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Bob Dylan - "Like a Rolling Stone" This article is about the recording artist. ... Maggies Farm is a song by Bob Dylan. ... Positively 4th Street is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan, first recorded by Dylan in New York City on July 29, 1965. ... Highway 61 Revisited is Bob Dylans sixth studio album, released in 1965 by Columbia Records. ... Image File history File links Bob_Dylan_-_Like_a_Rolling_Stone. ...

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"Like a Rolling Stone" is a song by Bob Dylan from his album Highway 61 Revisited. First issued in 1965, it represents in its length (6:09), style, and scoring, one of the most influential of Dylan's songs. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as the greatest song of all time, declaring, "No other pop song has so thoroughly challenged and transformed the commercial laws and artistic conventions of its time". In his 1988 speech inducting Dylan into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Bruce Springsteen remembered, "The first time I heard Bob Dylan, I was in the car with my mother listening to WMCA, and on came that snare shot that sounded like somebody had kicked open the door to your mind". This article is about the recording artist. ... Highway 61 Revisited is Bob Dylans sixth studio album, released in 1965 by Columbia Records. ... This article is about the magazine. ... The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone magazine published in November 2004. ... The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at sunset. ... “Springsteen” redirects here. ... WMCA, 570 AM, is a radio station in New York City, most known for its Good Guys Top 40 era in the 1960s. ...

Recording

The song was originally written in waltz time and later changed to 4/4. Dylan first recorded it on June 15-16, 1965, in a pair of sessions produced by Tom Wilson; the musicians included Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper, Paul Griffin, Josef Mack and Bobby Gregg on drums. Paul Griffin, who had been hired to play organ, was moved to piano. Kooper, primarily a guitarist, inveigled himself behind the Hammond organ. Producer Wilson was dubious about Kooper's abilities with the instrument but acquiesced. During the playback Dylan asked Wilson to turn up the organ in the mix. "Hey man, (Wilson replied) that cat's not an organ player." Dylan was beginning to tire of Wilson: "Hey, now don't tell me who's an organ player and who's not... Just turn the organ up," he ordered.^[1] According to Kooper, "that was the moment I became an organ player!".^[2] Over the two days, Dylan managed to complete only one take of the song out of nearly two dozen attempts - the version heard on Highway 61 Revisited. A waltz (German: , Italian: , French: , Spanish: , Catalan: ) is a ballroom and folk dance in   time, done primarily in closed position. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... For the astronaut, see Michael J. Bloomfield Michael Bernard Bloomfield (July 28, 1943 - February 15, 1981) was an American musician, guitarist, and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, into a well-off Jewish family on Chicagos North Side. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Highway 61 Revisited is Bob Dylans sixth studio album, released in 1965 by Columbia Records. ...

Release

"Like a Rolling Stone" was released as a 45 rpm single on July 20, 1965. Despite its length – twice the maximum preferred by radio at the time – it became Dylan's biggest hit to that date,^[2] remaining in the U.S. charts for nearly three months and rising to #2 behind The Beatles' song "Help!". is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... Help! is a song by The Beatles. ...

Dylan gave the song its live debut at his legendary Newport Folk Festival appearance on July 25, 1965. Highway 61 Revisited was issued at the end of August, and when Dylan went on tour that fall, "Like a Rolling Stone" took the closing slot on his playlist and held it, with rare exceptions, through the end of his 1966 "world tour", as well as during his return to touring in 1974 with The Band. The Newport Folk Festival is an annual folk-oriented music festival founded in 1959 by George Wein, founder of the already-well-established Newport Jazz Festival, and his partner, Albert Grossman. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Band. ...

Bob Dylan versions

The standard studio recording of the song is found on four official albums:

• Highway 61 Revisited
• Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits
• Biograph
• The Essential Bob Dylan

Live performances of the song are included on: Highway 61 Revisited is Bob Dylans sixth studio album, released in 1965 by Columbia Records. ... Bob Dylans Greatest Hits (1967) was the first compilation album released by Bob Dylan. ... Biograph is a collection of Bob Dylan tracks, both rare and popular, that was released in 1985. ... The Essential Bob Dylan is the fourth official compilation by Bob Dylan, released as a double-CD set in 2000. ...

• Self Portrait
• Before the Flood
• Bob Dylan at Budokan
• MTV Unplugged
• The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert
• The Bootleg Series Vol. 7: No Direction Home: The Soundtrack (same recording as Live 1966 version)
• The Band's Rock of Ages

as well as on countless unofficially circulating field recordings. Self-portrait by Vincent Van Gogh A portrait is a painting, photograph, or other artistic representation of a person. ... Before the Flood is the title of a 1974 live album by Bob Dylan and The Band. ... Bob Dylan At Budokan is an audio recording taken from two different shows on February 28 and March 1, 1978. ... MTV Unplugged is Bob Dylans 1995 unplugged release, recorded and issued at the peak of that formats popularity. ... For other uses, see Band. ... Rock of Ages is The Bands fifth album. ...

An early, incomplete studio recording was included on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991; other studio outtakes were included on the Highway 61 Interactive CD-ROM. The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991 is a compilation box set by Bob Dylan. ... The CD-ROM (an abbreviation for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (ROM)) is a non-volatile optical data storage medium using the same physical format as audio compact discs, readable by a computer with a CD-ROM drive. ...

Cover versions

Below is a list of some notable artists who have covered "Like a Rolling Stone," along with its source album or live performance and year:

• Johnny Thunders - Born Too Loose: The Best of Johnny Thunders
• The Four Seasons - The 4 Seasons Sing Big Hits by Burt Bacharach/Hal David/Bob Dylan, 1965
• The Young Rascals - The Young Rascals, 1966
• Cher - The Sonny Side of Cher, 1967
• The Creation - We Are the Paintermen, 1967
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience - The Jimi Hendrix Experience, live at the Monterey Pop Festival, 1967
• Rotary Connection - Rotary Connection, 1967
• Spirit - Spirit of '76, 1975
• Neil Young - with Spirit in Santa Monica, California, August 29, 1976
• John Mellencamp - live during American tour, 1987-88; The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration, 1993
• Judy Collins - Judy Sings Dylan... Just Like a Woman, 1993
• Bob Marley and the Wailers - The Wailing Wailers at Studio One (the same as disc two of One Love at Studio One), 1994
• Mick Ronson - Heaven and Hull, with vocals by David Bowie, 1994
• The Rolling Stones - Str­ip­ped, 1995
• Michael Bolton - Timeless: The Classics, Vol. 2, 1999
• Phil Lesh and Friends - live in San Francisco, April 15, 1999
• Eiffel 65 - Eiffel 65, 2003
• Anberlin - Listen to Bob Dylan: A Tribute Album (compilation}, 2005
• Drive-By Truckers - Highway 61 Revisited, Revisited {compilation}, 2005
• The Tragically Hip - Live in Ottawa, 2007
• Mountain - Masters of War, 2007

Johnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr (July 15, 1952 - April 23, 1991), was a rock and roll guitarist and singer, first with the New York Dolls, the proto-punk glam rockers of the early 70s. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Rascals (also The Young Rascals) were an American blue-eyed soul group of the 1960s. ... The Rascals (also The Young Rascals) were an American blue-eyed soul group of the 1960s. ... This article is about Cher, the entertainer. ... The Sonny Side of Cher is the second studio album released by singer Cher. ... The Creation were an English psychedelic rock band formed in 1966 by Kenny Pickett (born Kenneth George Pickett September 3rd 1947 in Ware, Hertfordshire - died January 10th 1997) on vocals, Eddie Phillips (born Edwin Michael Phillips August 15th, 1941 in Leytonstone) on lead guitar, Mick Thompson on rhythm guitar, Jack... The Creation were an English psychedelic rock band formed in 1966 by Kenny Pickett (born Kenneth George Pickett September 3rd 1947 in Ware, Hertfordshire - died January 10th 1997) on vocals, Eddie Phillips (born Edwin Michael Phillips August 15th, 1941 in Leytonstone) on lead guitar, Mick Thompson on rhythm guitar, Jack... The Jimi Hendrix Experience was a highly influential, though short-lived, English/American rock band famous for the guitar work of frontman Jimi Hendrix on songs such as Purple Haze, Foxy Lady, Fire, Hey Joe, Voodoo Child (Slight Return), All Along the Watchtower and Spanish Castle Magic. // Hendrix arrived in... MCA continued the series of definitive masters of the Jimi Hendrix catalogue in 2000, releasing The Jimi Hendrix Experience, a boxed set consisting of four discs. ... Poster promoting the festival The Monterey International Pop Music Festival took place from June 16 to June 18, 1967. ... Rotary Connection was a psychedelic soul band formed in Chicago in 1966. ... Rotary Connection is a song and eponymous debut album by the American psychedelic soul music group of the same name. ... Spirit was an American jazz/hard rock/psychedelic band founded in 1967, based in Los Angeles, California. ... Spirit Of 76, released in May of 1975, was the first of four albums that Spirit would (initially) release for Mercury Records. ... This article is about the musician. ... is the 241st day of the year (242nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... John Mellencamp, also known as John Cougar and John Cougar Mellencamp, (born October 7, 1951) is best known for being an American rock singer-songwriter. ... The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration is a live double-album release in recognition of Bob Dylans 30 years as a recording artist. ... Judy Collins Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939 in Seattle, Washington) is an American folk and standards singer. ... Judy Collins Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939 in Seattle, Washington) is an American folk and standards singer. ... Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (February 6, 1945 - May 11, 1981), better known as Bob Marley, was a singer, guitarist, songwriter and Rastafarian from the ghettos of Jamaica. ... Bob Marley was a charismatic musician, the front figure of his bands, and one of the most notable singers and song writers of his era. ... Mick Ronson (May 26, 1946 – April 29, 1993) born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire was an English guitarist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... David Bowie (IPA: []) (born David Robert Jones on 1947 January 8) is an English singer, songwriter, actor, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and audio engineer. ... “Rolling Stones” redirects here. ... Stripped is a live album by The Rolling Stones and was released in 1995 while on the Voodoo Lounge Tour. ... Michael Bolotin (born February 26, 1953), better known as Michael Bolton, is an American singer-songwriter, known for his soft rock ballads and powerful singing vocals. ... Phil Lesh & Friends is an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, bassist of the Grateful Dead. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Anberlin is an alternative rock band hailing from central Florida that was formed in 2002. ... Drive-By Truckers are a rock/alt-country/cowpunk (their website actually calls them a psychobilly band) band based in Athens, Georgia, though three out of five members (Mike Cooley, Patterson Hood, and Shonna Tucker) originally hail from The Shoals region of Northern Alabama. ... The Tragically Hip is a Canadian rock band from Kingston, Ontario, consisting of Gordon Downie (lead vocals and occasional acoustic guitar), Paul Langlois (guitar), Rob Baker (guitar), Gord Sinclair (bass) and Johnny Fay (drums). ... Mountain is an American rock band, popular in the early 1970s. ...

In other languages

• Lars Winnerbäck - in Swedish (title: "Som en hemlös själ")
• Masato Tomobe - in Japanese
• Articolo 31 - in Italian (title: "Come una Pietra Scalciata")
• Solnej sloup - in Czech (by Petr Kalandra)

Lars Winnerbäck, Lars Mattias Winnerbäck (born Nilsson), (born October 19, 1975), often called Lasse, is a Swedish singer and songwriter. ... Articolo 31 is a popular band in Milan, Italy, melding hip hop, funk, pop and traditional Italian musical forms. ...

Subject

Speculation about the song's unnamed subject has run continuously since its 1965 release; one common school of thought centers on Edie Sedgwick, an actress/model known for her association with Andy Warhol. Sedgwick is also often identified as a figure in other Dylan songs of the time, particularly "Just Like a Woman" from his album Blonde on Blonde. However, Dylan is generally believed only to have begun to associate with Sedgwick in the fall of 1965, after "Like a Rolling Stone" was recorded,^[3] though a Sedgwick biography places their first meeting in Christmas 1964 at the Kettle of Fish in Greenwich Village via a supposed introduction by Bob Neuwirth.^[4] Joan Baez has also been considered a possible target of Dylan's words.^[2] Sedgwick in 1966, by Jerry Schatzberg/Corbis Edith Minturn Edie Sedgwick (April 20, 1943 – November 16, 1971)[1] was an American actress, socialite, and heiress who starred in many of Andy Warhols short films in the 1960s. ... Andrew Warhola (August 6, 1928 — February 22, 1987), better known as Andy Warhol, was an American artist who became a central figure in the movement known as Pop art. ... Just Like A Woman Is a 1966 song written by Bob Dylan and released on his classic 1966 album Blonde On Blonde. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Washington Square Arch Greenwich Village (IPA pronunciation: ), also called simply the Village, is a largely residential area on the west side of downtown (southern) Manhattan in New York City named after Greenwich, London. ... Bob Neuwirth is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and visual artist. ... Joan Chandos Baez (born January 9, 1941) is an American folk singer and songwriter known for her highly individual vocal style. ...

Others have claimed to see a deeper meaning. Mike Marqusee has written at length on the conflicts in Dylan's life at this time, with its deepening alienation from his old folk-revival audience and clear-cut leftist causes. He suggests that the song is probably self-referential. Thus: "The song only attains full poignancy when one realises it is sung, at least in part, to the singer himself: he's the one 'with no direction home'".^[5] Martin Scorsese's recent movie about Dylan, No Direction Home, appears to show, in footage filmed backstage in 1966, that Dylan was deeply affected by the mixed audience reception at that time. Mike Marqusee (born 1953) is an American-born writer, journalist and political activist in London. ... Martin Marcantonio Luciano Scorsese (IPA: AmE: ; Ita: []) (born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, writer and producer and founder of the World Cinema Foundation. ... For other uses, see No direction home (disambiguation). ...

Rolling Stone magazine's ranking

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine declared "Like a Rolling Stone" the greatest song of all time, based on its poll of 172 music industry figures. When asked about the citation in his 2004 60 Minutes interview with Ed Bradley, Dylan himself seemed to find the matter bemusing, saying he never paid attention to such polls, as they changed frequently: This article is about the magazine. ... This article is about the CBS news magazine. ... Edward Rudolph Bradley, Jr. ...

Bradley: "But as a pat on the back, Bob..."

Dylan: "This week it is. But, you know, who's to say how long that's gonna last?"

References

Bob Neuwirth is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and visual artist. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ...

Further reading

• Marcus, Greil: Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads, PublicAffairs, 2005. ISBN 1-58648-254-8

External links

• Poetic Accident: Recording 'Like a Rolling Stone', from NPR.org (National Public Radio) - includes link to full version of song.
• Lyrics, from bobdylan.com
• Audio sample, from bobdylan.com
• Vocal performance and speech intonation by Michael Daley, York University, Toronto
• The 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time: #1, from Rolling Stone
• List of cover versions (aspiring to completeness)
• List of recorded covers (more limited scope)
• Analysis of the recording, from reasontorock.com