🎸 Ballad of a Thin Man: the Dylan Listening Club - Shadows in the Night (2015) - from post 1598

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Remember being a kid sitting on the floor in front of my dad’s big glass fronted stereo system listening to this on headphones poring over the record cover and being blown away that music could be as bleak as that

Then saying to him afterwards 'at least it’s got a bit of a happy ending, “somewhere in the distance there’s seven new people born” and my dad explaining the alternative meaning of that and me being like 'Oh. Fuck."

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Oh yeah this is a real goody and great performance

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I’ve left my notes in my work laptop case

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I’ve not really delved into the outtakes and unreleased songs all that much so great to have people posting their faves in here!

I’ve made a collab playlist of the ones mentioned so far, so if you have any to add as we go through, whack em in here:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1igmv6P6tAAx03UUfPTrls?si=m77eiSHJRX-EepDVlXCP8Q&pt=662eaaa034a5c2ddaa928f59d97c82ec&pi=5s9GARgDR16xI

Feel free to replace ones already in there with better versions if they exist on other compilations just try and keep it roughly in chronological order if poss

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Never really listened to this one before this week but this a great record, and one I feel will reveal itself more as I spend more time with it

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You got me scratching my head what the alternative meaning of that ending line was - is it that although this particular family’s story has now come to a resolution, the cycle of poverty continues and people continue to be born into similar circumstances?

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Yep, 100%

At least that’s what my dad was getting at, and it’s how I’ve always interpreted it since

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@JaguarPirate - you planning on doing album ratings each week? Would hate to have to go through all of this and still not know which is the best at the end of it all!

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i did think about it (like I did with GBV) but then thought i might keep it more casual without them

however, how can I turn down such a kind request. Ratings are ON

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Bob Dylan

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The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan

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Delighted to hear that you are belatedly, if somewhat reluctantly respecting the format!

(Thank you, much appreciated)

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Best Dylan cover

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I always seen this as one of dylans strongest but it is much harder work. The lyrics are dense and tell full stories. Lonesome death of hattie carroll remains in my mind one of his absolute best.

Its sad how utterly still relevant this music is despite it being very specifically angled to the early 60s.

God On Our Side reminds me of how recent the holocaust happened compared to when he wrote it.

I think the lyrics are far better then on Freewheeling the song writing is however less diverse and it doesnt have the light fun songs of Freewheeling.

Pawn in Their Game makes a lot of sense now you have Musk literally push aggressive far right rhetoric to push his own business and personal interests.

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I’d forgotten quite how early I Was Young When I Left Home was, in A Complete Unknown it shows him playing it before he’s been signed and I thought it was an anomaly/artistic licence but just listening to the No Direction Home soundtrack now and the version on here was recorded in a hotel in 1961. How on earth did he never record it properly?

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Starting late here but I will catch up.

Been listening a bunch to his debut and it’s actually really strong! I expected something like a less inspired Freewheeling (I’ve never listened before) but it’s unexpectedly shouty and loud at times.

It’s nothing special but not a Neil Young/Lou Reed debut right off either.

I know Freewheelin’ like the back of my hand but will give it another listen and report this week.

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Think I first heard When the Ship Comes In when I used to download all of Idlewild’s B-sides and heard their cover. Not their finest moment but sounds like they’re having a nice time mucking about.

Sounds like they’re basing it on the Witmark piano demo version

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a Rod vocal!

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The Times They Are A-Changin’

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Found the whole show, three songs from the Freewheelin’ and 3 songs from the Times

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So this is the Dylan I think I had in my head when I was younger, when I didn’t get him. Bit too basic musically, very direct and political, not much variation or fun going on. And I think that’s still how it feels to me now really - not the humour of the last albums and not the musical range of the albums to come

Some amazing verses and striking lyrics (especially God On Our Side, fuck) but just not something I’ll see myself putting on for pleasure outside of this club.

Favourites are definitely the lighter shorter tracks - One Too Many Mornings, Boots of Spanish Leather, and I think especially When the Ship Comes in