A lot of people were conned into thinking this was a better album than it really is. The band were great, and Dylan turned some great phrases out, but much of his writing at this point was silly. The melodies on the album are mostly missing, he's drawling more than singing, and the whole thing feels like a private joke from a smart-ass junkie. Which is exactly what it is. It's a brilliant joke. A clever joke. But a joke nonetheless. I can't be moved by such negative jokes.

I take it you don't want to be stoned?

I've never heard it, actually i've heard very little Dylan all the way through. My brother is a huge fan but never really mentions this album.
[Edited 1/22/09 8:01am]

This is a pretty good record. One of Dylan's best.



Best songs are Rainy Day Women #12 & 35, One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later), Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again, Just Like a Woman and Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands.

a masterpiece

Well,I still like it. Maybe not quite as much as Highway 61 though.

I think some of the best singing Dylan ever did was on this record.

What about Blood On The Tracks?

2freaky4church1 said:

As far as Dylan goes that's my personal fave, but that's not "on point".

You and Lenny are the only black dudes who like Dylan..lol

Since I'm the only black dude at most rock concerts, I'm kinda used to it.

not ever, but yes I think he has better records.

I like many of the songs, but it's not my favorite of his albums. Mostly it doesn't have a pleasant tone, production or instrumentation-wise. It's kind of a harsh feel.

It's my favourite album most of the time. I can take your point about some of the songs being jokes, but they're great jokes. Dylan was snotty, acerbic, wildly acidic, and I think those 'jokes', while they may be throw-aways by the standards of other songs he was recording at the time, are an absolute joy to listen to.

I'll also allow that the album has a touch of fat on the third side, a problem not found on Bringing It All Back Home or Highway 61 Revisited.

But it has Visions of Johanna, I Want You, Just Like a Woman and Sad-Eyed Lady, which are simply the most beautiful rock songs ever recorded as far as I'm concerned.
[Edited 1/22/09 16:38pm]

WildheartXXX said:

It's generally regarded as one of the best albums ever made. Always comes high in the lists. But it's the sound of a genius crashing and burning. In truth, he's recorded much better albums in his old age than this self indulgent dreck.

2freaky4church1 said:

That's still probably his best album. I'd take half of that over all of Blonde On Blonde.

midnightmover said:

Agree.


Time Out of Mind smokes its ass.

2freaky4church1 said:

That's my favorite dylan album.

But I think some of the high regard for Blonde on Blonde is coming from people who were there when it happened. It's like Sgt Pepper. Looking back there are maybe better collections of songs, but the way they were changing the idea of what a song should be made the albums stand out from the moment.

Blood on the Tracks is a nicer sounding album of strongly written songs, but I don't think it was as challenging.