A Simple Twist Of Fate - The Bob Dylan Thread

daddyfatsnax said:
Question to anybody: What's a random song you really like dylan's vocals on? I've always really liked "One More Cup of Coffee"
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"Idiot Wind" is one of his best, most affecting vocal performances. I love his detached sound on "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues." More recently, "Pay in Blood" off Tempest is fantastic. Early, "In My Time of Dyin'" and "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean," as well as the hilarious delivery in "I Shall Be Free."
 
daddyfatsnax said:
Hey @Joe Mac quick dylan question. i've seen you talk before about your growing bob mofi collection, what's your top 5 (not bob albums, but Mofis specifically, though feel free to elaborate on all things robert zimmerman, 'tis the space) on vinyl? I've picked up a few already: bringing it all back home, blood on the tracks, and basement tapes.

Question to anybody: What's a random song you really like dylan's vocals on? I've always really liked "One More Cup of Coffee"
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I was pretty blown away when I heard his vocal on 'Pretty Saro'. I mean, he's actually hitting notes on that one. I think that is a really sweet vocal performance.
 
daddyfatsnax said:
Question to anybody: What's a random song you really like dylan's vocals on? I've always really liked "One More Cup of Coffee"
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BjorgenFjorgen said:
"Idiot Wind" is one of his best, most affecting vocal performances. I love his detached sound on "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues." More recently, "Pay in Blood" off Tempest is fantastic. Early, "In My Time of Dyin'" and "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean," as well as the hilarious delivery in "I Shall Be Free."
Click to expand...
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues is an underrated Dylan song all around. I've always thought he was a great singer (not that you're saying he isn't, I just get frustrated with that common perception). I generally love his phrasing and his ability to shift through emotions/personas (coy, detached, angry, sincere, wistful, funny, etc etc) which more than makes up for any lack of technical ability. Blood on the Tracks is full of great vocal cuts. I love his singing on John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline - especially his part on Girl From the North Country w/ Cash and Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You.
 
Badams said:
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues is an underrated Dylan song all around. I've always thought he was a great singer (not that you're saying he isn't, I just get frustrated with that common perception). I generally love his phrasing and his ability to shift through emotions/personas (coy, detached, angry, sincere, wistful, funny, etc etc) which more than makes up for any lack of technical ability. Blood on the Tracks is full of great vocal cuts. I love his singing on John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline - especially his part on Girl From the North Country w/ Cash and Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You.
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Oh, I definitely agree that he is a great singer! "Tom Thumb" is also probably a top-3 Dylan song for me. I'd always liked it -- I'm a Highway 61 disciple -- but hearing Ramblin' Jack Elliott's acoustic version on the I'm Not There soundtrack really opened it up for me.
 
Badams said:
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues is an underrated Dylan song all around. I've always thought he was a great singer (not that you're saying he isn't, I just get frustrated with that common perception). I generally love his phrasing and his ability to shift through emotions/personas (coy, detached, angry, sincere, wistful, funny, etc etc) which more than makes up for any lack of technical ability. Blood on the Tracks is full of great vocal cuts. I love his singing on John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline - especially his part on Girl From the North Country w/ Cash and Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You.
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When people diss in-his-prime Dylan vocals, I think they tend to mistake his phrasing and the stretching of words for bad singing. His voice fits his songwriting perfectly. It did back in the 60's, and he has learned to make his current voice fit the songs he does now quite well too.
 
Alright having just digested the Mono Box, I'm going to rank them for fun

  1. Bringing it All Back Home

    Good mix of fun electric tunes and second half acoustic, with Mr. Tambourine Man being one of his all time greats. The electric tunes are catchy, memorable and short. I'm not yet open to Bob rambling on and on and on and on with a full band backing yet. The discussion above is talking about "Idiot Wind" which I think is way too long and would be fine as a 4 minute song. None of that here.

  2. Blonde on Blonde

    Remove like 4 songs and it's probably #1. Rainy Day Women, Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat, and maybe one or two from the second LP.

  3. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

    A classic. I'm a huge fan of acoustic Dylan and this one has some of his best songs. The one LP I owned separately already outside of this box. Blowin in the Wind, Girl From The North Country, Don't Think Twice It's Alright. Light finger-picking Dylan is the best Dylan

  4. The Times They Are A-Changin'

    Another good acoustic Dylan, including maybe my favorite song of his, Boots of Spanish Leather. It doesn't have as many highs as Freewheelin' though but solid throughout. Love the protest songs on here too.

  5. Highway 61 Revisited

    Outside of Like a Rolling Stone and Desolation Row I didn't think too many songs in-between were too memorable. Maybe my expectations were too high? Songs like From a Buick 6 and Highway 61 Revisited just do nothing for me, rambling and musically the same.

  6. Another Side of Bob Dylan

    Good Bob acoustic but nothing really that outstanding here. Less focus on social issues in the lyrics brings it down a bit compared to the albums that preceded it.

  7. Bob Dylan

    A bunch of covers but way better than I was expecting. The cover art makes it seem like it's going to be cheesy (see Bowie's first LP) but this was good.

  8. John Wesley Harding

    Need to listen to this one some more, but nothing too special from first impressions.
 
wokeupnew said:
Alright having just digested the Mono Box, I'm going to rank them for fun

  1. Bringing it All Back Home

    Good mix of fun electric tunes and second half acoustic, with Mr. Tambourine Man being one of his all time greats. The electric tunes are catchy, memorable and short. I'm not yet open to Bob rambling on and on and on and on with a full band backing yet. The discussion above is talking about "Idiot Wind" which I think is way too long and would be fine as a 4 minute song. None of that here.

  2. Blonde on Blonde

    Remove like 4 songs and it's probably #1. Rainy Day Women, Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat, and maybe one or two from the second LP.

  3. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

    A classic. I'm a huge fan of acoustic Dylan and this one has some of his best songs. The one LP I owned separately already outside of this box. Blowin in the Wind, Girl From The North Country, Don't Think Twice It's Alright. Light finger-picking Dylan is the best Dylan

  4. The Times They Are A-Changin'

    Another good acoustic Dylan, including maybe my favorite song of his, Boots of Spanish Leather. It doesn't have as many highs as Freewheelin' though but solid throughout. Love the protest songs on here too.

  5. Highway 61 Revisited

    Outside of Like a Rolling Stone and Desolation Row I didn't think too many songs in-between were too memorable. Maybe my expectations were too high? Songs like From a Buick 6 and Highway 61 Revisited just do nothing for me, rambling and musically the same.

  6. Another Side of Bob Dylan

    Good Bob acoustic but nothing really that outstanding here. Less focus on social issues in the lyrics brings it down a bit compared to the albums that preceded it.

  7. Bob Dylan

    A bunch of covers but way better than I was expecting. The cover art makes it seem like it's going to be cheesy (see Bowie's first LP) but this was good.

  8. John Wesley Harding

    Need to listen to this one some more, but nothing too special from first impressions.
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I love "John Wesley Harding". Give that one some more time. 'I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine' is a personal favorite. It's a strange album, but I've always liked that group of songs.
 
wokeupnew said:
Alright having just digested the Mono Box, I'm going to rank them for fun

  1. Bringing it All Back Home

    Good mix of fun electric tunes and second half acoustic, with Mr. Tambourine Man being one of his all time greats. The electric tunes are catchy, memorable and short. I'm not yet open to Bob rambling on and on and on and on with a full band backing yet. The discussion above is talking about "Idiot Wind" which I think is way too long and would be fine as a 4 minute song. None of that here.

  2. Blonde on Blonde

    Remove like 4 songs and it's probably #1. Rainy Day Women, Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat, and maybe one or two from the second LP.

  3. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

    A classic. I'm a huge fan of acoustic Dylan and this one has some of his best songs. The one LP I owned separately already outside of this box. Blowin in the Wind, Girl From The North Country, Don't Think Twice It's Alright. Light finger-picking Dylan is the best Dylan

  4. The Times They Are A-Changin'

    Another good acoustic Dylan, including maybe my favorite song of his, Boots of Spanish Leather. It doesn't have as many highs as Freewheelin' though but solid throughout. Love the protest songs on here too.

  5. Highway 61 Revisited

    Outside of Like a Rolling Stone and Desolation Row I didn't think too many songs in-between were too memorable. Maybe my expectations were too high? Songs like From a Buick 6 and Highway 61 Revisited just do nothing for me, rambling and musically the same.

  6. Another Side of Bob Dylan

    Good Bob acoustic but nothing really that outstanding here. Less focus on social issues in the lyrics brings it down a bit compared to the albums that preceded it.

  7. Bob Dylan

    A bunch of covers but way better than I was expecting. The cover art makes it seem like it's going to be cheesy (see Bowie's first LP) but this was good.

  8. John Wesley Harding

    Need to listen to this one some more, but nothing too special from first impressions.
Click to expand...

I might be the only one but I love Another Side...
 
wokeupnew said:
For context, I'd probably give it a 7/10 in no way is it bad, just not as good as the others.
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Yeah I really like it...

Of his early stuff I always thought his debut and The Times They Are A-Changin’ (bar the title track obvs) were the weaker two...

For posterity with the monos I’d be

1. Bringing It All Back Home
2. Freewheelin’
3. Highway 61 Revisited
4. Blonde on Blonde
5. Another Side
6. John Wesley Harding
7. Times
8. S/T
 
Joe Mac said:
Yeah I really like it...

Of his early stuff I always thought his debut and The Times They Are A-Changin’ (bar the title track obvs) were the weaker two...

For posterity with the monos I’d be

1. Bringing It All Back Home
2. Freewheelin’
3. Highway 61 Revisited
4. Blonde on Blonde
5. Another Side
6. John Wesley Harding
7. Times
8. S/T
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Boots of Spanish Leather tho
 
I'd probably go:

1. Bringing It All Back Home
2. Highway 61 Revisited
3. Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan
4. Blonde on Blonde
5. John Wesley Harding
6. The Times They Are A-Changin'
7. Bob Dylan
8. Another Side of Bob Dylan

The margin in-between each of the first 6 albums on that list above is not large.
 
BjorgenFjorgen said:
Great song. Sadly I'd say it's the only great song on that album.
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'Ballad of Hollis Brown' is a super dark and menacing song. 'One Too Many Mornings' is wonderful, and 'Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll' is one that still feels relevant in my mind. It's his best Woody Guthrie album for sure.
 
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