Category Archives: Uncategorized

  Publisher’s note: “It’s alright ma” is the third song to be considered in the “History in Performance” series.  A full index of the articles relating to “Mr Tambourine Man” and “Gates of Eden” appears at the end of this … Continue reading →

By Tony Attwood Western societies seem to me to have a mixed, not to say utterly confused view of truth and fiction. Parents tell children not to lie, but at the same time watch fictional tales on TV and maybe … Continue reading →

By Tony Attwood Author’s note: through my own lack of focus, caused by the postman knocking at my door, I published this article before I had made  the final adjustments.  The corrected version was published at 1140 GMT on 21 … Continue reading →

It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry (1965) part 1 by Jochen Markhorst I           Like I’d been hit by a tranquilizer bullet Well, I ride on a mailtrain, baby Can’t buy a thrill  DJ Dylan … Continue reading →

  By Tony Attwood If you are a regular reader of Untold Dylan, then first, thank you, I really do appreciate it.  And second, you will I am sure have noticed that while the contributions of those other writers who … Continue reading →

The songs Bob wrote and then ignored.  Ballad for a Friend and the issue of originality Dirt Road Blues and Too Much of Nothing The utterly brilliant Angelina, plus Maybe Someday, Under you spell The album title songs Dylan wrote … Continue reading →

Highlands (1997) part 4 (final) by Jochen Markhorst Part 1: Wild rose in the heather Part 2: You can hear the air around it Part 3: That long rambling talking thing IV         She studied the lines on my face      I’m in … Continue reading →

By Tony Attwood Previously in this series, which is becoming known (to me at least) as Dylan, the composer,  I’ve looked at… Blowing in the Wind and No More Aucion Block Bob Dylan’s Dream How the most subtle of musical changes gave … Continue reading →

  Part 1: Wild rose in the heather Part 2: You can hear the air around it by Jochen Markhorst III         That long rambling talking thing It is, of course, not that surprising, Henry Rollins being so moved by Time … Continue reading →

  By Tony Attwood Jakob Brønnum and Eyolf Østrem have examined refrains in their substack series and  I am of course a long way behind them, but hoping eventually to catch up – although trying to examine Dylan’s music from slightly different … Continue reading →

It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) – A History in Performance, Part 4: 1988 –  The darkness at the break of noon By Mike Johnson [I read somewhere once that if you wanted the very best, the acme of Dylan’s … Continue reading →

  By Tony Attwood This series looks as the way Bob Dylan evolved from being a man who would arrange older folk songs, and on occasion, take existing melodies and write his lyrics around them, into an extraordinarily effective composer … Continue reading →

Previously:  Highlands (1997) part 1: Wild rose in the heather Highlands part 2: You can hear the air around it by Jochen Markhorst “Probably the last time I bought a record that was just brilliant all the way through was … Continue reading →

  By Tony Attwood This series looks as the way Bob Dylan evolved from being a man who would arrange older folk songs, and on occasion, take existing melodies and write his lyrics around them, into an extraordinarily effective composer … Continue reading →

By Tony Attwood This series looks as the way Bob Dylan evolved from being a man who would take existing melodies and write his lyrics songs around them, to an extraordinarily effective composer of both lyrics and music. Previously in … Continue reading →

By Tony Attwood This is a series of articles about Bob Dylan and the songs that he wrote which (at this stage) used other people’s music as he gradually built up the confidence (or maybe simply decided) to write some … Continue reading →

Details of our current and recent series can be found on the home page  —————— Highlands (1997) part 1:  Wild rose in the heather by Jochen Markhorst A boy saw a wild rose growing in the heather; it was so … Continue reading →

By Tony Attwood Previously in this series Dylan, 1963 from copying of other people’s music to the launch of the original composer Why does a simple, hardly known Dylan song, get recorded over and over again? How the most subtle … Continue reading →

Like A Rolling Stone (1965) part 19 (final) by Jochen Markhorst XIX       The generous ghost The turnaround is radical, though not unexpected; it has been announced. After two albums with which he establishes his name as a protest singer, very … Continue reading →

By Tony Attwood Previously in this series Why does a simple, hardly known Dylan song, get recorded over and over again? How the most subtle of musical changes gave “Bob Dylan’s Dream” a totally different meaning How Bob Dylan became … Continue reading →