Best Dylan Album?

[SweetZombieJesus]

Poll question: Best Dylan Album?

Anyone who doesn't pick Bringing It All Back Home is a phillistine! ;-)

[StrongBad]

1. Blood on the Tracks!!!!

Such a sincere and emotional album from a broken man.

Blonde on Blonde comes close in second place.

[SweetZombieJesus]

2. You know, this is a poll where everybody wins

I love each and every one of these albums, so nobody can pick "wrong".

BTW, I replaced "Another Side Of Bob Dylan" with "Desire" because I forgot Desire had "Hurricane" and "Joey".

FUCK! I forgot the Basement Tapes! God dammit, there needs to be more than ten spots in these polls.

[Zomby Woof]

3. From 1965-68

No one was better. Only the Beatles and Stones were on par with him, and even they were in awe of his influence and prowess.

I have to go with "Blonde On Blonde", which built upon the monumental greatness of "Bringing..." and "Highway 61". With gems and masterpieces like "Visions Of Johanna", "Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again", "Sad-Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands", "Pledging My Time", and well, ALL of them, this was Dylan at his peak of peaks.

I would also like to put in a plug for the recent official release of the Manchester concert he did in 1966, which was originaly bootlegged as the "Royal Albert Hall" concert. Backed up by the Hawks (later The Band), he defiantly rips through a cascade of boos and catcalls at a hostile audience accusing him of selling out to electric rock. It is packaged by Columbia as "The Bootleg Series Vol 4", and taken from the original 2-track masters. Get it if you don't have it.

[SweetZombieJesus]

5. WHERE'S YA SILVER?

Dylan: "I don't believe you! YOU'RE A LIAR!" (to the Hawks) PLAY FUCKIN LOUD!

And then they pound out the best version of Like A Rolling Stone ever. Just dripping with anger.

[catzies]

4. Philistine here. (raises hand)

Picked Blood on the Tracks.

[demnan]

6. Blonde on Blonde

That whole mid-sixties electric Band period was great!

[regnaD kciN]

7. Where's "Self Portrait"...?

;-)

[SweetZombieJesus]

8. Actually, I love Self-Portrait

Considering he was purposely making a horrible album, it's actually pretty good. I've never heard of any other artist who was ballsy enough to purposely make a horrible album to get people to stop worshipping him.

[Zomby Woof]

11. or "Saved"?

Easily the worst, and not on purpose, as with Self-Portrait.

[SweetZombieJesus]

12. Ah, born again Bob wasn't all bad

"Infidels" and "Slow Train Coming" were both good albums.

[Zomby Woof]

13. well...

From a production and musical standpoint, including the vocals, "Slow Train Coming" was good, I just can't hack his preaching in the lyrics. I consider "Shot Of Love" the third and final (and best) of his evangelical work, and it has good secular material, like "Lenny Bruce" and "Caribbean Wind". The album closer "Every Grain Of Sand" is also one of his better songs. But! Despite the religious undertones, I consider "Infidels" a move away from the gospel material. "Union Sundown", "Sweetheart Like You", "I And I" - all great non-christian Bob. I can't believe he left "Blind Willie McTell" off that album, but that's Bob.

"Saved", however, sucked on all levels, musically, lyrically, and otherwise.

[ilpostino]

9. "Beauty walk a razor's edge...

someday I'll make it mine."

And he did with Blood on the Tracks..never has his voice been more evocative, his lyrics more sublime, his theme more eternal. This is not a slight on any of his other great works, but this is the masterpiece.

[catmandu57]

10. Can I freep this poll?

There isn't a clear choice dammit. A word of advise never ever never listen to Blood On The Tracks after a breakup.

[short bus president]

14. You're asking me to pick a favorite child, here

"Desire" is the one that gets the most play, 'cause mmmmmmmmmm... Emmylou...

But they are all great. With this notable exception: the "Jesus Bob" of "Infidels" gets on my nerves.

[graywarrior]

15. I can't choose...

My favorite is the one I listen to at the time.

[ProfessorGAC]

16. Arghhhhh!

My favorite is Hard Rain! And you didn't even have it as a choice.

It's live. The band is strong and his singing on that is the best i've ever from him.

A pox on you for leaving that album off your poll.
The Professor

[SweetZombieJesus]

17. Should I have said studio album? There are no live albums on the list

Start a "Best Live Albums" thread.

[retread]

18. Based on what it meant to me then, Times They Are A'Changin!

Loved to play it at full volume in my bedroom.

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.

[Arbustosux]

19. How about: any broken one!

obviously...not a big fan :)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

20. I'm a philistine..BLONDE ON BLONDE HANDS DOWN!

for the politics, the sarcasm the pain and the musicality!

[Zomby Woof]

21. it balances on your head...

just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine! :D