HIS GREATEST SONGS - Bob Dylan

MANY would agree that trying to fit the best of Robert Allen Zimmerman, or Bob Dylan, into a single CD is like trying to fit the history of the world into a single textbook. It is an impossible feat and no matter how good a job you do, a big chunk of the story is going to be left out.

Knowing this, Columbia Records and Sony BMG has released a sampler, Bob Dylan - His Greatest Songs, which is a starting point for new listeners to choose which songs they fancy and follow it back to the original album.

Kicking things off is the evergreen Blowing In The Wind, which will forever be known as the classic Dylan song. It has been sung in schools, churches and protest marches. Released on his 1963 The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, it poses philosophical questions about peace, war and freedom. The song does not refer specifically to any particular event which has kept its popularity enduring.

Next is The Times They Are a-Changin', taken from Dylan's third album with the same title released in 1964. A self-conscious protest song, it is often viewed as a reflection of the generation gap and of the political divide marking American culture in the 60s.

Subterranean Homesick Blues, a song written by Dylan released on the 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. It was thought to be inspired by Jack Kerouac's 1958 novel The Subterraneans, and is about the Beat Generation. In this song, Dylan goes electric. It is a funny look at the downside of abandoning the straight world for a life underground.

Mr Tambourine Man was also featured on Bringing It All Back Home and was a number one single for The Byrds before the release of Dylan's own version. Here, Dylan zeroed in on the best part of his lyric writing, the cascading imagery and flights of lyrical abandon, all rooted in an internal logic that let's you know there was substance to a dream. Above all that, it will always be known as the song that brought folk-rock into mainstream American consciousness.

In 2004, based on its poll of 172 music industry figures, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Like A Rolling Stone from Dylan's 1965 album Highway 61 Revisited as one of the greatest song of all time. The drums explode like a thunder crack and the song keeps going and going, breaking the time barrier radio had placed on pop songs.

Positively 4th Street's lyrics are bitter and derisive, founding many different meanings for as many different listeners. Some have interpreted the song to be a general disparagement to the opportunistic and disingenuous people of the world. But the song is generally assumed to ridicule the people of Greenwich Village, who criticised Dylan for his departure from traditional folk style towards the electric guitar and rock music genre.

Just Like A Woman from Dylan's 1966 album Blonde On Blonde, is a love song so elegant and confused it's not clear today, so many years later, whether it is insufferably condescending or startlingly loving.

As with many of the lyrics to the songs on his albums, the words to All Along The Watchtower from his 1967 album John Wesley Harding, contains biblical and apocalyptic references, depicting a conversation between a joker and a thief about the difficulties of getting by in life. But what made this song famous was Jimi Hendrix's definitive cover version of Watchtower, forever known as psychedelic rock's finest moment.

Sung by Dylan in a low, soft voice instead of his familiar high-pitched nasal-sounding voice, Lay Lady Lay was released on his 1969 Nashville Skyline album. It was originally written for the soundtrack of the film, Midnight Cowboy, but wasn't submitted in time to make the final cut.

One of Dylan's most well known songs Knockin' On Heaven's Door was originally recorded as a slow acoustic folksy ballad. Knockin' has since been covered in many tempos and styles by many artistes, most famously Guns N' Roses, The Grateful Dead, Wyclef Jean, Eric Clapton, U2, Avril Lavigne, Bon Jovi, Randy Crawford, Ladysmith Black Mambozo and Australian heavy metal band Heaven.

The irony of it all, is that the song only has four chords.

Released on his 1975 album Desire, Hurricane is a protest song by Dylan about the accusation, trial and imprisonment of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. It eventually helped get Carter a new trial and freedom.

Things Have Changed is a song from the 2000 film adaptation of the Michael Chabon novel Wonder Boys and won Dylan an Academy Award for Best Song in a Motion Picture in 2001.

Finally, Someday Baby won the Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in 2006 and is the fifth track on his 2006 album Modern Times, that won the Best Contemporary Folk/ Americana Album.

From these few songs alone, it is clear why so many musical legends are inspired by this lanky American singer-songwriter, author, musician, poet and, of late, disc jockey who has been a major figure in popular music for more then half a century.

Bob Dylan - His Greatest Songs will be a hit with his fans and is sure to convert many others as well. - NST 06/01/2008