Lyrics 1961-2012. A beautiful, comprehensive volume of Dylan’s lyrics, from the beginning of his career through the present day-with the songwriter’s edits to dozens of songs, appearing here for the first time.

1. Blonde On Blonde Album Cover

Blonde on Blonde is the seventh studio album of legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released sometime between May and July 1966 through Columbia Records. It was supported by the singles “Just Like a Woman”/“Obviously 5 Believers”, “I Want You”, “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35”/“Pledging My Time”, “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat”/“Most Likely You Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine” and “One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)”. One of the first double LPs by a major artist, the record is the final installment of his rock album trilogy of the 1960s.

As the successor to arguably the magnum opus of Dylan’s discography Highway 61 Revisited, the recording process for Blonde on Blondebegan in New York during October 1965. The songs “One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)”, “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat”, “Visions of Johanna” and “Temporary Like Achilles” were conceived here, although only “One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)” made the final cut.

Dylan became unhappy with the lack of progress, so he moved to Nashville under producer Bob Johnston’s recommendation and finished the album with local musicians, which had a notable influence on its sound. As Dylan claimed in a 1978 Playboy interview:

The closest I ever got to the sound I hear in my mind was on individual bands in the Blonde on Blonde album. It’s that thin, that wild mercury sound. It’s metallic and bright gold, with whatever that conjures up. That’s my particular sound. I haven’t been able to succeed in getting it all the time.

Blonde On Blonde Album Cover

Acclaimed since its release, Blonde on Blonde has been consistently ranked as one of the greatest albums of all time. It was listed as #9 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2012, although another article by the publication called it “Dylan’s greatest masterpiece” (Highway 61 Revisited was listed at #4). TIME Magazineincluded it in its ALL-TIME 100 Albums list, and it was featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.