“A different kind of magic”: What is Bob Dylan’s favourite Bob Dylan song?
Bob Dylan remains an elusive poet. The man is shrouded in mystery, but creeping through the cracks of that mystery are some of the greatest songs ever committed to sound. His use of melody is enticing, and his lyrics reveal an honest reflection of the world and human emotions. His career spans decades, and his genius remains consistent throughout the time. It begs the question, out of everything he’s ever written, does Bob Dylan have a favourite song of his?
The majesty of Bob Dylan is something which is recognised by artists across all of music. One of his musical counterparts, Leonard Cohen, was asked what he thought about Bob Dylan being the first artist to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, and he replied rather candidly, saying it was “Like pinning a medal on Mount Everest for being the highest mountain.”
It’s unsurprising that a man with such beautiful lyrics has been covered multiple times by a variety of different artists. What’s interesting about the covers of his songs is that they show us how much his opinions towards his songs can change. Dylan might have written the songs and subsequently feels pride towards them; however, when he hears other people play them, they give him a new outlook on the track.
For instance, when he heard Bruce Springsteen’s version of ‘Knocking On Heavens Door’, it made him feel nostalgic for the first time. “He did that song like the record, something I myself have never tried. I never even thought it was worth it,” he said, “Maybe never had the manpower in one band to pull it off. I don’t know, but I never thought about it. To tell you the truth, I’d forgotten how the song ought to go.”
He continued. “I’m not a nostalgic person, but for a second there it all came back, Peckinpah, Slim Pickens, Katy Jurado, James Coburn, the dusty lawless streets of Durango, my first wife, my kids when they were small. For a second it all came back … it was that powerful.”
Dylan was also incredibly moved by Jimi Hendrix’s cover of ‘All Along The Watchtower’, to the point that he changed how he played it live to be more in line with Hendrix’s version. “I liked Jimi Hendrix’s record of this, and ever since he died, I’ve been doing it that way,” said Dylan, “Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it’s a tribute to him in some kind of way.”
It’s important to understand Dylan’s opinion on these covers because they reflect his attitude towards his music as a whole. His attitude towards his songs isn’t stagnant; it’s something that shifts, whether that’s because of someone else’s interpretation of the song or because he has changed as a person, he doesn’t have a definitive opinion on his songs, and therefore, he simply can’t pick a favourite.
Dylan has never been one to elaborate on songs that he liked, and given his unwavering nature towards them, it’s unlikely you’ll ever get a definitive answer about which is his favourite. However, it is worth noting that one of his tracks, which he has spoken very highly of in the past, is ‘It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)’.
During an interview, he quoted some of the lyrics serenely, highlighting the beauty that he hears in every single word: “Darkness at the break of noon, shadows even the silver spoon, the handmade blade, the child’s balloon.”
Speaking of the song, he said, “Well, try to sit down and write something like that […] There’s a magic to that and it’s not Siegfried & Roy kinda magic, it’s a different kind of penetrating magic and I did it at one time.”
He also said that he doesn’t believe he will ever be able to write a song of such quality again. “You can’t do something forever and I did it once,” he said, “I can do other things now but I can’t do that.”
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