Music : The Times They Are a-Changin': Remastered

Rating: - Review for 'the times they are a changin''
Although Dylan sang protest songs on his previous album, 'the freewheelin'', I think this is his only complete protest album. He sings of wars ('with god on our side'), murders ('The ballad of Hollis Brown', 'The lonesome death of Hattie Carroll'), racism ('a pawn in their game') the closure of a mine ('north country blues'), and criticism of the way countries are run (the title song and 'when the ship comes in') as the main subject matter, with a few more reflective ballads ('too many mornings', 'spanish boots of spanish leather', 'restless farewell') sandwiched in to help add a bit of variety. I prefer the slightly less serious 'another side' and 'the freewheelin'' to this, but it is an excellent selection of songs that really makes you think about the suffering and hardships of the world.

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Rating: - 'Don't criticise what you can't understand'
'The Times They Are A-Changin'' doesn't progress from what Bob Dylan did on 'Freewheelin''. Rather, it broadens his protest-oriented repertoire. Perhaps the gloomiest of his albums, it seems to be the only one from which his sense of humour is entirely absent. There is a slight shift in emphasis from anti-war songs to the effects of social injustice and hardship. Nevertheless, 'With God On Our Side' would have fitted in with the dominant theme on his previous album. The lyric, and in particular, its closing verse, is brilliantly crafted, though Dylan's delivery is occasionally disjointed by sloppy tempo changes, perhaps an attempt to break up its seven minutes.

The title track is probably the best-known item on the album, in large part due to the status it gained as a slogan, a kind of rallying call. It sets the tone for the whole album, characterised by Dylan's sober drawl and songs of relentless, unchanging form. The latter technique works well on the folky blues of 'Hollis Brown'. Dylan uses the guitar to add sombre colour to the song, which is a 'what-drives-a-man-to-kill' lyric of the sort featured liberally on Bruce Springsteen's early 1980s album, 'Nebraska'.

'North Country Blues' is probably the gloomiest recording, relating the anguish and hardships endured by redundant miners. Sandwiched between this and 'With God On Our Side', the reflective 'One Too Many Mornings' almost seems like light relief. 'Hattie Carroll' is another death song. It's one of Dylan's more articulate performances, though, ironically, I believe, there are doubts as to the authenticity of the slant Dylan puts on the story.

This album may not be perfect then, but it's still blindingly powerful and a remarkable forty-five minutes for 1964.

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Rating: - damn good
if you like freewheelin or any other dylan then youll like this. If your new to dylan then id go for a more famous album (highway 61, bring it home, freewheelin, desire, live 1966)

my favourites on this album are Ballad of Hollis Brown and North country blues - both songs are so powerful and haunting and sung with such precision, leaving me shell-shocked everytime

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Rating: - His one, real protest album.
When Bob Dylan has a fire in his belly and is on top form, there are few things finer in this world. With two albums under his belt and a confidence that could only have come from rapturous applause, he embarked upon this most serious of collections.
Very few albums have what you'd call the perfect sleeve art, in the sense that it is a visual representation of the music within. On The Times They Are A Changin' it is perfect. Stark, moody, monochrome, almost archaic even in 1963. Bob looks 23 going on 53, a man with the world on his shoulders.
From the off, Bob has some serious things to say. Let not over-familiarity dilute the title track, a revolutionary and almost Marxist desire to see the old order crumble and for the young to take over. Its actually startling that he got away with it! The subject matter is largely grim; he sings about murders on The Ballad Of Hollis Brown, Only A Pawn In Their Game, and The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll. There's one about the horrors of a closing mining town (North Country Blues) and another couple that directly relate to his anger against the establishment (With God On Our Side and When The Ship Comes In).
Its predecessor, Freewheelin', was liberally sprinkled with his Chaplinesque humour, and he wouldn't be railing against anything except women on its follow up, Another Side Of... again doused with that silent movie farce as was his wont. The Times They Are A Changin' is pretty hardcore stuff; one man, a guitar, both as harsh as the words he was putting across.
For me, a special place in my heart is reserved for With God On Our Side and The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll. These are stunning pieces of poetry set to music that's so gorgeous as to make you want to weep. I personally prefer Freewheelin' for its greater scope, but like that album, this is purely timeless.

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Rating: - The times they are a'changing
Possibly Dylans darkest work, this album is full of acoustic work that is is simply amazing. It is not a 'feel good' album, with dark songs such as 'Only a Pawn in Their Game', 'Ballad of Hollis Brown' and 'The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol', all the songs on this album tell stories. The songs that realy stand out are 'The Times They are A-Changin', 'Spanish Boots of Spanish Leather' and 'When the Ship Comes In'.
In short: Buy this album.