#9 Bob Dylan, 'Blood on the Tracks' (1975)
Previously #16
Following his 1974 tour in support of album, ‘Planet Waves,’ Bob Dylan engaged in a relationship with an employee from Columbia Records, Ellen Bernstein. He had still been married to wife, Sara, at the time and, obviously, this new relationship signalled the sharp decline of his marriage. ‘Blood On The Tracks’ is the record that came out of this heart-breaking and tumultuous time in Dylan’s life. Opening with the song, ‘Tangled Up In Blue,’ the lyrics are part fiction, part reality. “She was married when we first met/Soon to be divorced/I helped her out of a jam, I guess,” Sara had in fact been married when they first met in 1964. The pair would marry in 1965 in the midst of Dylan’s electric tour. The record continues with ‘Simple Twist Of Fate,’ a song about a relationship destined to not work out, and ‘You’re A Big Girl Now,’ a song about a couple breaking up, while the protagonist begs for one more chance; “I can change, I swear, oh/See what you can do/I can make it through/You can make it, too.”
Their son, Jakob (lead singer of the Wallflowers), has said “When I'm listening to Blood On The Tracks, that's about my parents” and described the songs as “my parents talking.” Like the many emotions of a relationship in the throes of breaking down, the album runs the gamut. “You're an idiot, babe/It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe,” he sings on ‘Idiot Wind’ (what’s the deal with his pronunciation of “idiot?”). It’s Dylan’s most personal record, giving us an insight into the famously enigmatic musician. ‘Blood On The Tracks’ was originally recorded in New York in an acoustic style reminiscent of his earlier style. About 3.5 weeks before release, Dylan played the test pressing of the record to his brother, who criticised it, saying it wouldn’t sell due to its stark sound. Dylan would hop back into the studio in Minneapolis, re-recording half the album with more of a band feel. ‘Shelter From The Storm,’ one of Dylan’s greatest songs, could have been plucked from ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’ (#255), while ‘Meet Me In The Morning,’ a blues song, could have come from later-period Dylan (i.e. ‘Love and Theft’ [#411]). ‘If You See Her, Say Hello,’ one from the Minneapolis sessions, is raw and emotional; “And though our separation/It pierced me to the heart/She still lives inside of me/We've never been apart,” are some of Dylan’s saddest and most personal lyrics. ‘Buckets Of Rain,’ the lightest song on the record, closes out an otherwise very sad collection of songs. “Life is sad/Life is a bust/All ya can do is do what you must.” Dylan just has a way of saying things. To be honest, this spot could have been filled by ‘Blood On The Tracks,’ ‘Blonde On Blonde’ (#38) or ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ (#18). In fact, ‘Blonde On Blonde’ held the #9 spot last time. Dylan churned out classic after classic during this 12 year period. The album charted at #1, only the second in his career and one of five. And thus ends our journey with Bob Dylan. With 8 entries, Dylan is one of the most featured artists on the list. His far-reaching influence spans 60 years, and counting, of music.
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