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Amazon.co.uk Review
This album now seems as remarkable as his mid-'60s breakthroughs. Like Presley's Sun Sessions, it is both the remnant of a lost rural America and the seed of rock culture. The music is primarily Dylan, with acoustic guitar, barking traditional folk, and blues. He was 20, a Northern hick who came to New York to be the next Woody Guthrie. It's amazing that at 20 he sings "In My Time of Dying" and "See That My Grave is Kept Clean", not as traditional songs, but making their doom and resignation sound personal. --Steve Tignor EMD
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This album now seems as remarkable as his mid-'60s breakthoughs. Like Presley's Sun Sessions, it is both the remnant of a lost rural America and the seed of rock culture. The music is primarily Dylan, with acoustic guitar, barking traditional folk, and blues. He was 20, a Northern hick come to New York to be the next Woody Guthrie. It's amazing that at 20 he sings "In My Time of Dying" and "See That My Grave is Kept Clean," not as traditional songs, but making their doom and resignation sound personal. --Steve Tignor
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is an interesting document in a terrific career. Really, I don't think there's any doubt that Bob Dylan is a genius, a terrific musician and a performer of intense emotional focus. I guess I prefer Neil Young's music generally, but I don't think of Young as a genius; more a very hard working artist.
So as I say, this, Dylan's debut album is a very interesting document. It's interesting to try to imagine the time that this was recorded - in the context of what was to come from Dylan over the years - none of it existed yet.
The arrangements are very simple, just one voice, one blues harp, one guitar. And all three are exceptional. Vocally, Dylan is more emotive here than I've heard him on any record since. Here he is proving that he can sing like the great blues singers, without directly apeing any of them. He snarls and growls and mumbles... it's all very well considered. Dylan's harp breaks on "You're No Good" and "Gospel Plow" are as good as any I've heard elsewhere, and his guitar playing shines as he backs himself expertly.
Now, I know this record is supposed to be folk, but I think it's much more rooted in the blues. There's very little in the way of a traditional folk song besides Dylan's own composition, "Talkin' New York".
Other reviewers have addressed the Woody Guthrie comparisons, saying that the only track that sounds like Guthrie is "Song to Woody". I don't even agree to that extent. I don't think ANY of the record sounds like Woody, with the possible exception of "Talkin' New York" - Guthrie did several Talkin' style tunes, but especially not "Song to Woody". That's nothing like Guthrie. Really, if anyone ever tries to tell you that early Dylan is largely ripping off Woody Guthrie, tell them they're full of crap and question whether they've actually heard any Guthrie. I'll bet they haven't. Dylan has essentially studied traditional American music - folk, the blues, country - and mastered it. He'll prove that time and again throughout his career.
So anyway, more specifically about this record: sure I prefer "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan", "Another Side of Bob Dylan" and "The Times They Are A Changin'", but if you like those you're probably already well on your way to being a big Dylan fan. And if you're a big Dylan fan... what are you waiting for? You may as well get this one too.
So as I say, this, Dylan's debut album is a very interesting document. It's interesting to try to imagine the time that this was recorded - in the context of what was to come from Dylan over the years - none of it existed yet.
The arrangements are very simple, just one voice, one blues harp, one guitar. And all three are exceptional. Vocally, Dylan is more emotive here than I've heard him on any record since. Here he is proving that he can sing like the great blues singers, without directly apeing any of them. He snarls and growls and mumbles... it's all very well considered. Dylan's harp breaks on "You're No Good" and "Gospel Plow" are as good as any I've heard elsewhere, and his guitar playing shines as he backs himself expertly.
Now, I know this record is supposed to be folk, but I think it's much more rooted in the blues. There's very little in the way of a traditional folk song besides Dylan's own composition, "Talkin' New York".
Other reviewers have addressed the Woody Guthrie comparisons, saying that the only track that sounds like Guthrie is "Song to Woody". I don't even agree to that extent. I don't think ANY of the record sounds like Woody, with the possible exception of "Talkin' New York" - Guthrie did several Talkin' style tunes, but especially not "Song to Woody". That's nothing like Guthrie. Really, if anyone ever tries to tell you that early Dylan is largely ripping off Woody Guthrie, tell them they're full of crap and question whether they've actually heard any Guthrie. I'll bet they haven't. Dylan has essentially studied traditional American music - folk, the blues, country - and mastered it. He'll prove that time and again throughout his career.
So anyway, more specifically about this record: sure I prefer "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan", "Another Side of Bob Dylan" and "The Times They Are A Changin'", but if you like those you're probably already well on your way to being a big Dylan fan. And if you're a big Dylan fan... what are you waiting for? You may as well get this one too.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is an album I bought by chance and I was completely amazed its not a more talked about Dylan album. The main difference between this album and his others that he released a few years later was that the songs here are not his except for "Song for Woody" and "Talkin New York". This means that on this album its more about the playing and the feel of the music and voice rather than the lyrics itself. I think this album shows how talented and skillful Dylan really was on guitar and he had pretty much mastered the blues by the time this was out.
I absolutely recommend this album but just don't expect songs with lyrics like "Blowin in the Wind" or "The Times They Are a-Changing", this is simple plain music played from the heart.
I absolutely recommend this album but just don't expect songs with lyrics like "Blowin in the Wind" or "The Times They Are a-Changing", this is simple plain music played from the heart.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Unless anybody happened to be completely familiar with both Duluth, Minnesota and and New York City in the late 1950's and early 1960's, it is almost impossible to comprehend quite where Bob Dylan came from, or why. Some of this was explored in Scorsese's film, but it is ultimately one of the great mysteries of 20th Century culture how a small, awkward young man with a deeply uncommercial voice managed to be THE singing and songwriting colossus of his generation. And this was where it all began......
It sold terribly, it was mostly covers... Bob himself later said it was not the album he wanted to make.
Certainly the last remark can be taken with a pinch of salt, for within a few months he was a serious star and the darling of the folk world with his self-penned anthems such as Blowin' In The Wind and A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall. As ever, he moved on so fast. It might not have been the album he wanted to make, but it was the one that he was able to make at the time.
This debut burns with youthful exuberance, an absolute joy of music and and a voice that cries, 'I'm here! Now listen to this!'. The lack of Dylan songs should not detract from the experience, for his idiosyncratic reading of the songs almost negates the 'trad.arr.' status. Tellingly, the only song that sounds like his hero Woody Guthrie is his own Song To Woody; Make no mistake this album is Bob Dylan writ large, full of personality and, of course, that voice.
Clearly, the songs that first stand out are the ones that we instantly regognise: In My Time Of Dyin', great enough for Led Zeppelin to remake on Physical Graffiti; House of the Rising Sun, that influenced the Animals to make that unforgettable classic; Baby Let Me Follow You Down, a song that Bob was so enamoured with that he toured with it in 1966 and reprised it on the great film, The Last Waltz.
The album also contains the unforgettable 'Man Of Constant Sorrow' (a big feature as a result of the film Oh Brother Where Art Thou? for the uninitiated!), Highway 51 Blues (this actually sounds like Zepp...) and the finale See That My Grave Is Kept Clean, a song that I first heard when Bob was seriously ill some years ago. It belies his tender (21!) age and is, like most of his future works, purely timeless.
Its not the best place to begin if you're wanting to start hearing the genius of Bob Dylan, but if you love him and want to listen to him reaching towards the next plateau, its all here.
It sold terribly, it was mostly covers... Bob himself later said it was not the album he wanted to make.
Certainly the last remark can be taken with a pinch of salt, for within a few months he was a serious star and the darling of the folk world with his self-penned anthems such as Blowin' In The Wind and A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall. As ever, he moved on so fast. It might not have been the album he wanted to make, but it was the one that he was able to make at the time.
This debut burns with youthful exuberance, an absolute joy of music and and a voice that cries, 'I'm here! Now listen to this!'. The lack of Dylan songs should not detract from the experience, for his idiosyncratic reading of the songs almost negates the 'trad.arr.' status. Tellingly, the only song that sounds like his hero Woody Guthrie is his own Song To Woody; Make no mistake this album is Bob Dylan writ large, full of personality and, of course, that voice.
Clearly, the songs that first stand out are the ones that we instantly regognise: In My Time Of Dyin', great enough for Led Zeppelin to remake on Physical Graffiti; House of the Rising Sun, that influenced the Animals to make that unforgettable classic; Baby Let Me Follow You Down, a song that Bob was so enamoured with that he toured with it in 1966 and reprised it on the great film, The Last Waltz.
The album also contains the unforgettable 'Man Of Constant Sorrow' (a big feature as a result of the film Oh Brother Where Art Thou? for the uninitiated!), Highway 51 Blues (this actually sounds like Zepp...) and the finale See That My Grave Is Kept Clean, a song that I first heard when Bob was seriously ill some years ago. It belies his tender (21!) age and is, like most of his future works, purely timeless.
Its not the best place to begin if you're wanting to start hearing the genius of Bob Dylan, but if you love him and want to listen to him reaching towards the next plateau, its all here.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
50 years today since its release
I'm not Bob Dylan's biggest fan by a long way, but I do seem to have a lot of his stuff. For me, his greatness rests on what he recorded up until about 1968 and even the albums I... Read more
Published 2 months ago by D. J. H. Thorn
Underrated wee snapshot of Dylan's beginnings
Short wee review this, as not much really needs to be said about such a simple little album. Obviously this is dylan's debut and is not his most evolved in terms of style or... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Mr. J. M. White
Brilliant
This CD purchased for son and he is very happy with it as he likes all Bob Dylans music.
Published 16 months ago by V. Meldrew
DYLAN
As an absolute Dylan fan, I love this CD and have added it to my CD collection. Already have it on vinyl.
Published on 24 Mar 2010 by Averyl Setterfield
Being honest
1962.A great year for music especially high school pop-Bobby Vee,Bobby Rydell,Brian Hyland.A great year for country music when Nashville embraced high school and began adding banks... Read more
Published on 27 Oct 2009 by Richard
Very satisfying
I had been a fan of Bob for about two or three years before I bought this album. I was not remotely displeased. Read more
Published on 11 Jun 2009 by G. Wolfman
FIVE STARS
There's no doubt about it - this is a 5 star album. Many people seem to see this as a footnote in Dylan's discography, I beg to differ. Read more
Published on 23 April 2008 by Bob
Easily Dylan's best album.
Never has the raw energy of Dylan's first effort been surpassed in contemporary music. The very fact that the instrumentation - acoustic guitar, harmonica, nothing else - is so... Read more
Published on 4 Jan 2008 by Charles de Coster
well...
...ok, lets not get carried away. far from being one of t best dylan albums (blonde on blond, blood on the tracks, highway 61, bringing it all back home, nashville skyline, desire,... Read more
Published on 18 Nov 2006 by Mr. S. C. Reynolds
a 40+ year old breath of fresh air
It's funny to describe something made in the mid '60s as a breath of fresh air, but that's exactly how this album feels. Read more
Published on 6 July 2006 by Martyn
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