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THE REVIEW
"What is this crap?", said "Rolling Stone" magazine when this album was released. There was some truth to that statement.
Dylan himself would admit that "Self Portrait" is an album made to confuse his fans who idolized him. "Nashville Skyline" wasn't enough. So why, then, is there something good in this so-so album, and why are there more sessions for this album than for any other of Dylan's?
"Self Portrait" is a mystery. Dylan uses both the nasal voice from "Highway 61" and the crooner voice from "Nashville Skyline"; on "The Boxer", by Paul Simon, he uses both.
An album made mostly of covers, lacking inspiration. The first official release of "The Mighty Quinn", in an unconvincing version, a couple more tracks aren't bad. The rest is barely noteworthy, except for the ghastly "In Search Of Little Sadie", the unbearable "Wigwam", and other truly unworthy tracks, it's not unlistenable but it's not a good album. It's funny, or ridiculous, take your pick. Just quote this post from rec.music.dylan, the newsgroup: "I picked up 'Self Portrait' this morning. 11.99 dollars and 74 minutes of my life that I'll never get back"
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It's a difficult album to review: I'm awaiting comments, hoping that someone has some hypothesis regarding this mysterious LP. I don't completely trust the Dylan who said it was a big kick in the ass to all the fans (how can you trust Dylan? He also said that "Masters Of War" wasn't anti-war, tsk tsk).
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Summary by Bot
Bob Dylan's Self Portrait is a puzzling and mostly uninspired album that confused fans upon release. Featuring many covers and mixed vocal styles, it failed to impress critics or listeners. While a few tracks like The Mighty Quinn stand out, much of it feels unconvincing or even unbearable. The album remains a mystery about Dylan's artistic intentions.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
03 I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know (02:22)
04 Days of 49 (05:27)
05 Early Mornin' Rain (03:34)
06 In Search of Little Sadie (02:27)
07 Let It Be Me (03:00)
08 Little Sadie (02:00)
11 Living the Blues (02:42)
12 Like a Rolling Stone (live) (05:18)
14 Gotta Travel On (03:08)
15 Blue Moon (02:29)
16 The Boxer (02:48)
17 Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) (live) (02:48)
18 Take Me as I Am (or Let Me Go) (03:03)
19 Take a Message to Mary (02:46)
20 It Hurts Me Too (03:15)
21 Minstrel Boy (live) (03:32)
22 She Belongs to Me (live) (02:43)
24 Alberta #2 (03:14)
Bob Dylan
American singer-songwriter Robert Allen Zimmerman, known as Bob Dylan, is a major figure in 20th-century popular music, noted for pioneering songwriting and continual reinvention across folk, rock, country and blues.127 Reviews
Other reviews
By Almotasim
Instead of trying to pass, once more, through the narrow gate of artistic creation, he chooses another path: sarcasm and distraction.
A joke, a quarrel? Or an enigma? Not a poet, not a bard, not a prophet, not a revolutionary, not a utopian. What Dylan is this?
By DBMsonic1
An album that surprised fans and critics alike with its unconventional approach.
Dylan's willingness to challenge his audience is evident throughout.
