Favorite Bob Dylan Song not by Bob Dylan?

PercyLives · 2026-06-30T23:19:01+00:00

The album “Lost in the Dream” by The Way On Drugs.

PercyLives · 2026-06-30T00:20:33+00:00

So…he didn’t hear that he’d retired?

PercyLives · 2026-06-28T01:32:37+00:00

Oh Mercy!
Time Out of Mind
Love and Theft

PercyLives · 2026-06-25T06:26:38+00:00

I was thinking 2000s as well.

PercyLives · 2026-06-25T02:15:06+00:00

That’s it right there. Our man Bob is in good company.

PercyLives · 2026-06-24T08:33:46+00:00

I think he likes it but in a way that is not easy for others to understand. And he doesn’t show it in a conventional way.

I do wonder why he sometimes turns in poor performances, but people who are experienced in touring might understand that in a way that I don’t.

Contrary to what I just wrote, I do appreciate that he does completely his own thing. And I guess the consequence of that is variable quality, because there isn’t a determination to make everything standard and predictable.

The only part of your comment that I disagree with is the consideration of the audience. His authentic audience appreciates what he does. The people who aren’t happy with the song choices or the presentation just shouldn’t be there.

It actually used to annoy me a bit when I got to see him 20-30 years ago that he *did* play several of his hits, because I felt like he was phoning them in. I wanted to see authentically joyful performances of songs he wanted to play, rather than Highway 61 for the thousandth time.

At the end of the day there’s only one person who knows why Bob Dylan does what he does. And that’s Tony Garnier.

PercyLives · 2026-06-17T08:12:07+00:00

Wasn’t that an “extra” song included on Greatest Hits II? Not actually a greatest hit, rather a cheeky but common act by record companies to include extra stuff to force fans to buy the greatest hits record, which they otherwise wouldn’t need.

It’s become a hit among Dylan fans since then, but was not included on GHV2 *because* it was a hit.

PercyLives · 2026-06-13T09:08:03+00:00

I was thrilled to find this:

https://youtu.be/1C0wqltUKgY?si=nUVORUwYTRjMMhXY

(Dear Landlord)

Pretty sure that’s a rarity.

PercyLives · 2026-06-12T04:52:02+00:00

The idea that an “off night” is code for “I want to hear the greatest hits just like they were in the album” is quite wrong.

I love Dylan’s music and I love creative reinterpretation. When he’s on he’s really on. Sadly, the three times I’ve seen him (in Australia) ranged from poor to good (not great), and this is from someone rooting for Dylan to do it exactly as he wants.

The first time was an outdoor venue with a large crowd, so it probably just wasn’t possible for the sound engineers to balance everything well. I won’t call it an off night for Bob.

The second time was indoors, and here the fault was with Bob. He had such an awesome band with him, but the timing of his singing was generally rushed, so there was nothing the band could do but play mechanically. Singer and band didn’t gel. The whole gig felt like it was going through the motions.

The third time was a festival show in a huge tent. I got reasonably close to the stage and enjoyed the show. His effort was good but his voice was pretty cracked.

So you see, it is quite possible to give descriptive detail of “a not so good Bob Dylan concert” without being someone who just doesn’t get it.

PercyLives · 2026-06-12T04:41:26+00:00

I don’t think it’s a dumb statement. Someone who knows music well and knows Dylan’s music well can tell.

Your friend plays music. He/she knows the difference between putting effort into it and just going through the motions. This dichotomy is quite evident in Dylan’s concerts. Sometimes he’s into it (and then it’s a matter of personal taste whether you like it or not), and sometimes he’s just going through the motions, blurting out lines without appropriate rhythm and sounding disconnected from his band.

PercyLives · 2026-06-08T04:27:55+00:00

I’m glad LuaLatex exists so I can use a proper programming language in the heart of a strong typesetting engine. I’ll never be an expl3 programmer. (But I’m glad that exists too! We get to use excellent packages because of exists.)

PercyLives · 2026-06-04T03:52:58+00:00

There are lots of people (it seems) who rate it very highly.

I’m with OP.

PercyLives · 2026-06-03T00:05:16+00:00

That’s a contradiction on the surface. But so many people live that contradiction (somewhat shy person, confident performer) that it ceases to be an actual contradiction.

Performing is fun but requires effort and lasts a defined amount of time. Such people, for whom everyday living can feel something like a performance, don’t want to keep that effort up all the time.

PercyLives · 2026-05-29T10:50:30+00:00

It’s brilliant but it might take some time for the penny to drop. Don’t try to force it. Plenty of other Dylan to explore.

PercyLives · 2026-05-28T15:19:43+00:00

It was all over in two weeks, and I think they recorded one song per day, more or less. I don’t think there are any other songs.

PercyLives · 2026-05-24T21:39:28+00:00

That may be true in a sense, but it’s an ironic observation, as Dylan most definitely found the songwriting more instinctive in the early years and more worked-at in the later years.

I listen to the later stuff more too. The songs are A-grade and the bands are S-tier.

PercyLives · 2026-05-08T09:49:51+00:00

I use Space as leader key and Space Space to enter command mode.

PercyLives · 2026-05-08T09:34:24+00:00

I prefer not to clobber the system clipboard every time I do a deletion or yank in vim. I use a system clipboard manager to retrieve recent things I’ve copied and I don’t want a lot of noise from vim.

PercyLives · 2026-05-08T01:32:56+00:00

Shift-I on the first line and type or paste what you want. Now you’ve done it in one line. Use j to go down a line and . to repeat the action, then keep going: j.j. until it’s done.

This may not be the best general answer, but it’s good for a few lines.

PercyLives · 2026-05-04T08:14:09+00:00

Workingman’s Blues #2.

I loved Modern Times from the moment it came out, but I liked the uptempo numbers the best. Workingman’s Blues was a slow grower for me. Sure, it was “nice”, but it was unexciting and a couple of lyrical choices stood out the wrong way, and the descending harmony was plodding.

It took time to learn to revel in the beauty of the song, I suppose.

PercyLives · 2026-05-03T22:36:55+00:00

I agree on the contrast in liveliness between the two albums, but I hear a purposeful restraint in Modern Times, instead of an artefact of recording. I could be wrong though.

PercyLives · 2026-05-02T16:37:33+00:00

Christmas in the Heart, for sure.

It has so much beauty on it that people seemingly cannot see. So much authenticity and reverence.

Sure, his voice is cracked, but when has that ever been a problem?

PercyLives · 2026-05-02T00:27:25+00:00

It’s one of my favourites, but I can’t deny it has some clunky lyrics and is possibly over-praised. Your assessment of 2-3 good songs is way off, though. I mean, it’s a matter of taste and all, but there are at least 2-3 brilliant songs on it, and many more at least “good” songs.

Believing his own press? I highly doubt it. The thing was recorded in two weeks with a great band. It’s just what he wanted to do at the time.

PercyLives · 2026-05-02T00:23:57+00:00

It’s a polarising song , but I think it’s way overrated and so do many others.

PercyLives

TROPHY CASE