Tuesday 24 May 2011

Forever Young - Dylan at 70

So on last night's show I had a Dylan themed hour, playing some of my favourite Bob Dylan tracks. This was always going to be a hard task, especially when Hurricane and Visions Of Johanna both rumble on a bit (that's uncalled for I know). However, I feel I managed to squeeze as many tracks into the hour as possible. Here's what was played:

Vision Of Johanna - From Blonde On Blonde released in 1966, hear Dylan longing for his ideal Johanna, whilst at the same time being with another woman Louise. Poetry at it's best. Here it on scratchy vinyl here

Tangled Up In Blue - From Blood On The Tracks released in 1975, the song has no clear definition of time, as  the story is told in a mixed up, random occuring events. Live, Dylan often improvises and changes the lyrics further enhancing the effect. Watch it here

Forever Young - From Planet Waves released in 1974, it first appeared in two parts, Forever Young and Forever Young (Continued). It epitomises the spirit of Dylan.

Blowin' In The Wind - From The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan released in 1963. How many roads must a man walk down? Never one to give direct answers, Dylan presents his ambigiously teasing answer. A song which embodies a time and generation like no other. See it here


Like A Rolling Stone - From Highway 61 Revisited released in 1965, it still sends shivers down my spine each time I hear it. Perhaps unsurprisingly placed at #1 in Rolling Stones' '500 Greatest Songs Of All Time' (how much did Dylan charge for the name?) Hear the original mono vinyl pressing here

I Want You - Taken from the Blonde On Blonde album, the subject matter is supposedly about Brian Jones' girlfriend Anita Pallenberg. Lovely song regardless.

The Times They Are a-Changing - From the album of the same name released in 1964, another song which is synonymous with the protest moving of the love generation in the '60's. Always used to represent change from one generation to another, hear it here in the opening sequence of the fantastic Watchmen.

Hurricane - From Desire released in 1976, Dylan goes back to his topical ballad roots, telling the story of the boxer Rubin Carter, and highlighting the institutional racism which resulted in Carters wrongful conviction.

Highway 61 Revisited - Taken from the album of the same name, it's got the best opening line of a song. Ever. Have a listen to PJ Harvey covering it here

Mr Tambourine Man - From Bringing It All Back Home released in 1965, it's the song that changed the way The Beatles wrote music. Listen to Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds for the proof. Lyrically it is just beautiful, hear it live here

2 comments:

  1. This is Andy Lindsay from The Magazine Show on Pulse 98.4. Your affection for Bob is nice to see (and hear). Sadly I seem to come across more critics than fans these days. I too included several Dylan pieces on Tuesday morning's show.

    Like A Rolling Stone
    Blowin' In The Wind (a snippet)
    Subterraenean Homesick Blues
    Tombstone Blues (by Marc Carroll)
    Tangled Up In Blue
    Everything Is Broken (by RL Burnside)
    I Want You
    A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall (by Bryan Ferry)
    Forever Young (Live at Budokan)
    Watching The River Flow

    Seems a lot, I know, but it WAS over the course of a three hour show.

    Good luck

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