21. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.

 It has been a while since I have posted. I listened to this album a couple of times, trying to get a feel for it. Knowing that Bob Dylan was referred to as the "Spokesman of a Generation", I was thinking I'd know the songs and they would be phenomenal. It really wasn't what I expected. In fact, I didn't want to listen to it again. It almost derailed the whole project. I have finally realized that enough time has passed, and it is time to get back to work.

 I have just put the album on again, and find that it is much easier to listen to than I recall. The first track is "Blowin' in the Wind", which is a bona fide anthem of the 1960's. "Girl From the North Country" is a take on "Scarborough Fair", and "Masters of War" is a darker damnation of those in control. These songs are all listenable. I was starting to wonder if taking a little time to let the music sink in had dispelled whatever had caused my negative reaction to the album.

 The track "Down the Highway" brought to mind the reasons why I was hesitant to listen to the album again. It is a repetitive blues riff with Bob singing away about something or other. I can't bring myself to pay attention to it. I am reminded of the "Anthology of American Music", and now understand some of the influence that it had. Dylan was taking a page from that old songbook and making it his own. And putting his mark on folk music forever. "Bob Dylan's Blues" falls into the same category for me, guitar and harmonica and singing. I'm wondering what the fuss is about.

 I don't mind "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall". It's a little long in the verses, but the refrain is a good pay off, and the wait makes it seem like a drink of water after walking across the desert. I love the tune "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright". The harmonica is subdued and the guitar picking is excellent. Social Distortion do an excellent cover of this one. Here's the thing that becomes clear the more I listen. Dylan is undeniably an incredible songwriter. I love many of his tunes, but I know versions recorded by other artists. Trying to digest the original versions isn't sitting well with me.

 Critics and fans alike hold Dylan in high esteem. There are more albums that he recorded coming up on this list that I will be listening to. I thought that it was possible that I was out in left field in feeling that perhaps Bob should have just stuck to songwriting; but in the last week, while listening to Sirius Radio, I twice heard Bob Dylan described as overrated. This was interesting to me, that maybe I wasn't alone on this one. But this is fifty years later. Taken out of context, Dylan's impact is certainly lessened, many performers have taken his work and added on to it. But at the time, this stripped down music with a guitar and harmonica, powerful lyrics loaded with uncomfortable imagery, delivered in a unique voice, must have stood out. The rest of the album continues on in a similar vein, and I will let you make your own judgments. Time for me to file this one away, and move on. 

 This is his second album, and the one that made a huge splash and put him on the map forever. It's not one I'll be putting on again anytime soon, but that certainly does not lessen it's importance. Rolling Stone slotted this record at number 97 on the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. I think that is very generous of them. Sorry Bob.



Buy it here.

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