The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

by Bob Dylan

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: May 27, 1963
  • Label: Columbia
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 49:27
  • Community rating: 4.2/5 from 26 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan' marks a significant evolution from Dylan's debut, establishing him as a preeminent songwriter with a tracklist dominated by original compositions. The album's sparse, acoustic production—centered on Dylan's distinct vocal phrasing, guitar, and harmonica—provides a raw platform for landmark songs that range from topical anthems like "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Masters of War" to the personally bitter "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right". This synthesis of political commentary drawn from headlines, surreal humor, and complex love songs cemented the record as a cornerstone of the 1960s folk movement.

Genres

Descriptors: folk, acoustic, storytelling, protest, guitars

Tracklist

  1. Blowin' in the Wind (02:45)
  2. Girl from the North Country (03:19)
  3. Masters of War (04:31)
  4. Down the Highway (03:24)
  5. Bob Dylan's Blues (02:20)
  6. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (06:52)
  7. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (03:37)
  8. Bob Dylan's Dream (05:00)
  9. Oxford Town (01:47)
  10. Talkin' World War III Blues (06:25)
  11. Corrina, Corrina (02:41)
  12. Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance (01:58)
  13. I Shall Be Free (04:48)

Credits

  • Bob Dylan - guitar, harmonica, vocals, written-by, arranged by, adapted by, keyboards
  • Howard Collins - guitar
  • Bruce Langhorne - guitar
  • Dick Wellstood - piano
  • George Barnes - bass
  • Leonard Gaskin - bass
  • Gene Ramey - bass
  • Herb Lovelle - drums
  • John Hammond - producer
  • Tom Wilson - producer
  • Nat Hentoff - liner notes
  • Don Hunstein - photography by [cover photo]

More from Bob Dylan: full discography