Bob Dylan - Another Side Of Bob Dylan (1964)

Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter who emerged out of the early 60s folk revival to become an informal chronicler and reluctant figurehead of social unrest. He famously made the move from folk music to electric rock in the mid-60s, and has remained a major figure in music for five decades.

By 1964 Bob Dylan was the pride of American folk music, but his fourth album actually alienated alot of his fans (albeit only the overly-conservative folk purists among them) with its shift in direction. Musically it was much the same as his earlier work - performed solo on acoustic guitar and harmonica (and for the first time on one song, piano). It was lyrically where the change was found. Another Side Of Bob Dylan left behind the socially conscious 'spokesman of a generation' style he had perfected on The Times They Are A-Changin', and made a move towards more personal matters. Simply put, he was no longer singing about the people; he was singing about himself. At the same time his lyrics became more abstract, their meanings more difficult to decipher. He had left the protest songs behind and entered the realm of lyrical poetry.
This change of direction was noticed. He was accused by certain figures in the folk community as having "lost touch with the people", and being "caught up in the paraphernalia of fame". Retrospectively, it can be said that he was instigating the move from 'folk singer' to 'singer-songwriter'. Many would follow him, as the lines between folk and pop music quickly began to narrow.
At the end of the day, what a few self-important folk purist authorities thought does not matter. Another Side Of Bob Dylan was another triumph for Dylan, making it to #8 on the UK charts, containing many of his best songs, and subtly leading the way towards folk-rock and the rise of the singer-songwriters.

The Times They Are A-Changin' (1964) <|> Bringing It All Back Home (1965)
More from Bob Dylan

Download