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Not someone I have been a real fan of but the older I get the more I like him. I haven't really gone much further than his double album Greatest Hits but there are a lot I like on there.

Is he a marmite character ?

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue This came on a playlist last night and made me sit up

Friends and others rave about him but I don't know.

I feel as though I ought to like him but when it comes to actually listening to his music I can't be bothered.

I had a Greatest Hits when I was young which was fine but didn't really get much turntable time.

Once again I can appreciate him for all the reasons people give, particularly his lyrics, but generally I wouldn't spread him on my toast. Much the same as Joni Mitchell in many ways and, as I regularly note, I'm not much of a fan of singer/songwriters in general.

Of course, he can write songs - lot's of great (better?) covers starting with Hendrix's All Along The Watchtower.

His fans said "Like, man, Dylan sold out to the Man, man', when he started performing with an electric guitar.

His music is a backdrop to my youth, lots of memories associated with him.

Like Neil Young he couldn't carry a note in a bucket but his voice has a charm to it that transcends such things.

Phillip Phlopp wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 30, 2019 11:43 am

His fans said "Like, man, Dylan sold out to the Man, man', when he started performing with an electric guitar.

His music is a backdrop to my youth, lots of memories associated with him.

Like Neil Young he couldn't carry a note in a bucket but his voice has a charm to it that transcends such things.

I know a guy in his late 60's who absolutely adores him but I think that's as much because, like you, he was the soundtrack to his young life.

And I agree about his voice - for me there have always been 'vocalists' and 'singers' - Dylan belongs in the vocalist group with the likes of Sinatra, Tom Waits, Bowie (to a degree), Nina Simone etc. They all tend to be a bit Marmite.

Having not been around when he went from folk to electric I don't have any prejudices over that change I just go by the songs. It used to be the older more obvious songs like Watchtower, Homesick Blues, Times they are a changing that I would listen to but not so much nowadays.

I agree about the covers, Jimi's cover of Watchtower is the definitive version but on the flip side Ill Be Your baby tonight and Knocking on Heavens door the UB40 and GNR' version are not.

Again I'm like you Max, the singer / songwriter thing doesn't do much for me but there are some that are bigger than that moniker, like Dylan and Young

Nashville Skyline is wonderful, with the added bonus of Johnny Cash (another perhaps for Max's vocalist/singer list?) being on it.
Whether he gets a free pass for his more recent stuff because of it is another debate.

I suppose it might have been Cash and is American recordings that has mellowed me out on that kind of style singers. Or Nick Cave for me too, his style is not dissimilar to Cohen, Cash etc

And if its Dylan covers you're after, Bryan Ferry is your man

Claude Balls wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 30, 2019 1:52 pm

Nashville Skyline is wonderful, with the added bonus of Johnny Cash (another perhaps for Max's vocalist/singer list?) being on it.
Whether he gets a free pass for his more recent stuff because of it is another debate.

Indeed, exactly so. Lay Lady Lay and Girl From The North Country are both superb, the rest of the songs are decent but no more than that.

I think Dylan and Cash kind of cancel each other out on GFTNC but I'm not mad keen on Cash in general. Or Tom Waits for that matter.

Ferry does good cover on most songs.

He's the most influential rock act ever.(IMO,probably an age thing)

Not a lot more to add to what's already been said.

I got more into Dylan in the 70's, I knew his music but Blood on the Tracks was the album that I would say made me take more notice. I still love it.

His voice is fine for some songs - but not others! As lyricist he probably can't be beaten.

As for Bryan Ferry, he and Dylan's songs go together like strawberries and cream.

He appeared with his Woody Guthrie type protest songs when I was first getting interested in politics.TW3 was on the TV,Private Eye had just started and it was all a getting a bit exciting.The Beatles were doing catchy love songs but he had something more interesting to say.