This album - and yes it probably was an album, but I had the cassette tape - came out 24 years ago today. Two days befor my 14th birthday. The planets had aligned with Bob just for me!
This is also the summer of Live Aid and Farm Aid. Why are these 2 fabulous shows not on DVD? - we will save this for another day too.
Back to Bob, I am not really sure when I became aware of Bob, but he is a staple now. My family had some vinyl albums and I had learned at a young age to use the record player. I know that we had 4 Bob Dylan albums - Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde, John Wesley Harding, and the one I can never remember that name of it but Bob is holding a blue cat on the cover. For my birthday I got the 5th one - Empire Burlesque.
1985 was when MTV was on fire - they actually showed videos and I would sit for hours smack dab in front of the tv in the den with the vcr poised to "tape" the most recent cool video. I have since questioned some of those choices but one is ""Tight Connection to My Heart". My friend "Perry Como" who is not a Dylan fan kinda like this song. I think he still does.
Bob Dylan really just can't carry a tune and that is ok - neither can I. But his music is just flat out brilliant. How many folk singers can make gospel sound good - how many folk singers have had Stevie Wonder and the O'Jays records their songs - just one. I personally think that his music eclipses all genres and time.
When I was in college, Bob Dylan came to campus and I got the whole family tickets. As Jose' Cuervo (little sister) would say - it was a family Bob Dylan. A fun time was had by all. I do remember him singing Tangled up in Blue. One of my favorites.
Ok, back to the 1985 songs - the ones that are really good on the album are - Tight Connection to my Heart, Emotionlly Yours, Trust Yourself, and I'll Remember You. The whole album is great, but these are my favorites.
Check out the following links for Bob
Desolation Row Highway 61 Revisted Subterranean Homesick Blues
Bob Dylan's 115th Dream I'll Remember You Trust Yourself
loving reading your random thoughts, but I can't get the links to work! Really wanted to see the cool hand luke one!
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