I know this will raise the ire of some of our brethren but there have been several threads along this same line and a comment I just saw brought this to mind. I suppose a lot of this will be age dependent but here goes... My top three Dylan albums in decending order are: 1) Blood on the Tracks. The writing is brilliant, the band is on! If this doesn't tug at your emotions check for a pulse 2) Oh Mercy. It took a few years but when critics said this was the best since Blood on the Tracks they were right! He caught a lot of people sleeping because too many people wrote him off already. The imagery of his best work was back with a vengence. "The Man in the Long Black Coat" is a prime example. And now for the controversy... 3) Empire Burlesque. Say what you will I have listened to this for years and it's still fresh and relavent. Okay I admit I cringe a little when he does "Trust Yourself" but they can't all be winners. These are my choices, I know there will be lots of others who prefer something else but lets here it. "we are idiots babe, it's a wonder that we still know how to breathe"
Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde on Blonde were all released over a period of less than a year and a half, if I'm not mistaken. In roughly the same period, the Beatles put out Help, Rubber Soul and Revolver. I'd call that a golden age.
toddsims I really like both "Slow Train coming" and "Saved" I love the gospel sound and the stage full of musicians. I saw him on the opening date of the "Saved" tour in Milwaukee. There were lots of people booing and walking out but it was really a good show.
Impossible to pick which are best, so I will base my list on which ones I logged the most hours with.
1) Infidels: My first dylan, played the tape until it disintegrated, the CD version sounds like crap on my system now. 2) Slow train coming: Maybe you won't like the subject matter, but this album rocks! 3) Blood on the tracks: most excellent. Nothing like a divorce for writing inspiration. I like some of the original songs from this one on the Bootleg series better.
Too hard to pin down to three but............ BLOOD ON THE TRACKS HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME
not far down the road....... BLONDE ON BLONDE THE FREEWHEELIN' DESIRE LOVE AND THEFT OH MERCY
I also think you simply cannot ignore The Bootleg Series Vol's 1-3,the records that redefined Dylan's standing in the world of songwriting. The live Vol4 from '66 is amazing too
1) The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan 2) Blonde on Blonde 3) Highway 61 Revisited
Hard to pick just three. There are 8-10 "best" Dylan albums, in my opinion, including 'Blood on the Tracks', 'Another Side of Bob Dylan', 'The Basement Tapes', 'Nashville Skyline', 'John Wesley Harding', and a couple of others. All are great.
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