Highway 61 Revisited resonates because of its enduring emotional appeal. Few songwriters before Dylan or since have combined so effectively the intensely personal with the spectacularly universal. In "Like a Rolling Stone," his gleeful excoriation of Miss Lonely (Edie Sedgwick? Joan Baez? a composite "type"?) fuses with the evocation of a hip new zeitgeist to produce a veritable anthem. In "Ballad of a Thin Man," the younger generation's confusion is thrown back in the Establishment's face, even as Dylan vents his disgust with the critics who labored to catalogue him. And in "Desolation Row," he reaches the zenith of his own brand of surrealist paranoia, that here attains the atmospheric intensity of a full-fledged nightmare. Between its many flourishes of gallows humor, this is one of the most immaculately frightful songs ever recorded, with its relentless imagery of communal executions, its parade of fallen giants and triumphant local losers, its epic length and even the mournful sweetness of Bloomfield's flamenco-inspired fills. In this book, Mark Polizzotti examines just what makes the songs on Highway 61 Revisited so affecting, how they work together as a suite, and how lyrics, melody, and arrangements combine to create an unusually potent mix. He blends musical and literary analysis of the songs themselves, biography (where appropriate) and recording information (where helpful). And he focuses on Dylan's mythic presence in the mid-60s, when he emerged from his proletarian incarnation to become the American Rimbaud. The comparison has been made by others, including Dylan, and it illuminates much about his mid-sixties career, for in many respects Highway 61 is rock 'n' roll's answer to A Season in Hell.
Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited (33 1/3)
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"I've been listening to Highway 61 Revisited for 41 years now, but Mark Polizzotti's 33 1/3 book sent me back to hear all the things I've missed. His thoughtful and knowledgeable appraisal both summarizes scholarship on the album and adds new ideas and details, contributing to a deeper sense of how this landmark Dylan album came to be."—Ira Robbins, editor, www.Trouserpress.com
"A few pages into Mark Polizzotti's Highway 61 Revisited, I was amazed by how much he knew. A few pages after that, I was amazed by how much I didn't. The whole book is a marvel of research and insight, doled out in equal measure. Something was indeed happening in the grooves of this seminal Bob Dylan album-and after reading this compact yet loaded analysis, you will know what it is, Mr. Jones."-David Bianculli
"As one of the greatest albums in the history of recorded music, a turning point that forever grafted the depth and integrity of folk music into the flourishing tree of rock and roll, Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited has long deserved the kind of focused treatment that Mark Polizzotti gives it with his examination for the always excellent 33 1/3 series....The sheer volume of annotated quotes and behind the scenes revelations that Polizzoti has dug up is mind numbing, but the material flows together well, and the studious nature of the examination is never less than enlightening. It's an essential read for anyone who wants to engage the mythology behind the man and the album."-Under the Radar, Fall 2006
(Matt Fink )"Polizzotti's book does an excellent job gathering information from the cream of the Dylan books and coming up with his own conclusions as he examines what might be Dylan's finest hour ... While hardcore Dylanites might nitpick with some of his conclusions, Polizzotti's book offers an opinionated, engaging primer to a classic album that gave some new insight to this Dylan fan. It's often beautifully written, with the author's palpable awe for Dylan coming through." — Blogcritics (Blogcritics )
"Polizzotti's illuminating new analysis of Dylan's landmark 1965 album...speculates on the genesis of the songs, examines their lyrical content and, more prosaically, outlines the recording process. With considerable insight, he places the great album in the context of what was happening in Dylan's world in the mid-1960s. This might seem like an oft-ploughed furrow but, armed with a formidable intellect, Polizzotti makes some telling original observations. He writes with intelligence and flair. And his text has a depth which would fully engage you over several slow, careful reads." — Dylan Daily (Dylan Daily )
"I can recommend Mark Polizzotti's short book Highway 61 Revisited...You might think everyone had written plenty about this album already... but the enviable achievement of this book as a whole is to say fresh things, and with a nicely clipped, energetic turn of phrase...[Some passages] fundamentally offer a truth I've never quite heard said before, even after more than 40 years of talk and writing." — Michael Gray, bobdylanencyclopedia.blogspot.com
"This is a small book (only 161 pages) that punches well above its weight. The author, Mark Polizzotti, knows his stuff, and has researched in detail: the bibliography and endnotes demonstrate the depth of his reading, and the text itself is densely packed with minutiae about the recording of the album. He is especially strong on the dissection of the musical layers in each of the album's songs, examining what each musician brings to individual tracks, and I'm sure I won't be alone in coming away from many of his descriptions of the songs' evolutions in the studio with a new understanding of what actually went on...It is more than enough for me that Polizzotti writes calmly and insightfully, in an elegant and highly readable style that manages to be balanced, generous and enthusiastic all at the same time, no mean feat...As a monograph this book works extremely well in its concision, being timely proof that books about Dylan do not need to be able to double as doorstops to be worthwhile. If you prefer your writers on Dylan not to be long-winded or pompous (or continually belittling others), then this will be a book you will appreciate. It's a good read, first and foremost. It would also serve as an excellent introduction to Highway 61 to any Dylan newcomer, who would be delighted, I'm sure, to find it in their Christmas stocking." — bobdylanisis.com
"For me, the most rewarding thing about the book was Polizzotti's personification of many of the people involved in making Highway 61 Revisited...Dylan's life during this period has been documented so thoroughly at this point, in films like Don't Look Back and No Direction Home and books like Chronicles Vol. 1, but Polizzotti manages to stay focused and has delivered a book that is as insightful as it is concise." — Being There (beingtheremag.com)
"Polizzotti's key contribution is to return our attention to the music, to remind us that however much we scrutinize the lyrics, Dylan's musical contribution is just as important...[He] leads us into the studio, reviews the recording sessions, and analyzes the various takes. In doing so, he shows how a song develops musically—much like looking at early drafts of a novel. Studied in this way, our understanding of each song is enriched."
—American Quarterly
(Louis P. Mazur )"I've been listening to Highway 61 Revisited for 41 years now, but Mark Polizzotti's 33 1/3 book sent me back to hear all the things I've missed. His thoughtful and knowledgeable appraisal both summarizes scholarship on the album and adds new ideas and details, contributing to a deeper sense of how this landmark Dylan album came to be."—Ira Robbins, editor, www.Trouserpress.com
“As one of the greatest albums in the history of recorded music, a turning point that forever grafted the depth and integrity of folk music into the flourishing tree of rock and roll, Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited has long deserved the kind of focused treatment that Mark Polizzotti gives it with his examination for the always excellent 33 1/3 series.…The sheer volume of annotated quotes and behind the scenes revelations that Polizzoti has dug up is mind numbing, but the material flows together well, and the studious nature of the examination is never less than enlightening. It’s an essential read for anyone who wants to engage the mythology behind the man and the album.”-Under the Radar, Fall 2006
(, )“Polizzotti's book does an excellent job gathering information from the cream of the Dylan books and coming up with his own conclusions as he examines what might be Dylan's finest hour … While hardcore Dylanites might nitpick with some of his conclusions, Polizzotti's book offers an opinionated, engaging primer to a classic album that gave some new insight to this Dylan fan. It's often beautifully written, with the author's palpable awe for Dylan coming through.” – Blogcritics (, )
“Polizzotti’s illuminating new analysis of Dylan’s landmark 1965 album…speculates on the genesis of the songs, examines their lyrical content and, more prosaically, outlines the recording process. With considerable insight, he places the great album in the context of what was happening in Dylan’s world in the mid-1960s. This might seem like an oft-ploughed furrow but, armed with a formidable intellect, Polizzotti makes some telling original observations. He writes with intelligence and flair. And his text has a depth which would fully engage you over several slow, careful reads.” – Dylan Daily (, )
"I can recommend Mark Polizzotti's short book Highway 61 Revisited…You might think everyone had written plenty about this album already… but the enviable achievement of this book as a whole is to say fresh things, and with a nicely clipped, energetic turn of phrase…[Some passages] fundamentally offer a truth I've never quite heard said before, even after more than 40 years of talk and writing." – Michael Gray, bobdylanencyclopedia.blogspot.com
"This is a small book (only 161 pages) that punches well above its weight. The author, Mark Polizzotti, knows his stuff, and has researched in detail: the bibliography and endnotes demonstrate the depth of his reading, and the text itself is densely packed with minutiae about the recording of the album. He is especially strong on the dissection of the musical layers in each of the album’s songs, examining what each musician brings to individual tracks, and I’m sure I won’t be alone in coming away from many of his descriptions of the songs’ evolutions in the studio with a new understanding of what actually went on…It is more than enough for me that Polizzotti writes calmly and insightfully, in an elegant and highly readable style that manages to be balanced, generous and enthusiastic all at the same time, no mean feat…As a monograph this book works extremely well in its concision, being timely proof that books about Dylan do not need to be able to double as doorstops to be worthwhile. If you prefer your writers on Dylan not to be long-winded or pompous (or continually belittling others), then this will be a book you will appreciate. It’s a good read, first and foremost. It would also serve as an excellent introduction to Highway 61 to any Dylan newcomer, who would be delighted, I’m sure, to find it in their Christmas stocking." – bobdylanisis.com
"For me, the most rewarding thing about the book was Polizzotti's personification of many of the people involved in making Highway 61 Revisited…Dylan's life during this period has been documented so thoroughly at this point, in films like Don't Look Back and No Direction Home and books like Chronicles Vol. 1, but Polizzotti manages to stay focused and has delivered a book that is as insightful as it is concise." – Being There (beingtheremag.com)
“Polizzotti’s key contribution is to return our attention to the music, to remind us that however much we scrutinize the lyrics, Dylan’s musical contribution is just as important…[He] leads us into the studio, reviews the recording sessions, and analyzes the various takes. In doing so, he shows how a song develops musically—much like looking at early drafts of a novel. Studied in this way, our understanding of each song is enriched.”
—American Quarterly
(, )
About the Author
Mark Polizzotti's previous books include the collaborative novel S. (1991), Lautréamont Nomad (1994), Revolution of the Mind: The Life of André Breton (1995), The New Life: Poems (1998), and a study of Luis Buñuel's Los Olvidados for the British Film Institute (2006). His articles, reviews, and poetry have appeared in The New Republic, ARTnews, Parnassus, Partisan Review, and elsewhere. He is also the translator of over thirty books, including works by Gustave Flaubert, Marguerite Duras, André Breton, and Jean Echenoz. He lives in Boston, where he directs the publications program at the Museum of Fine Arts.
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More About the Author
Mark Polizzotti is an award-winning biographer, critic, translator, editor, and poet. His books include the collaborative novel S. (1991; with Harry Mathews, Jean Echenoz, et al.), Lautreamont Nomad (1994; revised ed. 2005), Revolution of the Mind: The Life of Andre Breton (1995; revised ed. 2009), a monograph on Luis Bunuel's Los Olvidados (2006), and Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited (2006). His essays and reviews have appeared in The New Republic, ARTnews, The Nation, Parnassus, Partisan Review, and elsewhere. The translator of over thirty books from the French, including works by Gustave Flaubert, Marguerite Duras, Andre Breton, Jean Echenoz, and Maurice Roche, he directs the publications program at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everything the 33 1/3 books should be,
By
This review is from: Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited (33 1/3) (Paperback)
I have read a handful of the 33 1/3 line of books, each devoted to a landmark album, and Polizzotti's may be the best.For starters, it's well-researched, adds original research by Polizzotti himself-- including interviews with the Highway 61 session musicians-- and seeks to settle any mysteries or contradictions extant in previous sources (like who played second guitar on Desolation Row). This is unsurprising, as Polizzotti has proven himself a rigorous scholar in such works as Revolution of the Mind: The Life of Andre Breton, which was clearly assembled from a mountain of primary sources and original research (and done in French, no less!). But in addition to solid research, Polizzotti has written an intensely personal book on his history with and interpretation of Highway 61. He walks a fine line, never letting his obviously large vocabulary lead him too far into questionable interpretive territory. His interpretations are convincing, or at least always well-reasoned and explained. When it's impossible or difficult to say what Dylan means by a certain lyric or song (which, as Dylan fans know, is often), Polizzotti has no problem admitting it. He does not force or stretch his interpretations over Dylan's many enigmas. And this, I believe, is what makes this the perfect 33 1/3 book. If Polizzotti were writing a traditional biographical or journalistic account of Highway 61's creation, his personal descriptions and interpretations would intrude on the narrative. But here, they are not only welcome but epitomize the spirit of the 33 1/3 line. An excellent piece of Dylan scholarship and a fine read for anyone seeking to decode Highway 61 (as far as such a task is possible).
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best of the series,
This review is from: Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited (33 1/3) (Paperback)
This is the best of the 331/3 series - I'm a dylan freak who's read all the books, yet this has new information (from interviews with Bob Johnston, Al Kooper and others) and insights galore into what was going on in dylan's private and public life and how that found it's way into the lyrics and music of Highway 61. I was sorry to reach the end and wish Mark would write a similar volume on Blonde on Blonde.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Magnificent Achievement,
By
This review is from: Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited (33 1/3) (Paperback)
This is the best book ever written about Bob Dylan, and one of the best books I've ever read. Polizzotti writes beautifully; he also knows more and understands more than any other Dylanologist I know.Charles Kaiser
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Inside This Book
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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tombstone blues, electric backing, backstage passes Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Rolling Stone, Desolation Row, Tom Thumb, Queen Jane, New York, Thin Man, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Tom Wilson, Bob Johnston, Bringing It All Back Home, Dont Look Back, Robert Johnson, Phantom Engineer, Robbie Robertson, Woody Guthrie, Albert Grossman, Gates of Eden, Greenwich Village, Miss Lonely, Paul Griffin, Robert Shelton, Russ Savakus, Bobby Gregg, Dave Van Ronk New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
tombstone blues, electric backing, backstage passes Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Rolling Stone, Desolation Row, Tom Thumb, Queen Jane, New York, Thin Man, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Tom Wilson, Bob Johnston, Bringing It All Back Home, Dont Look Back, Robert Johnson, Phantom Engineer, Robbie Robertson, Woody Guthrie, Albert Grossman, Gates of Eden, Greenwich Village, Miss Lonely, Paul Griffin, Robert Shelton, Russ Savakus, Bobby Gregg, Dave Van Ronk New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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