We all know music is a matter of personal taste, but when you observe Bob Dylan’s repertoire it becomes awfully clear. How is one ever capable of picking his 10 ‘best’ songs? I mean, even selecting Dylan’s 10 ‘best’ albums is impossible to do. In spite of that, I’ve decided to attempt it anyway. For this article, I’ve hand-picked Dylan’s 10 ‘best’ songs, based on cultural importance, legacy, and obviously, personal preference!
![The 10 Greatest Bob Dylan Songs of All Time](https://songstoriesmatter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/895px-Joan_Baez_Bob_Dylan_crop-13.jpg)
10. Positively 4th Street
I start this list with “Positively 4th Street”. The bitter song is rumored to be about the folk crowd of Greenwich Village, who harshly dismissed Bob Dylan after he decided to go electric. The diss anthem is undoubtedly one of Dylan’s harshest songs, as biographer Clinton Heylin funnily remarked: “Positively 4th Street” made “Like a Rolling Stone” sound like “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.”
9. All Along the Watchtower
Popularized by Jimi Hendrix, but originally released on Bob Dylan’s eighth studio album John Wesley Harding (1967). “All Along the Watchtower” tells the story of the Joker and the Thief, whose origins and identities are discussed to this day. Dylan wisely remains quiet about the song’s meaning, as he has with most of his songs.
Read more: The Story Behind “All Along the Watchtower” by Bob Dylan
8. Every Grain of Sand
For number 8 I’ve picked “Every Grain of Sand”. The beautiful song paints vivid imagery of Dylan finding Christianity and features some of his finest harmonica playing. Although the album the song is on – Shot of Love (1981)– was received poorly, even the harshest critics agreed “Every Grain of Sand” was a stand-out masterpiece.
7. Visions of Johanna
Released on Dylan’s 1966 album Blonde on Blonde, “Visions of Johanna” marks one of Dylan’s most poetic compositions. It’s difficult to pin-point what the song is exactly about, and whether Louise and Johanna represent symbolic or literal figures, but it’s undeniable “Visions of Johanna” is one of Dylan’s greatest works.
6. The Times They Are A-Changin’
Bob Dylan didn’t want to be seen as a ‘protest singer’, but is nevertheless responsible for writing several landmark protest songs. ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’ is one of them. Although the song was originally written about the Civil Rights Movement, the frustrated youth of the 1960s quickly adopted it as a counterculture anthem.
Read more: The Story Behind ‘The Times They Are a-Changin’ by Bob Dylan
5. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
Dylan reportedly wrote “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” about the fear of an apocalypse. The liner notes of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan state: “Hard Rain’ is a desperate kind of song. Every line in it, is actually the start of a whole song. But when I wrote it, I thought I wouldn’t have enough time alive to write all those songs so I put all I could into this one.”
4. Mr. Tambourine Man
For number 4, I’ve picked “Mr. Tambourine Man”. Dylan released the track on the acoustic side of his fifth studio album Bringing It All Back Home (1965). But the song, typical Dylan-esque, gained popularity thanks to a cover by The Byrds. Their version of “Mr. Tambourine Man” reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and marked Bob Dylan’s first chart-topper as a songwriter. But Dylan’s original is easily as good.
3. Hurricane
In over 8 minutes, with an impressive 19 verses, Dylan tells the story of the controversial imprisonment of boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter. In the song, Dylan spares no details of the case, and even mentions the real names of those involved. The song touches upon racial issues in America and is one of the few protest songs Dylan wrote outside of the 1960s.
2. Blowin’ In The Wind
“Blowin’ In The Wind” was Bob Dylan’s first hit as a songwriter, when Peter, Paul and Mary’s version of the song reached number 2 on the US charts. “The idea came to me that you were betrayed by your silence,” Dylan said about the song. “That all of us in America who didn’t speak out were betrayed by our silence.” Dylan’s original never charted, but nevertheless became the definite version of the song.
Read more: The Story Behind “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan
1. Like a Rolling Stone
My number 1 on this list is obviously “Like a Rolling Stone”. The song’s massive impact on music culture and Bob Dylan himself is just undeniable. Dylan wrote the song shortly after ‘going electric’, a decision met with harsh critique from the folk scene. He even considered quitting music altogether. But according to Dylan, “Like a Rolling Stone” changed everything. It was finally something he himself could dig.
The story of ‘Miss Lonely’ inspired music’s greatest, including The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and Jimi Hendrix. Beyond that, “Like a Rolling Stone” redefined the definition of a ‘pop hit’. Before the release of the song, the charts were ruled by short songs with sweet themes. But Dylan’s six-minute-long revenge anthem became a hit, and carved the path for other artists with longer songs and heavier themes.
In 1966 Dylan said: “Rolling Stone’s the best song I wrote.” And I wholeheartedly agree with him.
Read more: The Story Behind “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan
So, that concludes my list of the ‘best’ Bob Dylan Songs! I undoubtedly forgot to mention songs that could’ve easily ranked on this list. What are they? And what are some of your personal favorites? Let me know in the comments down below!
Man in the long black coat, key west,blind Willie Mctell,black diamond Bay,every grain of sand, senor, highway61,tin angel,precious angel, its all over now,baby blue
Absolutely impossible to narrow it down to 10 songs of the Immortal Robert Zimmerman. That being said, here are my 10 picks!
It Ain’t Me Babe, Lay Lady Lay, Positively 4th St, Times They are a Changing, Tangled Up in Blue, All Along The Watchtower, Black Diamond Bay, Subterranean Homesick Blues, Desolation Row, Love Minus Zero
Love minus zero no limits .with God on our side. Don’t think twice. Rainy day women. Mrs Henry. Ju like a women. Sad eyed lady of the low lands
Lily rosemary and the Jack of hearts. Pity the poor immigrant . Corrigan Corrigan. That’s my top ten ,and I’m a Beatles fanatic
It’s not easy to choose only ten Dylan’s music.
Lay Lady Lay, Knocking on Heavens Door, Forever Young, Just Like a Woman, You Angel You., The Weight… So thanks Congratulations for good choices!🤩✌️🎸☮️🇧🇷
Blind Willie McTell should be in any top 10.
And something from Blood on the Tracks.
So many to choose from !!! Not possible to cover them all in 10 choices. The man is a genius !! One of my many, many favorites…” Knockin’ on heavens door “ & his “Girl from the north country” ( “Nashville skyline” album with Johnny Cash).
Bob Dylan is the absolute poet, I love your selection of songs, but you forgot Desolation Row,, from Highway 61 Revisited
Virtually impossible to pick the 10 best songs oit of this Shakespearean body of work. To my mind Desolation Row deserves to be on the list. Not only is it a great song, it’s one of the greatest poems of the 20th Century. Dylan Noble Prize for Literature was totally deserved and approiate.
To Ramona
Every Grain of Sand
Precious Memories
Visions of Johanna
Tomorrow is a Long Time
These are my top most absolute favorites!
Visions of Johana
Like a Rolling Stone
Black Diamond Bay
Tangled up in Blue
All along the watchtower
Tom thumb blues
It’s alright Ma
Positively 4th Street
Joker man
Thunder on the mountain
Special mentions
Hard rains gonna fall. Lay lady lay, Hurricane. Isis. Simple twist of fate, Don’t think twice its all right, My back pages.
It’s strange, as I got older I became more appreciative of dylans music. I don’t know why I did not in my younger years. Seems his music is music is from one who has experienced life. Maybe that’s why I was such a late bloomer for his music
Nobody can pretend to pick Dylan’s greatest songs not even Dylan.
All you can list are your favorites.
And 1000 people will have a different list.
Visions of Johanna, Mr. Tambourine Man, Blind Willie McTell, Not Dark Yet, Shelter from the Storm, Like a Rolling Stone, Subterranean Homesick Blues, Senor, Mississippi, My Back Pages–could change five minutes from now.
Good list, of course people have different taste so there will always be disagreements with lists.
Mine are in order:
1 Tangled up in blue
2 Shelter from the storm
3 Simple twist of fate
4 Like a rolling stone
5 What good am I
6 Every grain of sand
7 Not dark yet
8 Lay lady lay
9 Jokerman
10 I want you
Thanks, Daniel. Yours doesn’t look bad either. At the end of the day, this is not a list of competition, but a list of appreciation.
I like your list way better!
Bad ranking for sure!!! Substituted a few “goods”
for “Greats” that were omitted for my money!!!!
I was happy to see Every Grain of Sand on this list. I certainly agree with all included here with one exception. While I do like the song Hurricane (and it’s album Desire) I feel there are many others that deserve to be in his top ten more so. Tangled Up in Blue, Lay Lady Lay, Knockin’ on Heavens Door, It ain’t me, Babe, With God on our side, Masters of War, The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carol just to name a few. If you’re looking for a few non conventional songs that are still stellar look no further than Boots of Spanish Leather, Tomorrow is a Long Time or She Belongs to Me.
Really good list I’d have to add Lay lady lay, Is your love in vain, You ain’t going nowhere and Sad eyed lady of the lowlands in there somewhere though.
First 45 I ever bought positively 4th Street 1964
Just like a woman, Sara, buckets of rain, lay lady lay, masters of war, I remember you, don’t think twice, shelter from the storm. These are great songs as well l’m sure there are many others that currently don’t spring to mind.
Great list! Better than most I’ve seen. I’m impressed.
It’s alright ma
One more cup of coffee
I want you
It ain’t me babe
Sara
Don’t think twice it’s alright
Subterranean homesick blues
Shelter from the storm
The lonesome death of Hattie Carroll
You ain’t going nowhere
Thanks for Yr list, I would add The Girl from the North country and If you see her say hello..
I love Bob Dylan Greatest musician artist poet and writer ever that God has given us and I am thankful for his life and heart and strength and courage, he will continue to go on, he is amazing and on the piano 🎹🎼🎶 absolutely wonderful 💯 God bless him with his journey always 💞💞💞💞🕊️🙏