Staff Picks
Like the Wind Blowin' Through 1703 Taylor St.
- Keith B.
- Friday, April 01, 2022
Collection
Did you leave a Bob Dylan concert mystified, unsure of what you just heard?
Did you find his voice rough and his manners rowdy?
Were you intrigued by his literary lyrics and the fanatical spectacle?
Take a deeper dive into Dylanology with this selection of materials.
Bob Dylan Setlists for Shows at The Columbia Township Auditorium
Don't Look Back
Published in 2015
The legendary documentarian finds Dylan in London during his 1965 tour, which would be his last as an acoustic artist and marked a turning point in his career. In this wildly entertaining vision of one of the twentieth century's greatest artists thrust into the spotlight, Dylan is surrounded by teen fans; gets into heated philosophical jousts with journalists; and kicks back with fellow musicians Joan Baez, Donovan, and Alan Price.
I'm Not There
Published in 2008
Depicting the different stages and changes in Bob Dylan's career, six actors each portray the musician at different points of his life, creating a patchwork of personalities, attitudes, interests and ambitions.
The Last Waltz
Published in 2006
What started as a concert, became a celebration. Join rock superstars as they celebrate The Band's historic 1976 farewell performance.
The Last Waltz
Published in 2002
Depicts the Band's last performance together at the site of their first gig; interspersed with interview footage.
LIFE Bob Dylan /.
Published in 2021
On the occasion of Bob Dylan becoming the first songwriter to be awarded the Nobel Prize in literature, LIFE presents this updated classic edition of Dylan?s illustrious and transformative life. With beautiful and rarely seen photographs and with a deeply engaging narrative the book takes readers from the icon's early days in Minnesota to his emergence onto the New York City folk-rock screen to his rise to the world?s most influential singer and poet. There is only one Bob Dylan and through this chronicling of his relationships, his controversial public stances and those unforgettable songs, Dylan comes to life. PLUS: An exclusive appraisal of Dylan?s place in the Nobel Prize pantheon.
Masked and Anonymous
Published in 2020
Bob Dylan plays Jack Fate, a former traveling troubadour who is sprung from jail by his scheming manager to headline a sketchy and misguided benefit concert.
No Direction Home
Bob Dylan
Published in 2005
Traces Bob Dylan's journey from his roots in Minnesota, to his early days in Greenwich Village, to his tumultuous ascent to pop stardom in 1966. Joan Baez, Allan Ginzberg, Maria Muldaur, Pete Seeger, Liam Clancy, Mavis Staples and others share their thoughts and feelings about the young singer who would change popular music forever. Contains extensive archival footage, some never-before-seen and rare concert performances.
Rolling Thunder Revue
A Bob Dylan Story
Published in 2021
Martin Scorsese's documentary about Bob Dylan's legendary 1975 tour, which featured a band of troubadours including Joan Baez, Allen Ginsberg, and Joni Mitchell, blends behind-the-scenes archival footage, interviews, and narrative mischief.
Once Upon a Time
The Lives of Bob Dylan
Published in 2013
"In Once upon a time, award-winning writer Ian Bell draws together the tangled strands of the many lives of Bob Dylan in all their contradictory brilliance. For the first time, the laureate of modern America is set in his entire context: musical, historical, literary, political and personal"--Publisher description.
Dylan
Disc by Disc.
Published in 2015
The complete discography of Bob Dylan - a poet to some, a revolutionary to many, but American musician to all. People have been debating about Bob Dylan for decades. Is he the voice of a generation or an unlistenable voice? There's no question that he is the most revered and influential American songwriter to emerge since 1960. But Dylan's singing voice is another story--at times it's raspy, nasally, unpolished and, more recently, ragged, gravelly, and croaky. For better or worse, the sound of his voice has been as distinctive as his songs. Admirers embrace his voice as wise and knowing, with phrasing that can be either studied or free-wheeling depending on his mood. In 2015, the unpredictable Rock and Roll Hall of Famer threw another curveball by releasing Shadows in the Night, his first-ever collection devoted to the songs associated with another artist, Frank Sinatra. Is this tribute to Ol' Blue Eyes as surprising as when Dylan went electric in 1965 or when he became a Jesus freak in the late 1970s? Dylan: Disc by Disc answers those questions by taking an in-depth look at each of Dylan's thirty-six official studio recordings. Music-industry insiders discuss each album with moderator Jon Bream, the veteran critic from Dylan's home-state newspaper, the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The participants include such music figures as Questlove of the Roots, Rodney Crowell, Jason Isbell, Suzanne Vega, Ric Ocasek of the Cars, Wesley Stace (aka John Wesley Harding), longtime Dylan pal Eric Andersen and Minnesota musicians Tony Glover and Kevin Odegard, both of whom have been in the studio with Dylan. Critics who debated Dylan's discs include Robert Christgau, Anthony DeCurtis, Alan Light, Joe Levy, Holly George-Warren, Joel Selvin, Jim Fusilli, Geoffrey Himes, Charles R. Cross, and David Browne. Other participants include professors from Boston University, Syracuse University, Pomona College, University of Minnesota, Connecticut College, University of Iowa, and San Francisco State; DJs from New York's WNYC and Chicago's WXRT; and museum curators who have put together exhibits on Dylan. Dylan: Disc by Disc is beautifully illustrated with LP art, period photography, and memorabilia, as well as performance and candid offstage photography. The book contains information about the recordings and session musicians and provides context and perspective on Dylan's life, concerts, and career. Dylan: Disc by Disc provides Dylan fans with a compelling, handsome, one-of-a-kind retrospective on a music legend.
The Lyrics
1961-2012
Published in 2016
This collection contains Bob Dylan's lyrics, from his first album, Bob Dylan, to 2012's Tempest.
100 Songs
Published in 2017
A new collection of Bob Dylan's most essential lyrics - one hundred songs that represent the Nobel Laureate's incredible musical range through the entirety of his career so far. Bob Dylan is one of the most important songwriters of our time and the first musician in history to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. In 100 Songs, Dylan delivers an intimate and carefully curated collection of his most important lyrics that spans from the beginning of his career through the present day. Perfect for students and younger readers as well as long-time fans, this portable, abridged volume of Dylan's lyrics shines a light on the songs that mean the most from a music and cultural legend.
Rough and Rowdy Ways
Published in 2020
Legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan releases his first album of original material since 2012's Tempest. The album includes the single False Prophet.
The Ballad of Bob Dylan
Published in 2011
The Ballad of Bob Dylan is a vivid, full-bodied portrait of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century-a man widely regarded as the most important lyricist America has ever produced. Acclaimed poet and biographer Daniel Mark Epstein frames Dylan against the backdrop of four seminal concerts-all of which he attended: Lisner Auditorium, Washington, D.C., 1963; Madison Square Garden, New York City, 1974; Tanglewood, Massachusetts, 1997; Aberdeen, Maryland, 2009. Recreating each performance song by song, Epstein places them within the larger context of Dylan's life, from his meteoric rise as a young folk singer through his reemergence in the 1990s and his role as the eminence grise of rock-and-roll today. He explores the star's private side, including marriage and fatherhood, and his struggle to overcome substance abuse. Epstein also traces the influences that shaped Dylan's career and offers a thoughtful analysis of his work and fresh interpretations of his lyrics. Here, too, are anecdotes and insights from those closest to the man, including D. A. Pennebaker, Allen Ginsberg, Nora Guthrie, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, and Dylan's sidemen throughout the years.
The Ballad of Bob Dylan
A Portrait
Published in 2011
Drawn from revelatory interviews, an analysis of lyrics, and lifelong study, an in-depth, original take on one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century delves into his many accomplishments and explores his private life.
The Double Life of Bob Dylan
Published in 2021
From the world's leading authority on Bob Dylan comes the definitive biography that promises to transform our understanding of the man and musician?created with early access to Dylan's never-before-studied archives. When it was announced, nearly two years ago, that the pre-Nobel Bob Dylan had sold his personal archive to the George Kaiser Foundation in Tulsa, Oklahoma for the astonishing sum of $22 million, the shock was palpable. Initially, one almost wondered if this was the pop culture equivalent of the Hitler diaries. How could there be this much material accumulated and archived from one of the world's least fastidious documenters of his own work? It simply couldn't be true.But what Clinton Heylin, considered to be the leading expert on Dylan's life and work, found when he traveled to the archives was enough to make him entirely rethink his understanding of music's greatest living legend. Boxes of small notebooks into which Dylan wrote in his microscopic hand his draft ideas, beginning in 1967 and stretching to the present day, previously undocumented working notebooks for Blood on the Tracks ; multiple drafts of his novel, Tarantula; letters and contracts that show Dylan's hard-won business acumen and artistic integrity time and time again; and, most exciting of all, so many song drafts for the majority of his key songs that a complete rethink of his working methods?and industry?is now required.With the discovery of such vast and previously unseen materials, Heylin had no choice but to return to Dylan. This time, by cutting his career in half, The Double Life of Bob Dylan dives deeper, explores further, and more thoroughly captures the enigmatic artist than has ever been done before.
Revolution in the Air
The Songs of Bob Dylan 1957-1973
Published in 2009
By far the most comprehensive book on Dylan's words ever written, including a number of songs that no one has ever heard, this first volume will fundamentally change how these lyrics are interpreted and understood. Arranged in a surprising chronology of when they were actually written rather than when they appeared on albums the middle verse of Blowin' in the Wind was written much later than the first and third verses, and the songs on John Wesley Harding were written prior to some of the songs on The Basement Tapes hundreds of surprising facts are uncovered in this catalog of 300 songs, spanning his career up prior to Blood on the Tracks. Newly discovered manuscripts, anecdotal evidence, and a seemingly limitless knowledge of every Bob Dylan live performance contribute to this definitive resource of the words of a celebrated American singer-songwriter.
Still on the Road
The Songs of Bob Dylan, 1974-2006
Published in 2010
The second of two volumes, this companion to every song that Bob Dylan has yet written is the most comprehensive examination of Dylan's oeuvre. Arranged in a chronology of when they were written rather than when they appeared on albums, the songs are accompanied by surprising facts and information. Using newly discovered manuscripts, anecdotal evidence, and a seemingly limitless knowledge of every Bob Dylan live performance, the research uncovers answers to such questions as What were Dylan's contributions to the Traveling Wilburys? Who were the women that inspired the songs on Blood on the Tracks and Desire? What material was appropriated for Love and Theft and Modern Times? Why was Blind Willie McTell left off Infidels? and What broke his long dry spell in the 1990s? This is an essential purchase for every true Bob Dylan fan, and is sure to inspire another listen to all of his songs.
Small Town Talk
Bob Dylan, The Band, Van Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Friends in the Wild Years of Woodstock
Published in 2016
When musicians in the New York folk scene of the 1960s grew tired of city life, they decided to "get it together in the country." They headed for Woodstock-not the site of the infamous music festival of 1969 but to the Catskills, to Bearsville, to Woodstock proper. Counterculture revolutionaries like Janis Joplin, Richie Havens, and Paul Butterfield got "back to the land," turning the once sleepy hollow into a funky Shangri-La. Small Town Talk tells the town's musical history, from its earliest days as a bohemian arts colony to its ongoing life as a cultural satellite of New York. Woodstock, the bucolic artists' enclave, has earned its place in rock music history; Small Town Talk is a classic study of a vital music scene in a magical place during a revolutionary time.
The Monk's Record Player
Thomas Merton, Bob Dylan, and the Perilous Summer of 1966
Published in 2018
"In 1965 Thomas Merton fulfilled a twenty-four-year-old dream and went to live as a hermit beyond the walls of his Trappist monastery. Seven months later, after a secret romance with a woman half his age, he was in danger of losing it all. Yet on the very day that his abbot uncovered the affair, Merton found solace in an unlikely place--the songs of Bob Dylan, who, as fate would have it, was experiencing his own personal and creative crises during the summer of 1966"--Amazon.com.
Bob Dylan
Published in 2017
Never before has a book like this one delved into the spiritual odyssey of cultural icon Bob Dylan. Tracking an American original-from his Jewish roots to his controversial embrace of Jesus to his enduring legacy as the composer of the Tempest album- Bob Dylan: A Spiritual Life delivers the story of a man in dogged pursuit of redemption. Based on years of research and original interviews, this book sorts through the myths and misunderstandings and reveals Dylan to be both traditional and radical in the way he expresses his spiritual quest for purpose and meaning. "Call Dylan whatever you want, but the name won't stick," said foreword writer and film director Scott Derrickson. What does stick is his music, in part because his songs contain a deep, abiding spirituality that moves listeners more than the songs of any other artist. Bob Dylan: A Spiritual Life bridges the gap between purpose and meaning in grand fashion. It offers listeners an informative, entertaining, and nuanced look into Bob Dylan's spiritual odyssey.
Another Side of Bob Dylan
A Personal History on the Road and off the Tracks
Published in 2014
"August 2014 marks 50 years since Bob Dylan released his remarkable fourth album, Another Side of Bob Dylan. Recorded in one night, in the middle of a turbulent year in his life, the album marked a departure from Dylan's socially-conscious folk songs and began his evolution toward other directions. Few people outside Dylan's immediate family have ever been closer than Victor Maymudes, who was Dylan's tour manager, personal friend, and travelling companion from the first days in 1960s Greenwich Village through the late 90's. Another Side of Bob Dylan recounts landmark events including Dylan's infamous motorcycle crash; meeting the Beatles on their first US tour; his marriage to Sarah Lownds, his romances with Suze Rotolo, Joan Baez, and others; fellow travelers including Ramblin Jack Elliott, Wavy Gravy, Dennis Hopper, The Band, The Traveling Wilburys, and many more; memorable concerts around the world, and the recording of his seminal album, Blood on the Tracks. On January 26th, 2001, after recording more than 24 hours of taped memories in preparation for writing this book, Victor Maymudes suffered an aneurysm and died. His son Jacob has written the book, using the tapes to shape the story. The result is a vivid, first hand, and unique account of Dylan as an artist, friend, and celebrity, illustrated with never-before-seen photographs, and told by an engaging raconteur who cut his own swathe through the turbulent counterculture"-- Provided by publisher.
Dylan
The Biography
Published in 2020
Bob Dylan is an internationally bestselling artist, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and an Oscar winner for Things Have Changed. His career is stronger and more influential than ever. How did this happen, given the road to oblivion he seemed to choose more than two decades ago? What transformed a heroin addict into one of the most astonishing literary and musical icons in American history?At 72 years of age, Dylan's final act of his career is more intriguing than ever?and classic biographies like Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades and even his own Chronicles: Volume One came too soon to cover this remarkable new chapter in his life.Through extensive interviews and conversations with Dylan's friends, family, sidemen, and fans, Los Angeles Times journalist Dennis McDougal crafts an unprecedented understanding of Dylan and the intricate story behind the myths. Was his romantic life, especially with Sara Dylan, much more complicated than it appears? Was his motorcycle accident a cover for drug rehab? What really happened to Dylan when his career crumbled, and how did he find his way back? To what does he attribute his astonishing success? McDougal's meticulous research and comprehensive interviews offer a revealing new understanding of these long-standing questions?and of the current chapter Dylan continually writes in his life and career.
On the Road with Bob Dylan
Published in 2014
In 1975 as Bob Dylan emerged from eight years of seclusion, he dreamed of putting together a traveling music show that would trek across the country like a psychedelic carnival. The dream became reality, and On the Road with Bob Dylan is the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at what happened when Dylan and the Rolling Thunder Revue took to the streets of America. With the intimate detail of a diary, Larry "Ratso" Sloman's mesmerizing description of the legendary tour both transports listeners to a celebrated period in rock history and provides them with a vivid snapshot of Dylan during this extraordinary time. This reissue of the 1978 classic resonates more than ever as it chronicles one of the most glittering rock circuses ever assembled, with a cast that includes Joan Baez, Robbie Robertson, Joni Mitchell, Allen Ginsberg, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, and a wild entourage of groupies, misfits, sinners, and saints who trailed along for the ride. Sloman candidly captures the all-night revelry and musical prowess-from the backstage antics to impromptu jams-that made the tour a nearly mystical experience. Complete with an introduction by renowned Texas musician, mystery writer, and Revue member Kinky Friedman, this is an unparalleled treat for Dylan fans old and new. Without question, On the Road with Bob Dylan is a remarkable, revealing piece of writing and a rare up-close and personal view of Dylan on tour.
Why Bob Dylan Matters
Published in 2017
"The coolest class on campus" ? The New York Times When the Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to Bob Dylan in 2016, a debate raged. Some celebrated, while many others questioned the choice. How could the world's most prestigious book prize be awarded to a famously cantankerous singer-songwriter who wouldn't even deign to attend the medal ceremony? In Why Bob Dylan Matters, Harvard Professor Richard F. Thomas answers this question with magisterial erudition. A world expert on Classical poetry, Thomas was initially ridiculed by his colleagues for teaching a course on Bob Dylan alongside his traditional seminars on Homer, Virgil, and Ovid. Dylan's Nobel Prize brought him vindication, and he immediately found himself thrust into the spotlight as a leading academic voice in all matters Dylanological. Today, through his wildly popular Dylan seminar?affectionately dubbed "Dylan 101"?Thomas is introducing a new generation of fans and scholars to the revered bard's work. This witty, personal volume is a distillation of Thomas's famous course, and makes a compelling case for moving Dylan out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and into the pantheon of Classical poets. Asking us to reflect on the question, "What makes a classic?", Thomas offers an eloquent argument for Dylan's modern relevance, while interpreting and decoding Dylan's lyrics for readers. The most original and compelling volume on Dylan in decades, Why Bob Dylan Matters will illuminate Dylan's work for the Dylan neophyte and the seasoned fanatic alike. You'll never think about Bob Dylan in the same way again.
Dylan Goes Electric!
Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties
Published in 2015
On the evening of July 25, 1965, Bob Dylan took the stage at the Newport Folk Festival backed by an electric band and roared into a blistering version of "Maggie's Farm," followed by his new rock single, "Like a Rolling Stone." The audience of committed folk purists and political activists who had hailed him as their acoustic prophet reacted with a mix of shock, booing, and scattered cheers. It was the shot heard round the world?Dylan's declaration of musical independence, the end of the folk revival, and the birth of rock as the voice of a generation?and one of the defining moments in twentieth-century music. In Dylan Goes Electric! Elijah Wald explores the cultural, political, and historical context of this seminal event. He delves deep into the folk revival and its intersections with the civil rights movement, the rise of rock, and the tensions between traditional and groundbreaking music to provide new insights into Dylan's artistic evolution, his special affinity to blues, his complex relationship to the folk establishment and his sometime mentor Pete Seeger, and the ways he reshaped popular music forever. Breaking new ground on a story we think we know, Dylan Goes Electric! is a thoughtful, sharp appraisal of the controversial event at Newport and a nuanced, provocative, analysis of why it matters.