Best Ever Albums

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Robert Anton Wilson — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:07:43 GMT

Author: Robert Anton Wilson

Posted: 02/21/2013 16:07

davidhuret wrote:

My advice: get "Biograph" (3 cd compilation released in 1985)

Given the strength of the Dylan albums since the late 90s and you limited budget I would personally avoid Biograph. It includes a lot of alternate takes which is brilliant for a fan but odd for a beginner - learn the alternate version before the classic version. Biograph was brilliant when it was released, but I find it did not age well.

The first Dylan's greatest hits, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan%27s_Greatest_Hits is one of those compilation that has as much reason to exist as any of the original albums, that des not happen often but their are a few compilation albums that have a worth of their own.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Robert Anton Wilson — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:55:32 GMT

Author: Robert Anton Wilson

Posted: 02/21/2013 15:55

Highway 61 Revisited
Time out of Mind
Bringing it all Back Home

Also, at the risk of saying something unpopular on this site, You can also start with his greatest hits, identify which songs you like and get the album it is from. Dylan's albums went in phases and while some of his albums differ much from his typical output his albums are usually coherent withing themselves. The main decisions come down to identifying whther you might prefer the "classic electrified Bob" - which you discovering Hurricane would indicate (the go with Highway 60 & Bringing it All Back Home); the mellower, acoustic, folksy Bob (then go with the freewheelin' or slow train coming); or the modern contemporary Bob (which is anything since 1997) with my recommendations being for Time out of Mind (by far) & Modern Times. I agree with other people's recommendation to avoid his 80s stuff until you become starved for more for him - then again, I usually recommend avoiding the 80s altogehter.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:30:12 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/21/2013 15:30

davidhuret wrote:

Anyway, if you're receptive to Dylan, you cant' go much wrong with:

Together through life
Tempest

notsureifserious, and this coming from possibly the biggest Dylan fanboy on BEA. Avoid those two tepid attempts. As for the bit about ignoring pre-Oh Mercy '80s Dylan, that's a bit unfair; Infidels is great, whilst I have a lot of time for Saved too (I'm pretty forgiving of Dylan's Christian period, even if I am a fairly staunch atheist). So yeah, my advice would be to take davidhuret's list, get rid of the two from the quote above, replace them with The Times They Are a-Changin', Desire, The Basement Tapes and Infidels, and then you're set.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

davidhuret — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:49:43 GMT

Author: davidhuret

Posted: 02/21/2013 13:49

... but I suggest you avoid his pre-Oh mercy 1980's output to begin with.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

davidhuret — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:48:01 GMT

Author: davidhuret

Posted: 02/21/2013 13:48

My advice: get "Biograph" (3 cd compilation released in 1985) and see what you like most, and from which albums. Then follow your feelings regarding their discovery. Trust your heart.
At the end of the day, you'll either be a completist and will also want the previously unreleased archive recordings included on "Biograph" among the more familiar material, or you won't and you won't have spent a fortune buying albums you don't enjoy.
Then, if you so wish, you can explore Old Bob's discography (post-'85).

Anyway, if you're receptive to Dylan, you cant' go much wrong with:
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Another side of Bob Dylan
Bringing it all back home
Highway 61 revisited
Blonde on blonde
John Wesley Harding
Nashville skyline
New morning
Blood on the tracks
Oh mercy
Time out of mind
"Love and theft"
Modern times
Together through life
Tempest

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:35:54 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/21/2013 13:35

Since there is SOOOO much Dylan stuff out there and a lot of it is different, I recommend a little different approach. I first got into Dylan by listening to the greatest hits stuff. In particular there is a 3 disc version of the 2007 DYLAN greatest hits set that is spectacular. It does a really great job of breaking down the different phases of his career and does a good job of representing as much of his stuff as you can on a 3 disc set.

I know this is a little different thant the philosophy of this site and the general preference of most of us to listen to complete albums. However, I think this would allow you to learn a little more about all that Dylan has to offer and then pick the period that you enjoy the most to start with. Dylan is one of the few artists that I would recommend this for because he has SOOO many albums.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

MrFrogger — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:33:49 GMT

Author: MrFrogger

Posted: 02/21/2013 04:33

nutso42 wrote:

Highway 61 Revisited (listened to, and loved. Definitely checking out more)
Blonde on Blonde
Blood on the Tracks
Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
The Times They Are a-Changin'

I'd say go for Freewheelin over Times they are a-changin, but other than that your all set.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:31:52 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/21/2013 04:31

Okay, due to my music budget, I've been prioritizing which albums to get based on number of recommendations (essentially running a private builder game).
The current state of priorities seems to be:

Highway 61 Revisited (listened to, and loved. Definitely checking out more)
Blonde on Blonde
Blood on the Tracks
Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
The Times They Are a-Changin'

then a whole bunch of albums with one vote apiece: Bringing It All Back Home, Desire, John Wesley Harding, Time Out of Mind, and Love & Theft.

Sounds like fun!

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:54:28 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/21/2013 00:54

I started out with a greatest hits volume 3 (forgot the specific title) that had Hurricane, Jokerman, and Knocking On Heaven's Door on it; I really enjoyed it, but it didn't really motivate me to get more into Dylan. Years later I started off with Highway 61 Revisited, which I found really great and motivated me to listen to his other stuff. My current favorite is Blood On The Tracks but, as said previously, I think Highway 61 Revisited is a great place to start. The tracks I latched onto first from that were Like A Rolling Stone, Tombstone Blues, and Ballad Of A Thin Man.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:20:12 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/21/2013 00:20

My favourite with a small margin is The Times They Are A-Changin' and I think maybe it would better to listen to it after The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. Also Love and Theft is a favorite of mine that I think would appeal to anyone.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:08:58 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/21/2013 00:08

I agree with whats been said before. Start with Highway 61 Revisited. It's got some of his most famous (and best) songs. Than I would go to Blood on the Tracks. I think its his best album pre-christian phase and is also one of the best breakup albums ever. Eventually, I really recommend going to Time out of Mind, my favorite album he's made. I love how the album sounds, very haunting. An excellent comeback album.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

junodog4 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:32:06 GMT

Author: junodog4

Posted: 02/20/2013 23:32

Listen to Lethalnezzle. He's a big Dylanophile.

Plus he's agreed with what I would say. 😎

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:11:07 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/20/2013 23:11

@nutso, I'd also recommend John Wesley Harding or Desire. I think they'll appeal to your tastes.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Onetwo12 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:09:52 GMT

Author: Onetwo12

Posted: 02/20/2013 23:09

I started going through his stuff recently. Besides Hurricane and Like a Rolling Stone here are some songs I think are good to start off with:

Ballad of a Thin Man
Blowin In the Wind
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
I Want You
Mr. Tambourine Man
One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)
Positively 4th Street
Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
Tangled Up In Blue
Visions of Johanna

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

AranD — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:11:14 GMT

Author: AranD

Posted: 02/20/2013 22:11

I haven't yet listened to a Dylan album from start to finish either. But my weird obsession dictates that i always start from the beginning. 😕

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

MrFrogger — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:03:15 GMT

Author: MrFrogger

Posted: 02/20/2013 20:03

lethalnezzle wrote:

I'd go for one of Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde or Blood On The Tracks. Or even a Greatest Hits set. I'm a massive Dylan fan, but I can't remember which album I heard first. He's just always been there.

Do this, in that order, then The Freewhelin Bob Dylan, then I you like the morse simpler acoustic stuff, you can start listening to his earlier work.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:02:57 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/20/2013 20:02

Literally anything from his mid 60's period is a great place to start, and Blood On The Tracks is also a great listen. I'd say either listen to Highway 61 Revisited or Bringing It All Back Home first though, but that may be because those are also my favorite two Dylan albums.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:56:19 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/20/2013 19:56

I'd go for one of Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde or Blood On The Tracks. Or even a Greatest Hits set. I'm a massive Dylan fan, but I can't remember which album I heard first. He's just always been there.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Cymro2011 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:53:45 GMT

Author: Cymro2011

Posted: 02/20/2013 19:53

The first album I heared from him was The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. Not sure if it's the best one to start with though.

Re: Wanting to Get Started Listening to Dylan

Jasonconfused — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:20:54 GMT

Author: Jasonconfused

Posted: 02/20/2013 19:20

Interesting, Hurricane is the song that got me interested in Dylan as well. I'd have to agree with anyone saying Highway 61 Revisited is a solid place to start.

Would you look at that. It's my 1000th post. I should do something special for it. I'm going to hijack this thread to reflect on my short time here at BEA.

I've gained so much musical knowledge, it's almost unbelievable. My taste in music has become so much more eclectic and satisfying. I've also taken part in some really interesting conversations with people that love music as much as I do. BEA has become a daily part of my life, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

I've met some really interesting characters here. Some of which intimidate me with their knowledge of music and others which make me chuckle the way I do when I see a baby trying to run when it should first learn to walk (JMan).

So thank you everyone that has made my stay at BEA so great.

Yours Truly,
Jasonconfused