Love this album! Love this episode! Love the houndstooth! I am always amazed at how much I learn from your videos. I give this one… 🧱🧱🧱🧱🧱!!!

This album cemented my love and fascination with Dylan. The fact that someone could go from Freewheelin' to this in a few years, and than on to something like John Wesley Harding. It was earth shattering.

Sad Eyed Lady and Visions of Johanna are my 2 favorite Dylan songs. I listen to them both almost every night.

“ The ghost of electricity howls in the bones of her face” one of the greatest , surreal lyrics/ poetry ever written. For some reason it always made perfect sense to me. VISION OF JOHANNA is one of the masterpieces on an album that is a masterpiece…one of the greatest albums in history. SAD EYED LADY …is one of the greatest love songs ever written, with a great melody, Just breathtaking and you got the point for sure.I love your reviewing format , thanks!

Ran out and bought it the day it came out *damn I'm old*...And was not disappointed. Even as a 15 year old, I was way way into lyrics and this album sailed directly into my wheelhouse. A masterpiece and my favorite Dylan album. Great episode, Abi, Thanks.

I loved when Dylan went electric and all his fans had a melt down....ha ha🎸

The Definition of Masterpiece

My favorite album! I was 16 years old, living in a small West Texas town when this great record appeared out of nowhere. I still love it!

I'll always remember ducking into a doorway on a quiet residential street to get out of a sudden light rainfall, and standing there, watching the sky, wondering how long I'd be waiting on the rain, when I heard the first notes of Visions of Johanna playing at perfect volume from a second floor apartment across the street. As the song and the rain faded about seven minutes later, I moved on and the record played on... Those 60s Dylan albums were well played and are usually beat when we find them now because they passed through many hands, often because the album sold for the single and the new listener was not prepared for the "thin wild mercury sound" within. The first Dylan record I ever owned was inherited from one such friend when I discovered it, out of the jacket, under the leg of a dresser in his room, where it had landed when he flung it across the room in a fit of revulsion because he bought it to hear Mr. Tambourine Man because he loved the Byrds. The dresser leg pushed across side two of Bringin' It All Back Home left a scar that would have rendered it unlistenable to most people, but I played it until I knew every word and could play most of it too, with that scratch sounding like a metronome that made it mine alone...

Blonde On Blonde, the title: It’s just a typically vague. yet definitively evocative title that means everything you might imagine-or nothing at all- and it’s thus PERFECT like all that’s between the grooves (including the dust!)..

My fav Dylan album, too, followed closely by Highway 61. I might have to buy a new turntable so I can play my copy of that album again. I was in NYC when that album came out and it was in the window of every record store in Manhattan, and there were tons of record stores. Huge album release.

Great take on my favorite Dylan, Abigail! I bought my first copy in ‘73. These songs led a wonderful Bohemian girl to me while in college. Now, we’ve been married 42 years…still listening and loving!

When I was down, you just stood there grinnin'...

Dylan is one of those artists who can’t help changing your life, or at least your perception. I can’t remember the exact MOMENT Dylan changed mine, but the era is as clear as day; a time of excess and unstoppable youth similar to your bohemian fiesta. Part of that time was my friendship with an old hippie who recommended “Blonde on Blonde.” I’ve never come back from that kaleidoscopic musical journey. Like Dylan, I too have a “thin, wild mercury sound” in my head when I’m reaching for a brand new level of artistic achievement, and the energy is just as frenetic and obsessive. I guess I can say I lived this one, too. I like “Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlands,”especially in context. Sara wasn’t photographed a lot, but she was hauntingly beautiful. I don’t think he’s ever gotten over her. The bookend for this one is, of course, “Sara,” from “Desire,” (the other album the old hippie recommended), which I used to perform a lot. It always choked me up. The two are both passionate love songs to an unforgettable woman. I think she’s even the woman he refers to in “Most of the Time,” from “Oh Mercy” ( my favorite Dylan album, mostly because of its context in my life). My favorite Dylan song by a mile is “Visions of Johanna.” Thank you for covering this one. ❤

Blonde On Blonde, Highway 61 & John Wesley Harding are my favourite Dylan albums, I love the folkier acoustic albums, but these 3 are just awesome

It's just mind-blowing how many good albums he has from the 1960's till today!

One of Dylan’s finest. You almost matched the scarf, too honey!

Thank you for shouting out Nico...I love her stuff, such an enigma. She does seem to be less remembered....or remembered only for the wrong things....

Regarding Dylan's famous, or infamous little brown leather jacket, in Anthony Scaduto's 1972 biography, "Dylan", Joan Baez tells of her hatred for "that horrid little jacket" because among other negatives "it had throw-up on it". Thought you'd find that charming.

"Just Like a Woman" has always been a favorite. I discovered Dylan in college....big deal for me!

Wow, your scarf is a nice tribute to Dylan's!

I was 11 when like a rolling stone and rainy day was on radio and I didn’t know he was a folk hero until later. I absolutely loved Dylan as a electric musician. Bob had created a new whole set of fans.

I saw him play twenty years ago man what a legend, I never cared for Maggie’s farm but he blew my mind when he played it in a lighting fast rock style crazy good concert

Very nice analysis. I was around when this came out and I still listen to it.

I need to get me a Bob scarf like that. I saw him live for the first time last month, and I loved the version of Most Likely You'll Go Your Way (and I'll Go Mine) that he performed (with a very good band backing him!); he always makes it a little bit different from the versions you've heard in the past. It's a bit of a reminder that art is fundamentally fluid, dynamic and adaptable, and has been since the days of Homer (the ancient Greek epics were originally performed orally rather than written down, after all). I'm glad that he's still with us, still shaking things up. So thank you Bob. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Love the scarf. D once said he was trying to sound like Otis Redding on Just Like a Woman.

Blonde On Blonde will always be my favorite Bob Dylan album the songs are just so good my favorite song of the album is Visions of Johanna and Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands.

Eeeeverybody must get stooooned! The album that was playing on the Redlands bust Great video!

i was born in the 1950's - you in the 1990's, You are the me now, I wanted to be then. Loved this review - Sad Eyed Lady is the bomb - you're the real deal.

I recently found a UK first pressing with the Claudia Cardinale photo... my excitement level was off the scale 💃🕺

I’ve just started watching your Vinyl Monday videos and I love them. Keep up the good work. This is one of my favorite Bob Dylan albums as well

Love you style/vibe!

I love your video. I go back and forth between Highway 61 and Blonde on Blonde being my favorite Dylan album. Back in the day, Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35 was played on top 40 radio a lot, and that was the first song I ever heard from this album. (btw, 12 times 35 is 420!). In the early 70s I started listening to his albums, and this one really knocked me out. I also love Sad Eyed Lady and Johanna. The background you talked about leading up to this album, and your thoughts about the album are top notch. Can't wait for the next video.

I live in north east Ohio and I'm freezing but I'm also old that makes a big difference and I love Bob Dylan 😘

Well, they didn't re-e-e-e-e-ally have enough material to justify two discs, but they did it anyway. Yes, "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" takes up all of Side 4, but it's shorter than "Desolation Row".

Love it babe, glad someone gets it like I do. For me growing up in Australia with this music in the 70's it was a lonely experience. Recently my 18 yro son discovered this independently and is obsessed with the thin wild mercury sound.

The best review of Blonde on Blonde I think I've ever heard. Well done!

Your enthusiasm for all these vinyl records is infectious. i was lucky enough to have been able to buy all these albums when they were originally released except "Almost Famous" (Did see the movie). So glad to see they are still appreciated.

When I hear Dylan fans expressing their deep appreciation for his music, and the relevance of it etc., it makes me sincerely wish I could get over his voice and like it too. Every year or two I try to listen again, but I just can’t get over it. I’m a little jealous :-)

The verse beginning with "Little boy lost ... " is indeed one of Bob's best. The little boy lost is Bob himself, of course. In this verse he's referring to the voice of his conscience which is hounding him. He wants Johanna but he's married to Sarah ... and it's damned dangerous to mess around and he knows it. The last verse of the song he mentions 'conscience' again ("... while my conscience explodes". A whole essay could be written on this. Enough to say that Johanna was a real person Dylan was acquainted with (Johanna Beck); but she was also a 'vision' that he couldn't get out of his head. Every verse expands on that. Most people have assumed he's talking about Baez, but that's ridiculous. He's not pining for Joan. HE broke up with HER years before he wrote this. It has nothing to do with Joan. People also think he has this thing for 'Louise', but there's nothing in the lyrics that support him having the hots for Louise: "Louise and her lover so entwined." Louise is with someone else; she's just there as a place holder in the song. Bob is not interested in her. She's like 'the country music station playing soft': not even worth turning off.

I have a nice Dylan collection going & I got Blonde On Blonde on vinyl recently. It's cool to have a new pressing of it. My girlfriend & I saw Bob again when he was touring behind Rough & Rowdy Ways last year. It was "brick" in Pittsburgh that night. LOL. It was so frickin awesome to hear him do Most Likely You Go Your Way And I'll Go Mine. I love Bob's early rockers like Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat. So many songs on this double album are like gold to me. In the same way you feel moved by Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands., I feel that way about Visions of Johanna. Great review, Abby!

Another amazing Vinyl Monday so full of insight and your sense of humor is just killer 🤣. Thank you so much!

Excellent review of my favorite album of all time. You brought out many interesting points and the next time I listen to it, I will especially pay attention to the end of Pledging My Time for the harmonica fade out. I saw Dylan and the Hawks in San Jose in December 1965, and what I remember most about the show is how the audience reacted with laughter throughout Desolation Row, enjoying all off the "scenes". Keep up the good work.

Illuminating and fun deep dive into Blonde on Blonde! Love to hear about your personal relationship to this Dylan album as well! And also, you taught me so many things I didn't know about this album, etc...

Another great video Abby. One of my favorites as well. I still play Just Like A Women live in my band.

This is my favorite Dylan album, I just bought a copy at my local record store. My favorite tracks are I Want You, Visions of Johanna, Sooner or Later, Just Like a Woman, 4th Time Around and Stuck Inside A Mobile (with the Memphis Blues).

WOW! Another informative insight to a awesome great album😄Thank you🌻

We don't know it's beautiful a lot of the time until it's behind us. -Abigal

Love your review we can tell you so much love this album

My favorite Dylan album.ans Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands is my all time favorite Dylan song

This one is really special, l fell in love, lost it, smoked pot for the first time and became a hippie all with Blonde on Blonde as the soundtrack. A very beautiful set of memories.

I love the slow version of I Want You from Budokan so much more than the silly bright version here.

It’s great hearing the interesting music history! Plus I’m expanding my vocabulary at the same time! It sure has been fierce brick in these parts lately!

Great show!

Had a blizzard here in Michigan.🌨

I could never possibly choose a favourite Dylan song, but when I try I always reach for this album first. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later), Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine), Rainy Day Women #12 & 35, Visions Of Johanna, Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again, I Want You, Fourth Time Around and Absolutely Sweet Marie would all be at least in my top 20. That's how impressive the breadth of this album is and that's why it is my favourite Dylan album, his magnum opus of the 1960s. No song is short of excellent and the power of the instrumentation makes Blonde On Blonde feel far shorter to me than any previous album of his. However, as you said, he couldn't possibly have continued such a debilitating lifestyle of constant touring, amphetamine use and writing at such a furious pace, he would have burned out by the end of '67 and the material would not have evolved, or devolved, to the same interesting degree as it did on John Wesley Harding. ... Let It Be is not what I would have expected you go for if you do really decide to cover it.

He was a helluva song writer.

One of the most clear-eyed takes on the album that I've heard/read, great work! Hope you eventually cover modern day Dylan, Murder Most Foul is at the same level of Sad Eyed Lady.

I love the fact that you are wearing the same scarf and jacket as Dylan. Awesome. Btw as always loved the video

He was not booed at the Newport festival because of playing electric. He was booed because of the poor audio quality, and people couldn’t hear him. This comes from an old friend of mine, who is no longer with us, who was actually there.

Dylan is the greatest creator of songs we will ever have, The way he uses language change songwriting forever.

Nice one ...love your clothes and make up/hair to suit the album/period. Such attention to detail. FAB

Lockdown lady of the lowlands. That’s a lovely story. It was an interesting time. You took it through great. And have given us fantastic vlogs. Thanks Abbie.

Watching, I love your video, how serious you are. Just love it :)

Awesome review.

"Blonde on Blonde"? In abbreviation it's just... No, i coludn't be the first to notice this! :) But that was my 1st thought about album's title. "Electric Dylan" is my favourite period in Bob's work. Of course, I have some of his early acoustic songs on compilation, I even have "Slow Train" and somehow like that song about Adam giving names to all animals... But that three albums from '65-'66 (when I don't hold them in my hand, it's hard to me to recall what song is on what record, to me they could be just one 4-LP set) have this rockin' "claw" which makes me totally for it. And those who hated him for changin' his sound? Some people don't understand the artist needs to find a new means of expression, needs to evolve. He or she cannot remain for ever what he or she initially was. And no, it's not betrayal, quite opposite, it's about being faithful to yourself more than to other people's expectations. I have discovered "Blonde on Blonde" thanks to Polish musical journalist Andrzej Dorobek and his articles from early 1990s about American and British psychedelic music. He just mentioned this album as one of first attempts to psychedelia in folk-rock, and it took to intrigue me enough to listen to this... It was the apogee of CD era, so that's the format in which I have this album (early Dutch release). My favourite song on this album is definitely "Stuck Inside of Mobile...". I like this kind of "kalleidoscope imaging", you walk through the street and meet more and more extraordinary persons... Others? "Rainy Day Women" - satirical Dylan in carnival entourage. "Just Like a Woman" - you need to be a great poet to be mocking and sensitive in the same time. "I Want You" - another "kalleidoscope walk", but now everything more obviously centers in one point. Dylan as musician influenced more than one generation of musicians, but he had even more influence as lyricist. Listen to Stones' "Jigsaw Puzzle", lyrically it is like "Bob Dylan in UK". Or take Dire Straits' "Wild West End". Or even - to a lesser extent - Depeche Mode's "Shame". Or The Clash ("London Calling" has some of this, though is more chaotic). PS: I wanted to mention Eurythmics too, but they were more concise, more, well, British. ;)

Hi, 1/. Got the CD yesterday out to play today in my shed. 2/. The first time I've viewed a whole session of your view's. VERY IMPRESSED with your knowledge / research. {You did drop a hint that you studied Music in college.} 3/. CONFESSION.... I've viewed Vinyl Collector's as people who "collect record's, for collector's sake, NOT as listener's" ! I have a small collection of album's, mainly CD's, but old LP's I bought upon release that I listen too regularly. >> I can't remember if I've ever bought a second hand LP, because I'm concerned about the quality of it's playability.... I did buy 3 or 4 Talking Head's album's on "Heavy Vinyl" a couple year's back and 2 of them 'jumped' on my stereo with their first playing. That put me off buying any more of them. SAD EYED LADY is one of my favourite's too BUT it's hard to single out just one {or two}. 10 maybe but then you'd have to leave some on the cutting room floor ! Michael.

This is one of my favorites. I know that's not a unique opinion. I was familiar with Dylan's bigger songs from the Essential CD that I had in high school. I went to my local library and checked out a copy of the album. I ripped it to my laptop and it became one of the most played albums on my iPod. That's such a 2000s story. It was technically my first non-compilation Dylan album. Oddly enough, I don't have a vinyl copy of Blonde on Blonde. I have Freewheeling, Desire, Highway 61, Blood on the Tracks, Nashville Skyline, John Wesley Harding, and Hard Rain on vinyl though.

Great review. I have been listening to Blonde on Blonde since a middle Schooler, 50+ years. And I learned a bunch from your review. Thanks.

I totally agree, Abby. I love a lot of Dylan like Blood on The Tracks and Bringing It All Back Home but Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands was his peak in songwriting for me.

Probably my favourite Dylan record as well, though there's many others that are great for other reasons. It is so diverse, creative and contains some of my favourite Dylan songs. Took me a while to fully appreciate it, exactly for the reason you pointed out - the first 2 songs are not easy on the ears at all. Your scarf is a nice touch btw.

The first time I heard Blonde on Blonde all the way through was in the middle of the night on a red-eye flight to Iceland, surrounded by sleeping passengers (IcelandAir had it as an onboard entertainment selection).

I’m a bit of Dylan virgin and have only recently begun to listen to him. I love Blonde on Blonde but I think I prefer the Freeweelin album more. Great vid as usual ,gotta say you make Monday’s tolerable.

Such a great album! I too have the mofi 45rpm pressing. Yeah 45rpm Lp’s can be a pain but the audio quality is second to none when done right. Great video Abby!

I just found you a couple days ago. You are wonderful! I can’t believe there are only 21k subscribers! I’m happy to be one of your newest

Great job on this, Abby. Lots of younger people trying to do the dip on this record and none are as good as this one. Scarf props too. Matches him!

I have subscribed because you are so much fun.

One of the only things I can definitely answer when asked, is the answer to "what's your favorite album ever" BLONDE ON BLONDE!

You're actually one of the most copletely thinks critics i've seen the the world-wipe-interwheps. Good on ya (analysis keeps the mind stimulated).

Very much enjoyed this video. I too am a big Dylan fan and record collector. I however would like to clear up a common misunderstanding regarding the early mono releases of the album. Dealers will often claim that the mono release with the Claudia Cardinale photo (prior to her law suit) is the rarest version of this LP, but this is not true. Her photo was removed from the cover at the same time Columbia Records discontinued its mono pressings (1968ish). Once they deleted her photo, they pressed only a few hundred more mono copies, then stopped. No more mono. The entire record industry stopped producing mono records at about this time. For every mono copy of Blond on Blond without the Claudia Cardinale photo you’ll find two or three hundred with her photo on the inside gatefold. The opposite is true for stereo pressings. But the mono without the Claudia Cardinale photo is actually the rarest release by far. Very hard to find.

Hi Abbey. I loved your walk through this great album, well done. As a long time Dylan tragic I would probably consider Sad Eyed Lady..as my favourite Dylan song. Cheers, john

I really like Blonde on Blonde.....Blood on the Tracks is my fave Dylan......but BOB is arguably his most important album. And the great songs here are epic. Is a Rubber Soul video coming anytime soon? Great video once again.

Thanks for your good work on this episode. If you ever find a way to visit The Bob Dylan Center, you will not be disappointed. I have been through it three separate times and still haven't absorbed it all. This museum employs all of the latest multimedia presentation technology. The experience changed everything I thought I knew about Bob Dylan. Fabulous!

I love this album. So many great songs. I even splurged on the $99 Mofi pressing. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat is one of the first songs to get me into Dylan

Michael Bloomfield behind Bob on Highway 61 - with the camera. Where are THOSE pictures? Michael was quite the shutterbug.

Dylan did 3 Gospel albums (Slow Train Coming, Saved, and Shot of Love, 1979-81) I would really enjoy hearing your thoughts on these. Peace and May God Bless!

Great weird uneven album, a masterpiece. Great review. / "She's Your Lover Now" is another great outtake from the BLONDE ON BLONDE sessions, included on a Bootleg Series CD. / Richie Havens' cover of "Sad Eyed Lady" is a must-hear classic.

Jacket looks OK! 👌🏾

I don’t know if you watch Norman Maslov, ( you should), he did a great video on Dylan bootlegs. Again love your channel.

Great review! You didn't mention She's Your Lover Now, for which he recorded exactly one (electric) take during the Blonde on Blonde sessions, which ended abruptly when Dylan flubbed a line... and he never went back to it. If he had gotten on tape a full take of that song and included it on the record, BOB would be an even greater album than it is now... a scary thought!

I have a claudia cartinell copy! Such a good album, my copy overall other than edge wear is in really good condition Might be my favourite vinyl monday i think 😂

Perfect on this one, Abby. Visions. Of Johanna.....Desolation Row......Chimes of Freedom.....Sooner or Later One of Us Must Know

Good review, I always love your videos because of how much insight you bring to the history/the recording of the album. and curiosities! I mostly just listen to stuff and don't really look up what the artists do (there are some exceptions of course) but learning all that stuff makes the listening experience even more rewarding. Keep up the good work! Btw can you spot me binge watching everything you ever put out? lol I feel like i'm commenting so much but I hope it's no bother! Before going I have a question, do you like talking heads? do you ever plan on reviewing something from them? Thank you!

Yay, vinyl Monday! Looking forward to watching! Hope you do a kiss album soon☺️🤪!

There’s a really great documentary about the MC5 on KZfaq. It’s divided into three parts.

Imagine if they could have satisfactorily pulled off She's Your Lover Now in these sessions, given that wild thin mercurial treatment. Say, added to side 4? Robin Witting England

This is my favorite album by a long shot. You did such a great analysis of it. You should definitely do New Morning or Highway 61 Revisited if you haven't! New Morning is an interesting one because it was a "return" to everyone at the time, after Nashville Skyline and the much hated Self Portrait. And it's the first all-piano Dylan song collection, from what I know. Also, Time Out of Mind is a big one, but I think New Morning is one that a lot of big time Dylan fans put on a lot. Has such a great 1970-71 sound to it. Just a thought! Though I'm sure you've got a long list. (Also Sad Eyed lady was referenced in Desire, with Dylan saying he stayed up writing it for her. So you're right! Not a silly favorite song at all. Mine is I Can't Leave Her Behind, and nobody cares about that one too much it seems)

My fav track is one of us must know (sooner or later)…has really great piano by Nahville session guy Paul Griffin

i struck gold with a $12 claudia pressing even though it is completely unplayable lmao. the cover is still in good shape tho

Hey brick, Hello from Alaska. Thanks for your passion. "And your saintlike face and your ghost-like soul" Let It Be