Expecting Rain

This is a great album...but my god, it is grim! There is not a lot of joy, or fun going on with this one. There is no 'Talkin' New York' or 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' kind of fun here...it is all serious as hell. Don't get me wrong, I like it a lot (I just got it and I keep repeating 'With God on Our Side'). It's just that the songs are longer, and have very serious subject matters.

I think it's the weakest of all his early LPs and the most dated and preachy. The cover photo depicts him at the apex of his Woody/Dust Bowl phase and he's trying hard to look like he's stepped out of a Dorothea Lang or Walker Evans photo. it's certainly not a "bad" record, don't get me wrong, but it's way weaker than the ones right before and right after it.

I think it's beautiful. But indeed a bit sad and dark, that's why I don't listen to it as much as some other albums. I did listen to it over and over again for like a month when I first found out about it.

I'm restraining myself right now in not writing a complete review about it.. I have the album right here, and every song on the tracklisting just makes me want to listen to it and enjoy it so much once again.

It may not have those cheerful songs on it, but songs like Only a pawn in their game, Boots of Spansh leather, When the ship comes in, ... well actually, they are all gems. Also the most 'topical' and 'political' album I think, but hey, let's not push it in any corner

I'm not so much pushing it into a corner as looking in the corner and noticing it's there. As I said, not a bad LP, but it bats .500 with 5 good to excellent songs (One Too Many Mornings, Only a Pawn, Boots, When the Ship Comes In, and Restless Farewell), a few bad ones (North Country Blues, God On our Side, and Hattie Carroll), one impossibly dated one (Times They Are...) and his ultimate dust bowl downer folk ballad, Hollis Brown that, if you're not in the exact right mood, is almost comedic. There is a dour character to the proceedings that doesn't age well. 4 out of 5 stars if it were anyone else, 2 and a half for his Bobness.

There is obviously no point in discussing different tastes, and I think that is the only difference between us
I recognize and agree with most of what you say, but I don't see the 'outdated'-ness as a bad thing. I think all the so-called topical songs are special in another way then just being good tracks; the settings, times and overall feelings they have and give me in hearing them just take me into a state of admiring the lyrics, his way of describing situations and telling stories.. I don't think there is a single bad song on the whole album, but that is just my experience with it, jusy my taste and humble opinion

It has good songs but I never liked the tone of the album, he sounds a little stiff. It's true, he wasn't being the friendly Bob that we hear on the previous albums. He's standing off a little. The next one, Another side, has a similar quality but the songs are much different. I always had a problem with his delivery on those two albums.

I understand and I'm not arguing all that much, these are very little differences indeed.

I think, in an "overview" sort of sense that the first LP is very formative, interesting in that the persona of "Bob Dylan" is still being finished, still not completely formed, there's still some wet spots in the concrete. A wonderful record, but Freewheelin' is the first museum quality masterpiece and the first in the box to the Nobel Committee. Here the blend of Woody & Brando, James Dean and Kerouac all find the correct balance and it is as good a record as anybody ever made.

Times is more of a step back. He puts on the "King of the Protest Singers" crown for a record and it just digs into his scalp and there's no way to wear it that feels comfortable. The dated songs aren't "bad" because they're dated, but they're not timeless because they're anchored to a historical moment and the best songs aren't as much.

Another Side is also a transitional record. Brilliant, but still floundering about a bit. Maybe his head's cold now that the folk crown is on the shelf and he's looking for a new hat. And what better kind of hat to warm your head than an electric hat!

Bringing and Highway 61 and Blonde On Blonde and JWH and The Basement Tapes all go in the new wing they had to build onto the museum to hold them.

Then it's like the Israelites and 40 years of wandering in the desert.

From 67 until 75 and the what's become a lifestyle for many of us, "Waiting for the next museum quality Dylan record" pays off BIG time in Blood On the Tracks.

Then back to the damn desert. This time it looked like forever.

Then Love & Theft and, just like BOTT had been his best record, L&T arrives as the masterwork nobody really had any right to ask for. In my own humble opinion, his best record, which makes the future so damn interesting.

Keep your museum membership paid up.

I agree. With L&T he finally painted his his masterpiece. I almost don't want him to release another album.

Still, Dylan doesn't have an album darker than Time Out of Mind.

(I've heard that World Gone Wrong is pretty dark too, but unfortunatly it is one of the very few albums that I have yet to listen to.)

the cool thing about being a new dylan fanatic is being able to skip around time periods....I just bought three early records (times, bringing it all back home, and Highway 61). Before that was Infidels. Next up will probably be Oh Mercy. I am kind of holding off Love and Theft, for what I don't know.

I'm not so much pushing it into a corner as looking in the corner and noticing it's there. As I said, not a bad LP, but it bats .500 with 5 good to excellent songs (One Too Many Mornings, Only a Pawn, Boots, When the Ship Comes In, and Restless Farewell), a few bad ones (North Country Blues, God On our Side, and Hattie Carroll), one impossibly dated one (Times They Are...) and his ultimate dust bowl downer folk ballad, Hollis Brown that, if you're not in the exact right mood, is almost comedic. There is a dour character to the proceedings that doesn't age well. 4 out of 5 stars if it were anyone else, 2 and a half for his Bobness

N Country Blues a bad song? are you serious.

He was 22 when he wrote this fantastically heart felt description of poverty and despair brought about by globalisation [much cheaper down in a S American town where miners work almost for nothing ] the effect this has on communities [ the room smelt heavy from drinkin' ] the personal tragedy [ my children will go as soon as they grow ]

Hollis Brown , "almot comedic" sheesh! well theres no answer for someone with that way of thinking

The album is a truly magnificent piece of work. This album isnt vaudeville you know, it says something [ actually , lots of things ]
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I am listening to North Country Blues right now for the first time...and whoa! what a song. The whole album is just hardcore. I wouldn't put down any of the songs as bad...just sometimes a little much to listen to emotionally. And Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll is one of the best songs on the album, IMO.

Like I said, not a "bad" record, and .500 will get you into the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first vote. NCB and HB can appear SO melodramatic that they become "funny" in the sense that Oscar Wilde meant when he said "Only someone with a heart of stone can look upon the death of Little Nel without laughing." The songs are relentless and melodically little more than drones (Hollis Brown has only 1 chord maybe for fear that a 2nd one could lighten things up).

not at all Bob Dylan and Another Side of are far inferior to The Times.

"Far" inferior would mean that Times is not just better, but way better than Another Side and you should explain your reasons for saying that. All I Really Want To Do, Chimes of Freedom, My Back Pages and It Ain't Me Babe are, I would argue, all better songs than any of the Times tracks. I think they have aged better, are generally held in higher regard -- see the Sept 05 Mojo list of the 100 best Bob songs and Another Side beats out Times by 7 to 5.

No, that doesn't PROVE anything like things get proved in a labaratory experiment, that's true. But, if a 3rd guy showed up who said we were both nuts, that the last Back Street Boys album was "far superior" to both of these records, we would both agree that he was wrong, wouldn't we? Not "objectively" no, but subjectively, in the sense that the enormous weight of subjective consensus would be enough to crush the poor fellow and crack his Back Street Boys CD in the process.

Regardless, both records are inferior to what came before and what came next. And both records are really good.

Maybe Bobby McFerrin was right. Don't worry. Be happy.

I see what you are getting at Long John and for the most part I tend to agree. I've often viewed Times Are A Changin' as Dylan's deliberate swan song to the political folk movement. "is this what you wanted" one can almost hear Dylan saying throughout this album. However, I would like to come to the defence of Lonsome Death of Hattie Carrol which you describe as a bad song. I think that this song is a brilliant example of how great a poet Dylan had developed into. Note how Dylan never says what color Zantzinger or Hattie Carrol is yet we intuitively know. The use of feminine rhyme. The repitition of the word 'table' followed by a 'cane' as the weapon of death alludes literally to the biblical Cane and Able which allows the listener to hear the song on a completely different level. Christopher Ricks' analysis of this song is among the (many) highlights in his Dylan's Visions of SIn.
Besides, the way he reinventied it during the Rolling Thunder tour is absolutely magnificent

I gues it's just that it's as historically confused as "Joey" but what you say about the Rolling Thunder version is right on the money, that IS amazing.

I was in the process of going through some of that stuff. I listened to the Bootleg Series Vol. 5 and also the double boot Mapleleaf Gardens 1975 (2 discs) and the double disc Cowboy Angel Blues (also 75) and the Hold the Fort For What It's Worth which is almost all Texas 16 May 76. Also The Days Before Hard Rain which are the April 76 tour rehearsals from Clearwater, Florida.

Serious batch of excellent recordings with some real gems. I remember that I saw tours on both sides of the Rolling Thunder but never saw that tour, which was the best of the bunch. The idea of a traveling gypsy caravan/circus was perfect.

right...

so anyway, i may have gone a little overboard with the "far" thing, I love another side, but i still stand behind the times.

my back pages, chimes of freedom, and it aint me babe are all wonderful songs. but another side of has a tendancy to be sloppy with the i shall be free and Motorpsycho Nitemare (which i cant listen anymore, the same happens wth talkin' world war three blues). As for All I really wanna do, it becomes almost painful sometimes to listen to the "All I really wanna DOOOO" bit. I see your dated point with Hattie Carroll and only a pawn in their game, but they are still good songs. one too many mornings boots of spanish leather with god on our side when the ship comes in and restless farewell give me more enjoyment to listen to than another side

I also love this album since the day i got it. but I do get Long john's argument.

It's an awesome album but not one that you play to anybody, it's good bob but it's still bob playing a very roots type of folk music. It's a bit like Me and Mr. Johnson.

I see your point. I see Another Side as a straight transition into BIABH, and I think I see Times as a step back from Freewheelin, but we're really picking on fine points here and both are pretty great records and which one you find youself listening to most often is a very personal matter. I don't listen to either all that much but when i do I find myself remember what great records they are.

i like 'the times' album and i really did notice this too. that is why i don't find myself listening to this alot. but the death of hattie carroll is the saddest song on the album in my opinion. but we have to realize that the times that this album was recorded in was a very sad time.

The album was recorded in what? 1963? "A very sad time."???

In January, 1963 The Whiskey A-Go-Go opened in LA, a black student was admitted to Clemson College in South Carolina, the last state to hold out against desegregation; Bob Dylan portrays a folk singer in The Madhouse of Castle Street, a radio play for the BBC in London;

In February female sufferage was declared in Iran, a move toward an actual Middle Eastern democracy in Iran that the CIA would remove and replace with the Shaw a bit later; The Beatles receive their first #1 hit single, when "Please Please Me" tops the charts in the UK.

In March Alcatraz is closed for good and the Gideon v. Wainwright case is decided by the US Supreme Court that established the "if you cannot afford an attourney one will be appointed to you by the court" until that, the poor were even MORE screwed in the US justice system.

In April 70,000 people marched against nukes in London and MLK, Jr. composed the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." 19 year old Andrew Loog Oldham signs a contract with The Rolling Stones, becoming their manager.

In May Coke-a-Cola introduced TaB and the last rocket in the Mercury Series was fired successfully. Filming on Dr. Strangelove ends.

In June, Kenya gained autonomy, slavery was made illegal in Saudi Arabia, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 against the reciting of explicitly Christian prayers in public schools, Pope Paul VI was elected.

In July Zip Codes were introduced in the US, the Catholic Church ruled that cremation is OK, Syncom, the world's first geostationary (synchronous) satellite is orbited by NASA.

In August the UK, US and ISSR sign a nuclear test band treaty, James Meridith becomes the first black person to graduate from the Univ of Mississippi, MLK, Jr. gives his "I have a dream" speech.

In September the NFL Football Hall of Fame opens in Canton, Ohio.

In October Uganda became a Republic.

In November the first episode of "Doctor Who" is broadcast. The comedy It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World premieres.

In December Harvey Ball invents the ubiquitous smiley

Here are the Billboard Top 100 Hits for 1963: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_100_No ... _%28USA%29

In other words, 1963 was fine. Fun. An interesting time and not particularly "sad" overall. Especially if you were, like I was, 10.

I do enjoy Times, but I hardly listen to it anymore... if I do listen to any tracks, they'd be live versions... but I never play this album much anymore... I do agree with LJ... that Another Side of B.D. is much better, and I still listen to this album, unlike the Times... but on Times there are some great tracks, Lonesome Death, When the Ship Comes In, One Too Many Mornings... but I hardly listen to them on the album, but rather listen to their live tracks, Lonesome Death is incredible during the RTR, and still in 2005, listen to the Dublin version of it, one of my favorite versions of this song... Can't even remember the last time I listened to With God on Our Side, or Times they are a Changing... I don't really even like The Times are Changin live like in RTR... could you see this album as more of a strategic move in the whole scheme of things, getting to the top and all... the album cover gives the impression of a disgruntled, protester, type figure... to me anyways... that he needed to create an album like this to further his career, to what music he really wanted to make, like Highway 61... and he's said that too...

this has been said on other threads, but it's the first dylan album where the album as a whole is more than each individual element. I think it's a great album, better than freewheelin', bob dylan, and another side, but barely.

If you think that than you'd have to think it was the best of ALL his records. It is a not yet formed Dylan you hear there, almost no originals, still working on the mix of all the elements that would come together on his first great record (Freewheelin).

What I have to argue is this: if Dylan's career had ended with that first record, it wouldn't be remembered today; whoever happed to stumble across a copy at a yard sale or somewhere might play it and think, "That's not bad" but I doubt it would ever see a CD reissue.

If Dylan's career had ended after Freewheelin', that record would be remembered as one of the most historically important records of the 60s and a legit masterpiece. People would still talk about it and write about it and one of the great unanswered questions would be "What if he'd made another record....."

I love the first record, but it isn't even really a glimpse of what comes next.

I don't want to start a fight over it, but your post reminds me of Zappa fans who rave about Frank's "serious" orchestral work and who obviously have never heard the stuff it's a pale imitation of that was done 50 years earlier. It sounds "cutting edge" if you haven't heard the real deal. Same with the first Bob. For a chubby Jewish kid from Minnesota it's pretty good. But all you're hearing are him impressions of the influences that influenced a whole generations of folksingers. The difference is that this kid would go on to do original work that would eclipse his influences and move everything, not one, but a dozen steps ahead. The kid's a genius (and that's an overused word); who knew?