BOB IS FUNNY! | Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan (Reaction) 

I bought the album "Highway 61 Revisited" in 1965 and I was mesmerized by the sheer genius of every song and 58years later I'm still mesmerized!

Dylan's back-up band... "The Band" was a Canadian-American rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario, in 1967. It consisted of Canadians Rick Danko-bass, Garth Hudson-keyboards, Kazoo (this song), Richard Manuel-keyboards, guitars, violin, Robbie Robertson-guitars, and American Levon Helm - drums, mandolin..... What a serious mix of musical genius they were together.

You knew this one was going to be another brilliant lyrical masterpiece from the wordsmith like no other. I remember the day I heard this song first time. much like your reaction. I am happy to have started your education process with Robert Allen Zimmerman - Bob Dylan.

Bob is an American treasure. He has always spoken out against injustice of all kinds.

Check out Bob Dylans 2000 classic Oscar/Globe winning song - Things Have Changed

Highway 61 runs down through the Mississippi delta and all the towns and cities where Blues Music came from and then moved up to the north with the Black movement to jobs in Detroit and Chicago.

Imagine knowing every word to every song on that album... at 13 years old. Those were life changing events happening often back then.

Good call-out comparing it to Desolation Row. They were both on the same album.

Love it its from a great album

I have had one of those siren whistles for nearly 50 years, it's been fun!😎

JM, you my friend have the Most OUTSTANDING Bob Dylan Playlist of any reactor. Great comments on this song, as usual. Too Cool, again, I just smile, again.

Highway 61 is a real road that goes northeast along the north shore of Lake Superior from Duluth, near where Bob grew up. He didn't have a very positive view of the place, apparently :)

JM, I like your thoughtful, insightful comments to the music I grew up with. 'Scribed, greetings from Canada.

al·le·go·ry noun a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one........ Once again JM.... you nailed it down perfectly.

That a police siren whistle making the whistle sound. The opening part about God asking Abraham to kill his son for him was in the Bible.

The instrument is mentioned in "Desolation Row", "They all play on the penny whistles, you can hear them blow"...We had them when we were growing up in the 50's..

I’m envious of anyone who don’t recognize the sound of a siren. After living most of life in NYC it is too familiar. Even though this one was done with a siren whistle.

The whistle used on Highway 61 is called a "slide whistle" or "siren whistle". Al Kooper, who was quite a trickster, brought it into the session and blew it, unprompted while recording. Everyone was shocked but it was in the tongue in cheek rolicking humor of the song and Dylan left it on the recording.

"Forever Young"... "Knockin On Heavens Door".... "Lay Lady Lay"....should be the next added from The Master Story Teller. Each is distinctively unique as all of Dylan's tunes.

Mid 60s, amphetamine-fueled Dylan was peak creativity

...and the seeds of Punk were sprouted around this time .....

I bought this on cassette in college because it was a classic album. I stopped playing it when I thought I might break the tape from overuse….

Very good reaction and interpretation.

Highway 61 is a real place. Before the Interstate from Duluth to Minneapolis was built, it was the highway you would take. Dylan going from Hibbing HS down to the University of Minnesota would have to take 61 to school. The highway was also his route to New Orleans from Minneapolis.

Ren- Hi Ren….

“When the Curtain Falls”and “Edge of Darkness” Greta Van Fleet PLEASE PLEASE 🙏

Just FYI: The highway 61 Dylan refers to is a real highway--it goes through Duluth (where Dylan was born) and up the north shore of Lake Superior. Dylan is well known for writing allegories--lots of layers of symbolism, like Desolation Row. But there are times when he writes straightforward stuff, too. And frequently other artists did better covers of his songs. Here's a sampling: "Girl From the North Country" (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JncbFS5ek74.html) Dylan doing an early love song he wrote. "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mqCbcOsWLVk.html) Judy Collins covering a Dylan song from the Highway 61 Revisited album. "When I Paint My Masterpiece" (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BYaLUzdyWWI.html) The Band covering a Dylan song about his world tour in 1964. "Tangled Up In Blue" (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QKcNyMBw818.html) Dylan doing a ballad he wrote after his divorce.

"Highway 61 Revisited" God said to Abraham, "kill me a son" Abe say, "man, you must be putting me on" God say, "no", and Abe say, "what?" God say, "you can do what you want Abe, but" "Next time you see me comin', man, you better run" Abe said, "where do you want this killing done?" God said, "out on Highway 61" Georgia Sam, he had a bloody nose Welfare Department they wouldn't give him no clothes He asked poor Howard where can I go Howard said, "man, there's only one place I know" Sam said, "tell me quick, man, I got to run" Ol' Howard just pointed with his gun And said, "that way down on Highway 61" Mack the Finger said to Louie the King "I got forty red white and blue shoe strings" "And a thousand telephones that will not ring" "Tell me, man, where I can get rid of these things" And Louie the King said, "let me think for a minute, son" And he said, "yes, I believe it can be easily done" "Just take everything down to Highway 61" Well, the fifth daughter on the twelfth night Told the first father that things weren't right My complexion she said is much too white He said, "come here and step into the light" He said, "yes, you're right" "I'm gonna tell the second mother this has been done" But the second mother was with the seventh son And they were both out on Highway 61 Now the rovin' gambler, he was very bored He was tryin' to create a next world war He found a promoter who almost fell off the floor He said "I never engaged in this kind of thing before" "But yes, I think it can be very easily done" " 'Cause we'll put some bleachers out in the sun" "And have it on Highway 61" Ah, yeah Out on Highway 61 Yeah, pull over, baby

Kazoo

I couldn't believe my ears the first time I heard the first verse. No sweat. No matter what's been done, how useless it is, or how badly you want it forgotten, just throw it out in highway 61. I'm not sure if it's a fun place or the worst place on earth, kind of like Desolation Row.

Young Man - no clue.