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Bob Dylan Complete Discography
This book is a must have for anyone interested in Bob Dylan's music. It covers 43 officially released albums with extensive commentary on each track. Included are details of label, credits, year of release, timings, and collaborative efforts. It is packed with information and details about each song ever recorded and released—including the live and bootleg versions that have been appearing in recent years. Bob Dylan's influence on popular music is boundless. As a songwriter, he pioneered several different schools of music from confessional to narrative. He redefined the role of the vocalist and is an inspiration to musicians across all genres—from country and folk to traditional and progressive rock. This book is the perfect reference for anyone interested in Bob Dylan and his work.
- GenresMusicReferenceNonfiction
464 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 25, 2012
No mere listing, Brian Hinton's book covers in explicit detail every single sound Bob Dylan has ever to put to tape or disc. It was interesting to track Dylan's recorded history, going song by song through 1962's BOB DYLAN through 2005's NO DIRECTION HOME soundtrack.
In some cases, you learn about the origins of certain songs...as well as the recorded history. At other times, Hinton gets lost in intellectual musings on Dylan's sound and lyrics...using quotes from other music critics, as well as his own convoluted prose...using various words beyond my vocabulary...There were more than a few times where I had no idea what Hinton was talking about.
That said, some of the insight is fantastic, such as the complicated history of 1975's BLOOD ON THE TRACKS...in which Bob Dylan scrapped a number of songs cut in New York...only to re-record them with a different band in Minnesota. Despite my mixed feelings about Hinton's writing...I enjoyed reading about the albums I had (i.e. HIGHWAY 61 REVISTED, BLONDE ON BLONDE, DESIRE, SLOW TRAIN COMING, etc.....as well as the Bob Dylan albums I was unfamiliar with (such as GOOD AS I BEEN TO YOU and WORLD GONE WRONG).
It was also interesting to get a better understanding of Dylan's vast song catalog...which not only includes official albums, yet also many recorded demos used for publishing purposes only...which explains how many bands (such as The Birds, The Hollies, and others) were able to gain access to Bob Dylan material before Dylan himself could properly record it on his own records (if he did at all).
In general, I love these kind of books...as too often one takes the journey of listening and discovering an artist's or band's music as a solo experience...With a book like BOB DYLAN COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY, one at least gets to have some sort of companion in the music discovery/listening process...even though the companion doesn't always speak the same language as you, nor is this companion able to fully express YOUR feelings or thoughts on a particular song. It's all good just the same...
In some cases, you learn about the origins of certain songs...as well as the recorded history. At other times, Hinton gets lost in intellectual musings on Dylan's sound and lyrics...using quotes from other music critics, as well as his own convoluted prose...using various words beyond my vocabulary...There were more than a few times where I had no idea what Hinton was talking about.
That said, some of the insight is fantastic, such as the complicated history of 1975's BLOOD ON THE TRACKS...in which Bob Dylan scrapped a number of songs cut in New York...only to re-record them with a different band in Minnesota. Despite my mixed feelings about Hinton's writing...I enjoyed reading about the albums I had (i.e. HIGHWAY 61 REVISTED, BLONDE ON BLONDE, DESIRE, SLOW TRAIN COMING, etc.....as well as the Bob Dylan albums I was unfamiliar with (such as GOOD AS I BEEN TO YOU and WORLD GONE WRONG).
It was also interesting to get a better understanding of Dylan's vast song catalog...which not only includes official albums, yet also many recorded demos used for publishing purposes only...which explains how many bands (such as The Birds, The Hollies, and others) were able to gain access to Bob Dylan material before Dylan himself could properly record it on his own records (if he did at all).
In general, I love these kind of books...as too often one takes the journey of listening and discovering an artist's or band's music as a solo experience...With a book like BOB DYLAN COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY, one at least gets to have some sort of companion in the music discovery/listening process...even though the companion doesn't always speak the same language as you, nor is this companion able to fully express YOUR feelings or thoughts on a particular song. It's all good just the same...
May 29, 2017
I love the stories behind each song. A great addition to the Dylan shelf and music reference collection in my bookcase. I'm especially interested in the stories behind the songs and albums from the 1970's. Blood On The Tracks, Slow Train Coming, Desire and Street Legal. And from the 60's, Blonde On Blonde. Those were a few of the records that I "grew up" with. They were in my ear as soon as they were released. Dylan's lyrics though have not always been the simplest to be deciphered, often leaving one wondering if not flat out puzzled at what he's expressing. While not extensive essays on each title in Dylan's catalog, sometimes a single line or two on the recording process is all that's noted ... (which I'm equally fascinated with) .... many hints are dropped along the way. It's not a book that you'll read from cover to cover but instead a source to return to whenever a question arises.
December 28, 2025
If you wanted to know what Bob Dylan breathed on, this book is for you.
It’s an exhaustive rundown of Dylan’s discography including studio albums, compilations, live albums, bootlegs, and everything else. It’s up to date as of 2006, so no doubt an updated edition is in order.
If you’re a casual fan, the book is overwhelming. If you’re a hardcore fan, this book is valuable.
If nothing else, the book is a reminder that a lot of his 80s stuff isn’t so great…
It’s an exhaustive rundown of Dylan’s discography including studio albums, compilations, live albums, bootlegs, and everything else. It’s up to date as of 2006, so no doubt an updated edition is in order.
If you’re a casual fan, the book is overwhelming. If you’re a hardcore fan, this book is valuable.
If nothing else, the book is a reminder that a lot of his 80s stuff isn’t so great…
October 5, 2011
Una lectura bastante rica y detallada sobre las sesiones de grabación y los contextos en que fue grabada CADA canción en la carrera de Dylan, al menos hasta el No Direction Home y la publicación del concierto de la Gaslight.
Un must para el fan de hueso colorado. Encuentras más de un dato que no aparece comúnmente en las biografías.
Un must para el fan de hueso colorado. Encuentras más de un dato que no aparece comúnmente en las biografías.
June 8, 2015
Notable for its completeness, but sometimes awkward for its Britisih slant in describing disc contents and album covers.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews