Saturday, September 1, 2007

Ten Great Dylan Songs

I take issue with people who make lists like "The Ten Greatest Movies of All Time" or "The Ten Greatest Books of All Time." There are simply too many great movies and books. This list, then, is not the ten greatest Dylan songs of all time, but Ten Great Dylan Songs.

Fifteen years ago Dylan was the most re-recorded songwriter of all time. There is still to this day no slugger knocking them out of the park so consistently and for such an enduring period of time. By any measure, from influence to lyric quality to originality to depth of insight and beauty to social conscience, Dylan shines as one of the brightest stars in our firmament.

So, about the list. This is simply a list of great Dylan songs. It is a beginning. It includes songs that were groundbreaking and historically significant as well as songs that I simply love to play over and over and over and over. Sometimes I don't even know what it is that so dramatically pulls, yet inwardly I resonate with something in the song and lyrics, even when my conscious mind does not entirely comprehend.

As soon as I typed this list I noticed so many other favorites are missing, including Precious Angel, Simple Twist of Fate, Went to See the Gypsy, or Ballad of a Thin Man among others. 

Like a Rolling Stone is listed first here for its symbolic value. Yes, it became the title inspiration for a magazine that has covered the music scene and our culture for four decades. For me, it was something else though. When in seventh grade, at school dances in junior high school, we danced to a record player that played 45s. Like a Rolling Stone was the longest slow song in the playlist. I never heard the words once at that age, nervous as I was doing the two step with Nancy Black, teachers standing on the sidelines with rulers in their hands to make sure we didn't get closer than six inches.

Here's my list:
Like a Rolling Stone
Gotta Serve Somebody
Hard Rain
Only a Pawn In Their Game
Desolation Row
Changing of the Guard
All Along the Watchtower
What Good Am I?
Blowin' in the Wind
It's All Right, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)

It's amazing that Dylan is still out there doing the circuit, performing with groups like U2 and Elvis Costello. May you stay forever young, Mr. Dylan

What ten songs are on your list?

No comments:

Popular Posts