#181 Bob Dylan, 'Bringing It All Back Home' (1965)
Previously #31
This album was one of the most controversial records of the ‘60s, but not for any reason that makes sense in 2021. In 1964, Dylan met The Beatles for the first time at the hotel in New York. He gave them their first joints and in turn, they opened his work to rock ‘n roll. Dylan was famously an acoustic Folk musician whose lyrical content was more often than not political. Around the same time, the song of John Hammond, the man that had signed Dylan to Columbia, was experimenting with Folk Rock and had employed members of The Hawks (later known as The Band) to record on his album. These two experiences, plus others, no doubt influenced Dylan to pick up an electric guitar for the first time. And that was it. He was heavily criticized by the Folk community, even booed at Newport Folk Festival in 1965.
This album is made up of two sides – side 1 is electric, side 2 solo acoustic. It was a transition of what was to come (more on that later). The album opens with ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues,’ not only a song with a great title, it had an iconic music video too and some of the best song lyrics of all time. Was this the first rap song? Debatable, but Dylan manages to squeeze 328 words into two minutes and twenty one seconds of music. ‘Maggie’s Farm’ is one of my favourite Dylan songs and was later famously covered by Rage Against The Machine. ‘Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream’ is a song in a similar vein to ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues.’ Great lyrics! The first acoustic number on the record is ‘Mr Tambourine Man,’ one of Dylan’s most well-known songs, and shortly after its release was the breakthrough hit for The Byrds (#287). ‘It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)’ feature some of Dylan’s most insightful lyrics, amongst them “He not busy being born / Is busy dying,” “Even the president of the United States / Sometimes must have to stand naked,” and “Money doesn't talk, it swears.” Bob Dylan was the original bumper sticker. The album ends with another favourite of mine, ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,’ a heartbreaking song about the end of a relationship. Incredible record!
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