Fans of the veteran songwriter Bob Dylan are deciding on his “most relaxing” songs.
The Blood on the Tracks and Highway 61 Revisited legend has plenty of songs to share in his discography, though fans are now searching for the more easygoing side of Dylan. A post to the r/BobDylan subreddit saw fans share their thoughts on what the most relaxing songs from the songwriter were. A user asked: “What is the most relaxing Bob Dylan song?” Fans are spoilt for choice when it comes to the laid-back listens from Dylan’s discography, and shared a handful of songs which could be considered his most relaxing works.
One user wrote: “Wigwam is the most relaxing Dylan song I can think of. New Morning may be his most relaxing album, and one of his warmest and most upbeat and all-around happy and friendly. Time Passes Slowly, If Not for You, New Morning, Winterlude. Self Portrait, Another Self Portrait, and Nashville Skyline are upbeat and relaxing too. On a Night Like This also comes to mind, but I guess it’s more upbeat and happy, but not as much relaxing, given how fast its tempo is.”
Another user suggested New Morning track The Man in Me, to which a third replied: “I agree, but part of the relaxed vibe comes from imagining The Dude [from The Big Lebowski] walking around a supermarket in his bathrobe.”
One of the highest-voted comments on the thread saw Lay Lady Lay from Nashville Skyline suggested. Dylan’s folk and country blur on Nashville Skyline lends itself to a more relaxed sound, and the album to follow, New Morning, has a similar feel. Many fans of Dylan suggested songs from those two albums in particular were where you could find his most relaxing works.
Not mentioned in the thread but certainly worth a listen is Shadows in the Night, a collection of covers of songs made famous by Frank Sinatra. A suggestion from one fan was for The Times They Are A-Changin’ song, One Too Many Mornings.
Another replied: “But not the Royal Albert Hall version, which, while completely amazing, is anything but relaxing!” The same can be said for the version which features on Hard Rain, with a heavier, rock sound given to the folk classic.
A separate comment suggested Buckets of Rain from Blood on the Tracks. One user agreed, adding: “I fucking love this song. A silly goodbye at the end of a masterpiece. I’d say Pretty Saro, it’s just gorgeous. Become one of my favourites. When the chord changes minor and he says, ‘And I’d write it by the river,’ it twists my heart.”
Another added: “That whole Blood on the Tracks album. It’s the bass player from the New York sessions. Makes the whole thing relaxing.”
