100 Days
of Bob Dylan
My Journey to Ascertain the Genius that is Bob Dylan
How Does it Feel?
The first morning I woke up at college, someone in my dorm had these two huge speakers turned facing out of his window and blaring, “Like a Rolling Stone.” It was the first real day out on your own and you hear, “How does it feel to be on your own, away from home, like a rolling stone?”
Since that first day at State University of New York in 1973, my father has grown a deep appreciation for Bob Dylan. As a Milennial, this same adoration did not come naturally. I just didn’t get it. Why Bob Dylan? He’s not even a good singer. His lyrics don’t really make sense. Why do people think he’s the best songwriter?
In an effort to get to know my father on a deeper level, and to understand the impacts of Bob Dylan’s legacy, I set out on a journey to explore the music for myself. Part of the expedition included this book, “Dylan: 100 Songs and Pictures” by Peter Doggett.
Each song posted here includes content from this book along with other sources I cited where applicable.
BOOK: “Dylan: 100 Songs & Pictures”
Blog Posts
Bob Dylan – Song #15: “All I Really Want to Do”
Links to Song: All I Really Want to Do Cher's version (cool live video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPjPnUcvbzs The Byrds version (also a cool live video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjAI9R94X-M What you should know about this song: Interested in hearing...
Bob Dylan – Song #14: “Chimes of Freedom”
Links to Song: Chimes of Freedom What you should know about this song: This six-verse "masterpiece", as some have called it, supposedly evolved from a short poem Dylan had written about John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963. It was recorded a year later for the...
Bob Dylan – Song #13: “One Too Many Mornings”
Links to Song: One Too Many Mornings What you should know about this song: "A pretty breakup song" is what Rolling Stones Magazine called it, "and the rare tune where Dylan offered a fare-thee-well without assigning any blame" (Issue 1131). Similar to "Don't Think...
Bob Dylan – Song #12: “The Times They Are A-Changin'”
Links to Song: The Times They Are A-Changin' What you should know about this song: This is quite possibly one Dylan's most famous "protest" songs, as they have been dubbed. It is because of songs like this one that Bob Dylan was often referred to as the "spokesman of...
Bob Dylan – Song #11: “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll”
Links to Song: The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll What you should know about this song: Once again, Dylan drew from real world events to write this piece. "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" was inspired by the malicious attack (and resulting homicide) against a...
Bob Dylan – Song #10: ”Only a Pawn in Their Game”
Links to Song: Only a Pawn in Their Game Bob Dylan and Joan Baez 1963 March on Washington: Only a Pawn in Their Game What you should know about this song: After the 1955 bus boycott in Montgomery, the emergence of Martin Luther King Jr., the integration of Central...
Bob Dylan – Song #9: “With God On Our Side”
BBC Tonight Show 1964: With God on our Side Duet with Joan Baez: With God on our Side What you should know about this song: You can feel Dylan's frustration through the lyrics of this song. It grows stronger and stronger throughout each verse and it essentially ends...
Bob Dylan – Song #8: ”Girl from the North Country”
Link to Song: Girl from the North Country Duet Version (with Johnny Cash): Girl from the North Country What you should know about this song: Dylan composed this song in 1963 during his first trip to Italy (a great country for music inspiration, if you ask me). After...
Bob Dylan – Song #7: “Masters of War”
Link to Song: Masters of War What you should know about this song: This anti-war anthem was recorded during the final session for The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in 1963, a few months after having performed it on radio. This is by far one of Dylan's angriest protest songs....
Bob Dylan – Song #6: “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”
Link to Song: Don't Think Twice, It's All Right John Mayer cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk-2YmENW2Q Johnny Cash cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoyPKKuCG7A Ke$ha cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNCEV7ZSNFo What you should know about this song:...
Bob Dylan – Song #5: “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”
Link to Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9hMtVWN91M (This is a famous version from his performance in Japan 1994 where he was accompanied by a full orchestra). What you should know about this song: According to Rolling Stone Magazine, this is the 2nd greatest...