Album of the Day: "Blood on the Tracks" Bob Dylan

[gratuitous]

Released in 1974, this album of classics features some of the best writing of Dylan’s career. It has been described as a sucker punch to critics who thought Dylan’s talent had waned and he was descending into hackdom.

I’ll leave comments for the songs open, but I will note that it was only recently that I learned the words to the sixth verse of Tangled Up In Blue were not “I lived with Emma on Montague Street,” but rather “I lived with them on Montague Street,” which changes the dynamic of the lyric substantially.

I had read an early review of the album which made it seem that Dylan was distancing himself from his own sins by switching from first person to third person when he sang that “he” rather than “I” started into dealing with slaves, and something inside of “him” rather than “me” died. When the lyric is heard properly, he’s living with a couple, not just the woman (suddenly named Emma), and it’s the demise of that relationship that causes the singer to leave the relationship again.

1 Tangled Up In Blue

2 Simple Twist of Fate

3 You're a Big Girl Now

4 Idiot Wind

5 You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go

6 Meet Me in the Morning

7 Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts

8 If You See Her, Say Hello

9 Shelter from the Storm

10 Buckets of Rain

[cemaphonic]

1. It's pretty much impossible for me to go on a longish car trip...

Without listening to "Lily, Rosemary..." somewhere along the way.

"Idiot Wind" is pretty interesting too. It starts out as one of those typically bitter Dylan relationship rants, but by the end, it softens up a bit, and admits that the narrator just might be a bit at fault too.

[SCantiGOP]

2. You're an idiot babe,

it's a wonder that you still know how to breathe. Classic Dylan.

[woofless]

3. I gotta think this is my favorite Dylan album.

Certainly the one I have listened to most. Was most fortunate to have seen the '76 Rolling Thunder Review when it hit Gainesville and it is still one of the highlights of my lifetime. "Tangled Up In Blue" live. Priceless.

Woof

[gratuitous]

4. Another one of those albums that gets better and better

I liked it the first time I heard it, but I like it more each time. While Idiot Wind and Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts get a lot of fanfare (maybe because they're so long), the wistful Simple Twist of Fate and If You See Her, Say Hello are two of the most heartaching songs for my money.

Tangled Up In Blue gets probably as much airplay as any song from this album, and deservedly so. But Shelter From the Storm should get more attention, it's a gem of a song, and You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome caused very nearly the biggest relationship fight I've ever had. (Omit long, boring story from a very long time ago.)

I ain't no monkey, but I know what I like.

[graywarrior]

5. Yes!

[hibbing]

6. You're a Big Girl Now

Hi,
I cannot see any Dylan referenced post and not reply. Idiot Wind, very mean to me, even with the last line. I have a very very soft version of it that changes the whole song to me, not sure if it is on Bootleg or Biograph or one of those I think, but look for it.

Bird on the horizon, sittin’ on a fence
He’s singin’ his song for me at his own expense
And I’m just like that bird, oh, oh
Singin’ just for you
I hope that you can hear
Hear me singin’ through these tears

I love that verse from Big Girl Now, and his phrasing makes it even better. I have so many versions of so much of his work, and each one changes, one thing I love about this hero of mine.

Peace

[hibbing]

7. One More...

Hi,
You should check out some of the alternative lyrics to Tangled, some interesting ones out there.

Currently reading Bob Dylan in America, I'm about half way through. Rather dense reading, but goes through a lot of the influences on him. Interesting discussion of the split that took place between the "Beats" and the "Folkies". Has also given me some other authors and musicians to look into.

Peace