ARTS & CULTURE
6 Obiter Dicta
Bob Dylan’s Ten Best Songs
In the opinion of one ‘self-proclaimed’ Bob Dylan expert
-justin philpott
Bob Dylan turns seventy-five this May. No other
artist has a catalogue of songs as deep and diverse. No
other artist has been as influential to music. Dylan
is a musical icon of biblical proportions. In admiration of his five plus decades in writing and recording music, I thought it appropriate to provide an
answer, once and for all, to the question: what are
Bob Dylan’s top ten songs? Sure, this is just one ‘selfproclaimed’ Dylan expert’s opinion; but you have got
to give me some credit. Dylan has released an outrageous thirty-six studio albums, making this no easy
task. What follows are my Top Ten Bob Dylan songs
and a brief description of why I believe the songs are
so great. Do you agree with my list?
1. Mr. Tambourine Man (Bringing it All Back
Home, 1965)
Not only is this my favourite Dylan song, it is my
favourite song – period. Contrary to popular belief,
the song is not about drugs and Mr. Tambourine
Man is not Dylan’s drug dealer. The song is about the
search for inspiration. In the chorus, Dylan sings:
“I’m not sleepy and there is no place I am going to.”
The lyrics are abstract, cryptic and hauntingly beautiful. Dylan is finding himself as a poet. Lyrics like
“take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship”
and “to dance beneath the diamond sky with one
hand waving free” get me every time.
2. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (The
Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, 1963)
Dylan claims this is a song you can sing to yourself to make yourself feel better. It was written after
his long-time girlfriend left him for Italy. The lyrics
are sharp, direct and bitter (“I gave her my heart but
she wanted my soul”). It’s also strikes me as a bit passive aggressive; the song closes with the sneering line
“You just kind of wasted my precious time / But don’t
think twice, it’s all right.” It’s a great breakup song if
you are ever in need.
3. Tangled Up in Blue (Blood on the Tracks, 1975)
Dylan’s marriage was crumbling in 1974; from
this turmoil spawned the album Blood the Tracks,
his most reflective examination of pain and heartbreak. The album’s opening track, “Tangled Up in
ê Bob Dylan: the prophet, the punk, the rebel (Photo credit: www.riffraf.net)
Blue” is a nostalgic telling of a couple’s history from
their first encounter and separation, to their chance
encounter years down the road and the contemplation of doing it all over again. The lyrics are heartfelt
and all seven verses have this momentous flow that
only Dylan could capture. Dylan claims this song took
ten years to live and two years to write.
4. Jokerman (Infidels, 1983)
When I first heard this song I couldn’t believe it
was Dylan. It was unlike anything I had heard from
him before. “Jokerman” has this great reggae vibe
provided by Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, two
Jamaican musicians. I don’t even care who this mysterious Jokerman is supposed to be. Some believe it
is Jesus, others believe it is Dylan himself. It doesn’t
matter. I particularly love the out of tune “oh-oh-oh”
chant Dylan provides in the chorus.
packs a punch and is full of wonderful imagery. The
lyrics provide a meticulous account of one frenzied New York City night. From my interpretation,
Dylan is obsessed with a girl named Johanna, who is
either unattainable or even imaginary. However, he
describes another girl, Louise, who seems to be available (“Louise, she’s alright, she’s just near. She’s delicate and seems like the mirror”). Robbie Robertson’s
crying-tremble guitar suits the song perfectly.
» continued on page 11
5. Visions of Johanna (Blonde on Blonde, 1966)
It is hard to believe that “Visions of Johanna” was
recorded on the first take. It is my favourite Dylan
song to sing along to. Every line is crystal clear,
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