Last year for Bob’s 71st birthday I posted my list of his top ten albums. This year I’m going taking next logical step and attempting to name his best ten songs. Surely there will be debate over his greatest works-do you base it solely on the writing? Do you weigh in the cultural significance? Can you just say Blonde On Blonde is his top ten with a few ties? (No) I’m not sure what the answers are yet. I’m writing this intro only knowing what the number one will be, and it is all about the songsmithing.
As always feel free to post complaints or your own list below in the comments. As always I’ll try to be conscious of sticking to my not including multiple songs from one album rule.
10. My Back Pages (Another Side Of Bob Dylan)
Sorry for the length of this one, but its hard to pass up a clip of Dylan jamming with Tom Petty, Neil Young, Roger McGuinn, Eric Clapton, and George Harrison)
9. The Times They Are A-Changin’ (The Times They Are A-Changin’)
8. Not Dark Yet (Time Out Of Mind)
7. Leopard-Skin-Pillbox-Hat (Blonde On Blonde)
6. All Along The Watchtower (John Wesley Harding)
5. Isis (Desire)
4. Highway 61 Revisited (Highway 61 Revisited)
3. Simple Twist Of Fate (Blood On The Tracks)
2. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan)
1. Love Minus Zero/No Limit (Bringing It All Back Home)
The next ten, in no particular order: Masters Of War, North Country Blues, Shelter From The Storm, Like A Rolling Stone, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, Desolation Row, Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream, It’s Alright Ma, Love Sick, Visions Of Johanna
Good list – I’d have put your number 2 at number 1, and probably slid Visions of Johanna into the actual top ten. Otherwise, there’s not loads that can be argued with.
If I had made this list a few years ago, no doubt Johanna would’ve made it.
I like it that you post live versions–also like that you didn’t pick a predictable list of big hits. There’s so much of Dylan’s work that is so strong and enduring, and yet is relatively unknown outside the circle of his ardent fans. If I did my own top ten, it would have to include my all-time favorite Dylan song: “If You See Her, Say Hello”.