Customer Rating:  
Summary: A Dylan Classic
Comment: Blonde on Blonde was the first Bob Dylan album I listened to, after hearing him many times on the local rock radio station (less and less frequently as time went on). Wanting to hear more of him than what I was exposed to, and curious about his work, I picked up this excellent cd. I think many fans will give you many other recommendations as far as where to start your listening, but this could be considerered one good place to begin your journey as well.
The highlights of this cd are "Visions of Johana", "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again", "Just Like a Woman", and the closer "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands". Bob's talky kind of vocals fit well into this sort of bluesy/rocky/progressive country style of music. I particularly like the abstractness of his lyrics.
One final comment, don't mistake it, the opening track "Rainy Day Women #12 & #35" is actually that enchanting tune "Everybody Must Get Stoned". I laughed when I put the cd on for the first time, because I would not have know it by the title, but I recognized it right away. Ah well.
I give this cd 4 stars mainly because although the entire cd is great, it does tend to slow down a bit between tracks 10-13. But other than that it's a great listen.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Embarrassingly rich......
Comment: Much has been said, written, and analysed about this record. There are probably 100 page essays on it somewhere. I don't feel like writing 100 pages, so I'll just write this.
Originally a 2LP set when released in 1966, Dylan somehow topped Highway 61 Revisited with this. Many make hay of the classic songs here (and there are many) like Rainy Day Women #12 and #35 (I prefer #12 myself), I Want You, Just Like a Woman, and Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. But the album has tons of underrated gems from Dylan. The blues song Pledging My Time is fantastic. It's loose, angry, and even a bit avant garde (it has a very cool harmonica solo). Visions of Johanna is one of Dylan's most beautiful songs, with incredible lyrics worthy of a Dali painting. Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again has great lyrics that I wish would go on forever. Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat is another great blues number. Temporary Like Achilles and Fourth Time Around are beautiful and beguiling. Absolutely Sweet Marie is a great rocker, and one Dylan does a lot in concert. I adore Obviously Five Believers, the penultimate song on the album. The epic Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands (written for Dylan's wife Sara) is one of his most tender, moving songs.
This album is, quite frankly, an embarrassment of riches. There's so much in it that you can listen to it anytime, anywhere, and no matter how often it spins on your turntable, 8 track, grammophone, CD player, computer, Ipod, or mp3 player, you will always get something from it. Thank you and rock on....
Customer Rating:
Summary: It's Metallic and Bright Gold, that Thin Wild Mercury Music is
Comment: According to Bob Dylan, this record, "Blonde on Blonde" is the closet he's ever come to capturing that sound he hears in his head. "That wild mercury sound. It's metallic and bright gold, with whatever that conjures up." To me the sound is very similar to the outstanding Highway 61 Revisited and like that hallowed album, "Blonde on Blonde" is considered by anybody who is somebody in the music business as one of the best records of all time.
The album opens with a rockin' "Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35" that grabs straight for your soul and it doesn't let go till the close of "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands." Back in the day this was released as a double record. It was the first, I believe, double rock and roll record. After Dylan many others, most notably the Beatles with the White Album and the Rolling Stones with Exile on Main St. would follow suit. Dylan broke many molds in his career and this album is an example of that. Just plain good music, that's what you'll find here. I can't say enough good about "Blonde on Blonde." It's true, that thin, wild Mercury Music is Bright and Gold.
Ken Douglas, author of Dead Ringer, Desperation Moon & Running Scared.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Classic Dylan!
Comment: The first time I heard "Everybody must get stoned," from "Rainy Day Women # 12 & # 35," I was at Lardano's Pizzeria in Peoria, Illinois, while attending Bradley University, having a pizza (what else?). And I thought it was a weird and nutty song. Later, as I aged, I came to see it as a great Bob Dylan song ("I was so much older then; I'm younger than that now"). Just so, the album on which this song was located, "Blonde on Blonde." Then, I saw it as a rather strange album. Now? A classic! Part of a great run of Dylan albums, reflecting dramatic changes in his art, among which were "The Times They Are A-Changin'," "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan," "Subterranean Homesick Blues," and "Highway 61 Revisited" (perhaps one of the five best rock and roll albums ever made??). And then comes "Blonde on Blonde."
Some of the songs--"Rainy Day Women # 12 & # 35," "Pledging My Times," "Visions of Johanna," "One of Us Must Know," "I Want You," "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues again," "Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat," "Just Like a Woman," "Most Likely You Go Your Way and I Go Mine," "Temporary like Achilles," "Absolutely Sweet Marie," "4th Time Around," "Obviously 5 Believers," and "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands." Wow! What a lineup! These songs really cover a lot of territory and vary greatly.
Of course, there is the jangly, effervescent "Rainy Day Women. . . ." Boy, did this grow on me. One lesson: They stone you all the time! "Visions of Johanna" is an elegiac song, poignant, very different from "Rainy Day Women. . . ." "One of Us Must Know" and "I Want You" are very personal songs, filled with emotion. One of my personal favorites from this work, "Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat" is a wicked pleasure! It is sung with a smile (at least that's my sense) and is most witty. Listen to this and enjoy!
"Just like a Woman" is another sensitively sung and poignant tune. "Most Likely You Go Your Way and I Go Mine" is a song that many couples must resonate to, as things go sour. The album closes out with the wonderful "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands."
This is a great work of rock and roll. Dylan's best? I don't think so. But pretty doggone good indeed!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Blonde On Blonde
Comment: Bob Dylan-Blonde On Blonde *****
Now through his career Bob Dylan has made at least 7 of the greatest albums of all time. Four of those albums are easily in the top forty of all time. Those four being Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde On Blonde, and Blood On The Tracks. Now all four are amazing but it is rarely disputed that Highway 61 Revisited is his best but for my money the only other that even comes close to 61 is Blonde On Blonde. BIABH was great, revolutionary infact, and Blood On The Tracks may be the saddest break up album of all time, but Blonde is better. The lyrical imagry is absolutly out of this world. Both socialy concious and political on tracks like 'Rainy Day Women #12 & 35' and just with out words to discribe on tracks like 'Visions Of Johanna.' The musicianship is without flaw as well. Thats not to say there is not flaws because Dylan and his bands are known for that, but the flaws are what make the album more honest and genuine.
Originaly released as a double album but ment to be a single album until the night before it's due date Dylan postponed because he had numerous other songs he had just written. 'Rainy Day Women #12 & 35' and the incredible subtly sexest yet not quite, 'Just Like A Women' which was sort of ment to be a love song, both went on to become decent hits for Dylan. Other songs like 'Visions' 'Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again' Leopard-Skin Pill Box Hat' 'Temporary Like Achilles' and 'Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands' have all gone on to be Dylan classics and concidered some of his very, very best songs even though they were not hit singles. Henry Rollins has even been qouted as saying that 'Visions' is his all time favorite song. That is saying something! 'Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat' may just be the greatest song ever on the subject of class. Untouchable. And 'Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again' is easily the best song here. His all time second best only behind 'Ballad Of A Thin Man.' With lyrics that evoke memories of the beat authors like Kerouack and Burroughs. Amazingly simple guitar playing is complamented by the subtle use of an organ. '...Mobile...' must be heard to appreciate.
It's criminal not to own Blonde On Blonde. A collection of music without Blonde On Blonde...? Well thats no collection at all.
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