Bob Dylan Album-by-Album/Song-by-Song 1963-Present

Girl From The North Country is a beautiful song. 5/5.

 

When were the Blind Boy Grunt song on Broadside Reunion (vol 6) recorded?

 

I think from a cursory seach that that comp was released in 72 though the songs may or may not have been recorded earlier, I will probably lump discussion on those songs in with with GH Vol.2

 

I don't like the 'Nashville Skyline' duet at all. But more on that later.

 

Thanks for the warning... i'll make sure to skip over that discussion when the time comes.

 

Before I move onto the next song, I just want to highlight a great internet radio station DylanRadio.com they play a great variety of album tracks and bootlegs and it has been a great source of my listening for a while now when away from my home stereo.

 

Today's Song:

Masters of War



"Masters of War" is a song by Bob Dylan, written over the winter of 1962–63 and released on the album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in the spring of 1963. The song's melody was adapted from the traditional "Nottamun Town" Dylan's lyrics are a protest against the Cold War nuclear arms build-up of the early 1960s.

The song was recorded in six takes though the third is used as the album take.

 

Masters of War

Right off the bat this song gets down to business doing away with the obtuse and tearing away that warm fuzzy blanket you have on from the last song and creating quite a harrowing soundscape not unlike that of a battlefield with the acoustic backing, a scathing commentary and protest on the then cold war and sadly though this song speaks to a war of a different time it is no less relevant today in it's subject matter. I agree with the sentiment expressed over the years that this is more than likely aimed at those that profit from war, there are some really powerful lyrics in this my favourite being:

"You fasten the triggers

For the others to fire

Then you set back and watch

When the death count gets higher"

I also quite like some of the later more "rocked" up arrangements of this from the 80s I think electric instrumentation has the ability to enchance this song.

Another effortless 5/5

 

Here is the version from "Real Live" as a example of the later arrangements of the song I spoke about:

 

Masters Of War is unfortunately just as relevant today. Powerful song and lyrics. 5/5

 

Masters Of War 5/5 for sure. The last verse has stuck with me through the decades.

And I hope that you die
And your death will come soon
I will follow your casket
On a pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand over your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead​

 

Maybe MORE relevant today with the Doomsday Clock currently at 90 seconds to midnight

 

Sad but true. And the savage indictment of the arms industry, politicians, etc.

 

The closest it's ever been.

 

Masters Of War

A song that I admire more than I enjoy, but it's definitely powerful. 5/5

 

another undeniable 5/5

 

I think the invocation at the start of the song is interesting. "Come, ye masters of war". Then what? He doesn't give instructions like he does in "The Times They Are A-Changin'", but continues to describe those he's addressing for the rest of the song. Come, ye masters of war, and do...what? Why, listen to me say what you are, says Dylan. That's all he needs to do. Hearing him describe them, can they be comfortable with who they are? Will they admit that they do these things, yet are unbothered by them? What does that make them?

 

This is a very early (if not earliest recording) of Masters of War, I quite like this versions vocal:

 

It blows my mind that Dylan was only 22 years old when Freewheelin' was released, so assured is his writing and performance, and so hugely influential the record was (and still is). Not many albums have been as consequential as this one. Each of the three songs discussed so far is a solid 5/5 although to rate them in this fashion almost trivializes them.

 

Today's Song:

Down the Highway



"Down the Highway" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. It was recorded on July 9, 1962 at Studio A, Columbia Recording Studios, New York, produced by John Hammond. The song was released on The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan on May 27, 1963. It is a twelve-bar blues love song, which Dylan told his girlfriend Suze Rotolo he had written about her.

The song was recorded in one take subsequently used as the master for the album, It has never been played live.

 

Down the Highway

When I first heard this album I was of the opinion this was one of the weaker tracks on the album and while I wouldn't say that now it is in what I'd regard as the "middle tier" of the album, Alas I must admit I have grown to quite like it over time.

This is another song about his then girlfriend (goin' to Italy, Italy) and it has a nice bluesy feel to it (and as we will come to find Dylan loves his blues pieces) a qualm I have with this song is I wish he would have given it a revisit in a live setting down the line though perhaps he found the song too personal to that period in his life.

A respectable 3.5/5

 

Down the Highway — On an album with astounding five star numbers like the ones we've covered and the ones ahead, if rating on same scale I guess this is like oh 3.625/5. Enjoyable on its own, certainly holds my attention, is dramatic and direct, and is well-placed in overall flow of the LP.

 

Notable for providing Howard Sounes with the title for his Dylan biography... and little else. 2/5

 

'Down The Highway' ain't much.
Not everything can be a classic.

 

Down The Highway

This just isn't my kind of song. Dylan performs it OK, I guess, but it's really a dull slog. 2/5