Music
27 May 22

On this day in 1963: Bob Dylan released The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

On this day in 1963: Bob Dylan released <i>The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan</i>

59 years ago today, Bob Dylan released his iconic second studio album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. The album peaked at No.22 in the US (though eventually went platinum), and reached No.1 in the UK in 1965. In 2002, it was selected by the Library of Congress as one of the first recordings to be added to the National Recording Registry – which is made up of recordings deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States..."

Though it would be a while before the purist folk fascists lost patience, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan already hinted at Dylan's move away from political commentary towards soul-searching introspection.

Of course, ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’, ‘Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall’ and ‘Masters Of War’ became instant protest anthems...

...but the real revelations were elsewhere. The windswept ‘Girl From The North Country’ (subsequently the subject of a duet between Dylan and Johnny Cash), ‘Corrina, Corrina’ and ‘Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right’, established him conclusively as the most defiantly romantic songwriter yet to stalk the earth. And this was just the starter course.