HOW TO LISTEN TO DYLAN - SECOND TIER

WARNING!!! All who listen past here!!!! You are now entering into the second tier of Dylan albums: the acute, the obscure and the genre albums. There’s some gems here for sure, but these are not his most engaging efforts. We hope at this point you’ve realized his genius and are ready to dig deeper into his discography based on pure respect. However, if you’d like to stop listening now you could truthfully say that you’ve given Dylan a fair shake and you’re much more than just a "Greatest Hits" fan. Congratulations! You can stop now and talk knowledgeably about him at any party or social gathering without sounding like a poser. You won’t be judged or dismissed as someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about. If you’re not satisfied with that…then, jump on board and let’s leave the major leagues and go check out his minor league albums!

13. Nashville Skyline (1969)

Movin’ out to the Country!! We think this is a charming album and find it very listenable overall. However, it’s pretty much pure country so if you’re not into country you’re not going to like it...unless you already appreciate Dylan. We trust you’re there at this point or you wouldn’t even being giving this album the time of day. (Interesting Side-Note: If you know someone who doesn’t listen to Dylan but likes country don’t be afraid to introduce them to this album earlier in the listening plan. You’ll find his voice is very clean and smooth on this album. Gone, for one album at least, is his notorious nasally delivery). There are no philosophical folk poems with 8 or 9 verses on Nashville Skyline. This album is all 3-minute love songs from start to finish: love found (“Country Pie”, “Peggy Day”) and love lost (“I Threw It All Away”, “Tell Me That It Isn’t True”). To start off the country feel Dylan re-recorded “Girl From the North Country” as a duet with Johnny Cash on track #1. We don’t like this version as much as the original on Freewheelin’, but it does set the tone for the rest of the album.

• Studs: I Threw It All Away, Lay Lady Lay
• Duds: Nashville Skyline Rag, One More Night, Country Pie

14. Infidels (1983)

This album will definitely take a few listens to appreciate. Dylan somewhat re-invents himself on Infidels with the help of Dire Straits frontman and guitar virtuoso Mark Knopfler. Most of the songs are mid-tempo and feature Knopfler’s bluesy influence. The first track, “Jokerman,” is our favorite of the album as Dylan returns to his patented muli-verse epic songwriting style complete with flowery imagery and apocalyptic innuendo. This song could easily fit in somewhere on Blonde on Blonde or Highway 61. Unfortunately, Infidels heads slightly downhill after track #1…but not much. Bobby keeps the bar high with some solid rockers (“Neighborhood Bully”) and sweet love songs (“Sweetheart Like You”). Non-Dylan fans will hate this album if they listen to it first…but, hey, we’re way past that at this point.

• Studs: Jokerman, Sweetheart Like You, I and I
• Duds: Man of Peace, Union Sundown

15. John Wesley Harding (1967)

This album is somewhat like Nashville Skyline’s little brother even though it was recorded earlier. Dylan escapes to the “country” big time on this album as all the songs have an obvious pared-down Nashvillian production quality. JWH upset Dylan fans at the time because of it’s country flare but they soon warmed up to it once they heard the depth that exists on it. To listen to this whole album will take some patience, persistence and a back-log of Dylan appreciation. But, once you give it some spins you’ll like it. We think there are 14 other albums that will win over new Dylan fans before this one but it’s certainly a fine effort. The obvious big boy on this album is “All Along the Watchtower” which Hendrix made immortal. But, don’t let that marquis song make you overlook a few of the other obscure gems like “Drifter’s Escape,” “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” and the enigmatic “Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest.” For the B-Team, not a bad album.

• Studs: All Along the Watchtower, The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest
• Duds: Dear Landlord, I Pity the Poor Immigrant, I Am A Lonesome Hobo

16. Bob Dylan (1962)

The master’s very first album. The purists out there would probably put this debut higher up on the list but there ain’t a lot for the non-folk loving Dylan listener to hold on to here. There are only 2 original songs on the whole album—“Talkin’ New York” and “Song to Woody.” Every genius has to start somewhere and these two songs are brilliant but there’s not enough of them to put this album anywhere near something we’d throw out to a new listener early in the game. There are some really cool folk and blues covers though (“Fixin’ to Die”, “Gospel Plow”) which make this album interesting. If nothing else, you get a glimpse into the mind of a blossoming genius and a large helping of what the early 60’s NYC folk movement was all about. Careful though it’s all Bobby—1 or 2 takes per song and done. No overdubs. No layering. No Digital Effects. No Daniel Lanois.

• Studs: Song to Woody, Talkin’ New York, Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
• Duds: Pretty Peggy-O, House of Rising Sun, Highway 51 Blues

17. Slow Train Coming (1979)

The Gospel Truth! If you’re a Christian or like Gospel music you will love this album and probably put it in his top ten of your personal favorites. It’s definitely a genre album. Slow Train Coming has powerfully crafted songs about Dylan’s then new found faith in Jesus. We put this down at 17 because the newer Dylan fans will truly need to be sold on his genius before giving this album a fair shake (again…unless you’re a Gospel fan or born-again Christian). Almost every tune has back-up singers that emphasize Dylan’s in your face goal of telling what he believes. We really like this album because it’s not “preachy” like some Christian albums tend to be. Bobby’s giving you a glimpse of where he’s at in his spiritual journey—take it or leave it. There a few songs that aren’t as Gospel-ly like “I Believe in You” and “When He Returns.” So, you might want to initiate yourself into this album by playing these songs first if you’re not into the Gospel thang. By the way, this album did win Dylan a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.

Congrats! You’ve now pretty much heard all of Dylan’s “genre” albums—rock, country, folk and gospel.

• Studs: Gotta Serve Somebody, I Believe In You, When He Returns
• Duds: Man Gave Names to All the Animals, Gonna Change My Way of Thinking