Bob Dylan - Dylan, Bob > Reviews > Introducing Bobby the King

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money

Advantages:	Fantastic music, His voice, BOB DYLAN has arrived !
Disadvantages:	none !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Bob Dylan was born on the 24th May 1941 and by the time he was just 20 years old here comes his very first album! He'd already been making music for a long time of course, it was in his soul. And the one thing you can never ever claim about Dylan is that he was a listener-friend record company creation, Dylan had to fight his way to the top. He won over were he played, although his personal style and the way he gave everything his very own unique touch meant that not all the folk audience appreciated him. But that couldn't stop the man, it was written in his soul that he was going to change the world via music and so he did it.

And so in 1962 the album 'Bob Dylan' hit the world and excited people more than just about any other new artist's first album. For here was a mere 20 year old who had not just his own unique style but who was evidently a man of intellectual prowess and a man confident enough in himself to use his inner being to create new music. The album
includes songs he had written and some of his arranged traditional folk and blues songs. Most of the album is dark and has an apparent obsession with death. That said it is an absolute joy to listen to! Death has never sounded so good!

When you think about how music is made these days and you recall seeing 'Pop Stars' it
just reminds you what a refreshing Smirnoff Ice of an album this is. Bob Dylan, some unknown country boy takes his style and folk songs to a big city (New York, New York no less) and after tough times finally starts to win his battle. Then he gets a recording deal. When he goes into the recording studio within a very short space of time he knocks together the album that pretty much he wanted. No heavy production, nobody being able to tell him how to do his job. He wasn't a puppet in a place, he was the puppet master and that shines through in this album. You have Bob Dylan with his Acoustic Guitar and his Harmonica and of course his wonderfully unique voice. That's what you feel with this album and that's all there is: Bob Dylan, and although the title was no doubt picked for introductory reasons - it is the perfect title for this album!

Track Listing
1) She's No Good (Jesse Fuller)
2) Talkin' New York (Bob Dylan)
3) In My Time Of Dyin' (Bob Dylan)
4) Man Of Constant Sorrow (Arr by Dylan)
5) Fixin' To Die Blues (Bukka White)
6) Pretty Peggy-O (arr by Dylan)
7) Highway 51 Blues (C. Jones)
8) Gospel Plow (arr by Dylan)
9) Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (Ric Von Schmidt)
10) House Of The Risin' Sun
11) Song To Woody (Bob Dylan)
12) See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (Lemon Jefferson)

'She's No Good' a Jesse Fuller song introduces the record listening world to the new face on the folk scene: Bob Dylan. It starts with a fast and driving twanging acoustic guitar and soon comes something that was to divide the entire world into 'get it' and 'don't get it' categories, what I refer to is the very unorthodox voice of Bob Dylan. He rips into this fast - and at 1 minute 37 seconds long rather short - with a ferociousness and genuine determination. Within the first verse alone Dylan's voice trembles with a hidden laugh that somehow he keeps inside his skull, by the second verse Dylan's voice has already broken mid song from what technicians may say was the correct way to sing the song. This part of the song shows right from the first song of the first album Bob Dylan's style really is utterly unique!
Bob wails through this upbeat blues number in a manner that may put some off, but for a lover of raw emotion such as myself it will endear the song and the man to you. He manages to put such emotion through in his singing, and to me that's far more important than what the 'correct' technique is and what the blasted rulebook says. The Bob Dylan revolution is underway and off to a flying start.

The second track on Bob Dylan is 'Talkin' New York' and this is the world's first glimpse of the writing ability of Dylan himself. The title is quite apt as this is a talking blues folk style song about Dylan's experience of the Big Apple. Dylan tells us of his tough time adapting from his country boy roots to the crazy big city. How about one word to sum this song up? Cute! Whilst it talks of tough times and rejection you get a very real sense of innocent country boy violated by the harsh attitudes of a big city. And that is clearly the satirical manner Dylan has written the song in coming through. Dylan's voice here sounds a lot different to the first song, probably just because he talks this song rather than sings it but still giving an early indication of the many different voices he'd put forth over the years. The song ends in defeat, with a return to the country after the harsh realities hit home. It's an interesting insight to the thoughts Dylan was having when he was conquering New York in those early days.

'In My Time Of Dyin'' rolls in at track three. This seems like a real classic folk track if ever I heard one and Dylan shows a classic edge far beyond his youthful years. Yet it is a Dylan penned song, not a traditional folk song passed down through the generations. It's quite scary I suppose that a 20 year old could make such music, as if he was an ancient old timer sat out on his front porch in his rocking chair. A remarkable and eerie skill, and a good song to boot.

'Man Of Constant Sorrow' is a traditional song arranged by Bob Dylan. True to nature of the name of the song it is delivered in a tone of sorrow from his voice his guitar and for the first time his harmonica contributes too. The harmonica proves to be a welcome break in the context of the song; it breaks the powerful verses up and makes the whole song remain fresh feeling right to the end.

'Fixin' To Die Blues' a Bukka White original is next to reach our moist and keen ears. Some fantastic heavy acoustic guitar gets things underway at the offset as Dylan tears into this wonderfully down blues number. Dylan's voice is rough and croaky and fits the song very well indeed. His guitar playing on this track is exceptionally good. An excellent blues number.

Up next is 'Pretty Peggy-O' which starts with a Dylan talking. The guitar and harmonica on this song are thrust right forward, very 'in-your-face' and it works. Dylan sings with enthusiasm and at more than one point you hear a laugh hidden in his voice again, clearly enjoying his music making. It's a traditional arranged by Dylan, and I'm not sure but I suspect he has increased the pace of this song as it fair flies!

'Highway 51 Blues' starts with a fantastic heavy guitar chord progression that appears now and again throughout the song. It's another powerful blues number and the twanging guitar is played majestically.

'Gospel Plow' is a short traditional song arranged by Bob Dylan. Backed by his rapid guitar work and quick short bursts of Harmonica Dylan really unleashed his voice on this song. His voice soars through your head and drives the song home.

'Baby, Let Me Follow You Down' is next up. After a nice guitar introduction Bob Dylan speaks an introduction: "I first heard this from Ric Von Schmidt.." and goes on to explain who he is and where they met. And then the song actually starts! It's a nice touch though, it reminds you - not that you need reminding - that this album is a million miles from the heavily produced albums of the day and ever since. Harmonica and Guitar are accompanied by a slightly subdued sounding Dylan. Perhaps not the highlight of the album but by no means a bad song.

The next song on 'Bob Dylan' is the timeless 'House Of The Risin' Sun'. Dylan arranges this traditional song very well indeed. He doesn't arrange the song so that it makes him male though, if you presumed the singer of the song was the person talking to you it would hit you that Dylan is claiming to be a girl! This is due to the unaltered line "..ruined many a poor girl, god I know I'm one" which as you may know was changed to say "boy" in the Animals' version of the song. Not that this matters of course; it just seems a little odd when Dylan's rough and gruff male voice claims to be a girl! Bless!

Dylan sings with unbelievable power and conviction, musically it may be slightly less haunting than the cover to come by The Animals, having said that Dylan's acoustic guitar certainly does produce ghosts, it's scary stuff! Either way - Dylan's vocals make this the ultimate version. In particular the second to last verse is sung in total agony and then Dylan returns to a sad and sore tone to end the song. His vocals throughout this whole album are really quite mind blowing but for me this is the highlight, such pain and
sorrow!

You play this and try to restrain from turning the volume right up, give it a shot and I bet you fail! I just can't stop myself from turning it up really loud, to hear every nook and cranny in the amazing vocals, to hear every ring and twang of that guitar, to feel every last millimeter of this song, it's quite something! RAW, RAW! This is a very moving song, who cares what's going on in the words even, the delivery is just so darn fine that it carries the emotions of the words without you having to listen to them even! I love this Dylan version more than you can begin to imagine and in a sign that some things in life are great: this is the longest song on the album at 5 minutes 15 seconds, unless you play it on loop like me for a few hours!

'Freight Train Blues' comes flying along with a fast paced Harmonica supported by a rapid Guitar. Dylan sings parts of this song like a train. Baffled? Well though it seems so unlikely Dylan actually extends 'ooes' words to sound like a train's whistle hooter, you know blowy thing! "Bloooooooooooooooooooooooes" Dylan sings, extending on one occasion for just under 20 seconds before returning his voice from it's dying tones to rapid up beat giggly country boy singing. This song has to make you smile, it's amusing in it's greatness and Dylan's voice is again shown to be utterly unique and he to a brave owner of it!

'Song To Woody' is Bob Dylan's tribute to Woody Guthrie the legendary folk singer and someone Dylan really looked up to. It's a very touching, sweet and heartfelt tribute to Woody that clearly Dylan means with every bone in his body. Dylan is humble and shows utter respect for Woody, A great song.

'See That My Grave Is Kept Clean' is the next and latest blues about the death that the 20 year old chooses to perform! Dylan pulls out some beautiful tricks on his Acoustic guitar through out this song. He delivers the song in a very strong voice, driving home the album. The last words: "there's just one last favour I'll ask of you, see that my grave is kept clean." No need Bob, with music like this you'll live forever!

The liner notes that come with this album give a narrative of the coming of Bob Dylan. It's basically Columbia records introducing the world to their new artist who by then had won his way to the recording studio after setting New York alight. Interestingly there is an article from the New York Times included that is commentating on the arrival of this new exceptional talent on to the folk scene. On Dylan's voice the Times says, "Mr Dylan's voice is anything but pretty. He is consciously trying to recapture the rude beauty of a Southern field hand musing in melody on his porch. All the 'husk and bark' are left on his notes and a searing intensity pervades his songs." Fantastic stuff!

It takes a lot to break the rules, sod Elvis, Sinartra and all the Pop singers. So what if everyone say's that's the way to sing, Dylan sings like no one before or since. He is totally and utterly unique. And anybody interested in playing the Guitar needs a copy of this album, this is some of the finest acoustic work you'll ever hear. Dylan has said to relapse to "busker" standard in later years, well just listen to this album and you'll know that he was in fact one of the greatest folk guitarist to come along. And I think perhaps that relapse, like with so much with Dylan was in fact intentional, just like leaving the husk on his voice. His other work showed Dylan could sing softly, and the acoustic albums Dylan put out in the 1990s 'As Good As I've Been' and 'World Gone Wrong' return to exceptionally good guitar work. He's just a darn remarkable artist.

This is an amazing album; it is energetic, fresh, sharp and darn right screaming! Though it came out in 1962 I can honestly say this album - like most of Dylan's work - hasn't aged a day. For a Dylan fan it is of course essential, although the chances of not having a copy of it already are very small indeed. For the general music lover it is essential to show Acoustic Folk music at it's best. Naturally for those who are scared of Dylan's voice I dare say this album is too rough for you, but I honestly think that if you open your mind and 'feel' Dylan's voice you'd realise that he is in fact a great singer. His ability to express emotion is in a league well above the usual mainstream singer, it's not all about technique. And of all the concerts I've been to Bob Dylan remains the only person to have made me cry (when singing 'Not Dark Yet' if you're interested). And it's that kind of presence you get with this album. Raw Passion. It might not be clean and shiny, but it's darn fine
music!