Until the compilation makers behind these Bob Dylan releases add Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, there is simply no need for them. Perhaps this is a tad harsh and fuelled by one too many tipples. But there is no greater treat than laying on your velvet sofa, slurring the words to this fourteen-minute-long Blonde on Blonde rip. A compilation serves but two purposes. To provide a punchy introduction for newcomers unsure of where to start and to entertain already invested fans with a sequence of songs which, despite being from different albums, work well together. Greatest Hits served a major purpose, as did Biograph and all those other spills of Dylan compilations released in the 1960s to the 1990s, but they were phased out. Compilations are rarely, if ever, a part of the regular release cycle. Another casualty to streaming. What did we lose?
Quite a bit, considering the professional edge given to Greatest Hits. A shadowy Dylan on the cover, his wispy hair illuminated. This is a boxset intent on providing surprise after surprise. There are no punches pulled here. Greatest Hits ventures into the usual spots of brilliance from Dylan but reorders them, the mighty hits even a passive listener would recognise buried in the middle, ensconced as they are towards the end of the A-Side and start of the B-Side. Those moments of Like a Rolling Stone into Mr. Tambourine Man and civil rights-related masterclass Subterranean Homesick Blues are well paved and make a bundle of sense. What may surprise are the choices around this, the structure lending itself to just ten tracks from the discography. A mighty challenge now, and even still a tricky position to choose from pieces of the early to mid-1960s.
Greatest Hits serves a new purpose now – it is a reflection of how skilled a musician Dylan was during his first years. Few artists can consider having all too many hits by their fifth album, and yet Dylan had more than that of the featured songs here, from opener Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35 to closer Just Like a Woman. Intense from start to end but navigating through the losses rather well. No Masters of War or Desolation Row is a small price to pay when I Want You and Positively 4th Street are in the mix. What this compilation now shows is how spectacular Dylan was at such an early period. Dedicated listeners already know the quality to expect with these recordings, from the tender stylings of I Want You to the fury found in Like a Rolling Stone.
All of this pairs well, of course it does. Greatest Hits pieces together some of the best moments in a period of prophetic work. It does not feel like the right way to engage the subtleties of a Dylan project – but it certainly gives you the chance to enter into some of those great hits. The greatest? Likely. Dylan has an immeasurable amount of truly brilliant tracks and this is just a welcome selection of the best. There are plenty of songs better than these but it is hard to argue with the appearance of any. The Times They Are A-Changin’ and Subterranean Homesick Blues may be overplayed beyond repair but there is reason for that. There is a reason for all these songs. A compilation of immense success and, you would hope, a launchpad for those who want more Dylan.
