Monday, September 15, 2008

Any Dylan fans out there?

Because the cops don't need you and man they expect the same...

Bob Dylan - Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues (buy)

I like to make lists. Especially ones that consist of arbitrary rankings. Tonight I decided to make a list of my 100 favorite Bob Dylan songs. Sounds like a good time, eh?

But I decided I better get your help before going any farther.

So, if you're so inclined, please send me a list of your favorite Dylan songs. I don't care how many you put in the list (1, 5, 10, whatever). I'm not going to tally them up. I'm just looking for help making my own list--which I will eventually publish here (if anybody cares).

And if you're feeling especially thoughtful, please ad some comments explaining your choices.

What about Bob?

62 comments:

Alex K. said...

I just recently discovered Dylan's music. It's among the best I've ever heard. My favourites:

- Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
- Desolation Row
- Like A Rolling Stone
- It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
- Blowin' In The Wind

Anonymous said...

Christ, it's hard to even know where to start with something like this. I think I'm just going to list the 1st ten favourites that spring to mind:

Tears of Rage
My Back Pages
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
Who Killed Davey Moore?
A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall
The Ballad of Hollis Brown
Let Me Die in My Footsteps
I Shall Be Released
Moonshiner
No More Auction Block

Most of these selections have been made because they are songs that I find incredibly emotional. I can't really give you too many explanations as I feel I would end up repeating myself. Tears of Rage and Hattie Carroll are songs that I really enjoy playing, and find it very easy to get into when I'm playing them.

My Back Pages and Hard Rain are the two very best songs from Bob's early folk period in my opinion, and Hollis Brown appears because it holds a very specific memory from the first time I really listened to the lyrics.

You'll notice that 5 of my selections are from the Bootleg Series volumes 1-3. I think those outtakes are just mesmerizing.

Hope this helps in some way.

Anonymous said...

1)I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine
Fave Dylan track from best Dylan album.
2)Girl From The North Country
Version with Cash has it's detractors but I've always loved it.
3)Visions Of Johanna
Best track off Blonde On Blonde
4)Tears Of Rage
Love the Basement Tapes and this song even if the Band bettered this
version on 'Music From Big Pink'
5)Million Dollar Bash
Really Sounds like he's enjoying himself here.
6)Desolation Row
Would make any top 10
7)Not Dark Yet
Breathtakingly brilliant song
8)Masters Of War
Angry, intense and powerful. The Long Ryders do a great version of this one.
9)Don't Think Twice, It's Alright
Sounds effortless
10)All Along The Watchtower
I love Dylan but must confess to preferring some of the many great covers of his songs over the years to the originals. The Band, the Byrds, Steve Young,Jason & the Scorchers and Sandy Denny to name but a few have covered Dylan brilliantly over the years. Jimmy Hendrix famously covered this song and though many people hail the Hendrix version as being the definitive one for some reason I've always loved the comparitively
restrained original from 'John Wesley Harding'.
Obviously I could go on and on but I think these 10 draw enough of a picture as to where my favourite Dylan periods are.

Paul Mc said...

Like a Rolling Stone
Isis
Cry a While
Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You (from the Rolling Thunder Bootleg Album)
I Believe In You (but Cat Power's recording, not Dylan's, which is sort of lame)
You're Going to Make Me Lonesome When You Go
New Morning

I don't know, I pretty much like all his songs, minus about 3.

You should do a survey of what people's least favorite Dylan songs are. That'd be a lot easier.

WILLIAM T. VOGT, JR. said...

This is a big job, but here are a few I can't live without:

Tangled Up in Blue
Tears of Rage
I Shall Be Released
Visions of Johanna
Desolation Row
Rolling Stone

The list goes on forever. Will be interested to see what everybody else thinks.

Best, Will from Blues Booze Books and Bobs

thanks for your great posts and the link

Anonymous said...

I'm going to limit my choices to latter years, 'cause the '60's stuff is all a favorite:
1) Jokerman - full of terrific imagery and always is relevant lyrically.
2) Brownsville Girl - This song is cinematic as all-get-out and I can seldom get through it without tearing-up
3) Silvio - One of the catchiest songs he's ever written.
4) Tweeter and the Monkey Man (Traveling Wilburys)- I've never been sure whether this was an homage or a slap in the face to Bruce Springsteen. Either way, it's a whole lot of fun to listen to.
5) Isis - A song about marriage? I dunno what this grave-robbing song is about but I love it, both the slower original and his monster live versions with the Rolling Thunder Review. Just Awesome!
6) One More Cup of Coffee - One of Dylan's most successfully covered songs but his version just kicks ass.
7) Blind Willie McTell- 'cause only Dylan could have written a song this great and STILL have it be an outtake!
8) Every Grain of Sand - Bob sums it all up in 6:11.
9) Knockin' On Heaven's Door- see comment for song 6.
10) BLOOD ON THE TRACKS- all of it, it's perfect

Anonymous said...

"It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry"

"Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again"

"Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie" (maybe it isn't a song per se but to listen to it is absolutely mesmerizing)

"SeƱor (Tales of Yankee Power)" (I've always felt this song to be terrifically underrated)

Just a few that immediately come to mind, and haven't gotten any love here yet.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

In no particular order, some of my absolute favorite Dylan tunes are:

Nobody 'Cept You
Buckets of Rain
Don't Think Twice
Boots of Spanish Leather
If Not For You
Mama, You Been on my Mind
Shelter from the Storm
Goin' to Acapulco
Meet Me in the Morning

whiteray said...

Good lord . . . some oddball favorites -- none of the usual suspects -- off the top of my head:

(Sooner or Later) One of Us Must Know
Tight Connection to My Heart
Emotionally Yours
Forever Young
Watching The River Flow
Dear Landlord
Down Along The Cove
Days of '49
Man in the Long Black Coat
Shooting Star
Mississippi
When The Ship Comes In
She Belongs To Me
You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go

Hope this helps . . .

Anonymous said...

Oh my. Choosing 100 would be an easier task, but let's see.....
Girl From The North Country
Stuck Inside of Mobile
Shooting Star
Just Like A Woman
Buckets Of Rain
Things Have Changed ****forgotten/underrated!
Everything Is Broken ****this one too "
Tomorrow Is A Long Time
You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome
When I Paint My Masterpiece
Too many more - hard to stop once you start. Sure you're facing the same dilemma but I wish you luck Paul. Love your blog, love your music.....
carol from the north country

Paul said...

Thanks for all the help everybody! This is going to take a long time. I'm making a playlist of all the ones you guys have listed to give them extra special attention.

Keep 'em coming.

Unknown said...

Oxford Town - I lived in Oxford for 25 years. In addition the first Presidential Debate will be there in a couple of weeks.

Stuck in Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again - Have you ever been in a traffic jam in the tunnel under Mobile Bay. I have.

Highway 61 - It's quite a highway still today with casinos, tamale stands, cotton fields and catfish ponds.

Like A Rolling Stone - Very personal reasons.

Talking World War III Blues - I'll let you be in my dream if I can be in yours.

Anonymous said...

Wow, lotsa songs I've never heard of listed...

mmm..stone, johanna, hard, flashing, homesick...and other similarly uninteresting choices...

Nobody's mentioned Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, which I originally know from this paperpack I got a garage sale when I was about 11 called The Poetry of Rock with groovy psychedelic B&W pictures of Jim Morrison and Grace Slick and Johnny Cash (with the caption "Dylan without metaphor"...a point they kind of undermine by choosing "I Walk the Line" for him, but that's OK)...

Hey! "Trying to Get to Heaven Before they Close the Door." That's a good song!

Anonymous said...

One more: Ballad of Hollis Brown, which I actually know originally from the Neville Brothers' version. What I really like about this song is the seemingly arbitrary switch from 3rd to 2nd person in the middle of a verse - it's really powerful, and the kind of thing a songwriter won't find by planning and polishing, you just have to be inspired.

Anonymous said...

My top 5 off the top of my head this morning--Dylan is one of my favorite artists. Good luck with the Top 100.

Watching The River Flow
Sara
Dark Eyes
Queen Jane
Visions of Johanna

Anonymous said...

I love Bloomfield's guitar on Tombstone Blues. Probably my favorite Dylan recording.

Two from New Morning standout: Sign On The Window, which is among his greatest obscurities, and The Man In Me, which deserves Hall of Fame status on its Lebowski use alone.

Oh, Sister is a great country lament from probably my favorite Dylan record (Desire). Black Diamond Bay is another of my faves from that one.

From The BAsement Tapes, you can't go wrong with Million Dollar Bash, Acapulco, Tears of Rage (though The Band's recording on Big Pink is definitive), or You Ain't Goin' Nowhere.

And from that first Bootleg Series, gotta love Santa Fe (also a Basement Tapes outtake) and Wallflower (of course, recorded to perfection by Bob and Doug Sahm).

Good luck compiling this. We'll see you in 4 years ;-)

Anonymous said...

Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
My Back Pages
Love Minus Zero (No Limits)
Positively Fourth Street
I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
Shelter from the Storm

Anonymous said...

Hey, I just googled Hollis and the switch was between verses! Maybe only the Nevilles did it in the middle of a verse? I like it much better that way! I don't actually own the Dylan record, but I know that some of the lyrics on his site have cleaned up grammar, unfortunately.

Payton said...

here's mine, slightly categorized:

Early, Folky Dylan
All I Really Wanna Do
Paths of Victory
Visions of Johanna

Rockin' Dylan
Highway 61 Revisited
Maggie's Farm

Lyrical Dylan
Subterranean Homesick Blues
Bob Dylan 115th Dream
Who Killed Davey Moore?

Groovy Dylan
Down In The Flood
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere

Epic Dylan
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
Chimes of Freedom
Forever Young
To Make You Feel My Love

Modern Dylan
Someday Baby
The Levee's Gonna Break


Good Luck...

Anonymous said...

Girl Of The North Country
One Too Many Mornings
My Back Pages
She Belongs to Me
Mr. Tambourine Man
It's All Over Now Baby Blue
If You Gotta Go, Go Now
Like A Rolling Stone
Queen Jane Approximately
Visions Of Johanna
Stuck Inside Of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again
Most Likely You Go Your Way
Absolutely Sweet Marie
Tears Of Rage
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
All Along The Watchtower
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
I Threw It All Away
Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You
If Not For You
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
I Shall Be Released
Knockin On Heaven's Door
Rock Me Mama
Tangled Up In Blue
Simple Twist Of Fate
Idiot Wind
Lily, Rosemary & The Jack Of Hearts
Hurricane
Abandoned Love
I Believe in You
Every Grain Of Sand
Sweetheart Like You
Blind Willie McTell
Political World
Series Of Dreams
Not Dark Yet
Highlands
Summer Days

David Federman said...

Dignity
Series of Dreams
Ill Keep It With Mine
Tears of Rage
I Shall Be Released
I Threw It All Away
Dear Landlord
If Not for You
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Most of the Time
Ring Them Bells
...and so many more...

frankenslade said...

A few years ago I ranked my 100 favorite songs of the last millenium. Here are the Dylan songs that made my list. I think these should be sufficient entries:

"It's All Over Now Baby Blue"
"I Don't Believe You"
"Positively 4th Street"
"Like a Rolling Stone"

The Hendrix version of "All Along the Watchtower" also made my list, but Dylan's own version is one of my least-favorite songs on the underrated John Wesley Harding.

Rockstar Aimz said...

I have always loved the version of "I am I" off of Real Live. He rocks so hard in this one.

Also...(not including the greatest hits albums)
-All of Blood on the Tracks
-Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
-Most of the Time
-I Was Young When I Left Home (bootleg 7)
-With God On Our Side
-Things Have Changed
-Workingman's Blues #2
-Forever Young (from Biograph)
-He Was a Friend of Mine (Bootleg 1)

Anonymous said...

Here's an approach.

Most of the time, folks go to Dylan's catalog for the sarcasm and angst of the early fingerpointin' stuff, the anger and despair of his broken marriage, or for the surreal apocalyptic preacher standing at a crossroads with a charred bible in hand, as he's always been.

Here's some tunes from his years hanging 'round the house with a slew of little kids playing chase round his legs.

Watching the River Flow
When I Paint My Masterpiece
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
To Be Alone with You
Tonight I'm Staying With You
You Ain't Going Nowhere
New Morning
If Not For You
Wedding Song
You angel You
Never Say Goodbye
Winterlude
Forever Young
I Shall Be Released

Take Care
Tom Wheeler

Amanda said...

Ok here goes:
Mostly because of the great visual imagery but also the vocal depth and passion...

Visions of Johanna
She's Your Lover Now
It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
Desolation Row
Idiot Wind
It's All Over Now Baby Blue
Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues

Another Dylan Fan
www.mandy-spot.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I had hoped to provide 10 suggestions but couldn't cut it to less than 14. What a task !

Blind Willie McTell
Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Wallflower
Trying To Get To Heaven
Senor
Mississippi
Every Grain Of Sand
Forever Young
Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You
Like A Rolling Stone
Boots Of Spanish Leather
Brownsville Girl
Make You Feel My Love
Watching The River Flow

Anonymous said...

-Workingman's Blues #2
-Cross The Green Mountain
-Mississippi
-Things Have Changed
-Cold Irons Bound
-Standing In The Doorway
-Tryin' To Get To Heaven
-Highlands
-Not Dark Yet
-Most Of The Time
-Brownsville Girl
-Blind Willie McTell
-Every Grain Of Sand
-Is Your Love In Vain
-Where Are You Tonight?
-One More Cup Of Coffee
-Sara
-Shelter From The Storm
-Idiot Wind
-You're A Big Girl Now
-Dirge
-Knockin' On Heaven's Door
-You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
-All Along The Watchtower
-Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands
-Ballad Of A Thin Man
-Positively 4th Street
-Subterranean Homesick Blues
-Last Thoughts On Woody Guthrie
-To Ramona
-Ballad In Plain D
-Boots Of Spanish Leather
-Don't Think Twice, It's Alright
-I Was Young When I Left Home

Anonymous said...

Blind Willie McTell
Tryin' to Get to Heaven
Hard Rain's Gonna Fall
Lilly Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts
When You Gonna Wake Up?
Jokerman
I Dreamed I saw St. Augustine
Sad Eyed Lady Of the Lowlands
Ring Them Bells

Ben said...

I've never really been a fully paid-up Dylan fan, in that I tend to go pretty hot/cold on his output from song to song, or even for different bits within the same song.

But that just makes listening to his records all of more fascinating and confounding, I guess.

Ten that really kick some ass:

Outlaw Blues
Subterranean Homesick Blues
Love Minus Zero
Visions Of Johanna
Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
Ballad Of Hollis Brown
Stuck Inside Of Mobile..
Masters Of War
Highway 61
Isis

LarryK said...

1. Like a Rolling Stone
2. Visions of Johanna
3. Mississippi
4. Things Have Changed
5. Dignity
6. Obviously Five Believers
7. Workingman's Blues #2
8. Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
9. Brownsville Girl
10. Boots of Spanish Leather

John said...

In no particular order.

"Oxford Town"
"Not Dark Yet"
"Lay Down Your Weary Tune"
"When the Ship Comes In"
"Love Minus Zero/No Limit"
"She Belongs to Me"
"Fourth Time Around"
"Buckets of Rain"
"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue"
"Desolation Row"

God, I really could go on and on. But so could you. Best of luck with your compendium.

alph-art said...

Visions of johannah
Mr Tambourine Man
Tangle up in blue

Anonymous said...

1 Tambourine man
2 It´s all over now, Baby Blue
3 If you see her say hello
4 Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
5 Lay Down Your Weary Tune
6 Nettie Moore
7 Not Dark Yet
8 The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll
9 Visions Of Johanna
10 Mississippi

Anonymous said...

I Threw It All Away

Pete said...

1. Mr. Tambourine Man -- underrepresented in the early posts!
2. Visions of Johanna
3. Blind Willie McTell
4. I Shall Be Released
5. Every Grain of Sand

Of course it's an impossible task. Songs or performances? With Dylan it's often the latter -- mesmerizing performances of material that doesn't quite work the same when someone else sings it. One reason to put Tambourine Man top is that it's both, and the Byrds proved that. I'm not sure Every Grain is top-5 material but wanted to make sure it got in the mix.

gloria scott said...

My favorites:
Mississippi
Highlands
Dignity
Not Dark Yet
Million Dollar Bash
Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest
Series of Dreams
Jokerman
High Water
Gates of Eden
Simple Twist of Fate
I threw It All Away
New Morning
Things Have Changed
Trying To Get To Heaven
Honest With Me
Boots of Spanish Leather
Girl From The North Country
Beyond The Horizon
... to name a few!

Anonymous said...

My list of favs:
http://www.bobdylan.com/#/songs

Anonymous said...

ha lists are always fun. Should try five top reasons why you love Dylan.

here are my nominees for your list, no rea order of preferencee except the first one.

Desolation Row, chills, chills and chills (must be personal thing) The only song I can totally relate to.

Ballad of Hollis Brown, can't get much more to the core.

Mama you been on my mind, wonderful love song.

To Ramona, oh what a letter.

Chimes of freedom, the voice is a killer on that one.

Love minus zero/ no limits, another great love song.

Visions of Johanna, I mean what is there to add?

Like a rollin stone, any live version. How does it feel indeed!

Only a pawn in their game, very clever song.

All along the watchtower, and the original is just as fine.

Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest, such a great story.

Dirge, and the song is exactly that, I've always loved it.

Tangled up in blue, such a great piece of writing.

Meet me in the morning, such a great piece of music.

Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts, the intonations, the phrasing, the story and the music, for over ten stanzas.

Shelter from the storm, much in it also.

Isis, the original version. Whether it was intended or not, this song says so much.

New Pony, now that is a perfect blues, sensual, raw, mean, he's rarely been that sexy, and those backup singers, how much longer? Great song.

Where are you tonight? If only for choruses and the guitar solo at the end. Chills there too.

When He returns, I'm not religious but this one would make any heathen believe, and Beckett's piano is a killer.

What can I do for you? I've just seen a live video of this one from the born again tour, I loved it before but that video on youtube is amazing. Best harmonica solo ever. Why don't they release that stuff??

In the garden, very underrated, by me at first as well, but there is such build up.

Property of Jesus, but please don't ask me why!

I'll remember you, one of the simplest and therefore best love songs I know.

Man of peace, I love the energy there, and the stamina. Now this is a real protest song.

Blind Willie Mc Tell, any version, the song is amazing.

Foot of pride: funny, powerful, ironic.

Black Jack Davey, not one of his but he does it so well.

Blood in my eyes, ahh other chills for this cover.

Ninety miles an hour, another cover but man he can really move you.

Congratulations, funny and touching.

Born in time, this is an amzing song, words and music.

Series of dreams, it builds up and yet it remains the same.

Man in the long black coat, oh this one has such an atmosphere, top ten any time.

Most of the time, what can I say, the ultimate break up song.

Shooting star, those firetrucks from hell really do it for me!

Under the red sky, underrated but brilliant, supposed to be about his hometown, whether it's true or not it could certainly be about mine.

Unbelievable, I've always loved it, no apologies.

Not dark yet, perfect. Probably would be second if they were in order.

Standing in the doorway, another great poignant song.

Love sick, so true.

Highlands, just listened to it again, always a great pleasure.

Mississipi, so dylanesque it's got to be here.

High water, love this one too, makes you be there.

when the deal goes down, oh yes.

Ain't talking, well after all these years another great song, and chills again.

Now these were the songs I love to listen to, here are the songs I love to cover, alone or with a band.

Don't think twice, it's all right
He was a friend of mine
John Brown
She belongs to me
From a Buick 6
Highway 61 revisited
Just like Tom Thumb's Blues (could be in the list above as well)
Absolutely Sweet Mary
I'll be your baby tonight
Tiny Montgomery
Gypsy Lou
Hazel
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
One more cup of coffee
Gotta serve somebody
When he returns
Trouble
Million miles

That was my long two cents.

Anonymous said...

Blind Willie Mctell
Boots Of Spanish Leather
Visions of Johanna
A Hard Rains A gonna Fall
From A Buick 6
Mr Tambourine Man
Sign On The Window
Idiot Wind
Changing Of The Gaurds
Precious Angel
Mississipi

Brettster said...

Don't think I'll find a lot of disagreements here-I challenged myself by picking only 20. The first 10 are in my order of preference-after that, they are all tied for 11th place ;-)
How did I pick these 20? They either had
A.an anthemic quality
B.An historic importance to it
C.The lyric was one of Dylan's finest
D. It had a sense of humor
E. The recording itself was superbly produced.
Let me know what you think!
1. Like a Rolling Stone
2. Idiot Wind
3. It's All Right Ma, I'm Only Bleeding
4. Mr. Tamborine Man
5. Hurricane
6. Tangled Up In Blue
7. Visions of Johanna
8. A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall
9. Times They Are A Changin'
10. Just Like A Woman
Jokerman
Masters of War
Blowin' in the Wind
It's All Over Now Baby Blue
Chimes of Freedom
Forever Young
Isis
All Along the Watchtower
Subterranean Homesick Blues
Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands

Anonymous said...

When I Paint My Masterpiece

Anonymous said...

Not an eays task to pick a few favorites. Here you get some:
1. Visions of Johanna. Biograf version
2. Desolation row
3. Love Minus zero
4. Sara
5. Love sick
6. Changing of the guards
7. Series of dream
8. Standing in the doorway
9. Slow train
10.It ain´t me babe

Anonymous said...

1. Like A Rolling Stone (Hwy 61 version)
2. Desolation Row (Hwy 61 version)
3. I'm Not There

Mr. Brammer said...

Love Minus Zero
Delia
Spanish Harlem Incident
Song to Woody
Obviously 5 Believers
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
Mississippi
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
You're a Big Girl Now

Anonymous said...

"Ain't Gonna Go To Hell For Anybody" and "Born in Time"!

Anonymous said...

btw, when we're done with this, how about a worst Dylan songs poll?

steven hatcher said...

I'll leave one song because everyone else has left their personal collections (though I could certainly leave a handful myself).

"Like A Rolling Stone"

Not only the best song by Dylan but the best song by anyone, of all time, on the planet earth, and probably within this galaxy. There will never be anything more important.

Paul said...

Wow! Thanks again for all your comments. What started out as kind of a lark has turned into a real project as I'm re-listening to Dylan's whole catalog (but this time taking all your great comments into account).

I'll come up with a list of my favorites eventually, but it's kind of moot now that this comment section has laid everything out so well.

Anonymous said...

I'm working on my list !
and congratulations again for this site that I visit sometimes
Your GP originals are great, especially the Everly Brothers songs !

Paul said...

Hey, thanks nicholas!

Anonymous said...

MY Favorite 10:

I Want You
Tambourine Man
Simple Twist of Fate
Big Girl Now
Visions of Johanna
It's Alright Ma
Sarah
Moonlight
Everything is Broken
Stuck Inside of Mobile ...

Unknown said...

HUCK'S TUNE. It made me cry from the very first note all the way to the end. A truly sad, beautiful song. Mr. Dylan's singing is superb.

Anonymous said...

Idiot Wind (NY version)
It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
Visions of Johanna
I'm Not There
Dark Eyes
Too Much of Nothing
Days of the Locusts
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Not Dark Yet
Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
You're A Big Girl Now
Never Say Goodbye
Love In Vain

Anonymous said...

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere

A hard Rain's a-gonna Fall

C. said...

An impossible task, Paul. I'll try to break it down by decade:

'60s:
I'll Keep It With Mine
Bob Dylan's Dream
Percy's Song
Visions of Johanna
Spanish Harlem Incident
Just Like Tom Thumb (live, '66)
As I Went Out One Morning
oh, good lord, anything from the basement tapes--I'm Not There, All You Have to Do is Dream, etc.


'70s:
You're A Big Girl Now.
You Ain't Goin Nowhere (version from Greatest Hits Vol. 2)
Isis (live, '75)
Simple Twist of Fate.

'80s:
Angelina.
In the Summertime.
Blind Willie McTell.
Foot of Pride.
Every Grain of Sand.

'90s-00s:
Not Dark Yet.
Floater (Too Much to Ask).
Po Boy.
Nettie Moore (an incredible, late-in-life masterpiece--it might be his last great work, but I'm sure he'll keep surprising us.)

c.

Anonymous said...

Gates of Eden.

Anonymous said...

brownsville girl
visions of johanna
concert for bangla desh version of just like a woman
idiot wind
his first album cover of freight train blues

i could go on and on

tom w.

Anonymous said...

alternate thoughts:

(take a look at me, baby) i'm your teenage prayer
she's your lover, now
one man's loss (always is another man's gain)
saving grace
where are you tonight? (journey through dark heat)
seven curses
van gogh/does she need me?/i can't leave her behind/i'm not there/going going gone/almost done (this always has sounded to me like the same idea, attempted over and over, but never achieved)
in the summertime
goodbye holly
dark eyes
sign on the cross

Anonymous said...

Oh, for doors to be open and an invite with gilded edges
To dine with Lord Lobcock and Count Asthma on the platinum benches
With somersaults and fireworks, the roast and the smacking kisses

Cried the cripples to the silent statue,
The six beggared cripples.
And Garbo's and Cleopatra's wits to go astraying,
In a feather ocean with me to go fishing and playing,
Still jolly when the cock has burst himself with crowing

Cried the cripples to the silent statue,
The six beggared cripples.
And to stand on green turf among the craning yellow faces
Dependent on the chestnut, the sable, the Arabian horses,
And me with a magic crystal to foresee their places

Cried the cripples to the silent statue,
The six beggared cripples.
And this square to be a deck and these pigeons canvas to rig,
And to follow the delicious breeze like a tantony pig
To the shaded feverless islands where the melons are big

Cried the cripples to the silent statue,
The six beggared cripples.
And these shops to be turned to tulips in a garden bed,
And me with my crutch to thrash each merchant dead
As he pokes from a flower his bald and wicked head

Cried the cripples to the silent statue,
The six beggared cripples.
And a hole in the bottom of heaven, and Peter and Paul
And each smug surprised saint like parachutes to fall,
And every one-legged beggar to have no legs at all

Cried the cripples to the silent statue,
The six beggared cripples.

- W.D. Auden, 1935

"Ain't I a stinkah?"
- Bugs Bunny (about the same year)

Anonymous said...

Correction: W.H.
Must've been the Bugs thing that got me confused.

Unknown said...

just wanted to add one i have not seen on many of your lists that i think deserves consideration.

please crawl out your window - the single version that was recorded after the highway 61 revisited sessions featuring the hawks who we all know became the band. i love this song for a few reasons. i think this is rocking dylan at his best, the lyrics are sharp and bitter. this song is also a great example of what The Hawks brought to dylan's sound and how Dylan would shape in what we latter heard in the band.