Blonde On Blonde - Bob Dylan > Reviews > A Masterpiece

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	Excellent songwriting, a masterpiece
Disadvantages:	None

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Bob Dylan is to my mind the single most influential figure in modern music. He revolutionised modern poetry, folk music, and popular music. His work bridges generations and the quality of his songwriting has never been rivaled. Even the most accomplished of todays contemporary artists can only imitate.

"Blonde on Blonde" is a truly remarkable album that captures Dylan at what was perhaps his creative peak (although, some would argue that of the later "Blood on the Tracks"). Amazingly the entire album (originally released as a double LP) was recorded in two or three days. The direction of the album was hinted at in its predecessor "Highway 61 revisited", which I feel finally drove the nail into the coffin of the cliche-ridden topical songwriter. Dylan's work was developing a complexity to challenge a Picasso. The overall theme comes through the songs like an absraction rather than from any particular lines which spell-out a too-easily-understood message. There is a plasticity and kinetic brilliance to the verses that is difficult to express.

Track 1 - The 14 track album begins with "Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35", banned on most radio stations at the time because of its drug references. This is longer by two verses than the original Columbia 45 rpm version and shows Dylans warm sense of humour. This is a good-time, raucous tune with the universal message "Everybody Must Get Stoned".

Track 2 - "Pledging My time" is straight blues, an act of faith by Dylan who sings "I'm pledging my time to you", but is it really an act of faith? The last two verses conjure up a violence and a - typically Dylan - ambiguity.

Track 3 - "Visions of Johanna", an absolutely beautiful, master creation. Introspection, philosophy and beautifully crafted lyrics. I can't think of any lyric to rival lines such as "The ghost of electricity / Howls in the bones of her face"

Track 4 - "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)" shows the duality of love. One side serious, the other not

Track 5 - "I Want You" is bright and happy. All logic says no, but "I want you". Very open for Dylan.

Track 6 - "Just Like a Woman" is both tender but bitchy. A beautiful song but with an iron strength running through it.

Track 7 - "Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat" is bizarre, satirical blues".

Track 8 - "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" is an absolute masterpiece in which Dylan seems to be pondering TS Eliot's "Between the idea / And the Reality / Between the Motion / And the Act / Falls the shadow" - this song is for everyone who has dreamed of something better and yet at the same time realised the dark irony of the human condition.

Track 9 - "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)", the title says it all!

Track 10 - "Temporary Like Achilles" is slow, moody blues.

Track 11 - "Fourth Time Around" is a parody of the Beatles "Norweigan Wood", mock platitudes, mock waltz music, full of delightful humour, but tinged with a gritty reality that echoes in the last three lines "And I, I never took much / I never asked for your crutch / Now don't ask for mine"

Track 12 - "Absolutely Sweet Marie", a lovesick song, tinged with revenge "where are you tonight, sweet Marie?"

Track 13 - "Obviously Five Believers" is hard rock blues, very sexual and unsentimental.

Track 14 - "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" is in my opinion the greatest song of ALL TIME, an exquiste, almost religious portrait of a girl, told with such delicate and tender imagery. The song takes Dylan almost 15 minutes to perform, but its impact is so concentrated it seems like only four or five minutes have passed. Whether or not you like Dylans voice, or his guitar playing, just read the lyrics to this song, and enjoy it for the brilliant poetry it is.

Pure genius.