

These days, just about any music critic worth their weight in subscription fees will tell you that Blonde on Blonde is the one, the only, the end-all be-all greatest album of Bob Dylan's career, and therefore one of the four or five greatest records ever made by anyone, anywhere. They point to songs such as "Visions of Johanna," "I Want You," and "Just Like A Woman" as proof of that, while reminding us that this is also Dylan's most "ambitious" album, making note of the fact that this was one of the first double LPs ever released. I take that practice as proof that you should never take those folks too seriously.

Don't get me wrong. Blonde on Blonde is by no means a bad album. In fact, thanks in part to the afformentioned three songs- especially "Visions of Johnna," which is easily one of the greatest songs of the Sixties- Blonde on Blonde really is a wonderful record. It has plenty of superb moments: "Pledging My Time" is an excellent blues number, with some of Zimmy's most wonderfully twisted lyrics. "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)" is a fantastic ballad, drenched in swelling organs, ernest vocals, and a downright magestic chorus. "Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again" is a brilliant surrealist ramble in the vein of "Tombstone Blues," while "Most Likely You Go Your Way And I Go Mine" and "Absolutely Sweet Marie" are two of Bob's most underrated rockers.

Elsewhere, however, Blonde on Blonde is soaked in mediocrity; "Temporary Like Achilles" is a decent-at-best stab at slow-burning country. After the barrroom novelty of the music wears off, the song just drags and ambles its way past the five-minute mark. "Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat" contains a few decent blues licks (the guitars actually sound really good in this song), and some reasonably funny lyrics, (one of my favorites on the whole album is "I asked doctor if I could see you/ It's bad for your health he said/ Yes, I disobayed his/ I came to see you but I found him there instead") but is on the whole a pretty dull number, full of verses that go absoltely nowhere and bogged down by a cliched song structure. "Obviously 5 Believers" is a bland, boring rocker. "Fourth Time Around" is Bob's practical joke on John Lennon (the similarity to "Norwegian Wood" are entirely intentional), and although it's a fairly good comedic folk ballad, it's got nothing on its Fab Four counterpart. "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35," one of the most beloved tracks on this album, has never really done anything for me- sure, it's a fun song, but not more so than anything else that Dylan has recorded, or even more so than anything else on this album ("Absolutely Sweet Marie" and "Most Likely..." are blasts). Plus, the lyrics are terrible- Bob basically just repeats variations on one joke that isn't even funny the first time, culminating in insufferabl refrains of "everybody must get stoned!" "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" could have been a wonderful song if it wasn't so darn long and monotonous- which is a pity, considering that Bob is usually great at writing lengthy songs that hold your interests all the way through.

Certainly, Blonde on Blonde is an ambitious album. Dylan's lyrics are miles and miles away from the typical boy-meets-girl fare that populated the pop radio stations of the time. Musically, it takes the experimentation of Bringing it All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited a few thousand steps further- Bob seamlessly combines folk, blues, country, and rock 'n' roll, often in the course of one song. Plus, Blonde on Blonde was one of the first double LPs ever released (alongside Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention's debut, Freak Out!), which shows that people were beginning to think of albums as complete artistic statements rather than just a collection of one or two singles and a bunch of filler. As such, Blonde on Blonde is an incredibly important moment in the evolution of rock, and its influence can still be felt today. However, influence and importance do not make a great album- that takes great music, and Blonde on Blonde only meets half of its quota.

Still, the best tunes here truly are masterpieces- most artists would be so lucky to just write a song half as good as "I Want You" once in the course of their careers. And because of that, anyone who cares about rock and roll (especially Dylan fans) should not be without Blonde on Blonde. However, don't expect the greatest thing ever recorded. Highway 61 Revisited and Blood on the Tracks are better candidates for that.

A Masterpiece.......2007-03-08

Did a previous reviewer actually spend all that time talking about Dylan's voice? Is there a person on the planet who doesn't already know Dylan's voice isn't "good"? I don't think saying it's "an acquired taste" is being an apologist, it's the truth.

There's not a weak track on this album, and even if you aren't listening intently to the lyrics and the melodies, it'll still run you through the gamut of human emotions and leave you ready to go through it all again.

Average customer rating:

a dylan primer for beginners
absolute greatness
A Benchmark in Music History - RS 500 #4
AWWWWWW YEAH!!!!!
Dylan Exposes Society

Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Blonde on Blonde
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Blood on the Tracks
Bringing It All Back Home
The Times They Are A-Changin'

ASIN: B0000C8AVR
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Tracks:

Like A Rolling Stone
Tombstone Blues
It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
From A Buick 6
Ballad Of A Thin Man
Queen Jane Approximately
Highway 61 Revisited
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
Desolation Row

Amazon.com essential recording

Customer Reviews:

a dylan primer for beginners.......2007-06-27

Just in case someone reading this is new to Dylan, I thought I'd offer some pretty conventional but hopefully useful advice. Start out with the three Dylan albums listed below, all readily and inexpensively available. If these get you hooked, start exploring the others. If not, might I suggest the collections Elvis #1 or the Beatles #1. If none of those do it for you, try Mozart. If Wolfgang leaves you cold too, may God help you.

Anyway, here are those three Dylan albums:
Blood on the Tracks
Blonde on Blonde
Highway 61 Revisited.

Have fun.

absolute greatness.......2007-04-05

I always felt the best way to listen to this album was driving around with the windows down and BLASTING this sucker. Yes, even Desolation Row. Blonde on Blonde was also genius, but this one had such unbridled energy and freedom just pouring out of it, Dylan just sounds so loose and wild with his words whereas Blonde (and the albums after it) seemed more mannered and deliberately "poetic." This one is definitely a "deserted island" one for me---it would be in my top 10 albums to have with me if I was ever lost at sea. Long live Bob!

A Benchmark in Music History - RS 500 #4.......2007-03-03

This is a truly defining moment in the history of popular music. Until this album, there was a gigantic stone wall that divided rock and roll from folk. Rock had invaded many other genres, such as bluegrass, the blues, reggae and even swing. But folk had remained the private domain of coffee houses and protest singers in the vein of Woody Guthrie. The thing is, rock and roll had precious little to say, miring itself in songs about light topics like teenage rebellion, puppy love and the romance of fast cars or surfboards. Dylan by this time had emerged as the elite among folk singers, with songs like "Blowin' In The Wind", "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and "Masters Of War" on his resume. To say the risk to go electric would be large supremely understates the fact. But Dylan decided that this was the moment for his big step, and he did so with a bang. "Like A Rolling Stone" is regarded as one of the greatest songs of all time in any genre; it's a cultural landmark, and it successfully bridged the gap between rock and folk by pushing folk music to a new generation. But most important of all, rock was now free to speak about topics that it previously couldn't touch, and the artistic freedom would trickle down through artist like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, U2, R.E.M. and Nirvana, just to name a few. There are perhaps a dozen critical junctures in the growth of music in the twentieth century - and this was surely one of them.

AWWWWWW YEAH!!!!!.......2007-02-02

LIKE A ROLLING STONE and doggone TOMBSTONE BLUES, MAN!!!! worth getting...........uncompromising songs..................a vibe of freedom...........goes against the grain...........love albums like this............period!!!!! his voice is just one of those things!!!!! hell, it's dylan!!!!!

Dylan Exposes Society.......2006-11-10

It seemed as if even when Dylan went to the bathroom people would listen for sounds and try to find meaning in them. He kept repeating that his words meant nothing but nobody would accept that answer, everything has to have meaning. But, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar (Somebody else said that). The true phenomenon is that Dylan had the power to make us believe there was more. He exposed the plastic society that he lives in by just being himself. With this album he lit a fire under the folk music stage and gave lots of people some hot feet. He is the ultimate rebel without a cause. The opening lyrics to Highway 61 are classic mental slapstick.

Average customer rating:

Should have been on a single disc
Dylan Fans
Staying Alive with Bob
The Best Dylan Hits Collection
a really great collection

Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits
Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, Vol. 3
Highway 61 Revisited
Blood on the Tracks
Essential Bob Dylan

ASIN: B00000J7SN
Release Date: 1999-06-01

Tracks:

Watching The River Flow
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Lay, Lady, Lay
Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
All I Really Want To Do
My Back Pages
Maggie's Farm
Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You

Tracks:

She Belongs To Me
All Along The Watchtower
The Mighty Quinn (Quinn, The Eskimo)
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
If Not For You
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
Tomorrow Is A Long Time
When I Paint My Masterpiece
I Shall Be Released
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
Down In The Flood

Amazon.com

This time selected and programmed by the man himself, the two-disc second installment in Dylan's Greatest Hits series comes off as much more idiosyncratic than its brother, famed songs ("Lay Lady Lay," "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall") notwithstanding. An even richer cut-by-cut listen than the earlier best-of, this 1971 set masterfully casts the classics into new light and adds previously non-LP singles (the smashing "Watching the River Flow," with the Amazon.com fave line "People disagreein' just about everywhere you look / Makes you wanna stop and read a book; let's have lunch, Bob"), a then-unheard live 1963 "Tomorrow Is a Long Time," and new, stunning, off-the-cuff takes of "I Shall Be Released," "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," and "Down in the Flood." --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Should have been on a single disc.......2007-04-08

Only complaint I have is this should have been on 1 disc. Disc 1 is 36 minutes flat & disc 2 is 42:23. All 21 tracks could have easily fit on one space-saving 78 minute disc. Only way to justify this being on 2 discs would be to include at least 1 bonus track, which Columbia has done on some other artists' reissues. Other labels have reissued 2 LP sets on 1 CD, such as Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland, The Who's Tommy & Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, so they should have done that with this album.

Dylan Fans.......2007-02-22

Bob Dylan is always at his best, but this time he may be more on top than usual. The music is fresh, concise, and delivered with enthusiasm. It reminds me of a time when the music and the story were the most important issues.

Staying Alive with Bob .......2007-01-04

My husband gave away our old stereo equipment, including the Thorens record changer. What is a girl to do? I bought my favorite tunes from Amazon! Can't live without Bob. I got his 2006 album as well. Yah! Good!

The Best Dylan Hits Collection.......2006-11-04

The first Dylan hits collection has all the famous stuff from the mid-Sixties: Blowing in the Wing, Mr. Tambourine Man, Like a Rolling Stone, The Times They Are A-Changin' etc. Those songs are indispensable to any rock collection.

But I think I like volume two better. This collection has twice as many songs as the first hits album, and the songs are mesmerizingly beautiful and skillfully written.

Another reason why I like this collection better than volume one is because the songs on volume one have been played to death on the radio. I love the melodious pop folk sounds of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, "My Back Pages," and "I Shall Be Released."

I also like the hard rocking "Maggie's Farm," the soft rocking "All Along the Watchtower," the country melody of "If Not For You,' aw heck, I like them all.

It should also go without saying that every single Dylan album from the 1960s is absolutely 5 star material, and some of his later albums are vastly unappreciated (Slow Train Coming, Infidels).

I highly recommend Greatest Hits Volume two as a great place to experience the diverse and beautiful sounds of Bob Dylan.

a really great collection.......2006-08-29

the funniest thing ,i think, about this album is that it came out in the 90s.his 1st greatest hits album came out in 73.that was supposed to cover 73 and back.this new one sgould have picked up in 74 and went till its realease.however all the songs are oldies from the 60s,hinting maybe the 70s and 80s werent nearly as good.anyhow,theres "dont think twice its alright"-catchy."lay lady lay"-a beautiful love song."stuck inside mobile with the memphis blues again"-upbeat and catchy."ill be your baby tonight"-a sort of love dovey song abour a one night stand.only dylan!!!!!!!!!!"all i really want to do"-lyrical genius!"my back pages" is a song about reversing the aging process."maggies farm" is the dylan equivelant of "take this job and shove it!"."tonight ill be staying here with you" is good just like all the rest.ok disc 1 is down .now disc 2."she belongs to me" still sounds fine."all along the watchtower" is classic!then theres "mighty quinn the eskimo"-wtf???????????and "just like tom thumb blues".i guess they canr all be winners.then "a hard rain is gonna fall" a jim morrison like song but full of love like john lennon."if not for you"is singable."its all over now baby blue" is very pretty.then a few extras for space i think.this album kicks butt!

Average customer rating:

Sometimes simple is better, a powerful album
With God on our side
A darker side of Bob Dylan
Classic Dylan and one of the best albums from the 1960s
Mandatory listening for all Americans.

The Times They Are A-Changin'
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bob Dylan
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home
Another Side of Bob Dylan
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

ASIN: B0009MAP9A
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

The Times They Are A-Changin'
Ballad Of Hollis Brown
With God On Our Side
One Too Many Mornings
North Country Blues
Only A Pawn In Their Game
Boots Of Spanish Leather
When The Ship Comes In
The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll
Restless Farewell

Customer Reviews:

Sometimes simple is better, a powerful album.......2007-04-07

I must admit that I'm one of those people that just didn't get Dylan. I liked many of his songs but actually prefered the cover versions to the originals and being more into the music rather than the lyrics, really didn't see what the fuss was about. Well I've gone back and revisited Bob and now I get it, both his folk flavored material and his band oriented works.

On The Times They Are A-Changeing Dylan manages with just acoustic guitar, occasional harmonica and Bob's ragged voice, to make one of his most powerfully emotional albums. Perhaps the darkest of his career, certainly the starkest and it's just beautiful. Beautiful in it's simplicity and beautiful in the directness of the oftimes sad and timeless stories he tells.This is Dylan's most overt protest album, quietly yet powerfully raging against social injustice. Now while I very much like Dylan's band oriented material such as Highway 61 Revisited or Desire or Blonde On Blonde this album, Dylan's third, is a distilled essence of pure Dylan. There arn't any frills or fat, no drums or overdubs. It's just Bob and has become my favorite album by him.

With God on our side.......2007-04-05

This album was originally released in 1964 and the messages are as true today as they were then. The third title in this album, "With God on our side", was never included on any of the Greatest Hits releases, and its only other release was in a 1995 live album. It is sad to note that the civil rights activism and anti war passions of the 60's do not exist today. Everyone needs to listen to this song especially the political leaders of the world. The last verse of the song is the most memorable:

"So now as I'm Leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
If God's on our side
He'll stop the next war"

A darker side of Bob Dylan.......2007-01-11

Dylan's third album finds him writing songs with a heavily political bent, taking ideas from newspapers and setting them to old and new folk melodies. Though it lacks some of "Freewheeling"s light-hearted moments, "Times" comes across as more mature, often more emotionally moving, and darker. The title track became a Dylan anthem and concert staple. "Ballad Of Hollis Brown" is one of my personal favorites--the folk guitar and brooding story are perfect, with a clever ending. "One Too Many Mornings" is a bit darker on this disc than on "Nashville Skyline," but is also folkier. "Boots Of Spanish Leather" is an excellent and touching love song. "Hattie Carrol" is one of Dylan's most famous newspaper songs, and stirs feelings of racism and the fallibility of the justice system. The closer is somber and characteristic of the whole album, but I like the whole thing. Dylan's voice is good (better than on "Another Side of Bob Dylan") and the songs fit well together in the album's scheme. This is Dylan's last protest album, and sees Dylan at the top of his protest period. Recommended if you like acoustic folk, and suggested that you take a few listens to let it really sink in!

Classic Dylan and one of the best albums from the 1960s.......2007-01-07

This is one of the great albums from Dylan's first decade. The title tune should be in any Hall of Fame for American music of the last half of the 20th century.

"The Time They Are A-Changin'" is a song that speaks to the crosscutting debates of the 1960s. It provides voice for one perspective. But so, too, do other of the songs on this CD. "Ballad of Hollis Brown" and "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" can still bring anger, produce a sense of unfairness. "With God on Our Side" is a powerful statement regarding the manner in which religion can make some people feel superior to others, with whatever relevant God is on their side. "Only a Pawn in Their Game" suggests the reality of an elite manipulating the mass of people; whether or not one agree with the theme, the argument is well portrayed. So, too, "North Country Blues" has a statement to make.

There are, in addition, softer tunes, such as "One Too Many Mornings" and "Boots of Spanish Leather."

All in all, a must buy for those wanting to understand the full body of Bob Dylan's work. Perhaps the best of his pre-electric corpus.

Mandatory listening for all Americans........2007-01-06

A perfect album that was written way before my time, but still is absolutely relevant in every way today. Politics, Race, War, Employment, Depression, every topic is hear and clear.

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