Self Portrait

by Bob Dylan

Overview

There has never been a clearer attempt to shed an audience than Self-Portrait. At least, that's one way of looking at this baffling double album, a deliberately sprawling affair that runs the gamut from self-portrait to self-parody, touching on operatic pop, rowdy Basement Tapes leftovers, slight whimsy, and covers of wannabe Dylans from Paul Simon to Gordon Lightfoot. To say the least, it's confusing, especially arriving at the end of a decade of unmitigated brilliance, and while the years have made it easier to listen to, it still remains inscrutable, an impossible record to unlock. It may not be worth the effort, either, since this isn't a matter of deciphering cryptic lyrics or interpreting lyrics, it's all about discerning intent, figuring out what the hell Dylan was thinking when he was recording -- not trying to decode a song. There are times where it's quite clearly played for a laugh -- if his shambling version of "The Boxer" isn't a pointed parody of Paul Simon, there was no reason to cut it -- but he's poker-faced elsewhere, and the songs (apart from such earthed gems as "Mighty Quinn," which aren't presented in their best versions) are simply not worth much consideration. But, in a strange way, Self Portrait is, because decades have passed and it still doesn't make much sense, even for Dylanphiles. That doesn't necessarily mean that it's worth the time to figure it out -- you're not going to find an answer, anyway -- but it's sort of fascinating all the same. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	09/05/1989
Label:	Bmg / Sony Music
UPC:	0886978991423

Tracks

1. All the Tired Horses
2. Alberta #1
3. I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know
4. Days of 49
5. Early Mornin' Rain
6. In Search of Little Sadie
7. Let It Be Me
8. Little Sadie
9. Woogie Boogie
10. Belle Isle
11. Living the Blues
12. Like a Rolling Stone
13. Copper Kettle (The Pale Moonlight)
14. Gotta Travel On
15. Blue Moon
16. The Boxer
17. Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
18. Take Me as I Am (Or Let Me Go)
19. Take a Message to Mary
20. It Hurts Me Too
21. Minstrel Boy
22. She Belongs to Me
23. Wigwam
24. Alberta #2

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Bob Dylan   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica,Keyboards,Guitar
Doug Kershaw   Guest Artist,Violin
Norman Blake   Guest Artist
David Bromberg   Guest Artist,Guitar
Richard Manuel   Guest Artist,Drums,Vocals,Keyboards
Levon Helm   Guest Artist,Drums,Vocals,Mandolin
Garth Hudson   Guest Artist,Keyboards,Saxophone
Rick Danko   Guest Artist,Bass,Violin,Vocals
Robbie Robertson   Guest Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Kenny Buttrey   Drums
Stu Woods   Bass
Fred Foster   Guitar
Charlie McCoy   Guitar,Harmonica
Pete Drake   Guitar (Steel)
Emanuel Green   Violin
Sheldon Kurland   Violin
Al Kooper   Horn,Guitar,Keyboards
Albertine Robinson   Vocals
George Binkley III   Violin
Ron Cornelius   Guitar
Karl Himmel   Drums
Marvin Chantry   Viola
Freddie Hill   Trumpet
Charlie Daniels   Bass,Guitar
Gary VanOsdale   Viola
June Page   Vocals
Dennis Good   Trombone
Martin Katahn   Vocals
Dorothy Ann Dillard   Vocals
Albert Wynn Butler   Horn
Maretha Stewart   Vocals
Fred Carter   Guitar
Al Rogers   Drums
Bob Moore   Bass
Martha McCrory   Cello
Bubba Foller   Guitar
Bob Wilson   Organ,Piano
Hilda Harris   Vocals
Ollie Mitchell   Trumpet
Byron Bach   Violin
Brenton Banks   Violin,Synthesizer

Technical Credits

Bob Dylan   Composer
Boudleaux Bryant   Composer
Louis Wolfe Gilbert   Composer
Larry Ehrlich   Composer
Frank Warner   Composer
Elmore James   Composer
Lorenz Hart   Composer
London   Composer
Albert Frank Bedoe   Composer
Tom Six   Composer
Manny Curtis   Composer
Dave Lazer   Composer
Alan Lomax   Composer
Gilbert Becaud   Composer
Gordon Lightfoot   Composer
Felice Bryant   Composer
Fred Hellerman   Composer
Dave Lazar   Composer
Lee Hays   Composer
Richard Rodgers   Composer
Cecil A. Null   Composer
Pierre Delanoe   Composer
Pete Seeger   Composer
Paul Clayton   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Paul Simon   Composer
Bob Johnston   Producer