Self Portrait remains an enigmatic release even for Bob Dylan. While it covers a lot of ground, it ultimately collapses upon itself and remains one of the strangest and weakest albums of Bob Dylan’s career.
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"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
Article comments
1 - Dude Skoodle
Its a great album. The article is superficial
2 - JC Mosquito
It's a superficial album. The article is great.
3 - peter van de kerk
i still remember the New Musical Express review:
they should give those Dylan intellectuals a field day or hammer them into silence for good.
Forget it's Dylan - nothing special, but it's very pleasant to listen to, despite some awful versions of good songs.
4 - Alecko
Morning Rain and Belleisle are two tracks which at age 57 I find myself singing all the time.I bought the album when it came out.
5 - Alias
Days of 49...?
6 - Chris Gregory
Who's gonna throw that Minstrel Boy a coin?
Who's gonna let it roll?
Who's gonna throw that Minstrel Boy a coin?
Who's gonna let it dowen easy to save his soul?
Self Portrait is the birth of Americana!
It's the first postmodern country album!
Amnd yes this is a terribly superficial review....
Dear reviewer.... go back and listen to the brilliant MINSTREL BOY from the wonderful Isle of Wight performance. Don't you understand what Dylan's trying to say???
Have you tried???
Or the 2 takes of 'Alberta' which bookend the album like a symphony
Or the great version of the trad 'Days of 49'
Or the sheer outrageousness of Dylan doing 'I've Forgotten More Than You'll Ever Know' and 'Blue Moon'
It's wonderful!
Or his versions of 'Let It Be Me' and 'Take A Message To Mary' 2 Everly Brothers songs
Or the 'Nashville Skyline Dylan' battling it out with the 'old Dylan' on Paul Simon's great song of inner struggle 'The Boxer'
SELF PORTRAIT has great musicians, great performances .... you need to listen to it as a whole to really get it.... it's a symphony of Americana...
It's also a brilliant self deprecating statement about 'personality', 'stardom' and individuality...
Check out the cover!
Dylan is saying that these songs, this heritage is the REAL him...
He's challenging his audience by putting it out in an 'unhip' (at the time) way... stripping off the mask of the 'Bob Dylan voice'...
Whew! I could go on (and on)
But I won't ...
Just go back and listen to it ALL... soak it all up...
7 - bill
chris gregory!!...amen brother!!! i stopped caring long ago whether anyone GOT this album...
Bob Dylan is not in the category of Rock n Roller
I dont know where he fits or if he fits at all but he is wonderful and he makes wonderful music!
8 - matthew
this is quite clearly one of dylans best albums. people just dislike it because its not what they want from him.
the majority of the songs are great on the album, the rest are good.
livin the blues, let it be me, ive forgotten more, take a message to mary, all the tired horses, belle isle, early morning rain, alberta (both 1 & 2), woogie boogie and even wigwam are all amazing songs.
^thats the majority of the album therefore a great album.
9 - Joseph
Just found the album in our used book store
what a find what a great album thank you Bob
10 - miss_modal
I have always loved this album; I just listened to it actually.
Days of '49; Copper Kettle; Quinn the Eskimo; She Belongs to Me; The Boxer (heard this version before simon and garfunkel's and I just love the style); Little Sadie; take a message to Mary; Minstrel Boy.... and on and on.
I never quite understood the hostility to this album.
Maybe its not his best, but that's pretty stiff company!
11 - John
this album literally saved my life!
12 - Shamus
I can understand how people waiting for the next masterpiece in 1970 would have been disappointed, but 42 years later this is some fascinating music. One of my favourites right now (not of Dylan's but of recordings I'm listening to).