Blonde on Blonde - Dylan, Bob (CD 1990)

Released shortly after Rock music became intelectualised, this album is normally considered to be Dylans finest, and one of the major turning point of popular music. So, what s behind the hype? Well...


Although Dylans style is more commonly referred to as Folk-Rock, this album has a much more bluesy feel to it. You wouldn t know it from the ramshackle Rainy Day Women Nos 12 & 35 , though, which (despite having lyrics which could be classified as Hits From The Bong for the hippie generation, biblical connoctations be damned!) sounds jaunty and jolly. The Blues influence runs through the whole album, but it is particularly evident on Temporary Like Achilles and Obviously 5 Believers . There are also lovley folk ballads like Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands , and a bizarre take on Norwegian Wood (a Beatles track which was inspired by Dylan in its own right) on 4th Time Around .

The lyrics, despite being considered pop musics emancipation from the old rules, are still very much love songs. Dylan can often be angry at women- the telling off of Most Likely You Go Your Way And I ll Go Mine and the taunting of Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat are priceless-but more often than not the failure of the relationships in his songs can be blamed on nothing but (stealing a line from Bob himself) a simple twist of fate. Take, for instance, the narrative of Sooner Or Later (One Of Us Must Know) . Dylan may sound arrogant as he s explaining to a younger girl that he never fully understood what she expected from their relationship (i.e. he really just wanted to bag her), but you do believe him when he says I never meant to do you any harm .

Of course, this being Bob Dylan, the love songs can t be all straight and ordinary: Sad Visions Of Johnanna starts off with Dylan trying to seek down a girl (but only meeting her obnoxious companions), and ends up with lines like Well Mona Lisa must ve had the highway blues/you can see it by the way she smiles . Meanwhile, tracks like Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again and 4th Time Around don t even try to make any sense, but being the immortal poetry that they are, you don t really mind.

A year before Blonde On Blonde came out, an audience member yelled Judas! at Dylan. He replied I don t believe you. You re a liar . My point? None. I just wish I had come-back lines as witty as Dylans ...