Andy Samberg’s favourite album of all time: “I always come back to that record”
Would Andy Samberg have become an actor if he hadn’t discovered a love for blending comedy and music when he was young?
Music and comedy sometimes work really well together, and whether you’re a fan of it or not, it’s undeniable that there’s a huge market for acts like Flight of the Conchords and Tenacious D. While I’d rather not listen to Jack Black singing about the “best motherfucking song” in the world, that’s just me – you might love it (although, I am judging you).
In the 2000s, we also saw the rise of The Lonely Island, Samberg’s comedy trio. Frequently uploading material to social media when it was still in its infancy, this led the group to land an SNL gig, kickstarting all of their careers. Making several albums and films that tied into their work, The Lonely Island have become beloved over the years, collaborating with artists as diverse as Justin Timberlake (“Take a look inside it’s my dick in a box”) and Julian Casablancas (“A bunch of old people fucking like rabbits/ It was disgusting to say the least”). It’s all very high-brow.
Samberg came out on top, appearing in many popular comedy movies and, of course, landing a leading role in the hit television show Brooklyn Nine-Nine. You might call Samberg somewhat of a polymath, then, with his talents extending across writing, acting, and making music. And while his music might fall into the comedy genre, he’s by no means clueless about music of a more serious variety. In fact, he calls a certain folk artist “my top artist ever.”
Rather unsurprisingly, this iconic folk artist is Bob Dylan. Who doesn’t love the legendary songwriter? He might have a voice that can divide listeners at times (I know I certainly have my moments of finding his voice rather unlistenable), but Dylan certainly knows how to pen a great song – ones that have endured for decades as countless artists have interpreted them for themselves. Only Dylan could write a song that Jimi Hendrix could then turn into an electric guitar masterclass. What’s his secret? That’s something he keeps locked away somewhere mythical, out of reach.
Samberg has a personal favourite album of Dylan’s, no matter how much older he gets or how much his life changes – it’s always a constant for him. “Blood on the Tracks is the best — every phase of my life that I go through, every time I come back to that record, it has a new kind of meaning to me,” he told Rolling Stone.
Released in 1975, the album contains classics like ‘Tangled Up in Blue’ and ‘If You See Her, Say Hello’. While critics didn’t unanimously praise the record when it first came out, it has since been regarded as one of Dylan’s finest works – an often painful account of his divorce that truly sums up the myriad feelings that come with a serious relationship reaching its final curtain close.
Samberg’s music as part of The Lonely Island might not sound remotely like Dylan, but that doesn’t mean he can’t appreciate some classic folk written straight from the heart. Dylan certainly doesn’t have any lyrics that go “you’re rolling up in the party with one titty out,” but sometimes you need a break from the kinds of words designed to have 12-year-old boys in stitches, and Blood on the Tracks is a well-needed form of emotional release that Samberg revisits time and time again.
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