I usually dislike these lists, but I love how you prefaced yours by explaining that the rankings might be different tomorrow… and an album showing up at the bottom of your list simply means you like others more. Yes, yes, yes! Wasn’t “The Basement Tapes”simply the most amazing recording to me last night (late last night, cleaning up the kitchen after the day’s messes)?! OMG, how much do I love “Saved”…
Thank you for this fantastic list of Bob’s albums. I will surely revisit it in the future, because to me it’s just a lot of fun to read about such greatness!
Thanks for reading, and I'm glad that you enjoyed this one! I'm with you, such lists can so often be sanctimonious or righteous but one of the best things about his music is how it can hit us all in different ways at different times, right?
Movie was better than I expected! I hope you enjoy, too, it if you see it soon!
Nice. To place Saved where you did. Fantastic. About time somebody did. Covenant Woman, anyone else writes that song... The opening cover of Satisfied Mind is great also.
I also meant to mention the players. It's like an all-star band. Never gets it's due. Friend and I were at Portland 12-4-80 which he recorded, part of famous run. 2 favorite "We Just Disagree" "I Ain't Gonna Go To Hell For Anybody". And the duet's with Clyde. Thanks again for your work.
Absolutely, so many incredible musicians in that group. Oh wow, bet that was an incredible night - very pleased for you that you got to see that tour but equally very jealous! I love those impassioned performances of We Just Disagree!
I love the self-awareness here... "or, something an old fan can flick through at a glance to get a sense of how much better their taste in Bob Dylan albums is than mine." You are right from your side–don't look back.
Finished it earlier, great piece. Surprised you like Saved as much as you do. For me it suffers from the same problem you identify with Infidels: Thin, flat sound. I love those songs so much live, but rarely turn to the album versions.
Thank you, Ray! Can definitely hear that compared to those live versions, but I do think it has more warmth in its sound than all his other 80s work. Those Gospel tours are definitely "God tier", aren't they?
Hey Matthew, just catching up to this piece, great list, bold choices. Can’t quite relate to Shadows in the Night so high, but anyone who puts Saved at 6, R and RW at 2 and Love and Theft at 1 is a good friend of mine. Thanks for your take on the catalog.
Hey, as someone who appreciates the breadth and depth of Rough and Rowdy Ways, hope you’ll check out my new chapter, appearing any day now: Hindu Rituals and Gumbo Limbo Spirituals. It’s long, it’s nuts, it’s gospel, from the lips of Bob to your ears. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m just passing along what I’ve been told
Thanks, Steven - glad you like it and especially those picks! Nice to get some representation for Saved, which always gets a rough deal with these lists!
That sounds interesting, I'm looking to hearing about the gumbo limbo spirituals and all the hindu rituals coming in out of Luxembourg, Budapest and Key West! Can't wait for the book, either
I really enjoyed your list. Inspired by Flagging Down…. I recently started delving into the black hole that is the live Dylan bootleg tapes. Listening to Red Bluff 2002, the Love & Theft songs on there really came to life for me in a new way. So now I’m currently compiling a “L&T live” playlist - of the best versions of the albums’s tracks from the best NET songs list Ray published at the end of 2020. Have you got any favourite live versions of your top album’s songs? Thanks for all the great writing. I loved your book.
Thanks, Steven - I'm glad you liked it, and the book. Thanks so much.
Ray is the man, and his newsletter is such a wonder, isn't it? Will definitely check out that Red Bluff show off the back of your recommendation. I think my all time favourite L&T performance is the Summer Days linked at the bottom of this post, but I also have a soft spot for the Nov 17 2009 version of Po' Boy and the Nov 19 2012 Mississippi (but mainly because I was at that show!). If you post your compilation anywhere, I'd love to listen to it!
What a joy to read! I am going to have to go back and read it all again tomorrow, take some notes and make a playlist. Thanks for putting the work on this project. Definitely a labor of love! I will be thinking about it as I put together my radio show for this weekend that celebrates 50 years of “Blood On the Tracks”
Thank you so much for these kind words, I’m glad you enjoyed it and that it resonated with you. Hope the radio show goes well for the celebration of that incredible album! If it’s available to hear online, I’d love to get a link to have a listen
Matthew, thanks for your interest in my show. It airs on WLUW.org in Chicago at 11:00 AM CST. The shows are not archived on the stations website, but I archive them myself and could send you a link afterwards, if you’d like. At this point I am leaning towards featuring female artists doing some of the songs from the album. Thanks again for such a wonderful read!
That would be great, thank you! Would love to listen. Oh nice one, that's a cool angle and there must be some amazing versions out there. I'm sure you already know about Madeleine Peyroux's lazy, hazy and dreamy You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go!
Audacious and thought-provoking list, Matthew. I def will be listening to Bob Dylan on vinyl this cold, winter Saturday, especially Saved and Street-Legal.
This list is well-crafted, surprising, occasionally odd, and compelling--just like the albums it ranks. I like your point that if you had to do this again tomorrow, the order would be different. The one album I'll comment on is Love and Theft (or, more properly, "Love and Theft"): I'm with you that it's one of his very best. Hard to believe it's 24 years old already and I still can't get over how terrific "Mississippi" is every time I listen to it.
Haha! That's a great compliment, thank you - 'occasionally odd, and compelling' is about the best response I could have hoped for for this. Yeah, that is crazy - same distance from "Love and Theft" coming out and now as there was between "Love and Theft" and Street-Legal! Amazing to still have him, and still have him touring and creating all this time later.
Ok. Listening to Saved again for the first time in a long time. It definitely deserves higher than rock bottom in Bob’s discography. I still have a hard time putting it in the top 20. But it is a great listen.
Glad to at least encourage a re-listen! That feels like mission accomplished for this. Definitely think that one gets a harsh rap in his career by always coming dead last or nearly last in these things!
A bold post! As a lifelong Dylan freak, I've never attempted a full ranking like this. Yours is a solid list, though, naturally, I disagree with a few placements. But hey, all lists are personal and subjective. Great stuff!
Haha same here - it's an impossible task really isn't it? (This one moved around so much once I went back and re-listened to things and everything could definitely justifiably move around!). Looking forward to seeing your ranking in future, if you ever decide to undertake such a fool's errand!
I like your list a lot Matthew. The band on Shot/Saved/STC is stellar, as reflected on the Trouble No More bootleg series release. I recently found myself revisiting Knocked Out Loaded and liking it quite a bit as well! I'd love to hear Dylan re-record some of the "unflatteringly produced" albums with his recent band and new arrangements so folks might see how good the songs were. I would have also loved an Infidels fully played by The Plugz a la Daniel Romano's take.
In detail, maybe a few changes, but by and large I think that's a fair choice. I'd have to put Blonde on Blonde at the top, though; I was there from the very beginning, and when it came out it hit me (to coin a phrase) like a frei-ght train... Going to revisit your list again and create a playlist... Good work!
I usually dislike these lists, but I love how you prefaced yours by explaining that the rankings might be different tomorrow… and an album showing up at the bottom of your list simply means you like others more. Yes, yes, yes! Wasn’t “The Basement Tapes”simply the most amazing recording to me last night (late last night, cleaning up the kitchen after the day’s messes)?! OMG, how much do I love “Saved”…
Thank you for this fantastic list of Bob’s albums. I will surely revisit it in the future, because to me it’s just a lot of fun to read about such greatness!
Enjoy the movie!
Thanks for reading, and I'm glad that you enjoyed this one! I'm with you, such lists can so often be sanctimonious or righteous but one of the best things about his music is how it can hit us all in different ways at different times, right?
Movie was better than I expected! I hope you enjoy, too, it if you see it soon!
Nice. To place Saved where you did. Fantastic. About time somebody did. Covenant Woman, anyone else writes that song... The opening cover of Satisfied Mind is great also.
Thanks, Brian - I've never understood why people judge that one so harshly and put it so far down on their lists!
I also meant to mention the players. It's like an all-star band. Never gets it's due. Friend and I were at Portland 12-4-80 which he recorded, part of famous run. 2 favorite "We Just Disagree" "I Ain't Gonna Go To Hell For Anybody". And the duet's with Clyde. Thanks again for your work.
Absolutely, so many incredible musicians in that group. Oh wow, bet that was an incredible night - very pleased for you that you got to see that tour but equally very jealous! I love those impassioned performances of We Just Disagree!
I love the self-awareness here... "or, something an old fan can flick through at a glance to get a sense of how much better their taste in Bob Dylan albums is than mine." You are right from your side–don't look back.
Haha! Thought I'd preempt any such comments 😁
Knocked Out over Infidels is a take so hot I had to put down my phone. Well done! Hoping for more such moments as I dive back in.
All the way, til the wheels fall off an burn! With opinions like these, you'll soon be regretting ever letting me write for the Double E's!
Finished it earlier, great piece. Surprised you like Saved as much as you do. For me it suffers from the same problem you identify with Infidels: Thin, flat sound. I love those songs so much live, but rarely turn to the album versions.
Thank you, Ray! Can definitely hear that compared to those live versions, but I do think it has more warmth in its sound than all his other 80s work. Those Gospel tours are definitely "God tier", aren't they?
Hey Matthew, just catching up to this piece, great list, bold choices. Can’t quite relate to Shadows in the Night so high, but anyone who puts Saved at 6, R and RW at 2 and Love and Theft at 1 is a good friend of mine. Thanks for your take on the catalog.
Hey, as someone who appreciates the breadth and depth of Rough and Rowdy Ways, hope you’ll check out my new chapter, appearing any day now: Hindu Rituals and Gumbo Limbo Spirituals. It’s long, it’s nuts, it’s gospel, from the lips of Bob to your ears. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m just passing along what I’ve been told
….pressin’ on
Book still coming in 2025
Thanks, Steven - glad you like it and especially those picks! Nice to get some representation for Saved, which always gets a rough deal with these lists!
That sounds interesting, I'm looking to hearing about the gumbo limbo spirituals and all the hindu rituals coming in out of Luxembourg, Budapest and Key West! Can't wait for the book, either
I really enjoyed your list. Inspired by Flagging Down…. I recently started delving into the black hole that is the live Dylan bootleg tapes. Listening to Red Bluff 2002, the Love & Theft songs on there really came to life for me in a new way. So now I’m currently compiling a “L&T live” playlist - of the best versions of the albums’s tracks from the best NET songs list Ray published at the end of 2020. Have you got any favourite live versions of your top album’s songs? Thanks for all the great writing. I loved your book.
Thanks, Steven - I'm glad you liked it, and the book. Thanks so much.
Ray is the man, and his newsletter is such a wonder, isn't it? Will definitely check out that Red Bluff show off the back of your recommendation. I think my all time favourite L&T performance is the Summer Days linked at the bottom of this post, but I also have a soft spot for the Nov 17 2009 version of Po' Boy and the Nov 19 2012 Mississippi (but mainly because I was at that show!). If you post your compilation anywhere, I'd love to listen to it!
Matthew - here is a link to the "Love And Theft" Live compilation I made. Let me know what you think
https://www.mediafire.com/file/v4vobl9b76ij480/Love_And_Theft_Live_compilation.zip/file
Wonderful, thanks so much for sharing! Will have a listen over the weekend
Many thanks Matthew, I’m looking forward to giving your tips a listen. I’ll let you know when I’ve put the compilation together.
What a joy to read! I am going to have to go back and read it all again tomorrow, take some notes and make a playlist. Thanks for putting the work on this project. Definitely a labor of love! I will be thinking about it as I put together my radio show for this weekend that celebrates 50 years of “Blood On the Tracks”
Thank you so much for these kind words, I’m glad you enjoyed it and that it resonated with you. Hope the radio show goes well for the celebration of that incredible album! If it’s available to hear online, I’d love to get a link to have a listen
Matthew, thanks for your interest in my show. It airs on WLUW.org in Chicago at 11:00 AM CST. The shows are not archived on the stations website, but I archive them myself and could send you a link afterwards, if you’d like. At this point I am leaning towards featuring female artists doing some of the songs from the album. Thanks again for such a wonderful read!
That would be great, thank you! Would love to listen. Oh nice one, that's a cool angle and there must be some amazing versions out there. I'm sure you already know about Madeleine Peyroux's lazy, hazy and dreamy You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go!
Audacious and thought-provoking list, Matthew. I def will be listening to Bob Dylan on vinyl this cold, winter Saturday, especially Saved and Street-Legal.
Haha thank you - hope the thoughts provoked were good ones! Enjoy your listening, I think you're in for a treat!
This list is well-crafted, surprising, occasionally odd, and compelling--just like the albums it ranks. I like your point that if you had to do this again tomorrow, the order would be different. The one album I'll comment on is Love and Theft (or, more properly, "Love and Theft"): I'm with you that it's one of his very best. Hard to believe it's 24 years old already and I still can't get over how terrific "Mississippi" is every time I listen to it.
Haha! That's a great compliment, thank you - 'occasionally odd, and compelling' is about the best response I could have hoped for for this. Yeah, that is crazy - same distance from "Love and Theft" coming out and now as there was between "Love and Theft" and Street-Legal! Amazing to still have him, and still have him touring and creating all this time later.
Ok. Listening to Saved again for the first time in a long time. It definitely deserves higher than rock bottom in Bob’s discography. I still have a hard time putting it in the top 20. But it is a great listen.
Glad to at least encourage a re-listen! That feels like mission accomplished for this. Definitely think that one gets a harsh rap in his career by always coming dead last or nearly last in these things!
A bold post! As a lifelong Dylan freak, I've never attempted a full ranking like this. Yours is a solid list, though, naturally, I disagree with a few placements. But hey, all lists are personal and subjective. Great stuff!
Haha same here - it's an impossible task really isn't it? (This one moved around so much once I went back and re-listened to things and everything could definitely justifiably move around!). Looking forward to seeing your ranking in future, if you ever decide to undertake such a fool's errand!
I may now have to - you seem to have forced my hand!
Haha can't wait!
enjoy the film! I've see it 4 times and loved every moment.
Kathy from Milwaukee Wisconsin, USA
Thank you! I enjoyed it more than I expected to. Glad you have been enjoying it as well and hope you can see it again!
I like your list a lot Matthew. The band on Shot/Saved/STC is stellar, as reflected on the Trouble No More bootleg series release. I recently found myself revisiting Knocked Out Loaded and liking it quite a bit as well! I'd love to hear Dylan re-record some of the "unflatteringly produced" albums with his recent band and new arrangements so folks might see how good the songs were. I would have also loved an Infidels fully played by The Plugz a la Daniel Romano's take.
In detail, maybe a few changes, but by and large I think that's a fair choice. I'd have to put Blonde on Blonde at the top, though; I was there from the very beginning, and when it came out it hit me (to coin a phrase) like a frei-ght train... Going to revisit your list again and create a playlist... Good work!