Week 7: Fifty Albums That Changed Music

[Swish]

You had to know that one of "his" was coming soon, and the time has come for Bob Dylan - Bringing it All Back Home (1965)

The first folk-rock album? Maybe. Certainly the first augury of what was to come with the momentous "Like a Rolling Stone". Released in one of pop's pivotal years, Bringing it All Back Home fused hallucinatory lyricism and, on half of the tracks, a raw, ragged rock 'n 'roll thrust. On the opening song, "Subterranean Homesick Blues", Dylan manages to pay homage to the Beats and Chuck Berry, while anticipating the surreal wordplay of rap. Without this...put simply, on this album and the follow-up, Highway 61 Revisited, Dylan invented modern rock music.

That's a very strong ending statement, don't you think?

Swish

[MindGoneHaywire]

Yeah, a bit of an overreach for me personally, and while I prefer Highway 61, either of these or Blonde On Blonde would've been appropriate. As on other selections, I quibble with the certainty of the conclusions of the writers of the piece, but this one's a solid choice. Even if it doesn't say a word about the impact of the three that came before it on the singer-songwriter movement. But then I'm not sure how big guys like James Taylor or Leonard Cohen, or Joni Mitchell for that matter, ever were in the UK.

I personally consider Dylan's contribution to that movement--I'll go so far as to say he's the most important pioneer, if not to offer that he singlehandedly invented it, which is possible but arguable--to represent more of an impact than his rock records on the rock genre. Invented modern rock music? I'm not sure you couldn't say the same of Clapton, Townshend, Hendrix, or the Beatles for that matter, but whatever. There's only so far I'm willing to go in opposition to anything published in this article that makes any sense whatsoever to me, and this one makes quite a bit of sense, even if, again, I quibble with aspects of how it's described & its choice vs. others in the artists' catalog.

[Troy]

Dylan did NOT "invent modern rock music."

What a joke.

[BradH]

Invented modern rock music? I'm not sure you couldn't say the same of Clapton, Townshend, Hendrix, or the Beatles for that matter, but whatever.

I never really thought of this album in those terms but it makes sense. All those people you listed had to go through huge changes before arriving at any kind of straight ahead roots-rock oriented approach that was on this record. But it sounds like the Guardian wants it both ways by saying it might've been the first folk-rock record. Two different things. You gotta give that one to Mr. Tambourine Man.

[Swish]

Dylan did NOT "invent modern rock music."

What a joke.

...in it? And if he didn't, then why don't you give us your opinion of who you think invented "modern rock? If you're dismissing him so easily, it would lead me to assume that you have other ideas.

Swish

[Troy]

Are you saying Dylan had no part...in it? And if he didn't, then why don't you give us your opinion of who you think invented "modern rock? If you're dismissing him so easily, it would lead me to assume that you have other ideas.

Swish

No, I didn't say that. The article implies that he invented it with this album. You can't possibly attribute inventing "modern rock music" to any one artist (except maybe the Beatles). let alone any one album! It's pure hyperbole.

I'm on the road the rest of the week so this is my last word on this.

[MindGoneHaywire]

Wussy.

[MasterCylinder]

Agreed......Dylan was influential on modern rock music.....with many of his albums; not just this one.

I'm not sure he invented anything......unless it is singing through your nose.

[Resident Loser]

...Blonde On Blonde (which I have owned in nearly every format since the original mono issue, have the sheet music to and bloodied my relatively newbie git-fingers on), Highway 61 Revisited and Blood On The Tracks...With BIABH he may indeed have invented modern rock, paticularly if you take the POV that rock is supposed to shake-up the status quo...seems to have sent ripples through all the folkies who thought he was a god...Of the four more earlier-Dylan-style cuts contained on the album, I think the chording in It's Alright Ma is very atypical for folk and the lyrics for Mr. Tambourine Man venture into psychedelia (for lack of better words) and a willingness to visit unexplored areas...

Also something to consider is that other artists had to reach back to one of his earlier albums for more folkie-style songs they covered in a more pop/rock style... All I Really Want To Do, My Back Pages, It Ain't Me Babe Respectively Sonny & Cher, The Byrds, The Turtles...Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I think it was Jimi Hendrix, whose re-make of All Along The Watchtower, was the first to attempt to cover a more electric Dylan song. What that might mean (if anything) is open to conjecture...

jimHJJ(...IMHO, this one belongs on any list...)

[Davey]

Those were a couple landmark albums. Maybe the two best of 1965, and he made them both. I guess you should toss in Rubber Soul too, with the Beatles coming of age. Amazing time. I don't know if it is that much of stretch to label those albums as ground zero for modern rock. At the time, just about everyone from McCartney to Zappa recognized that "Like A Rolling Stone" was really without precedence. Maybe in the grand scheme of things it didn't really change the shape of things to come all that much, but maybe it did. Surely the potential was there and recognized. It's really hard to look back and sort out what would've happened without Dylan going electric, but I'd say that one song at least certainly changed rock music as much as any before or since.

[3-LockBox]

I think its an important album in the context of folk music. I think Dylan's going electric pushed folk into the 20th century (much to the chagrin of some diehard folk fans). I think its important in the context of artistic expression, in which Dylan was brutalized and shunned by his core fans (at first), but received critical praise and a newer fanbase (that bathed) and brought folk into the limelight. Not that I'm suggesting he invented electric folk, but he made it plausible, viable, and bankable.

But here again, is an album by an who's influence and import is relative to one's personal tastes, but not quite as all-encompassing as the writer of the list wants it to be. And if I had to pick a Dylan album as influencial, it'd be Highway 61 Revisited. This is the point where Dylan's style and attitude changed; where instead of philosophizing about life, he started to turn into a jaded cynic. I don't know of anyone else who could write a song like Like A Rolling Stone, with its jaunty, jangly music and judgemental (if not viscious) lyrics.

[nobody]

Great album...although like others have mentioned, I prefer Highway 61 Revisited.

I also question this album inventing modern rock. Seems to me, there was already rock music floating around by 1965. Hell, the Beatles were already in the US. The Stones were getting going. All the surf rock bands were strong. Roy Orbison was making great records.

He combined folk and rock, which the Byrds were doing too.

Still, a great record, but the more I think about it not really inventing anything as is claimed, the more I gotta wonder why not Highway 61.

And, linking Sub Homesick Blues to rap is laughable. Do we wanna just start giving anyone who had a vocal that wasn't exactly sung credit for pitching into rap? Then I guess Shatner's reading of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is what Kurtis Blow had in mind. Silliness. Raps inspiration for the spoken stuff was coming out of the Jamaican taosters...not anything Bob Dylan did.

[3-LockBox]

And, linking Sub Homesick Blues to rap is laughable. Do we wanna just start giving anyone who had a vocal that wasn't exactly sung credit for pitching into rap? Then I guess Shatner's reading of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is what Kurtis Blow had in mind. Silliness. Raps inspiration for the spoken stuff was coming out of the Jamaican taosters...not anything Bob Dylan did.

Yeah, that speak-sing style had been around since the days of broadway and I doubt Grandmaster Flash had Rex Harrison or James Cagney in mind as a role model.

[nobody]

Speaking of speak-sing stuff...most embarrassing song ever made by an artist I otherwise really like award goes to Lou Reed for Original Rapper. One of my favorite artists making one of the most god awful songs of all time. Fuker even picked it to include on a couple of his greatest hits packages if I remember correctly.

[Davey]

Yeah, that speak-sing style had been around since the days of broadway and I doubt Grandmaster Flash had Rex Harrison or James Cagney in mind as a role model.

Not sure the author was really talking about something like a speak-sing vocal style when he said "anticipating the surreal wordplay of rap", but hey, plenty of room for critique in such a silly article. There have been rap versions of Dylan's Sub Home Blues though, and I think Grandmaster Flash even copped a bit of it for one of his hits.

[audiobill]

Two of my all-time favourite Dylan songs reside on this album:

It's Allright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding!)
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

In uncle Bob's own words: "...flesh-colored Christs that glow in the dark...there is no sense in trying,...not much is really sacred" and "all is phony." I absolutely looooooovvve this stuff!!!

and

What better breeak-up song than "It's All Over Now..." The man is in my honest opinion the most significant musical icon of the last 50 years -- there!! I said it & I'm not taking it back.

Cheers,

Bill

[Heywood Djahblomie]

C'mon guys

Dylan's as big a hack as the marginally interesting "poet" whose name he ripped off.

Deal with it.

And what kinda list is this? Where's the Eagles? Where's Aerosmith? Where's Iron Maiden? Maybe this webzine doesn't like American music.

[audiobill]

C'mon guys

This Just In from this week's news (Sept. 2006)....

Dylan tops the charts
Sep. 7, 2006. 05:46 AM
ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — Bob Dylan is back at the top of the charts — for the first time in 30 years.

His new album, "Modern Times," reached No. 1 on the album sales chart, selling 192,000 units in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures released Wednesday.

The critically acclaimed disc is Dylan's first No. 1 album since 1976's "Desire."

"C'mon guys"?????
audiobill

[Resident Loser]

C'mon guys

Dylan's as big a hack as the marginally interesting "poet" whose name he ripped off.

Deal with it.

And what kinda list is this? Where's the Eagles? Where's Aerosmith? Where's Iron Maiden? Maybe this webzine doesn't like American music.

...out of 50 it was pretty much all American music...except for The Beatles, Black Sabbath and three or so others...

IMO most of those named are of questionable inclusion as would be the Eagles (although I like 'em) AND Aerosmith AND Iron Maiden AND Iron Butterfly AND Uriah Heep AND Deep Purple AND...so forth and so on...

jimHJJ(...check out the list...you could look it up...Briggs is it?...)

[Resident Loser]

Two of my all-time favourite Dylan songs reside on this album:

It's Allright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding!)
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

In uncle Bob's own words: "...flesh-colored Christs that glow in the dark...there is no sense in trying,...not much is really sacred" and "all is phony." I absolutely looooooovvve this stuff!!!

and

What better breeak-up song than "It's All Over Now..." The man is in my honest opinion the most significant musical icon of the last 50 years -- there!! I said it & I'm not taking it back.

Cheers,

Bill

...Positively 4th Street and Idiot Wind...

jimHJJ(...and speaking of a blowing wind...don't look now, but...)

[3-LockBox]

C'mon guys

Dylan's as big a hack as the marginally interesting "poet" whose name he ripped off.

Deal with it.

And what kinda list is this? Where's the Eagles? Where's Aerosmith? Where's Iron Maiden? Maybe this webzine doesn't like American music.

Ladies and gentlemen, we're experiencing a troll
Please return your seatbacks and trays to their upright positions and observe the seatbelt sign

Thank you

[nobody]

...Positively 4th Street and Idiot Wind...

2 great songs there...

But, whats the deal with Positively 4th Street? Is it on any proper albums, or just the Greatest Hits?

[Slosh]

Where's Iron Maiden? Maybe this webzine doesn't like American music.

They're British. And you're an idiot. Now go away and listen to all the Eagles and Aerosmith you want for the rest of your sorry life.

[Resident Loser]

2 great songs there...

But, whats the deal with Positively 4th Street? Is it on any proper albums, or just the Greatest Hits?

...and greatest hits...

jimHJJ(...I think my wife may have the 45...)

[Heywood Djahblomie]

They're British. And you're an idiot. Now go away and listen to all the Eagles and Aerosmith you want for the rest of your sorry life.

Well, they sing heavy metal, which is American. Just like Led Zepplin wasn't nothin till they toured this country, playin good old American heavy metal.