It is effectively Dylan lamenting on his divorce whilst being excited about a new relationship. The standout track on the album, ‘New Pony’, was recorded May 1st, 1978. Though rehearsals started December 1977 the majority of the album was recorded in a two-day session from April 27th – 28th 1978.
When Dylan heard the news, it is claimed he didn’t speak for a week. He was gearing up for a world tour, his first in 12 years, but Dylan couldn’t settle on a touring band so there was an almost constant revolving door of musicians and singers until he found the people that matched the sound in his head.Īnd one his heroes, Elvis Presley, had died. His Ronaldo And Clara film had been released to some of the worst reviews of his career. His marriage with Sara was coming to an end and they were getting divorced. When Dylan recorded ‘Street-Legal’ his life was in turmoil. ‘All The Tired Horses’, ‘The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)’ and ‘Wigwam’ are three of the finest songs Dylan released in that period, while intriguing covers of Gordon Lightfoot’s ‘Early Morning Rain’, Paul Simon’s ‘The Boxer’ and ‘Albert Frank Beddoe ‘Copper Kettle’ make ‘Self Portrait’ well worth a fresh appraisal. Despite all this there is plenty of quality on display. Looking at the cover, a slightly surrealist self-portrait, his intentions were hiding in plain sight. Partly because that was what was interesting him and partly to get the “spokesmen of a generation” label off his back. Dylan wanted to release something rougher around the edges. The album is made up of cover versions of popular folk and pop songs, live performances, and some new songs – it’s a departure from the pristine “thin wild mercury sound “of ‘Blonde On Blonde’ but that was the point. When the 1970s rolled round, for the first time in his career, Dylan wasn’t quite sure what to do next.Īfter the country tinged ‘Nashville Skyline’ Dylan released ‘Self Portrait’.
Here is a list of some unfairly overlooked Dylan albums that you need to know about.įrom his folk hero origins, taking protest songs to the mainstream, the Newport Folk Festival (and Manchester Free Trade Hall) electric performance controversy and culminating with the seminal ‘Blonde On Blonde’ it’s safe to say that Dylan came close to defining the 1960s. Which feels criminal given that he’s released 39 albums since 1962.
He’s been a constant in my life like endless cups of tea, rainy Sunday afternoons, and being let down by sporting teams.Įveryone knows the classic Dylan albums but for most this is where it stops. My Dad regularly used to play ‘Another Side of’, as well as the obligatory ‘Greatest Hits’ that all my friend’s Dads had but none remembered buying. He predates The Beatles and helped usher in the next wave of rock ‘n’ roll. Put simply: it feels as though Dylan has always been around.