I never planned three of these in a row. I would have guessed I had 10; turns out it is near 40. Greatest hits records are a good value for filling in a collection, but they aren’t really albums; they are like streaming—commerce, really.
Bob Dylan had many great hits. Ten on this record, plus 30 more compilations not including all the boxed sets of bootlegs playing with the Band when Dylan went electric. He has more greatest hits records than most band had hits.
Five on this record are great hits: Rainy Day Women #12 (first hashtag!) & 35, It Ain’t Me Babe, I Want You, Positively 4th Street, and Just Like a Woman.
Four are immortal: Blowin’ in the Wind, The Times They Are A-Changin’, Like a Rolling Stone, and Subterranean Homesick Blues (proto rap).
And one is perfect, I realized while playing it this time: Mr. Tambourine Man. The other songs on that list are short: The Letter, by The Box Tops, 1:58 and I Got a Line on You, by Spirit, 2:37. Dylan maintained perfection (the way I heard it) for 5:32. I hope I go out with one hand waving free, forgetting about today until tomorrow.
converselyspeaking 