Expecting Rain

I thought a track by track assessment/comparison might be interesting of Dylan's studio output 1997-present.

For me, TooM wins this one hands down. With the eerie and ghostly Love Sick, Dylan announced he was back, stalking the earth like Bergman's grim reaper.

I don't mind Tweedlees as much as some, but I'm surprised Dylan made it the opening song and such a feature of NET setlists.

Thunder and Beyond here are superior to Tweedlees but nothing special.

Vote for your favourite track.

My vote: Love Sick

TOOM 1
L&T 0
MT 0
TTL 0

I agree with all that's said, but Beyond Here Lies Nothin' gets played on 90.7 WFUV radio station here in New York, quite frequently, and it fits into the playlist more so than any of the others would. Beyond the Horizon actually gets played once in a while too, but I guess I missed the point on this one.

Shows just how poor those 4 albums really are. Remember when Dylan's opening songs were, you know, ace?

....and there ain't nothin' wrong with these songs.

I guess we all miss the days of All I Really Want To Do, John Wesley Harding, All the Tired Horses, Shot of Love, You Wanna Ramble, Let's Stick Together, or Wiggle Wiggle.

I don't love any of these four albums; but if I had to choose, I'd pick ""Love and Theft"".


At least three of those are very good opening songs.

I really struggled to come up with a good (or bad) list. All the rest were undeniably great, I guess these could be argued with. I could have gone that route.

Example:

"Rainy Day Women #12 & 35. 'Everybody must get stoned' gets tiring."

Dont be a prick.

'Beyond Here Lies Nothing' at least has a bit of spark to it - and a nice ironic title - I'll give it that.

Love Sick made the strongest first time impression on me... so different in sound from anything that had ever come before.

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum... I like. A great concert opener in 2003. Given the package that is Love and Theft, it fits well and is a fine opener to the album. If left off of Love and Theft it would have had to been relegated to a Tell Tale Signs package or something because (to me) it doesn't necessarily fit with any other album.

Thunder On the Mountain... a GREAT opener... that I rarely listen to anymore. I like Modern Times a lot but listen to it about every three months or so. Can't explain why. It probably is a better album than Under the Red Sky but I listen to Under the Red Sky two to three times more. Go figure.

Beyond Here Lies Nothing... Still don't own Together Through Life but a couple of the live performances with Donnie on trumpet have been spine tingling beautiful. I probably should get out and buy the album, huh?

Pleased - and surprised - to see Thunder on the Mountain on a resounding zero. A dull song.

God alone knows why this unbearably tedious song is played at every bloody show.

1. Love sick
2. Beyond here lies nothin'
3. Thunder on the mountain
4. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum

I actually love all these EXCEPT Love Sick.

"Thunder on the Mountain." Most fun to sing along with.

Beyond Here Lies Nothin' is a blatant continuation of Modern Times. "The mountains of the past." Thunder, When the Deal Goes Down, Beyond the Horizon and Ain't Talkin'. It's all true.