When Adele became popular a couple of years ago I couldn’t stop listening to ‘To Make You Feel My Love’. It was my favourite song to come out in years, though when I listened to the album in which it features (19) I was disappointed to find that most of the other tracks on the record weren’t exactly to my taste. After doing a bit of research I discovered that Bob Dylan wrote the song and originally released it on his 1997 album Time Out of Mind; a discovery I made during the start of my Bob Dylan phase last summer (which I haven’t and don’t think ever will grow out of). As much as this fact surprised me at first, it made sense that I loved that particular song as it was written by an artist I’m drawn to like few others, even if I didn’t know it at the time.
Tonight I’m staying at my dad’s house, and I’ve been hanging out in the room where he keeps a collection of records which he’s been building up for over fifty years. After looking for something to listen to I decided to try the Bob Dylan compilation Biograph; a three disc set of his most prominent songs as well as rare and unreleased recordings. Track three of the first disc contains this track ‘If Not For You’. I’ve been listening to this song on George Harrison’s album All Things Must Pass since I can remember as I grew up listening to my dad playing Beatles records, as well as the solo records by the Beatles members, and I’ve always been hypnotised by it’s almost transcendental beauty even as a kid. As I was listening to Dylan’s version tonight I was reflecting on how amazing it must feel to have Dylan cover one of your songs, as I assumed Dylan had covered George Harrison in performing ‘If Not For You’. As I was listening to the song I flicked through the accompanying booklet of Biograph, looked at the credits of the song and – what do you know? – it was written by Bob Dylan and originally released on his 1970 album New Morning.
So Bob Dylan had written two of my favourite songs and I didn’t even realise it until years later. Not only does this serve as a testament to how Godlike he is as a songwriter, but discovering these nuggets of magic as you go through his discography underlines the fact that his music isn’t just a listening experience; it’s a fucking journey.
(Source: Spotify)
