Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (1965)

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.

In July of 1965, Bob Dylan, once the crown prince of the American folk revival, had been causing a stir in the folk community. First he had stopped writing protest songs, and turned to personal matters, utilising cryptic wordplay. Then he had recorded an album backed by a rock band (Bringing It All Back Home). He was getting restless.
July saw the release of the single “Like A Rolling Stone”, the perfect crystallization of the changes his music was undergoing. Loud and defiant, it both said farewell to the world of acoustic folk music, and at over 6 minutes challenged the conventions of pop singles. It was a massive success, getting to #2 on the US charts, and becoming an international hit. Shortly after its release he caused further controversy by performing with an electric rock band at the Newport Folk Festival, putting the final nail in the coffin of his folk career.
The follow-up album, Highway 61 Revisited, came out in August. It was recorded with the same musicians that backed him on “Like A Rolling Stone”, namely guitarist Mike Bloomfield (of The Butterfield Blues Band), organist Al Kooper, pianist Paul Griffin, bassist Harvey Brooks and drummer Bobby Gregg, plus a few others. With this album, Dylan’s transformation from folkie to rock star and pop icon was completed. The sound was loud and abrasive, Dylan’s voice sneering and his lyrics truly surreal.
It reached #3 on the US album charts, and #4 in the UK. It is now seen as not only a landmark album in Dylan’s career, but in the wider pop world as a whole.

Bringing It All Back Home (1965) <|> Blonde On Blonde (1966)
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