| Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks |
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 | Tracklist:
1. Tangled Up in Blue
2. Simple Twist of Fate
3. You're a Big Girl Now
4. Idiot Wind
5. You're Gonna Make me Lonesome When You
Go
6. Meet Me in the Morning
7. Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts
8. If You See Her, Say Hello
9. Shelter from the Storm
10. Buckets of Rain
| Ranking: #2 for 1975 | |
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On 51 Lists
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6 of 8 thought this review was well written
Bob Dylan's rise to fame in the 60s was astounding to all that witnessed it. By the 70s though, his fans were divided as to whether they liked his ever-changing style, or wanted him to go back to 1962 and do the protest thing all over again. Bob Dylan never tried to cater to anyone but himself, and expected his fans would understand and follow him. They all pretty much did, which led to one of his biggest, and most personal, albums of the 1970s (and his career): Blood on the Tracks.
By 1974, Dylan's marriage to Sara was falling apart around him, and like most crisises in his life, he turned to music as a way to express himself. Blood on the Tracks is a collection of songs revealing Dylan's thoughts about his wife who he loved dearly. Epics like "Idiot Wind" and "Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts" are some of Dylan's finest, but it's also the simpler "Buckets of Rain" and "If You See Her, Say Hello" that are the most powerful.
The album kicks off with "Tanged Up in Blue," a song with an upbeat tempo about and heavy blues riffs in it to give the album a bouncy sort of start. It's about wondering a girl he used to know, and basically feeling the blues. Coming on too strong, and then splitting up, it's about a broken relationship. Dylan's voice, more polished now, has strong feeling in it as he cries about what went wrong.
"Simple Twist of Fate" and "You're a Big Girl Now" are also tracks about moving on and about a girl of his affections. About things not working out for one reason or another, just a "simple twist of fate." Again, lighter and bluesy numbers with some old Dylan coming back with his harmonica and simple guitar melodies.
"Idiot Wind" has a almost dark piano line and guitar melody with Dylan complaining about being misrepresented. Dylan complaining about being misunderstood and calling his "sweet lady" an "idiot, babe" because she began to accuse him of such things he's complaining about. The song is a bit harsher than most Dylan, but it was probably derived from the deep frustrations Dylan was dealing with at the time, and how even his closest friends seemed to know understand/believe him.
"You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" has a title that basically explains the entire song. A quieter song, without all the band (which was something Dylan had been incorporating a lot more), makes a nice song, but nothing really special. Still a very nice track to listen to.
Side 2, for those who still use vinyl (which is what I have), begins with "Meet Me in the Morning" a song that mixes blues and an almost bluegrass sound. The guitar with its mix of bluegrass/blues drives the song. It sounds like an old southern blues song about losing your loved one again: "Every day's the darkest since you've been gone." A very enjoyable blues track to listen to.
The other epic on the album, although many of the songs are longer than the 3-minute pop songs you hear today and back then, is "Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts." I've always been impressed by Dylan's ability to tell narrative stories in songs, with such a tight rhyme scheme. He was a truly great poet and knew how to use words to convey a message and story. Another story-song with underlying message of loss, but more upbeat that most on this album.
"If You See Her, Say Hello" is one of Dylan's most agonizing and meaningful tracks on the album. It's about missing a girl he used to love, but not wanting her to know he still loves her. It's about how he never really got over the girl, and just tries hard to ignore all the signs. The track is pretty stripped down with mostly just Dylan's voice and guitar going. You can hear the hurt in Dylan's voice, who now exercises much more control over it to make the feeling really come out.
"Shelter From the Storm" is another low-key song about taking too much for granted and losing someone you love. That message seems to come through loud and clear on this album, which finishes with "Buckets of Rain." A nice guitar track with a fluttering guitar line of blues. Dylan's message is almost mixed here, telling someone she has "all the love" but at the same time "everything about you is bringing me misery." It's about loving somebody so much, but at the same time, it hurts so much to be with them, or without them. It just hurts.
Overall - 5/5
Yea, I know, I've given all my Dylan reviews a 5/5, not because I'm a fanboy. These albums are really some of his best works musically, lyrically, emotionally, and just about any other way. They impacted music in a big way, and was damn good music. Most anybody would be able to appreciate Dylan's music for its beauty and depth, and that's why these albums are 5/5.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
Easily my favourite Dylan album. They play it all the time at my local cinema before the trailers start. Shame I hate movies.
Good review.....you just failed to mention about the drums in Tangled Up In Blue. The way they skip over themselves in the middle of each verse and completely change the feel of the song.
Also, I didn't see you mention that almost none of the songs on this album have choruses. It's probably Dylan's most freeform, stream-of-consciousness album. Most songs just use the title as a short refrain at the end of each segment.
It's also a songwriting masterclass, but then, isn't every non-religious Dylan album?
Digging: Shpongle - Ineffable Mysteries From Shpongleland | | |
[QUOTE=Iai]Easily my favourite Dylan album. They play it all the time at my local cinema before the trailers start. Shame I hate movies.
Good review.....you just failed to mention about the drums in Tangled Up In Blue. The way they skip over themselves in the middle of each verse and completely change the feel of the song.
Also, I didn't see you mention that almost none of the songs on this album have choruses. It's probably Dylan's most freeform, stream-of-consciousness album. Most songs just use the title as a short refrain at the end of each segment.
It's also a songwriting masterclass, but then, isn't every non-religious Dylan album?[/QUOTE]
Yes, I just noticed the drums thing again listening to the record again. Very cool.
Some of the songs do have choruses - such as "Idiot Wind". But yes, it is a lot more freeform album.
Thanks for the comments.
| | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
No problem. Are you planning to review any more Dylan? Just browsed some of your other reviews, and they're all good. It might be an idea to review some of the really bad ones too....just so people are warned. I haven't seen anyone do that on this forum yet.....but I may be wrong.
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[QUOTE=Iai]No problem. Are you planning to review any more Dylan? Just browsed some of your other reviews, and they're all good. It might be an idea to review some of the really bad ones too....just so people are warned. I haven't seen anyone do that on this forum yet.....but I may be wrong.[/QUOTE]
I don't have any other Dylan material at the moment, but I plan to get more when I get the money. I'll probably start with most of his stuff that made the Top 500 Albums from Rolling Stone as well as his live bootlegs. I'd like one day to get all his albums, but who knows how long that'll take.
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One of my friends' dads has everything Dylan's released, which is pretty cool. It takes up about a quarter of his music collection though, as it's something ridiculous like 50 albums. Congrats on another good review, by the way.
| | | Album Rating: 5
Best Dylan Album... Second Being Desire
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A very good review indeed. though what words could be said to convey such a superlative album. Good to see someone with an eye for "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" too.
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as for your collecting of Dylan Humor99, I hope you have the album that is my avatar, Blonde on Blonde, another great album which i think rolling stone ranked higher than Blood on the Tracks at #9.
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Great review, and incredible piece of music. This album is a must 5/5. Don't you love Dylan yelling on you're a big girl now 5/5
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I just got this CD today. It is so goddamn good.
| | | Album Rating: 5
Meet me in the morning :smash:
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creedence clearwater, your old user name was right. Dylan IS king
| | | Album Rating: 5
What makes BLOOD ON THE TRACKS so powerful is how honest Dylan is being with his fans, because he's obviously an emotional wreck, but more than that, he's showing a maturity, in the face of his breakup, that you never or hear with lines like: "I always have respected her for busting out and gettin' free." And "Idiot Wind" is a truly amazing as Dylan attempts to hide behind his metaphors that begin to get stripped away with each chorus that makes it exceedingly clear what's going on. First, extreme bitterness towards her and putting all the blame, but then finally resolving, albeit grudgingly, to take responsibility that they're both to blame. It's one of the most bitter Dylan songs, so it's amazing how much sensitivity it shows with lines like: "You'll never know the hurt I suffered nor the pain I rise above, And I'll never know the same about you, your holiness or your kind of love, And it makes me feel so sorry." This is probably the most emotionally raw album of the 70s, written because it HAD to be written (therpeutic as PLASTIC ONO BAND "the primal scream" album of John Lennon's) and not the album filler that most songwriters write.
| | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
Can't help but agree with all of that.
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The best Dylan album, fo sho.
| | | Album Rating: 5
An absolutely perfect album. One of my top 3 favorite albums ever. Just amazing. Leaves me speechless.
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my mom listens to him a lot and LOVES him. i enjoy some songs, though i havent heard many. great review, btw.
| | | Album Rating: 5
Probably my favourite Dylan album.
I love 'Tangled Up In Blue,' 'Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts' and 'A Simple Twist of Fate' the most.
Great Album, Dylan is a geniusThis Message Edited On 11.12.05
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Yeah, this is a perfect album, pretty much. My favourite Dylan album, for sure.
| | | Album Rating: 5
Best album after Desire and Blonde on Blonde i think, maybe better then blonde on blonde, really good!
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