I’m a young hardcore Dylan fan at 27 & I love your channel. so happy you made this video. I heard Shadow Kingdom right after it dropped at midnight and loved it. I adore his original 60s stuff of course but I wish people wouldn’t stop there. albums like Oh Mercy (my #1), Love & Theft, Tempest, & Rough+Rowdy Ways are among my all time favorite albums period. Hell, I even love Shot of Love & Triplicate… anyway, these new versions of songs in the RARW style are just incredible. it’s so cool to now have a polished studio record of how wildly he reinterprets his songs. I’m with you about wishing there were endless albums of these reinterpretations. I guess I’ll have to keep listening to rough live ones online.

I have so much appreciation for u man i cant even describe it ur so human in your delivery and its beatiful you talk so natural i just know youre the best professor your students must be having a blast

Great video, Prof! I think you really captured a lot of the nuances of Dylan's personality, music, and philosophy.

That song "Must Be Santa" with accordion is pretty cool.

Blonde on Blonde is my favorite Dylan album! I don’t listen to much Dylan, but Freewheelin Bob Dylan and Blonde on Blonde are the two albums I have on repeat

Wild take on what first albums to listen to. I think this path would turn off a lot of listeners. Or just tempt people to start bringing out the “overrated” idea wayyyy too early to have any idea of what’s even been rated and why. His actual early albums are where the hype comes from really, Bringing it all back home is amazing, and would no doubt still have made him an iconic artist, but it’s the fact that that album was dropped on top of this body of work that is so immaculate and mythical, and THEN everything else you named was built on top of that, that makes him such an astonishing artist.

Found your comments interesting and agree with some. Just read the new Dylan book, and really enjoyed it! The prose, just as it was in Chronicles, was magnificent, and I found it entertaining and insightful. I'm in my 60's and have been a fan since I bought his Greatest Hits and Blood on the Tracks when I was a young teen, and since his catalog is so large and so diverse, there's plenty for anyone to appreciate and still disagree with other fans. For example, I'd pick entirely different albums than you to introduce to a newbie, but that (among other things) is what makes him so interesting - as the man sings, he contains multitudes. Appreciated the discussion!

Rags on my favorite Dylan record? Upvoted! Would love it if you made a video taking a closer look at his entire discography.

i wasn't planning to listen to this album but now I'm intrigued to, also makes me want to listen to Fallen Angels which I haven't yet. ps. thanks for the recs of good versions of the Dead's Dylan covers, i've always liked them

I posted a cover of Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" on KZfaq. It now has over 15 MILLION plays!!! :O Until I blocked all the comments, when I first posted my cover I got many really crazy comments from Bob Dylan aficionados. Bob Dylan is definitely SACROSANCT! I grew up in the 50s and 60s and Bob Dylan's music was a large part of my listening. He was truly a folk and then a rock god! But I am always amazed at Bob Dylan fanatics that weren't even alive then.

Best Dylan reviews I've seen, easy to see you really appreciate him.

Gotta say, I find the original All Along the Watchtower to be a bit more to my taste than Hendrix's version. Hendrix's All Along the Watchtower is amazing, teeming with anger and fury and sheer badassery, but Dylan's version feels more windswept, fantastical and forlorn. With Hendrix I picture some war or conflict on a grand scale, but with Dylan I picture a calm before the storm in some far off and forgotten land.

Oh no he really IS talking about Dylan

We need a Bob Dylan tier list!

Such a great take, correct and bound to befuddle. I'm one of the biggest Dylan fans... I too am Gen X, born in 1969, with a dad who loved the folk Dylan. That's what I grew up with. I discovered the post Electric Dylan when I got into music in my teens. Dylan has always spoken to me, completely and assuredly, so it's hard to take any criticisms of him without trying to respond, but, he is also an ornery cuss. That's who he is. I've seen him play live 4 times since I was in college, 2 were great, 2 were horrible.He is just a trickster. And I love his way of pissing off hippies, much more than Zappa's way. Dylan is still an amazing poet, you get it if you get it. Peace!

That show you took me to was the best of the four Dylan shows I've attended. I agree with your dad about The Philosophy of Modern Song. But you can't discuss "Where to begin" and not at least mention "Blood on the Tracks". You can't! :)

Planet Waves but not Blood on the Tracks? I think young people would love the passion in BOtT and on Blond on Blond as well. The musicianship on BoB was noticeably superior compared to the previous songs from the previous albums, allowing for more nuance in all aspects of the performances. I am not saying the songs are therefore "better" but there is something to be said for it, despite Dylan's ability (like the great folk artists before him) to deliver stunning performances with simple music structures in masterpieces such as It's All Over Now, Baby Blue. Young singer songwriters will appreciate Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. If they listen to the Baez version they will hear the pathos and the gorgeous melody of the vocal more than in the Dylan version. There are several masterpieces on BoB - at least from a perspective of his devoted fans. I think BoB represents a maturing of the style he developed on Highway 61, Bringing it all Back Home and it was wise to end that style there. Of course the fans wanted that to continue forever (just as the earliest fans wanted the Woody Guthrie version of Bob to go on forever) but fortunately for us, Bob followed is instincts for growth as an artist. I bought a pass to watch the Shadow Kingdom performance (it is dubbed) when it dropped and loved it. I would love to hear old Bob re-record more of his old songs in the studio (the live versions are fine but he sings differently - better - in the studio). I see your Warhol Banana (VU cover art?) behind you. If you want to talk about artistic fraud, talk about Andy Warhol. Fortunately, Dylan never devolved into conceptual post modern "art", though I suspect many would have preferred that to his"born-again" phase. I have read some disparaging comments of Rough and Rowdy Ways. I would never argue about someone's subjective taste but, to me, the songs on this album represent a break through to a higher level of lyric writing and really puts him on a level with any poet. Clearly he had been reading the classics and their influence shows (including the tradition of referencing other great artists as Dante did with Virgil) but I find it very touching, vulnerable and a work that could only come from a man approaching eternity. It's worth another look see.

Helpless was on Deja Vu by CSNY, a great album .

Bob Dylan is not and has never been for everyone.. We all Find him or not , but for those of us who do, it’s been a magical ride to follow his Career for some 60 Years - The many Re-incarnations of his Song Catalog is 2nd to None .. I actually enjoy his later releases (1990’s +) as much of not more than his earlier work in the 60’s/70’s which was great also but I like the more nature, weathered, experienced Dylan

I am sorry for your loss of your father-you make interesting points. I am a Christian whose favorite comedian is hands down George Carlin, despite my ‘disagreements’ with some of where he is coming from (not the anti-Christian jokes that nail hypocrisy rampant, rightfully so in my opinion, but his rudeness to anyone with other beliefs at times without listening to them and overwhelming them with his intelligence -and crushing them without dignifying their point of view). Bob Dylan is perhaps my favorite singer/songwriter, but I never want to hang on anything he has done-I just want to enjoy it and appreciate it, and I do. I am a Bob Dylan super fan, and he’s not the be all and the end all-but I sincerely appreciate hearing music from all of his years. Just perhaps the one artist who has impacted me more regularly over the years than any other...

Hi Skye, just for your reference, I'm a 45 year old father of 3, been a Dylan fanatic since I was 14, I stopped listening to new music in my mid twenties and started exploring new music in 2020. I discovered your channel after the rough and rowdy ways release and I totally agree with you about how almost average it was. See, a Dylan fan that isn't coming at you with daggers.

This album reminds me of MTV Unplugged more than anything else.

I absolutely loved shadows of kingdom, a wonderful album. Blew me away.

Makes me think of "My Back Pages": "Ah, but I was so much older then/I'm younger than that now"

Hey, that was a real great analysis of Bob Dylan. There has always been multiple Bob Dylans and he's known to be a contrarian. He even says "I need me a new Bob Dylan" in the documentary, " Don't Look Back"." Blonde on Blonde "not a great album? That's such a Bob Dylan contrarian move, LOL.This is one Hippie that really likes his subversion of expectations. When Bob Dylan started using harmonica on his songs and performances, not many well known artists were using it. Afterwards everyone was using it.Maybe that's part of why you can't stand it. Ya, I like it the harmonica, "Most of the time".Big Thief is defiantly in the tradition of Bob Dylan, folk Rock. That's why an old hippie , such as myself, is such a big fan of Big Thief, besides them just being a great band and having amazing songs.

I've seen Bob Dylan three times. My favorite music guy. I like Neil Young a lot as well. Take care dude.

Ive listend to Bob in 74 and have seen Him several times in concert, and even today, i get hungry for His music. But he has several records I never had since time out of mind.and a few before.

Please review Death Grips either Exmilitary or The Money Store. It would be pretty cash money

Great discussion, I really enjoyed ‘what was it you wanted’ and ‘queen Jane’. I think the older bobheads take Dylan a bit too seriously imo. there is a podcast called jokermen by two young guys that has lighthearted and fun discussions about Dylans career post ‘67 you might enjoy.

You’re wrong about Blonde on Blonde but right about everything else!

I also enjoyed shadow kingdom

The harmonica on John Wesley Harding is like razor blades to me, it's like Bobby wants to hurt you with it, but man I still love that album.

Prof Skye's most controversial comparison/title to date? Will a riot in the comments happen Stay tuned to find out in this exciting episode of Professor Skye's Record Review!

Try his harmonica solos from the 2000-2002 era. Soft, strong, meaningful.

we had a Dylan in Brazil, we had Belchior

The old harmonica is Jericho and the innocence of youth. The harmonica solo on Sad Eyed Lady is classic mature harmonica though.

I reread the book , it's terrific.

two things - the succession of Sinatra and similar covers,I think, was partly Bob retrainting his voice after too long grunting and snarling through concerts - then Covid gave it a much needed rest. You can hear that he's old and his vocal flexibility is reduced, but the singing is OK - and there's fewer impromptu deviations from the tune than in live performances - these rarely contribute to the connection with the meaning.

Blonde on blonde is my favorite album lol

I love Dylan too

How can you begin to relive all that skill and depth of talent for 50 years, into a book, cant relive the emotions

Often Dylan's harmonica is exactly right. He uses it as a second voice - and makes it whiney like his vocals. I've always liked the way he imitates his own vocals with the harmonica. I can't imagine Dylan - as a character - without the harmonica. It is integral to him. But those songs are usually just sketches. The harmonica bits are just places where Dylan is saying "add music here". He hears the songs big, but often only puts down a sketch. 'Along the Watchtower' is an example. Hendrix took the sketch and expanded it. And Hendrix took that harmonica solo of Dylan's (the one doing "the wind began to howl") and saw it as a sketch he could then expand into searing guitars. Hendrix understood what Dylan's harmonica is about.

❤

He is sort of my honey pie!!

I’m a lifelong Bobhead that agrees with the Professor about Blonde on Blonde. Of course it has its share of essentials like Memphis Blues and Just Like A Woman, but listening to it as a complete work he seems to overuse the same rhyming schemes and for me it just gets tedious.

I've been a huge Dylan fan for decades, and definitely agree with your points about Dylan trolling and on his relationship to religion being through music. Yes Blonde on Blonde is a bad album. Its Marmite though - some Dylan fans believe it to be his best of the era. Although I'm not a religious person myself, I would disagree about your comments about religion generally. You use the same old approach a lot of critics of religion use - by basically pointing to bad examples and using those to frame the argument. You'll find you can do this for anything, from politics to culture (find bad examples). Its not limited to religion. Its like the argument that religion is the main cause of wars throughout the world. This is wrong. People naturally will form tribes and will use whatever they have have to hand to excuse their hatred of the other. Plenty of examples of this throughout the world too. Its not religion, its people, and these arguments can be counterbalanced with good examples too.

I mean bob dylan got latest albums was great though. But he has have amazing albums out there even 90s.

I, and others, relate to Dylan on a DEEP level - it’s personal. To listen to you TELL me what is good and what is bad is fucking insulting. If we were taking a road trip or sitting in a park discussing his work, it would likely be fruitful for us both. But to demand - which is what it feels like - that I exalt your views is bull crap. I’ve been a fan for 50 years, I cover many of his songs, I’ve read books by and about him. I’ve read and listened to countless interviews by him or about him. You’ve got lots of subscribers so people must like you but to me - absent a proper dialog - come across as conceited. Thus is why people revolt against your Dylan videos. Why don’t you do some polls. You might find the commoners 😮😂have interesting perspectives.

Have you listened to blonde on blonde in mono? It makes a difference. And I think it's good to criticize Bob Dylan. Not every album he made was good and it's really annoying that in the 80s - he didn't include Blind Willie McTell and Series of Dreams on an album.

bill wyman lives.

In concert

Bobs harmonica is perfect. Lol

I think the book was good ithink he will work till he cant get out of bed its in his blood

😠😠😠😠😠😠😠😠 Just making sure there's an angry comment 😛

Day 131 of Asking you to Review Achilles Come Down by Gang of Youth

It always gets me how generations born twenty and more decades after the 1960s believe they know more about them than those who were actually there. Especially about "Hippies" -- pro- or con. I had "Hippy" values before there were 'Hippies" -- yet we saw eye-to-eye. What were those values? I was brought up as a Catholic -- I had no say in the matter. But moral philosopher Mark Twain forced me to closely examine those values, and that affirmed them. And it was the "Hippies" who -- perhaps overly" religious" -- went off and founded communes -- "moved to the country" -- based primarily on "religious" values. Don't like Dylan's harmonica? He always had a contrarian streak -- even apparently liked to "IRRITATE". It seems he even recorded some LPs as effort to ALIENATE "fans".

My only issue with Blonde on Blonde is that there is too much filler. I think this is the essential track listing here: "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" "Visions of Johanna" "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)" "I Want You" "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" "Just Like a Woman" "Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine" "4th Time Around" "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands"

No offense, but your list of Dylan albums for new listeners is absolutely unhinged

Wow, taste really is subjective isn't it lol. Doesn't like blonde on blonde, planet waves a good introductory album?.. crazy stuff

Unhinged af takes AVAA

Honestly I love the harmonica in Dylan’s older stuff but that’s partly in an “oh my god he actually put that noise on the record” way. It’s extremely jarring and almost unlistenable at times but I love to laugh at the audacity of it and joke about how Bob Dylan just sucks so much

Dude doesn't like Blonde on Blonde?😄

i don’t get the idea that just like a woman’s line is blehh

Sorry bud, you are preaching to the choir.

I have a vocabulary problem: I can’t find a word to describe how deeply I disagree with you. To quote John McEnroe: “You can’t be serious“. I am a 50+ year BD fan. Shadow Kingdom is a travesty; a worthless song-butchery session that I TRIED to like but had to turn off. Follow-up: My comment refers to the Shadow Kingdom video I saw on TV (which I hated), NOT to the record called Shadow Kingdom, which I haven’t heard.

This review is unwatchable. Halfway thru and you really haven't gotten to matter at hand. Goodnight!

Bob Dylan is fine. But the last 2 concerts I’ve seen him were the 2 worst concerts I’ve ever seen anybody perform. He’s just too old to perform live

so boring.