Expecting Rain

I've recently grown to appreciate the difference in attending to one side of a record, versus popping in a long CD that i pass in and out of attention with. and many dylan albums seem to be structured around these segments. so, i'm starting a poll series about preferred sides on vinyl. beginning with a tough one: Blonde on Blonde. if you would like, you can even rank them in the comments section. i'm not really centering on the value of any one song over the other (although i guess that's the case with disk 2 side b), but rather how each side flows and stands coherently...

Not a tough one at all. Though not my favorite song of this album (that goes to Visions), I vote for (2b) Lady because it is so mesmerizing from start to finish. There is no shifting of gears to bring you back into a world outside the song. I could get as lost in Visions when listening to the vinyl if Rainy Day Women hadn't taken me in such a different direction so recently.

HMMMmmmmm when you put it that way! Side two really staggers. 'Visions' seems oddly placed now.

I pity the fools who voted for the "Sad Eyed Lady of The Low Lands" side.

Went with 2.

It's tough not picking something with Sooner or Later and Visions but I've never really dug Pledging. And side 2 has Memphis Blues Again my favorite track

^ a testament to the power of some carefully chosen chords and taking off the constraints of a masterful storyteller.

as it stands, i couldn't begin to differentiate between 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place.

Come to think of it side one is downright bizarre

^ right - dylan laying down four face cards of different suits from his manic deck. probably intended.

For sure, but Visions deserved a more prominent spot, either that or it's both the first portion of the main course and a companion piece for One of Us Must Know, either way, it's an off-beat side and a seriously beatnik one.

Intended? Of course. Drug fueled? Absolutely.

I picked disc 1, side A. Wasn't much of a challenge unlike John Wesley Harding - which I still refuse to choose.

it's an album of utmost morals. it is only fitting that you stick to yours during these times...

proposed single disc BoB

A
Visions of Johanna 7:33
One of Us Must Know 4:54
Memphis Blues Again 7:05
Just Like a Woman 4:52
--------24:24
B
Most Likely You Go Your Way 3:30
Absolutely Sweet Marie 4:57
I Want You 3:07
Sad Eyed Lady 11:23
----------22:57

This would've been experienced as such a huge step beyond H61 without all the roadhouse blues stuff

i think the bluesy numbers make those beauties more believable. and dear, what would i do without Achilles? i may get this single album confused with Abbey Road with that much coherence and flow!

Others too are agog. I assume.

It's too hard to decide, imo
Perhaps 2 a)
............or 2 b)
or......... the other two.......

so funny that BoB is getting all the attention in the series...seems the easiest of them all.

now, i just acquired the mono vinyl. is it just me or does you go your way sound positively wacked? that's the only one i'm having a hard time with. I love RDW, never did before. ever. (well maybe i enjoyed it live, while influenced).

Even though "Visions of Johanna" (side 1a) is one of my all-time favorites, I would have to go with side 1b, simply because this side is packed with amazing songs. I adore "I Want You" and "Stuck Inside of Mobile" a lot, and "Just Like a Woman" is amazing as well.

My God what a difficult pick. I gotta go with Side 1, Part 2. But every bit of this album is wonderful.

Side 1 part 2 beats all the other complete sides? or do you mean disk 1 side two?

Had to go with Disc 1 ....side B.....

** Stuck Inside of Mobile ** plus I Want You and Just Like a Woman.

....although i would really miss Absolutely Sweet Marie...and most of the other songs
on side 3 ....and side 1 ....and Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlands, too........

Side 2, part 1, no doubt. It's always a thrill to listen to those five in such an order.

I favor record 2, side B, because it's the only side free of songs I don't like. Record one is marred by throwaway blues songs on both sides, plus I can't stand Memphis Blues Again. Temporary Like Achilles isn't at all charming, but the rest of that side is quite strong. However, the album as a whole encompasses almost every virtue and vice of Dylan's entire career, except maybe his religiosity, to date, so I'm not sure from a critical perspective favoring any individual side or element makes much sense.

Side 3 for me, My favourite Bob album of all time. And it takes you on a magical journey from the start. And all the songs are amazing. But for me side 3 is the best. It's get the most criticism for reasons i'll never know. Temporary Like Achilles is one my favourite tracks, that middle eighth is extraordinary ! Absolutely Sweet Marie is perfect. 4th Time Around is my favourite Bob Dylan song. Most Likely is fantastic too. Obviously 5 Believers is one of the best rock n' roll numbers done for me. Side 4 is brilliant too, Sad Eyed Lady is my second favourite on the album.

Side 1 and 2 are just beautiful, filled with mysticism and incredible music and lyrics. But side 2 lacks one more song, I was listening to it on the vinyl before and when Just Like A Woman finished I got the sense that another song should've been there. She's Your Lover Now definitely should have been there.

After picking this up a number of weeks ago on vinyl, and hearing it for the first time in all its analoguey glory, Blonde on Blonde has gone from being something I admire to something that feels like just about the most spectacular thing ever. I just sounds so damn glorious.

I guess I'll go with Disc One side a--for Visions and One of Us Must Know. But the whole of Disc one has decided it doesn't want to leave my record player and go back in its sleeve for a while now. God I love Bob Dylan's music--I'm grateful there's a place to chat with other people about it.

Me too! Best album ever. But the Rolling Thunder was the best tour ever

BTW Congratulations ! Titanium Member!