What we're listening to: Dylan 'Freewheelin"

You'll know from reading this Blog that we're not huge Dylan fans. Although 'Desire', 'Budokan' and 'Street Legal' Albums have all appeared here. Maybe we're closet fans.

But this went on in Streamabout during the week and funny enough, a lot of singing along. "Blowin in the wind", "Hard rain", "Don't think twice" and so on. 

1963 it was and Zimmerman's second Album but a political album really of typical Dylan uncluttered songs and melodies. It was the record that made him famous and Van Morrison often talks about the influence of it, on him. Lots do.

Recorded at Studio A in NYC, under Albert Grossman's management (controversially later), it's very folky in a Joan Baez/Pete Seeger way but then, they were the times. The original pressing on vinyl is considered the rarest (and valuable) record in America today. It's held in that high a regard.

The cover shot is Dylan with girlfriend Suze Rotolo pictured in the West Village (where they lived).

It's a must-have. A critical Album at a critical time. 

Like him or not.

Previous "listen tos" you'll also find on this blog (you can search them in the Search top left on the Blog)......Stevie Winwood 'Arc of a Diver': Jamiroquai 'travelling without Moving': Eels 'Meet The Eels': Curtis Mayfield 'Superfly': Bowie 'Ziggy Stardust': Fatboy Slim/Norman Cook: REM 'Automatic for the People' :Coldplay 'Parachutes': Springsteen 'Hammersmith 75': Barry White 'Can't get enough': The Band 'Before the Flood': Dimitri from Paris 'Le Chic': Santana 'Abraxas': Suzanne Vega 'Debut': Michael Jackson 'Bad': John Hiatt 'Bring the Family/Budokan': JJ Cale 'Naturally': Ray Lamontagne 'Trouble': The Bluetones 'Expecting to Fly': Norah Jones 'Come Away with me': Macy Gray 'On how life is': John Cougar 'American Fool': Earth Wind & Fire 'Greatest': Boz Scaggs 'Silk Degrees': Durand Jones + The Indications: Elton John 'Captain Fantastic': Nirvana 'Nevermind': James Brown 'At The Apollo' 1962: Grateful Dead 'American Beauty': Frampton 'Comes Alive': Snow Patrol 'Final Straw': The Jayhawks 'Hollywood Town Hall': Alanis Morissette 'Jagged Little Pill': Chris Stapleton 'Traveller': Shelby Lynne 'I Am': Lauryn Hill 'Miseducation': Alicia Keys 'Songs in A Minor': Beatles 'Revolver': The Allergies 'Push On' (Our Album of 2017): Sinatra 'Jolly Christmas': Stranglers 'Rattus Norvegicus': Happy Mondays 'Pills Thrills and Bellyaches': The Verve 'Urban Hymns': Jim Croce 'You don't mess around with Jim': America 'America': Hall & Oates 'The Singles': George Michael 'Older': Rolling Stones 'Sticky Fingers': Miles Davis 'Kind of Blue': Mink Willy De Ville 'Backstreets of Desire': Ten Years After 'Undead': The Beat 'Just can't stop it': George Thorogood/The Destoyers '2120 Michigan Avenue': Tom Waits 'Franks Wild Years'; Glen Campbell 'Rhinestone Cowboy': Rory Gallagher 'Live in Europe': Michael Jackson 'Thriller': Daft Punk 'Discovery': DJ Dimitri 'Disco Forever': John Martyn 'Grace & Danger': Peter Gabriel 'So': Crowded House 'Woodface': Springsteen 'Born to Run': ACDC 'Back in Black': Grace Jones 'Nighclubbing': Stevie Wonder 'Songs in the key of life': The Cars 'The Cars': Billy Joel '52nd Street': Beatles 'Sgt Pepper': Tom Petty 'Damn the Torpedoes': World Party 'Bang': Eric Clapton 'Slowhand': John Mayer 'Room for Squares': Ry Cooder 'Bop til you drop': Jon&Vangelis 'Friends of Mr. Cairo': Mary Chapin 'Come on, Come on': Frank Zappa 'Joe's Garage': Joni Mitchell 'Blue': Steve Gibbons 'Caught in the Act': Elton John 'Tumbleweed Connection': Elton John 'Honky Chateau': Gallagher & Lyle 'Breakaway': Warren Zevon 'Excitable Boy': Donald Fagen 'The Nightfly': Supertramp 'Breakfast in America': George Michael 'Listen without Predujice': Radiohead 'The Bends': Beyonce 'Lemonade' Album of the year 2016: Oddisee 'The mix Tape': Soul 11 Soul 'Club Classics': Jennifer Warnes 'Famous Blue Raincoat':Art Garfunkel 'Watermark': REM 'Out of Time': Van 'Keep me Singing': Frank Sinatra 'Songs for Swinging Lovers': Al Stewart 'Year of the Cat': Stevie Ray Vaughan 'Texas Flood':Frank Ocean 'Blond': Jimmy Buffett 'Son of a Sailor': Marc Cohn 'Marc Cohn': Bill Withers 'Complete Sussex and Columbia': Hendrix 'Electric Ladyland': ABC 'Lexicon of Love': Rickie Lee Jones 'Rickie Lee Jones': Billy Joel "Glass Houses": Rodriguez "Cold Fact": Prefab Sprout 'Steve McQueen'; Chet Baker 'Live 64-79'; The Stone Roses 'Stone Roses'; Joe Jackson 'I'm the Man'; Oasis 'Morning Glory'; Bob Dylan 'At The Budokan'; Van "It's too late to stop now Volume 2/3/4"; Air 'Moon Safari'; Talking Heads 'Stop Making Sense'; Lynyrd Skynyrd 'One for the road'; Marvin Gaye 'Whats Goin on'; Mercury Rev 'Deserters Songs'; Dave Matthews 'Crash'; Beyonce 'Lemonade'; Prince 'Sign O the times'; Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'; Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black';Police 'Outlandos D'Amour'; Michael Jackson 'Off the Wall'; Carole King 'Tapestry'; Beatles 'Red Album'; Sex Pistols 'Never mind the Bollocks'; Sam Cooke 'Live at Harlem Square'; The Doors 'LA Woman'; Thin Lizzy 'Live & Dangerous'; Kendrick Lamarr 'Butterfly'; Aretha Franklin 'Amazing Grace'; Clapton '461'; Massive Attack 'Blue Lines'; The Clash 'London Calling'; Chris Isaak 'At The Filmore'; Bob Dylan 'Street Legal'; Bad Company 'Straight Shooter'; Jackson Browne 'Love is Strange'; Lou Reed 'Transformer'; Steely Dan 'AJA'; Stones 'Black+Blue'; Stephen Bishop 'Careless'; Nils Lofgren 'Night after Night'; Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells'; Neil Young 'Harvest'; Led Zep '4'; David Bowie 'David Live'; Van Morrison 'It's too late to stop now'; Wings 'Band on the Run'; Rod Stewart 'Atlantic Crossing'; Ryan Adams 'Heartbreaker'; Santana 'Essential'; Bob Dylan 'Desire'; Roxy Music 'For your pleasure'; Bob Marley 'Legend'; Stephen Fretwell 'Magpie'; James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'; Deep Purple 'Machine Head'; Springsteen 'Darkness on the edge of town'; Leon Bridges 'Coming Home'; Eagles 'Hotel California'; Jungle; Aretha 'Soul Queen'; Neil Young 'After the Goldrush' ; Zappa 'Overnite Sensation'; Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours'; Keith Jarrett 'Koln Concert'; Doobies 'Southbound'; Stevie Earle 'I feel Alright'; Tom Waits 'Closing Time'; Pink Floyd 'Dark Side'; Van Morrison 'Moondance'; Eric Church 'Caught in the Act'; Randy Newman 'Little Criminals'; Elton John 'Madman across the water'; Patti Smith 'Horses'; Doobies 'Captain and Me'; Steely Dan 'Can't Buy a Thrill.

What we're listening to. Dylan, 'Street Legal'.

Now let's be clear. We're not Dylan fans...at all. But two albums make the grade in our view. 'Desire' (1976) which we've already posted here and this one, 'Street Legal'. Another, 'At the Budokan' (1978 too) might just sneek in but generally when someone here puts on Dylan, there's a groan.

'Street Legal' though is well worth a listen. Well worth.

1978 and the 18th Dylan Album (he's actually, really, Robert Zimmerman), he's 75 this year of Lithuanian Jewish parents.

'Baby (please), stop crying' is the best known single from the Album but, 'Is you love in vain?' is a classic. Add to that 'Changing of the Guard', 'Senor', 'True love tends to forget' and 'New Pony' and it all works brilliantly.

At the time it was well slated and largely because of the Production, which quite frankly, we don't really understand. But that seems to us fairly mute, when you've some exceptional songs all on one Album - even if we're not "fans". 

But this is very well worth it.

What's amazing too, is the few Dylan songs on YouTube? Still, here's one to enjoy from this Album.

Previous 'listen to's'.......Bad Company Straight Shooter; Jackson Browne Love is Strange; Lou Reed Transformer; Steely Dan Aja; Stones Black+Blue; Stephen Bishop Careless; Nils Lofgren Night after Night; Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells; Neil Young Harvest; Led Zep 4; David Bowie David Live; Van It's too late to stop now; Wings Band on the run; Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing; Ryan Adams Heartbreaker; Santana Essential; Bob Dylan Desire; Roxy Music For your pleasure; Bob Marley Legend; Stephen Fretwell Magpie; James Taylor Sweet Baby James; Deep Purple Machine Head; Springsteen Darkness on the edge of town; Leon Bridges Coming Home; Eagles Hotel California; Jungle; Aretha Soul Queen; Neil Young After the Goldrush; Zappa Overnite Sensation; Fleetwood Mac Rumours; Keith Jarrett Koln Concert; Doobies Southbound; Stevie Earle I feel alright; Tom Waits Closing Time; Pink Floyd Dark Side; Van Moondance; Eric Church Caught in the Act; Randy Newman Little Criminals; Elton John Madman across the water; Patti Smith Horses; Doobies Captain and Me; Steely Dan Can't Buy a Thrill, Jackson Browne Love is Strange.

What we're listening to. Bob Dylan, 'Desire'.

Yes indeed, we're not Bob Dylan fans either.....but there's one or two Albums that do stand out ('Street Legal' and 'At The Budokan' we're thinking). This is the one.

'Desire' from 1976 was his 15th record (it followed 'Blood on the tracks') but made infamous from the opening track, 'Hurricane' which is the story of black boxer Rubin Carter. His conviction was overturned in 1985 btw, but in no small order from the attention that the song brought.

'Joey' another standout track, is about Mafia gangster, Crazy Joe Gallo ("king of the streets") who was shot in 'Umberto's' Clam House in Little Italy NYC (by 4 Colombo family gunmen including Philip Gambino). But Frank Sheeran claimed later to be the sole gunman in Gallo's shooting (we recommend the book 'I heard you paint houses') and that he also shot Jimmy Hoffa. 'I heard you paint houses' is mafia-speak for 'So you're a hitman?'.

Was rumoured that Gallo was the shooter of legendary Mafiosa, Joe Colombo and separately, Albert Anastasia, so his killing was revenge. His brother was known as 'Kid Blast' and referenced in the song. Dylan was criticised for glorifying, romanticising mob violence - but it's still a great track.

'Sara' is all about his relationship with his then wife whom divorced a year later in 1977. One that hurt him so much, he never played 'Sara' live but he also wrote the classic, 'Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands' for her. For us, this is the winner. 

'Mozambique' and 'One more cup of coffee' are also up there but generally it's an Album of classic storytelling. The track 'Isis' is also often quoted but not sure it's as good as. 

You should get it. Got the Streamabout 'hard to please, thumbs up' in here for sure.

Here's Sara for our Sarah....

And of course, 'Hurricane'.