Dylan Top 20 albums: an alternative view

Thanks to Matthew Caley:

“I’m utterly astonished that The Basement Tapes [never mind Good As I Been to You or World Gone Wrong] didn't make the Top 20! I would have thought it would be vying for single greatest album with Blood On The Tracks and Blonde On Blonde...[ and there needs to be an official release of an expanded Basement Tapes with Sign Of The Cross and I'm Not There and much more besides... then it'd have to be vying for No 1.]

“Just as there needs to be a full concert from the Hard Rain LP/film - just for the version of Idiot Wind alone that'd have to be in any Top 20.

“Just as there needs to be a proper {double at least] live album from the first Gospel Concerts [one was rumoured, then withdrawn] featuring Slow Train Coming and Saved material done in inflammatory style plus 'raps'...

“Good As I Been To You/World Gone Wrong may be made up of covers but we all know that Dylan brilliantly blurs the line between covers and originals. These albums are two of his most significant, not least because they opened up the way to the current renaissance.

“Purely because lists are there to generate debate - and because the already listed 'greats' are played to death by any self-respecting Dylan appreciator – my alternative Top Six albums would be:

1] The Basement Tapes
2] Hard Rain
3] Good As I Been To You
4] Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid
5] Live Gospel period album
6] Bob Dylan
6] World Gone Wrong.”


(All other alternative lists welcomed – Gerry Smith).