I never “got” Bob Dylan. I never understood the appeal, and I didn’t know what the big deal was. He was just a guy with a raspy voice and an alright harmonica player. He had his signature voice thing, but besides that, I never knew what made him so revolutionary and worthy of recognition. Maybe living in today’s world, where everyone obsesses over fads and focuses on what’s “in” now, I couldn’t fathom the idea of a timeless artist. Or maybe I’m just not old enough to see any of the artists of my generation become timeless.
I’ve never called myself a Bob Dylan fan, but listening to Highway 61 Revisited for the first time, I liked it. I recognized the first and last songs, and I was surprised by how upbeat and rock-influenced the album sounded. His voice isn’t my usual taste, but it fits with his style and lyrics perfectly. I sensed a political theme in many of his lyrics, but I still didn’t quite understand any of the songs or why Bob Dylan was so celebrated.
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Bob Dylan was, and still is, known for his acoustic folk protest songs. Songs such as “The Times They Are a-Changin” and “Blowin’ in the Wind” articulated the political climate of the sixties and voiced the disparity between the younger and older generations. He sang about the abundance of political changes during that time, such as the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War. Highway 61 Revisited, released in 1965,was Bob Dylan’s first completely electronic album; this means he ditched the solo acoustic guitar and harmonica for a blues inspired rock and roll band on every song except the final “Desolation Row.” His previous album, Bringing It All Back Home, released the year before, contained half acoustic and half electronic songs, but Highway 61 Revisited was the first album where Dylan brought his band with him on tour.
People hated it. They were outraged Dylan would release anything besides his famous acoustic protest solo songs, and when he infamously played “Like a Rolling Stone” at the Newport Folk Festival in July 1965, people booed until they could barely hear the music. The album received many nasty reviews, and people felt he had betrayed his scene. That didn’t make sense to me. I always thought Bob Dylan was universally praised and was considered one of the greatest songwriters of all times; only bad opening bands got booed.
Highway 61 Revisited was Dylan’s first real rock and roll album, and it included direct influences from traditional blues musicians rather than his original folk sounds. The influences are obvious, and Dylan made them obvious. Michael Bloomfield, who played in Paul Butterfield Blues Band, played lead guitar on the album, and many of his lyrics allude to traditional blues artists and songs.
The title Highway 61 Revisited situates the album in America, and some claim that Highway 61 links Minnesota, Dylan’s birthplace, to New Orleans, the birthplace of the blues. Dylan has officially transitioned from folk to blues, at least for now, and he’s not holding back. When people boo, he will play louder and he won’t give in.
Learning about the opening track alone, “Like a Rolling Stone,” I started to understand what everyone was saying. It’s catchy and when Dylan asks, “How does it feel?” it’s no surprise it became a number one hit. However, for the time period, it was revolutionary. “Like a Rolling Stone” is over six minutes long, and its lyrics reject the materialism most of mainstream pop seems to embrace. It’s thought provoking, and although it includes very vivid and specific imagery, the vague and versatile chorus challenges people to question the meaning and satisfaction of their own lives. It’s no wonder The Rolling Stone named it number one on its list of Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Beginning an album with a six minute song is risky, and can risk detracting listeners nowadays, but “Like a Rolling Stone” holds enough power and ferocity to entice the listener. It’s the hit, but the album doesn’t go downhill from there; each song brings something new, whether it’s the power of “Ballad of a Thin Man” or the cheek of “Queen Jane Approximately.” Similar to “Like a Rolling Stone,” “Ballad of a Thin Man” asks “Is this where it is?” He creates a character, unfulfilled and questioning the way he or she has chosen to live, but he obviously directs the questions to the listeners.
Highway 61 Revisited is a transitional album for Dylan, and he’s not apologizing. Musicians evolve and experiment, and for somebody whose career has spanned 50 years and is still continuing, it’s impossible not to change, no matter how much people love his folk music. The lyrics perfectly fit Dylan’s style, whether he plays on his acoustic guitar or with an electronic band. Although Bob Dylan isn’t the greatest vocalist, his voice works with his style, and a more polished vocalist wouldn’t give the lyrics their same validity. Never sounding too raucous and maintaining a laid back ease, Dylan’s lyrics give his songs their ferocity and controversiality rather relying on harsh instrumentals. The sound changed, but his songs still hold their meaning. His lyrics still speak to the ever changing political climate of the sixties, and they challenge people to find their own interpretation. His songs are rooted in their time period, but with themes such as the futility of materialism and superficiality, they are also timeless.
