The most influential artist in popular culture!
Bob Dylan has been covered and copied by almost everyone who’s attempted to write a song. Some even say he invented modern songwriting.
His influence is so great it’s difficult to find an artist post-1960 who has not been heavily influenced by Bob Dylan, directly or indirectly.
His classics include a huge selection of songs, making it impossible to pick a handful to sum him up so let’s start from the beginning.
In the beginning, it was mostly covers, traditional songs, and rewrites. Bob’s first album, simply named Bob Dylan came out in 1962. Here we find Song For Woody, an original composition about his own songwriting hero Woody Guthrie. Two traditional folk songs stand out in Man Of Constant Sorrow and beginner guitar classic, House Of The Rising Sun.
Next year, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan drops with Blowin’ In The Wind, Girl From The North Country, Masters Of War, A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall, as well as the fantastic Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right.
After Peter, Paul and Mary covered Blowin’ In The Wind, the world discovered Bob and he quickly rose to fame.
1964, and another Bob Dylan album in The Times They Are A-Changin’. Only the title track became legendary here and even though it is listed as a Dylan tune, it’s heavily influenced by the traditional Celtic folk song Come All Ye Bold Highway Men. This is a good tip for the budding songwriter, start with rewriting, and don’t be afraid to copy. Songwriting is a craft, you need a great work ethic!
The same year (1964), Bob released Another Side Of Bob Dylan, best tune here is It Ain’t Me Babe.
By 1965, he really gets going releasing a string of albums with classic tunes until 1970 including Subterranean Homesick Blues, Maggie’s Farm, Mr. Tambourine Man (famously covered by The Byrds), It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding), It’s All Over Now Baby Blue, Like A Rolling Stone, Highway 61 Revisited, Rainy Day Women #12 & #35, I Want You, Just Like A Woman, All Along The Watchtower (famously covered by Jimi Hendrix), I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight, and Lay Lady Lay.
To most, 1965-1969 is the golden years of Bob Dylan. To some, there’s still plenty to come!
Bob Dylan post the ’60s
The ’70s saw tunes such as If Not For You, Knocking On Heaven’s Door (famously covered by Guns N’ Roses), Tangled Up In Blue, Idiot Wind, Shelter From The Storm, Hurricane, and One More Cup Of Coffee.
The ’80s is Bob’s weakest decade. It started with a born-again Christian phase, a terrible-sounding album in Infidels that had one great tune on it, Jokerman, unfortunately, lost in awful production. The decade finished with a cool blues format tune that summarised his ’80s recordings, the perfectly named: Everything Is Broken.
The ’90s weren’t much better, up til 1997 when Bob released, in my opinion, his ultimate masterpiece Time Out Of Mind. This is the first time he gets songwriting, and production bang on. Daniel Lanois produced Bob’s, by far, best-sounding record. Some fantastic tunes here in Not Dark Yet, Tryin’ to Get to Heaven, Cold Irons Bound, and Make You Feel My Love. Adele covered the latter with great success. Another 449 artists tried.
Unfortunately, even though Bob has released several albums since no significant tunes have appeared. That incredible sound he managed on Time Out Of Mind never happened again either.
His long and strange career has often seen other bands release his tunes, and if they haven’t, they’ve all been influenced by the most influential artist in popular culture, Mr. Bob Dylan.
One final tune Dylan wrote worth a mention is Wagon Wheel, this one he penned around the same time as Knocking On Heaven’s Door but decided to not even record it.
Ketch Secor found it on a bootleg demo and finished it by writing the verses, several artists then had a hit with it, including Nathan Carter and Darius Rucker. These days it’s a country standard.
If you are an aspiring songwriter, there is nobody better to learn from, ask any high-profile artist and they’ll tell you; Bob Dylan is the master.
If you want to find out more about Bob Dylan’s incomparable career, there are numerous books written about him, perhaps the best guide is found at the website Bob Dylan Come Writers and critics.
Bob Dylan Tunes | Related Pages
Blowin’ In The Wind
You can learn how to play Blowin’ In The Wind by Bob Dylan using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| G C G/B | D/A D G | G C G/B | G |
How many years can a mountain exist, before it’s washed to the sea…
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
Learn how to play Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right by Bob Dylan using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, TAB, and the original recording.
| C C/G G G7 | Am7 Am/G |
Well, it ain’t no use to sit and wonder why, babe…
End Of The Line
You can learn how to play End Of The Line by the Traveling Wilburys using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, TAB, and the original recording.
| D D/A | D | D A | G |
Well, it’s alright, ridin’ around in the breeze…
House Of The Rising Sun
You can learn how to play House Of The Rising Sun by The Animals using chords, lyrics, TAB, chord analysis, and the original recording.
| Am | C | D | F |
There is a house in New Orleans…
Knocking On Heaven’s Door
You can learn how to play Knocking On Heaven’s Door by Bob Dylan using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, TAB, and the original recording.
| G D/F# | Am Am7 |
Mama take this badge off of me…
Like A Rolling Stone
You can learn how to play Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, and the original recording.
| C Dm |
Once upon a time you dressed so fine…
Make You Feel My Love
You can learn how to play Make You Feel My Love by Bob Dylan (and Adele) using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, and the original recordings.
| Bb | F/A |
When the rain is blowing in your face…
Mr. Tambourine Man
You can learn how to play Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, and the original recording.
| G/B A | D G/B |
Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me…
One More Cup Of Coffee
You can learn how to play One More Cup Of Coffee by Bob Dylan using chords, lyrics, TAB, chord analysis, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Am | G |
Your breath is sweet, your eyes are like two jewels in the sky…
Wagon Wheel
You can learn how to play Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, TAB, and the original recording.
| G | (Dsus2) D | Em | (Csus2) C Csus2 |
So, rock me mama like a wagon wheel, rock me mama any way you feel…
Bob Dylan on the web
Artists & Bands
Behind every single tune you learn, there’s an artist or band with an entire catalogue of music, waiting to be discovered.
Find out more about these great Artists & Bands, and let their tunes guide you to success.
About me | Dan Lundholm
This was an article about Bob Dylan tunes, by Dan Lundholm. Discover more about him and learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not practising scales, and studying theory in isolation.
