I have always respected him.
Undeniable genius.
But, that said, I have never really enjoyed his records, with one notable exception (Nashville Skyline, a very atypical record for him).

Right now I am listening to Blood On the Tracks and, for the first time, really LIKING it. Yes, of course it's genius. Yes, of course it's a "Classic". But it has never been "enjoyable" for me... until now.

Nice.

I would like this to happen for me. A friend gave me LOTS of Dylan mp3s and for awhile they just kept coming up on my ipod and annoying me so i had to pare down. I love "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and "Times They Are A-Changin'" and everything, but I have a real hard time putting on a dylan album.

Congrats on the positive post.

Arguably best songwriter ever. Still think his songs sound better done by other people.

I am to Bob Dylan, What the Senator is to the Stones. Meaning I enjoy his crap. He is the only artist that I never tire of b/c I think most of his albums are so diverse from one another that there is always something I can listen to.

I like Blood On the Tracks alot, but on a list of my favorites it's probably pretty far down.

And boy have the Stones excreted plenty of crap for the Senator to enjoy. And do to this day!

I am just the opposite. I think covers of his songs mostly suck, and take all the "edge" out of them. I think the Byrds and Peter, Paul, and Mary should be executed for the crimes they commited against those songs.

I'm pretty much the same on Dylan, too. He has so many unique periods and so many unique renditions of his songs, I don't know how you can get sick of him. I guess I understand the voice thing, but Dylan isn't so much about music as he is about poetry and universal thruths. I don't listen to him as much as I used to, but I definetely go through phases where I will listen to a shit load of Dylan. It is very good when you are tired, hungover or high.

You would get along great with the HoP drummer!

Blood On The Tracks is the first (and still only, but that's a lack of effort on my part) album of his I can listen to and enjoy a lot.

Easy Bubba. I'm still an elected official around here.

I have the same problem with Dylan as I do with the Stones - I want to appreciate and get into their back catalog - but everytime I have tried, nothing grabs me.

Although I really like the song "The Hurricane" by Dylan.

If you don't like teh Stones, I really don't see how you like rock and roll, but this is a Dylan thread. If you like certain songs or periods of Dylan, there is a HUGE amount of material of his that you will like.

You have to find what it is you like about him, and research it a bit. Todd if you like Blood, check out New Morning. Modem, if you like Hurricane, check Greatest Hits Vol. 3, or I am sure there are others hwo can point you to specific albums.

Yea but he's pretty much God in these parts.

Tommy, if you read any of my posts you will see the obvious contmept in which I hold God, especially when "God" insults The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band.

I know. All I'm saying is that God can kill you dead, or at least ban your ip, if he really really wanted to.

Dylan's finally been clicking with me lately, too, but it's been a very gradual thing, going back 2-3 years. I've been slowly picking up his albums and generally liking them, and the more I get, the more I want to listen to the ones I already have.

I just think that sometimes listening to one of his albums in its entireity can be kind of arduous, especially Blonde on Blonde. But take any one song off of that album and have it playing in a bar or somewhere, and it's awesome.

I think it's an age thing. In about ten years time as you slowly transform into a crotchety fucker, Bob Dylan will seem to make alot more sense.

I'm undergoing this particular transformation currently and rather than regarding him as a tuneless meths sipping vagrant, as I had previously, I'm actually beginning to relate to the dishevelled old tosspot.

I wish Bob Dylan would come visit me in the Hospital.

Dylan is my #1 artist of all time, closely followed by the Stones.

Big ups to ya Todd for discovering the genius of Blood on the Tracks; it is a remarkably emotional record written during a tumultuous time in Dylan's personal life. It is also his most personal and honest record----insomuch as Bobby is ever honest----homeboy is an enigma wrapped in a.......etc. etc.

I'm a big fan of the anger and vitriol in Dylan's music particularly in the "kiss-off" songs like "Idiot Wind", "Like A Rolling Stone", Positively 4th Street", and "Senor"

My concensus favorite Dylan song has always been "Abandoned Love", an outtake from The Blood on the Tracks, Desire era. Brilliant.

and how many religions has God run through, anyway?

also, i think god has a permanent sinus infection.

I never did a Listmania, but if I did at least six Dylan albums would have been in my top 20. I don't think even the Beatles had a streak of brilliant albums like Dylan did in the 60's. In fact the idea that an album is more than a collection of singles and filler kind of starts with him in rock.

That;s funny, because my favorite has always been "Don't Think Twice (It's Allright)".

I agree. Nobody says fuck you as eloquently as Dylan.

I'm still waiting for him to click...maybe one day...

It is threads like this, and talk like this about The Stones or Dylan or Springsteen which illustrate how much I come at music froma completely different perspective than most around here.