It's all true! And let's not forget the album's sound: a warm yet steely skein of picked and strummed acoustic guitars, bass lines that seem to only add to the unanswered questions in the lyrics, and drums that take a back seat but keep things moving. The balance of sound was not easy to conjure, and he had to record most of the album twice to get it right. It's just an extraordinary album.
I used to do Tangled up in Blue in A in my acoustic duo in Cotati, California. A heartfelt ode to wanderlust with a purpose wailing on the harp jazz blues style. My Lady Mondegreens were epic. Papa's "banquet" wasn't big enough, created an image of the wedding as meager affair making him one step above pauper. Loved singing it until the printed lyrics proved it so much more mundane and money oriented. The other one I just can't stop singing: She lit the burner on the stove and offered me a "crepe", kept it on the stove, culinary and ethnic. Pipe seemed either too modern or too archaic. But the 13th Century poet always made more sense as from the 14th Century, Petrarch, as Petrarch's work is known for its exploration of love and chastity, this song was all about that for me. It made me leave Northern California to go to Texas and seek out my destiny and my high school girlfriend. I worked as a cook for a spell in Austin, cooking Cajun seafood next to next door to Antone's Blues Club on Dirty E. 6th Street after getting back to her somehow... Get a few free chapters of my book Lost in Austin at my stack. Bob changed lives with his lyrics, fully understood or better off not. We don't have any reason to show up unannounced on a quest anymore and maybe that's why lyrics don't matter as much anymore. Everyone is a text away. Idiot Winds are blowin' on the backroads heading south now more than ever so still relevant. I live in the South so no slight, we all paved the way. As always you pick 'em and dissect them in a reverent and skillful manner that makes me reminisce, thanks. It has stood the test of time, still do Meet Me in the Morning. Shout out to NY bassist and musical co-conspirator Rob Stoner for all he contributed to that golden era of Dylan. California, LA, my heart goes out to you, a place with so much to offer will rise again. I was a stranger, but you welcomed me, and I just grew....
Definitely my favourite Dylan disc Tangled up in Blue a masterpiece. He has made many great albums but Blood on the Tracks does not have a bad song on it.
You nailed this album! The line that clinches it is this one: "That lack of tangible evidence, one way or another, is the real secret to this record’s appeal." Dylan somehow is able to get very specific ("an Italian poet from the 15th century," the woman is a redhead, a parrot that talks, etc.), while not giving too much away. And somehow I can relate everything he is singing about to my life. Universal truths with specifics that make them even more universal? How to write like that? Only the master knows. Thanks for an artful and accurate appraisal of this masterpiece.
Thanks so much for the kind words and comment, Linda. It feels counterintuitive when you’re writing, but the more specific you can get in your storytelling, the more universal those emotions become. I know this newsletter spiked in popularity once I started including more personal experiences and anecdotes in these write-ups. Cheers!
"Tangled Up In Blue" stunned me when I heard it for the first time. Somehow, he had managed to write 19th century style narrative poetry and set it to music.
Such a great album. Queuing it up as soon as I finish writing this! My personal Dylan favourite, though, is Blonde on Blonde… but Blood is a VERY close second! Thanks!
Thanks for commenting Bryan. I could never get there with Blonde on Blonde myself, but I respect its status as a classic in the eyes of many Dylan fans. Enjoy!
Can we take it Matt that as you don’t mention Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts that you too feel it’s the album’s outlier? I think any review of Blood on the Tracks has to at least attempt to explain where this wild West saga fits in or doesn’t.
It's all true! And let's not forget the album's sound: a warm yet steely skein of picked and strummed acoustic guitars, bass lines that seem to only add to the unanswered questions in the lyrics, and drums that take a back seat but keep things moving. The balance of sound was not easy to conjure, and he had to record most of the album twice to get it right. It's just an extraordinary album.
I couldn’t agree more. Every time I hear it, I marvel at how deceptively simple the arrangements and instrumentation are. Cheers Jeremy! :)
I used to do Tangled up in Blue in A in my acoustic duo in Cotati, California. A heartfelt ode to wanderlust with a purpose wailing on the harp jazz blues style. My Lady Mondegreens were epic. Papa's "banquet" wasn't big enough, created an image of the wedding as meager affair making him one step above pauper. Loved singing it until the printed lyrics proved it so much more mundane and money oriented. The other one I just can't stop singing: She lit the burner on the stove and offered me a "crepe", kept it on the stove, culinary and ethnic. Pipe seemed either too modern or too archaic. But the 13th Century poet always made more sense as from the 14th Century, Petrarch, as Petrarch's work is known for its exploration of love and chastity, this song was all about that for me. It made me leave Northern California to go to Texas and seek out my destiny and my high school girlfriend. I worked as a cook for a spell in Austin, cooking Cajun seafood next to next door to Antone's Blues Club on Dirty E. 6th Street after getting back to her somehow... Get a few free chapters of my book Lost in Austin at my stack. Bob changed lives with his lyrics, fully understood or better off not. We don't have any reason to show up unannounced on a quest anymore and maybe that's why lyrics don't matter as much anymore. Everyone is a text away. Idiot Winds are blowin' on the backroads heading south now more than ever so still relevant. I live in the South so no slight, we all paved the way. As always you pick 'em and dissect them in a reverent and skillful manner that makes me reminisce, thanks. It has stood the test of time, still do Meet Me in the Morning. Shout out to NY bassist and musical co-conspirator Rob Stoner for all he contributed to that golden era of Dylan. California, LA, my heart goes out to you, a place with so much to offer will rise again. I was a stranger, but you welcomed me, and I just grew....
Wow great anecdote Steve -- thanks as always for sharing. :)
Definitely my favourite Dylan disc Tangled up in Blue a masterpiece. He has made many great albums but Blood on the Tracks does not have a bad song on it.
Agreed! Thanks for reading :)
Great article. Not only was Blood a great album he followed it up with the equally great Desire!
Thanks for reading Jim!
You nailed this album! The line that clinches it is this one: "That lack of tangible evidence, one way or another, is the real secret to this record’s appeal." Dylan somehow is able to get very specific ("an Italian poet from the 15th century," the woman is a redhead, a parrot that talks, etc.), while not giving too much away. And somehow I can relate everything he is singing about to my life. Universal truths with specifics that make them even more universal? How to write like that? Only the master knows. Thanks for an artful and accurate appraisal of this masterpiece.
Thanks so much for the kind words and comment, Linda. It feels counterintuitive when you’re writing, but the more specific you can get in your storytelling, the more universal those emotions become. I know this newsletter spiked in popularity once I started including more personal experiences and anecdotes in these write-ups. Cheers!
"Tangled Up In Blue" stunned me when I heard it for the first time. Somehow, he had managed to write 19th century style narrative poetry and set it to music.
Incredible stuff, especially when you put it that way, thanks David. :)
Such a great album. Queuing it up as soon as I finish writing this! My personal Dylan favourite, though, is Blonde on Blonde… but Blood is a VERY close second! Thanks!
Thanks for commenting Bryan. I could never get there with Blonde on Blonde myself, but I respect its status as a classic in the eyes of many Dylan fans. Enjoy!
Can we take it Matt that as you don’t mention Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts that you too feel it’s the album’s outlier? I think any review of Blood on the Tracks has to at least attempt to explain where this wild West saga fits in or doesn’t.
Well done, Matt! I can't wait to read your other writings. Substack is great!