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I still write songs the same way I always did: I get a first line, the words and the tune together, and then I work out the rest wherever I happen to be, whenever I have time. If it’s really important, I’ll just make the time and try to finish it.
~To John Rockwell, Jan 1974

The saddest thing about songwriting is when you get something really good and you put it down for a while, and you take for granted that you’ll be able to get back to it with whatever inspired you to do it in the first place – well, whatever inspired you to do it in the first place is never there anymore. So then you’ve got to consciously stir up the inspiration to figure what it was about. Usually you get one good part and one not-sogood part, and the not-so-good wipes out the good part.
~To Bill Flanagan March 1985

 

This decade that gave us “Blood On The Tracks“, “Desire“, “Planet Waves“, “Street-Legal”, “New Morning“, “Slow Train Coming“, “Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid” & “Self Portrait”.

We challenged readers to put together a top 10 list, or at least 10 songs. Songs 1-5 received 2 points each & 6-10 received 1 point.

The poll closed April 18, 2014

Use the comments section in this post or move over to our facebook page and comment on my post there.

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44 people voted, most of them with a top 10 list. Thanks for the input folks… this is a GREAT list.

Here are the results of the alldylan.com community jury:

1	Tangled Up In Blue (1974)	66 points
2	Idiot Wind (1974)	48 points
3	Simple Twist Of Fate (1974)	42 points
4	Shelter From The Storm (1974)	35 points
5	Changing Of The Guards (1978)	25 points
6	Sénor (1978)	24 points
7	Forever Young (1973)	23 points
7	Hurricane (1975)	23 points
9	Knocking On Heaven’s Door (1973)	21 points
10	Isis (1975)	19 points
11	Dirge (1973)	18 points
11	Up To Me (1974)	18 points
13	You’re A Big Girl Now (1974)	16 points
14	Sara (1975)	15 points
14	Where Are You Tonight (1978)	15 points
16	Abandoned Love (1975)	13 points
16	Lilly, Rosemary & The Jacks of Hearts (1974)	13 points
16	One More Cup of Coffee (1975)	13 points
19	If You See Her, Say Hello (1974)	11 points
19	When I Paint My Masterpiece (1971)	11 points
21	Slow Train Coming (1979)	10 points
22	Black Diamond Bay (1975)	9 points
23	Precious Angel (1979)	8 points
23	Wedding Song (1973)	8 points
25	Oh, Sister (1975)	7 points
26	Gotta Serve Somebody (1979)	6 points
26	I Believe In You (1979)	6 points
26	Never Say Goodbye (1973)	6 points
26	Sign On The Window (1970)	6 points
26	You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go	6 points

Songs with 5 points: Meet Me In The Morning, New Morning, Went To See The Gypsy, When He Returns

Songs with 4 points: I Shall Be Released, Romance In Durango, Spanish Is A Loving Tongue

26 other songs got 3 or less points.

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Spotify playlist:

Here is my list:

1. Tangled Up In Blue (1974)
2. Idiot Wind (1974)
3. Isis (1975)
4. Changing Of The Guards (1978)
5. Up To Me (1974)
6. Shelter From The Storm (1974)
7. Forever Young (1973)
8. Simple Twist Of Fate (1974)
9. You’re A Big Girl Now (1974)
10. When I Paint My Masterpiece (1971)

note: I prefer the “Hard Rain” versions of Idiot Wind, Shelter Form the Storm & You’re A Big Girl Now

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Hallgeir’s list:

1. Tangled Up In Blue
2. I Shall Be Released
3. Simple Twist Of Fate
4. Knocking On Heaven’s Door
5. Idiot Wind
6. Isis
7. Oh, Sister (Hard Rain version)
8. Shelter From The Storm (Hard Rain version)
9. You’re A Big Girl Now
10. Forever Young

Check out:

• Bob Dylan’s best songs from the 1960s
• Bob Dylan: 30 best songs from the 1970s (Poll results)
• Bob Dylan: 30 best songs from the 1980s (Poll results)
• Bob Dylan: 31 best songs from the 1990s (poll results)
• Bob Dylan: His 30 best songs from 2000 – 2012 (poll results)

-Egil