When it comes to Dylan, we all agree that his strenght comes from his writing, is so powerful, so evocative, so insightful. I love his music and i love his very expresive voice, even though is far from great. Which songs do you think are the best in his very long carreer.

For me, one of the ones that has a very powerful emotional impact is To Ramona. Such powerful and sad lyrics and the power in that voice.

Not Dark Yet, just beautiful depressing night imagery song. The lyrics of and ending life.

214 said:

NorthC said:

Although Blonde On Blonde contains some indifferent blues imo there's some of the most beautiful and poetic work about love and hearbreak he ever did within, not that this is news to anyone who listens to him! "Visions Of Johanna, One Of Us Must Know, I Want You, Just Like A Woman, Most Likely You Go Your Way And I'll Go Mine and Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands are all wonderful songs in that vein. But yeah, there's so much material that it's kinda impossible to distill it down to a reply-sized list

One of my favourites is I'm Not There, which was part of the Basement Tapes sessions but wasn't released on the album and later provided the name of that weird 2007 movie about Dylan. The lyrics are kinda nonsensical and it sounds very incomplete and demoey, but it has a haunting and unforgettable atmosphere.

Another one that is great is Mama You Been on My Mind wonderful song.

214 said:

RaspBerryGirlFriend said:

214 said:

NorthC said:

214 said:

Another one that is great is Mama You Been on My Mind wonderful song.

If you haven't already, check out Live 1975 (part 5 of The Bootleg Series) where he's doing it with Joan Baez.

Yes i've heard it,but i rather the original version

214 said:

NorthC said:

214 said: If you haven't already, check out Live 1975 (part 5 of The Bootleg Series) where he's doing it with Joan Baez.

Yes i've heard it,but i'd rather the original version

NorthC said:

RaspBerryGirlFriend said:

Although Blonde On Blonde contains some indifferent blues imo there's some of the most beautiful and poetic work about love and hearbreak he ever did within, not that this is news to anyone who listens to him! "Visions Of Johanna, One Of Us Must Know, I Want You, Just Like A Woman, Most Likely You Go Your Way And I'll Go Mine and Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands are all wonderful songs in that vein. But yeah, there's so much material that it's kinda impossible to distill it down to a reply-sized list

One of my favourites is I'm Not There, which was part of the Basement Tapes sessions but wasn't released on the album and later provided the name of that weird 2007 movie about Dylan. The lyrics are kinda nonsensical and it sounds very incomplete and demoey, but it has a haunting and unforgettable atmosphere.

Indifferent? You're not talking about Leopard Skin Pill-box Hat or Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again, are you? This summer in my home town of Gouda, Holland, I saw a Dylan cover band who played, among others, Leopard Skin Pill-box Hat. Grandmas started dancin'. When they were finished, the presenter came on stage and said, Please play another one of those good blues! So they did Pledging My Time. And then closed the show with Hurricane. It just goes to show that those old blues tunes always get the crowd going...

No I'm not I enjoy both of those songs (Mobile in particular) although I didn't mention them as part of my list as they weren't really part of the "love and heartbreak" dynamic I was talking about. Rainy Day Woman was the main one I was thinking of, and I'm not crazy about Pledging My Time either, although looking back at the tracklist now I must concede you might be right, nothing else there strikes me as particularly "indifferent". Hmm, I might also be thinking of It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry, which is obviously not on Blonde On Blonde but which I've never found hugely exciting as a song. That and From a Buick 6 do seem to me a little bit too "ordinary" (if pleasant enough) when compared with the amazing imagery and energy of the first two songs from Highway 61 Revisited, but it's been a while since I've had a good listen to them so I might be remembering them more harshly than they merit.

[Edited 10/30/15 17:07pm]

mynameisnotsusan said:

214 said:

Another one that is great is Mama You Been on My Mind wonderful song.

God he wrote literally dozens of incredible songs before 1965 - never mind the next 50 years of his career!

For real? you do not care about his later carreer

214 said:

mynameisnotsusan said:

214 said:

For real? you do not care about his later carreer

No! My point is he wrote more great songs before 1965 than most songwriters ever do! And if anything he got even better from 1965!

I see

mynameisnotsusan said:

214 said:

For real? you do not care about his later carreer

No! My point is he wrote more great songs before 1965 than most songwriters ever do! And if anything he got even better from 1965!

I see

The Street Legal album!

TOMBSTONE BLUES!!

Other favorites -

One Too Many Mornings

North Country Girl

Tangled Up In Blue

Positively 4th St

Subterranean Homesick Blues

John Birch Society Blues

Visions of Johanna

Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues

Highway 61 Revisited

Is he better than Prince?

2freaky4church1 said:

2freaky4church1 said:

2freaky4church1 said:

Is he better than Prince?

Of course he is, he is the greatest, i mean as a songwriter.

2freaky4church1 said:

Lily, Rosemary and The Jack of Hearts.

The Girl from The Red River Shore

Those are great stories.

KingSausage said:

I can't even make a list. Too many great songs. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall might be my top pick though. Brilliant lyrics. So moving.

That's a great song, and very moving. I imagine myself lost in the woods everytime i listen that song, lost in the woods wandering, meeting all the characters and the experiences described in the song. Just a wonderful song. By the way, on a raining day.

mynameisnotsusan said:

2freaky4church1 said:

Is he better than Prince?

He's better than Prince at sharing, preserving and honoring his legacy with the public. His latest in the Bootleg series (Volume 12!) is about to be released and includes every single take from what many consider to be his creative pinnacle 1965-1966. http://www.mojo4music.com...verything/

Definitely. I've been eyeing that box set for some weeks now, and although ultimately I'm not really that much of a Dylanologist that I need 18 discs of mostly alternate takes, the fact that it's out there for those who are interested is amazing. Musicians of similar stature could learn a lot from Dylan in terms of preserving their legacy, particularly Prince who is probably one of the worst at it tbh. Although being priced at around £100 I'm sure there are other motivations for Dylan coming out with such a huge box set beyond honouring his legacy

214 said:

RaspBerryGirlFriend said: