The sun isn't yellow, it's chicken...

Bob Dylan is the ultimate adult music. Why? Show me a child who likes Dylan’s recordings and I’ll show you a freak of nature. If you asked me when I was young what was the worst singer, in a heartbeat I’d give his name. Of course, I didn’t have that much exposure to him at the time, so I was mostly basing my bias on his whining tone of “Just Like A Woman”. Now that I’m scraping 40, I’ve come to appreciate the bard. And the release of the movie I’m Not There prompted me to dig out the initial big-name boxset that was ever released, Dylan’s Biograph. Originally released in 1985, this now 3-CD collection paved the road that many, many box-set compilations followed its recipe of hits, cult favorites and rarities. And while Biograph doesn’t contain as much meat as the new 3-disc Dylan “best-of”, it succeeds in giving a rounder picture of Dylan the performer as well as the artist.

However, the collection betrays its age most by two reasons – obviously coming too early to capture Dylan’s renaissance in the 2000’s, and by going by midlife myopia and putting “Lay Lady Lay” as the first track. The most un-Dylan of Dylan songs performance-wise, this song him crooning in a smooth baritone to make this his most “accessible” if not more slighter compositions. Interspersed on this disc are classic earlier tracks like the quietly powerful “The Times They Are A-Changin’” and “Blowin’ In The Wind” serving as a counterpoint to the vitriolic “Masters Of War” (which is so totally valid in this age of elitist Bushism) and “Subterranean Homesick Blues” (better known as the one with the video where he has cue cards). There are album nuggets like the poor family strife of “Tombstone Blues” as well as the CSI narrative of “The Death Of Hattie Carroll”. But the centerpiece of Biograph resides here: the cornerstone of Dylan’s work – “Like A Rolling Stone”. That song encapsulates Dylan at his best, with his acetic voice used in one of his more personal songs.

Speaking of personal, the two most essential songs on disc two are ruminations about relationships, though coming from two separate standpoints (and artistic periods). “Positively 4^th Street” is cutting though still 60’s jangly, while “Tangled Up In Blue” presents Dylan at his most skeptic. His influence on pop music of the time is represented by songs made more popular to the general public through others, either by the faithful (The Byrds with “Mr. Tambourine Man”), the eclectic (the Turtles with “It Ain’t Me, Babe), or the silly (Manfred Mann with “Quinn The Eskimo”). The first two are interesting first-takes (and “Tambourine” is one of the highlights of his Bringing It All Back Home album), while the third belies Dylan’s regard to the inane song, in the liner notes not even knowing where the character was doing in the story). Other notable songs on here are a live version of “Visions Of Johanna” from Blonde On Blonde, the rueful “Abandonned Love”, and the single release “Can You Please Walk Out Your Window”. Inexplicably a snippet called “Jet Pilot” is tacked on to the end with the explanation that is was a prehistoric version of “Tombstone Blues”, but it seems to be 50 seconds about a transsexual. Huh?

The final disc is weighted more to Dylan’s later (now mid-career) work, with Blonde On Blonde singles “I Want You” (which I love) to the aforementioned “Just Like A Woman”, which I still am not crazy about, though not of the loathing state of my younger years, but rather the distaste of the realistic misogyny in the lilting lyric. Having songs like “Gotta Serve Somebody”, “I Believe In You”, and “Solid Rock” signify Dylan’s “born-again” phase put that period in a better light than listening to albums of songs worth of spiritual preachiness, while the classic track “Knocking On Heaven’s Door” would have been possibly a better closer than a rough demo of “Forever Young”.

The bonus of having demos and unreleased songs on Biograph is a feeling of intimacy where the creative process is being observed, and what songs are revealed that wouldn’t “fit” on a particular album. The live tracks pep up the collection and prove the Dylan had the knack to choose backup that would compensate for his singing strength. And while “All Along The Watchtower” may not rival Hendrix’s, it allows a peek into the lyrical pace of the song apart from the guitar pyrotechnics.

By all means, if you’re a “newbie” seeking a first-time experience with Dylan’s work, I’d probably now say to shell out first for the 3-CD Dylan package from this year (2007). But once you’re in, Biograph is an excellent next step to get an overview on his persona before you can tackle his individual albums. There’s enough rare stuff for aficionados, but not totally off-putting to the casual listener.

Grade: B-
Best Cuts: “The Times They Are A-Changing”, “Blowin’ In The Wind”, “Masters Of War”, “Like A Rolling Stone”, “Mr. Tamborine Man”, “Tangled Up In Blue”, “Positively 4^th Street”, “I Want You”, “Knocking On Heaven’s Door”
Weakest Links: “Quinn The Eskimo”, “Jet Pilot”, “Caribbean Wind”

Biograph hit #33 on the US albums chart.
"Lay Lady Lay" hit #7 in the US, and #5 in the UK.
"The Times They Are A-Changin'" hit #9 in the UK.
"On A Night Like This" made #44 in the US.
"Gotta Serve Somebody" made #24 US Singles.
"Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window" made #58 US singles, and #17 in the UK.
"Most Likely You Go Your Way" hit #66 US singles.
"Knockin' On Heaven's Door" hit #12 US singles, #5 adult contemporary, and #14 in the UK.
"Positively 4th Street" hit #7 US singles, and #8 in the UK.

Listen: "Up To Me" [click here to listen]

Buy: You can pick up a copy of Biograph at sites like here and here.

And now for some clips...I knew the first one's gotta be for "Subterranean Homesick Blues". Kiddies, he did not rip off INXS..