Blonde On Blonde - Bob Dylan

Following on from the stellar Bringing It All Back home and Highway 61 Revisited comes this double LP, now squashed into one CD, which is probably Dylan's masterpiece of the sixties. The album builds on the blues themes of the previous album and moves into more experimental and unknown territory. This for me is one of the greatest albums ever made and many agree with me, the album itself placed 9th on the 500 best albums of all time by Rolling Stone ...
...was thwart with delays and an inability to tie tracks down, with Dylan initially recording with the Band in New York before taking on session musicians in Nashville for the final recording, which yielded the bulk of the album. The main context and inspiration from the album seems to be that of relationships, likely to be that of his with Sara Lownds after their marriage previously. But relationships and the hardships prevalent within them have always ... more

Following on from the stellar Bringing It All Back home and Highway 61 Revisited comes this double LP, now squashed into one CD, which is probably Dylan's masterpiece of the sixties. The album builds on the blues themes of the previous album and moves into more experimental and unknown territory. This for me is one of the greatest albums ever made and many agree with me, the album itself placed 9th on the 500 best albums of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine.

The recording of the album though was thwart with delays and an inability to tie tracks down, with Dylan initially recording with the Band in New York before taking on session musicians in Nashville for the final recording, which yielded the bulk of the album. The main context and inspiration from the album seems to be that of relationships, likely to be that of his with Sara Lownds after their marriage previously. But relationships and the hardships prevalent within them have always been big themes in Dylan's work so no surprises there then. The main theme though if I must blanket all of the tracks is the human condition and our emotions, the way we live our lives, he deals with the stuff of life, nothing escapes the all encompassing eye of Dylan. This will not be for everyone, but if you like Dylan, then you should like this, although many hardcore fans can't get on with it, I am not one of those, as I love this album, as you will see.

1. Rainy Day Woman # 12 & 35 ****

This is probably the weakest track on the album, as it is a random party atmosphere track about being stoned. But despite the huge drug influences in the song, this is a fun track that opens the album on a high. In the background, you can hear a number of other people shouting and talking, an idea that would be taken on by Hendrix on a few of his recordings to give them a bar atmosphere, whereas here it is more of a party atmosphere.

2. Pledging My Time *****

Many people don't like this track, but I do, as it is a nice blues piece that really gets the album going, and has some nice harmonica refrains, whilst also keeping the busy instrumental atmosphere of the previous track. The lyrics seem to be pleading towards a lover and perhaps her rejection of that and the vocals themselves seem to suggest something along these lines also.

3. Visions of Johanna *****

An incredible song that is winding and weaving with an almost dreamlike feel, and simply sublime lyrics. The song though is unclear of its exact meaning, but I see it as a battle in the singer's mind about how he deals with his love for Sara Lownds and also his feelings for Joan Baez, although obviously he would go on to marry Sara in November 1965, before the album was made. This is an epic song, although not quite as epic as the final track, but it doesn't feel long. There are other versions of this which should be listened to, although most of them are called Freeze Out, as this was the original title. The mystery of the track is perhaps its best element, but you almost understand what he is saying and feel what he means and wants you to feel.

4. One of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) *****

After the more morose previous song, comes this upbeat song about relationships again, but this time it seems to be more about how he deals with some of his lovers actions. It is a song about the struggles we face in communication with each other and the problems that some of us face, but the upbeat instrumentation hides some of that and makes it feel happier than perhaps it really is.

5. I Want You *****

A pleading song that seems to be about lust, and his desire for Sara, although I don't mean this that sexually, but the chorus is pleading and some of the lines suggest this. The instrumentation is very much bluesy and takes from the previous track and continues it in a similar manner. A lot of you may already know this song, as it is one of the more famous ones to come off this, so you will know what I mean.

6. Stuck Inside a Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again *****

A classic blues song that seems to deal with nothing and everything. The instrumentation, notably the organ is a joy and probably the highlight of the track, creating a sense of elation and yet holding back on us. I myself prefer the style of the version off of the Bootleg Series Volume 7, which was done in New York, but this obviously makes it harder for Dylan to fit in some of the lines due to the different time, and some of the missing lines show some of his difficulty in pulling this off. But this track is still good and a nice almost halfway song.

7. Leopard-Skin Pill-box Hat *****

Blues all the way, this is a classic song that deals with the insanity of the vanity in high society, taking the mick out of the clothing and fashion that seems to be so sought after within such circles. The song itself was played at most of the 1966 world tour concerts and was usually altered to a more powerful style that I think suits this song. Again check out the Bootleg Series Volume 7 for an even bluesier version of this song, which I love.

8. Just Like a Woman *****

This moves back to relationships and in this Dylan looks at the female and struggles to find out what makes them tick. This is a soft piece that is both emotional and yet detached, almost singing this and looking into space, he explores the female psyche and tries to work out what he is doing wrong. This is a nice fall down from some of the heavier songs and as such is a highlight of the album.

9. Most Likely You'll o Your Way (And I'll Go Mine) *****

This is a great song, and please do not base your opinion of it on the awful remix done by Mark Ronson, as it completely spoils the feel of this. This picks up from where One of Us Must Know picked off, as it sounds similar, and the lyrics and vocal style seem to be in the same vein. A good some that is more upbeat after the previous track.

10. Temporarily Like Achilles ****

This is a strange track that feels sparser than some of the other tracks, taking on a more refined form, but containing some strange lyrics, although it is still good and seems to amble along nicely. The song itself is again pleading and feels almost guilty towards a lover, whilst also looking to plead to their heart in order to get some response and attention.

11. Absolutely Sweet Marie *****

This is more upbeat and the organ is the main instrument, leading us along with the drums. The vocals almost remind me of Queen Jane Approximately, but in a more free form and dealing with the non specific, taking on a more surreal and Dy;an-esque style.

12. 4th Time Around *****

Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) was apparently Lennon's try at a Dylan style of some, and this is Dylan's interpretation of the events that the song described. This takes on a form not to musically dissimilar to that of Norwegian Wood, but the lyrics are so much better, dealing more in the ridiculous and surreal, which is a Dylan staple of this period and is a great reply to a great song.

13. Obviously 5 Believers *****

This is a driving song that perhaps builds the listener up before the final epic song. The song itself is a blues and is again relationships based, but the instrumentation here is key and the drumming is again great, with the guitar moaning and strumming along in the background. Not the best song on the album but still a great song.

14. Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands *****

This 11 minute epic is an ode to Sara Lownds, as proved by its mention in Sara, "Staying up for days in the Chelsea Hotel, writing Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands for you". And of course the title, lowlands, is very similar to Lownds, so the signs are there and the lyrics in the song suggest this themselves. The lyrics deal with a number of images and relate them to the person in question and slowly build over the course of the song to a crescendo near the end. The musicians in the song apparently were unaware of the length of the song, and you can hear them building really high at around the third chorus, but then having to dip again for the next verse, and this happens on a number of occasions, but this adds to the dynamic of the song and gives it a nice feel. I like this song and it is a good way to finish the album, taking in some of the elements that it has expressed and putting them into a more exploratory effort.

Overall, this is one of the best album ever made, rounding off Dylan's sixties electric trilogy with an epic double LP, which takes in all that the other two expressed and taking it even further. This is a spectacular example of Dylan's lyrical prowess and his ability to form a song into a blues or love song, and the vocals are also good, and for those who despise his voice, you are missing out on a lot and obviously can only deal with dull pop star voices. This is a spectacular album that too many miss due to pet peeves that show a distinct lack of ability to understand more complex song forms and styles. I love this album and would have it as one of my desert island disks, so give it a go, you just might like it. And for those wanting even more, try the SACD, as the mix and sound quality on this is astounding if played through a good set of speakers. 

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