15. Before the Flood

And on we go.

I write something directly after the first listening of Before the Flood - as if I have been to a live concert by Dylan. Because this is a live CD.

I knew all the songs sung by Dylan. And many of the songs sung by The Band. It felt as if I was, indeed, witnessing a live concert on the basis of listening to his LPs for years; a concert with The Band, more than just a backing band but relatively unknown to me.

The recognition of his songs, of which some are played very differently live. The energy - maybe too much energy, sometimes. The consistency in all of it. Especially 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door' was an experience - but all of it was great.

I guess I will do repeated listening, by which it becomes a CD rather than the once-in-a-lifetime experience of the live concert. But then again: each hearing of a CD is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, inni'?

14. Planet Waves

Different. Very different.

I know it's The Band playing.
I know it's all Dylan songs.

It's an album I can listen to again and again. 'Forever Young' - the wish we would speak to any child. The out-of-tune guitar at 'Dirge' - and again: who cares?

The great images and sentences. "Twilight on a frozen lake" - yes, I immediately know what that is about. For me, that is.

We'll see what happens over time. For me, it seems to be somewhat comparable to 'New Morning' - a pleasure to listen to.

13. Dylan

I've been listening occasionally to this one. Hard to write about it. I notice myself occasionally humming 'Saroh Jane' and wondering why he pronounces it not as 'Sarah Jane'. I kind of like the folksy atmosphere of such songs as 'The Ballad of Ira Hayes' (the 'come all ye...'-feeling) and 'Mary Ann'.

I love the background choirs - they seem to refer, to me, to the upcoming religious period I am looking forward so much to listen to.

I am glad he has found back his 'normal' abnormal voice - but not on 'A Fool Such As I'; which I do not really get into contact with. And the final song, 'The Spanish Tongue', still feels outright ridiculous to me - which then again leads to admiration for the guy who includes it in his repertoire, regardless.