In Defence of "Self Portrait"

“What is this shit?”

Greil Marcus would later take back his comments on Bob Dylan’s album “Self Portrait” in the future, acknowledging its important in the realm of Bob Dylan’s narrative because we all know, it is not a linear narrative at all. Bob Dylan has never been known to do the same thing over and over again. For example: when we look at the gospel era, it is followed by albums such as “Infidels” and “Empire Burlesque” which are nothing like the gospel era albums at all. After the acoustic folk albums, we get electric folk rock, again a progression but not in any way the same thing. After “Love And Theft” we seem to get some jazz covers for some time before Dylan returns to folk in “Tempest” over ten years’ later. So, we can understand why Bob Dylan would make “Self Portrait” if we are already familiar with the Bob Dylan discography. But, if the way in which you are introduced to Bob Dylan is through “Self Portrait” then where actually are you and how did you get there? No, seriously.

Anyways, I would like to make the case for “Self Portrait” because, still many years later and with “Self Portrait” turning fifty, I have still seen many people who think that “Self Portrait” does not measure up in the Bob Dylan discography world, against studio albums, against canon bootleg albums and even against bootlegs. However, I think that the album is an absolutely lovely addition to the world of Dylan. I think that the album is actually very clever and well put together. You don’t have to think that and hell, you are no less than me for not liking the album - but please at least listen to what I have to say here. I spent a long time thinking about this.

“Self Portrait” is Bob Dylan’s singing voice really going back to what it was on “Nashville Skyline” mixed with Bob Dylan going back to this dark folk rock that we see on albums like “Bringing it All Back Home” with the songs “Gates of Eden” and “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”. This album, though mostly consisting of cover songs, is a story within itself. I believe that Bob Dylan is presenting us with his inspirations. Foremost, we have the song “Take a Message to Mary” which you have to admit is a great arrangement from Bob Dylan and honestly, I would say is better than the original. If you hear this song and then listen to songs on the album “Nashville Skyline” you will notice that there is a similar sound occurring and so, we can deduce that there is a little bit drawn on from that song to that album. Bob Dylan is showing us his inspiration without us even knowing it.

If we have a listen to the song “Days of 49” we can definitely hear the same sort of sounds that are used on songs such as “Gates of Eden”, “It’s Alright Ma” and even “Masters of War”. The dark folk sound has often inspired some of Bob Dylan’s deepest and most intense lyrics in the sixties. I believe that a song like “Days of 49” has a potential by Bob Dylan for making a point that there is not only some songs that inspired the amazing lyricist, the bard himself, but there is also a potential for the song to be overlooked in the Bob Dylan discography and even in the “Self Portrait” track listing. When we listen to the song we hear the greatness of Bob Dylan’s dark vocals. He can really drop his voice in requirement of atmosphere. It is a brilliant sound and really, I kind of wish he did more songs like this because he can really intensify the atmosphere of the song through his use of vocals. It proves that Bob Dylan not only cares about the lyrics and music of a song, but it is important to listen to how it is put to the listener because of the fact an image needs to be created.

All in all, I would like you to listen to the album again and possibly, cut it some slack. Open your mind to it and see how Bob Dylan makes a point of something other than the lyrics because these lyrics are not his. Listen to Bob Dylan’s creation of atmosphere and see how they have inspired the songs of the previous decade. You will be pleasantly surprised, I am sure.