A Bob Dylan Beginner's Guide, with Matt Sitman and Sam Adler-Bell

With so many dozens of albums over so many wildly disparate eras, it can take a lifetime to truly get your arms around Bob Dylan. On this episode, Kirk is joined by two guests who have spent their lifetimes doing exactly that. Matt Sitman and Sam Adler-Bell, in addition to co-hosting the terrific political history podcast Know Your Enemy, are both lifelong Dylan fans. This spring, they came on the show to give listeners a tour of Dylan's many eras, and to give newcomers a place, or places, they might start getting to know him better.

DYLAN SONGS DISCUSSED, IN RELEASE CHRONOLOGY

“Blowin in the Wind” and “Corrina, Corrina” from Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, 1963 (and as sung by Peter, Paul and Mary)
“Like A Rolling Stone,” “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues,” “From a Buick 6” from Highway 61 Revisisted, 1965
“Subterranean Homesick Blues,” “Mr. Tambourine Man,” and “Outlaw Blues” from Bringing it All Back Home, 1965
“Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” and “Pledging My Time” from Blonde on Blonde, 1966
“All Along the Watchtower” and “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” from John Wesley Harding, 1967
“Lay, Lady, Lay” and “Girl from the North Country” (with Johnny Cash) from Nashville Skyline, 1969
“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” from Pat Garret & Billy The Kid Original Soundtrack, 1973
“Forever Young” from Planet Waves, 1974
“Tangled Up in Blue” from Blood On The Tracks, 1975
“Hurricane” and “Romance in Durango” from Desire, 1976
“Changing of the Guards” from Street-Legal, 1978
“Serve Somebody,” and “Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others)” from Slow Train Coming, 1979
“Saved” from Saved, 1980
“The Groom’s Still Waiting At the Alter” and “Lenny Bruce” from Shot of Love, 1981
“Pressing On” and "Solid Rock" live in Toronto, 1980
“Neighborhood Bully,” “Jokerman,” “Sweetheart Like You” from Infidels, 1983
“Dark Eyes” from _Empire Burlesqu_e, 1985
“Brownsville Girl” from Knocked Out and Loaded, 1986
“Sylvio” from Down In The Groove, 1988
“Everything Is Broken” and “Most of the Time” from Oh Mercy, 1989
“Hard Times” from Good As I Been to You, 1992
“Train of Love,” Johnny Cash tribute, 1999
“Pay In Blood” from Tempest, 2012
“I’m A Fool To Want You“ by Frank Sinatra, Jack Wolf, and Joel Herron from Shadows in the Night, 2015, and as recorded by Frank Sinatra
“Polka Dots and Moonbeams” by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke, from Fallen Angels, 2016
“How Deep is the Ocean” by Irving Berlin from Triplicate, 2017
“I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You” from Rough and Rowdy Ways, 2020

ALSO DISCUSSED/REFERENCED:

The Know Your Enemy episode about Dylan's The Philosophy of Modern Song
"Moonlight Mind" by Will Epstein and High Water from Crush, 2016
"Lonely Woman" by Ornette Coleman from The Shape of Jazz to Come, 1959
"Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" as recorded by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Sam’s review of A Complete Unknown in The Nation
Bob Dylan: Expecting Rain website
Episode one, "Weather”, from Dylan’s radio show Theme Time Radio Hour, featuring Muddy Waters on "Blow Wind, Blow”
Audio from D.A. Pennebaker’s 1967 documentary Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back
Audio from Scorses’s 2005 documentary No Direction Home: Bob Dylan

GUEST MUSIC PICKS:

Sam: Lucinda Wiliams, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, 1998
Matt: Willie Nelson, Across the Borderline, 1993

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SEPTEMBER 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation – Andy – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Cesar – Christopher McConnell – Christopher Miller – Corpus Frisky – Damon White – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Dave Florey – David Mascetti – Elizabeth Culver – Jamie White – Jay Swartz – Jenness Gardner – Jeremy Dawson – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Lisa Crotty – Melanie Andrich – Melissa Lucas – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Rick Keeler – Robyn Metcalfe – Rush – Sami Samhuri – Thomas McIlheran

SEPTEMBER 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Aaron Cain – Aaron Wade – Aaron Wilson – Abbie Berg – Abraham Benrubi – Achint Srivastava – Adam Clark – Adam Stofsky – Adam W – Ailie Fraser – AJ Schuster – Alan Maass – Alex Miller – Alexander – Alexander Polson – Alison Dugan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – Andrew Hofer – Angela Livingstone – Anthony Mentz – Arjun Sharma – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ashley – Bea – Ben Stein – Bernard Khoo – Betsy Barre – Bill Thornton – Bonnie Prinsen – Brad Callahan – Brendan McLeod – Brett Douville – Brian Amoebas – Brian Rinckenberger – Brian John Peter – Bruno Gaeta – Carlos Lerner – Caro Field – Catherine Clause – Cbalmain – Charles McGee – Cheryl Wilke – Chris K. – Chris Remo – Christian Hessmann – Christopher Selby Spink – Clare Holberton – Claudia Carty – Clint McElroy – Colin Hodo – Dallas Hockley – Dan Cutter – Dan Elias – Dani – Daniel Kaberon – Daniel Markoff – Daniel Nervo – Dave Douglass – Dave Kolas – Dave Malloy – Dave Sharpe – David – David – David – David Futter – David Joske – David Noah – David Stroud – Deebs – Dent Earl – Dermot Crowley – Dhu Wik – Diane Hughes – Diane Turner – Dick Morgan – Donald Mackie – Doreen Carlson – Doug Belew – Douglas H. Frazer – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – E. Margaret Warton – Edward Steen – Eoin de Burca – Eric Helm – Eric Prestemon – Eric Sp – Erik – Ethan Bauman – Ethan Laser – Freddy Freeman – Gary Pierce – Gavin Doig – Geraldine Butler – Glenn Jackson – Grettir Asmundarson – Henry Mindlin – Hidden Jester – Ian Karmel – Ian Pidd – Ian Steding – Inmar Givoni – Irritable – James – James Johnson – James McMurry – Jamie – Janice Berry – Jason Gerry – Jason Pratt – Jeff – Jeff Ulm – Jeffrey Bean – Jeffrey Olson – Jennifer Bush – Jez – Joe Gallo – John Bauman – John Berry – John Halpin – Jonathan Daniels – Jordan Gatenby – Joseph Romero – Josh Singer – Joshua Hill – JRRJ – Julie Kellman – Justin McElroy – Kaya Woodall – Kayla Russell – Kellen Steffen – Kelli Brockington – KenIsWearingAHat – Kenneth Jung – Kevin Marcelo – Kevin Potter – Kevin Stafford – Kym Griffith – Lauren Knotts – Lauren Reay – Lawrence – Lee R. – LG – Linda Duffy – Lisa Turner – Lottie Aron – Lowell Meyer – Luigi Boccia – M. Shane Borders – Margaret McReynolds – Martín Salías – Mathias Schmidt – Matt Baxter – Matt Betzel – Matthew Jones – Max – Melanie Stivers – Melissa Kuhns – Melmaniac – Merv Adrian – Meryl Allison – Michael – Michael Berman – Michael Casner – Michael Singer – Michael Wisnosky – Mino Capossela – Misty Haisfield – Monica St. Angelo – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Naomi Watson – Nathan Gouwens – Nell Morse – Ol Parker – Pascal Rueger – Paul Wayper – Peter Harding – PhantomMare – Philip Kelly – Portland Eye Care – Princess of Whales – Rachel – Rand LeShay – Randal Vegter – Randy Souza – Richard Sneddon – Richard Toller – Rishi Sahay – Rob Tsuk – Robert Granat – Robert Heuer – RsP – Ryan Rairigh – Sarah Vetters – Sean Murphy – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Simon Hellman – Stephen – Stephen Tsoneff – Stephen Wolkwitz – Steve B – Steve Martino – Steve Paquin – Stu Baker – Suzanne Crawford – Sy Jacobs – Tanner Morton – TB – Thomas – Tim Sheehan – Tom Coleman – Tucker Ped – Wendy Gilchrist – Whit Sidener – Wiggy Hash – Zach Putnam – Zak Remer

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