Question about Blonde on Blonde

New member here. Over the years I've come across many threads at Steve Hoffman Forums while conducting research on music related topics and I've always appreciated the quality of content from such knowledgeable folks.

I'm halfway through Room Full of Mirrors, a biography of Jimi Hendrix by Charles R. Cross, and he says Hendrix was thoroughly enamored with Dylan's Blonde on Blonde. I'd like to buy the CD, but there are literally dozens of different versions based on different mixes. When I looked for some insight into which one might furnish the best fidelity I stumbled upon this thread: Best CD version of "Blonde on Blonde"?

...which was somewhat helpful, but I'm having a hard time correlating the well liked remastered version to a specific UPC code. I would be very grateful if someone who knows something about the various versions could simplify my search by citing the UPC code from a well regarded version, so I can be assured I'm not ordering the wrong one.

 

This pic was taken when he lived at 34 Montagu Square, London, late '66 or early '67. Not sure if he brought records with him to the UK, or built a new collection there.


1967: He also had the songbook.

 

Acoustic Sounds

 

Acoustic sounds? What does that mean?

 

That's a link to the MFSL SACD version of Blonde On Blonde from the Acoustic Sounds website
Here's a link to the current CD remaster from 2004
https://www.amazon.ca/Blonde-Bob-Dylan/dp/B00026WU8M/ref=sr_1_1?crid=31PRBBM50TU3N&dchild=1&keywords=blonde+on+blonde&qid=1596317322&s=music&sprefix=Blonde+on+,aps,235&sr=1-1

 

Muddy Waters album?

 

I love ' Blonde On Blonde '. Unbelievably good album from start to finish.
I can be no help to you in your search but I wish you all the best.
Have had many versions of it over the years but all I have now is a fine sounding CD and a mono CD-R and that 'll do me fine.
The first copy of it I had was one my 8th grade teacher gave me in ' 69 after I told him I had dug the ' Positively 4th Street ' single he had played for our class that day.
I didn't realize it at the time but he was a pothead.
Nevertheless ! He gave me a copy and said I'd like it. How right he was . This album blew my young teen mind wide open.

 

Where's Bob Dylan's grandma?

 

Lying on her Fat Mattress.

 

Read somewhere that when Hendrix was high in the studio sometimes his friends / fellow musicians would tell him Dylan was coming by just to watch him get all excited.

 

I guess this thread is as good a place as any to ask this. What was Jimi Hendrix's favorite version of Blonde on Blonde?

 

He was quite partial to the original pressing.

 

I don't like him sitting on Bobby's head.
very disrespectful.

 

I appreciate all the interesting replies and hope the diversion continues, but at the same time I hope some B o B aficionado can still cite an actual UPC code from the jacket of a well respected version. There's a lot of them out there, and even the remastered versions seem to come in different flavors. It's hard for someone who's not so savvy with such things to figure out what's what. See here for some idea of the number of releases . Blonde On Blonde 1966 - CD Releases

 

The Real Folk Blues

 

Just get the Mobile Fidelity hybrid SACD that was linked to you earlier in the thread. It's the best I've heard it digitally. If you don't know what they mean by hybrid, it just means it will play on a CD or SACD player.

 

Ah, now I know what he meant by acoustic sounds. I didn't realize it was a link! Thanks.

 

Thread Hijacking 101. Welcome.

For Blonde on Blonde, my favorite version is the original MONO vinyl.

If vinyl isn't your thing, the MONO box set CD is great. Jimi would like it.

If MONO (or mono) isn't your thing, there are at least four different stereo mixes, two on vinyl and two on CD. You can't go wrong with any of them.

 

The only ones to AVOID are the early '90s "Mastersound" gold disc and the '80s Columbia CD that's was shortened to fit on a 74 minute CD.

 

Good point - the first 80s Columbia faded out "Just Like A Woman" but they fixed that by the late 80s. My Columbia CD does not have the early fades, fortunately.

 

I hope someone can post some info for ID'ing the shortened version.

 

Hi jmm55, long long time Dylan fan here. I concur that the MFSL SACD sounds very fine for the stereo version and I like the mono box version for a CD mono mix.

I recommend the following website for a fuller discussion of BOB variations. Just a teaser: there are “three differently mixed mono versions, two different stereo vinyl mixes and five different mixes in digital, each different from any previous vinyl version.” See:

www.electricdylan.net/BobPart1/BobPart1.htm

 

Credit to SHF. I would not know if the electric dylan site if I had not hung out here. Welcome to the forum, @jmm55

Mike

 

Another good resource on Blonde On Blonde releases and minutiae. Searching for a gem:

Blonde On Blonde 1966

Yeah, it’s not confusing.
Not at all...