Dylan Heals All

My Last.fm top 20 most played Dylan songs is a pretty fair assessment of my favorite Dylan songs. Since I most likely won't sleep tonight, lemme post them and a favorite line or two to defend my cases for these tunes because maybe five of them are on popular compilations. The rest are in a no-man's land of his catalog.

1. "Tight Connection to My Heart" from Empire Burlesque

I never could learn to drink that blood and to call it wine. I never could learn to hold you, love, and call you mine.

2. "Girl from the North Country Side" from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

I'm wonderin' if she remembers me at all

3. "Lay Lady Lay" from Nashville Skyline

Why wait any longer for the one you love when he's standing in front of you?

4. "Sweetheart Like You" from Infidels

They say in your father's house, there's many mansions. Each one has a fireproof floor

5. "Jokerman" from Infidels

You're going to Sodom and Gomorrah, but what do you care? Ain't nobody there would want to marry your sister. Friend to the martyr. Friend to the woman of shame. You look into the fiery furnace, see the rich man without any name

6. "Went to See The Gypsy" from New Morning

His room was dark and crowded. The lights were low and dim. "How are you?" he said to me. I said it back to him

7. "Po' Boy" from Love and Theft (Dylan's whole career lead up to this and "Mississippi")

My mother was the daughter of a wealthy farmer. My father was a traveling salesman. I never met him. When my mother died, my uncle took me in. He ran a funeral parlor. He did a lot of nice things for me and I won't forget him.

8. "Mississippi" from Love and Theft

I've been in trouble ever since I set my suitcase down.

9. "Subterrainian Homesick Blues" from Bringing It All Back Home

Twenty years of schoolin' and they put you on the day shift

10. "Changing of the Guards" from Street Legal

The captain is down but still believing that his love will be repaid

11. "Blood in my Eyes" from World Gone Wrong (Traditional)

Woke up this morning, feeling blue. Seen a good lookin' girl, can I make love with you?

12. "We Better Talk This Over" from Street Legal

Number 12 is really "Wigwam" but that's an instrumental. I include this song because it has one of my favorite Dylan lines ever- "I think we better talk this over. Maybe when we both get sober."

13. "Watered-Down Love" from Shot of Love

You don't want a love that's pure. You wanna drown love. You want a watered-down love.

14. "Not Dark Yet" from Time Out of Mind

I can't even remember what it was I came here to get away from.

15. "Don't Fall Apart On Me Tonight" from Infidels

It's like I'm stuck inside a painting that's hanging in the Louvre...No more affection that's misplaced, girl.

16. "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

You just kinda wasted my precious time, but don't think twice, it's all right.

17. "All The Tired Horses" from Self Portrait

All the tired horses in the sun. How'm I suppose to get any ridin' done? Hmm.

18. "Pretty Peggy-o" from Bob Dylan

Come a-runnin' down the stairs pretty Peggy-o. Combing back your yellow hair. You're the prettiest darn girl I've ever seen-io.

19. "Brownsville Girl" from Knocked Out Loaded (co-written by Sam Shepard)

There was a movie I seen one time, I think I sat through it twice, I don’t remember who I was or where I was bound. All I remember about it was it starred Gregory Peck, he wore a gun and he was shot in the back. Seems like a long time ago, long before the stars were torn down.

20. "Life is Hard" from Together Through Life

My dreams are locked and barred, admitting life is hard without you near me


Oh if there's an original idea out there, I could use it right about now.