My Essential Albums: 'Infidels' by Bob Dylan

Now I know what you're going to say, "there's hardly any Dylan hits on this album, what are you doing?" Well I love this album with my entire heart so you're either gonna sit here and deal with that, or hop over to Highway 61 Revisited and read that one. This is one of my all-time favourite Bob Dylan albums because of its incredible almost echoing sound. Those drums are awesome and the ones at the beginning of compositions like "Jokerman"and "I and I" are incredible.

The album was recorded between the April and May of 1983 in typical Bob Dylan fashion—do as many songs as possible in one day. It famously missed out the legendary "Blind Willie McTell"(which will not be covered on here because I want to save that for my Bootleg article) which has become to be known as one of the greatest songs ever recorded. Bob Dylan critiques himself, the world, American consumerism and even the moon landing on this brilliant, evocative, beautiful album filled with timeless compositions and one man with a hell of a vocal talent.

Apart from his writing skills and his words, I have to say, I love that man's singing voice with my entire soul. It's so damn powerful it hits you headstrong and is totally unforgiving. It's a voice that is extreme with its intonation and character that it's never the same between albums. Go ahead, go and listen to "Blonde on Blonde"or "Highway 61 Revisited" and tell me that you can safely say that it's the same person singing. They don't call him the King of Folk and the Master of Change for no damn reason.

That's enough of my Bob Dylan appreciation, let's move on to Infidels, and yes, we will be covering every song on the album—there's only eight songs, don't complain! You love this album as much as I do or else, you wouldn't be here.

Let's begin...

'Jokerman'

The legendary song "Jokerman"has been appreciated far and wide for well over three decades now and has some of the greatest sounds on all of the Infidels album. Now we can sit here and scratch our heads about the meaning of this song for ages, or we can get stuck in and feel the song as a musical experience. I know which one I'd rather be doing. I'll leave the meanings to Clinton Heylin—he seems to be *coughs* getting on with them. Oh, and probably Michael Gray since he wrote that massive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia, an absolute thing of beauty.

The version of Isis seen on the film Renaldo and Clara serves as the B-Side to "Jokerman"(seeing as Sara took the photographs for Infidels, I wouldn't have that any other way) and the song itself has appeared and been featured on many compilations of Bob Dylan's greatest hits.

There are some wonderful images in this song but, I think what is under-appreciated is the drums that happen at the beginning. Those drums not only start the song, but they open the album. They give you the first taste, the first sound, the first feel of the Infidels album and that, I believe, is the most important thing about the song.

Bob Dylan's vocals on this song are more than incredible. His intonation and his feeling are so powerful that the song itself almost knocks you over with brilliance. The chorus shows off his amazing vocal abilities and the incredible usage of his powerful soulful singing voice:

"Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,

Bird fly high by the light of the moon,

Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman..."

Hearing the last line to that chorus and the way that Bob Dylan croons it out so soulfully should just send you into a frenzy. His vocals are one of the best things about the album—the way he sings is more than beautiful, he has one of the most incredible vocals of all time. There is no doubt about it. And if you did doubt it, then proceed to listen to "Jokerman." You won't be doubting it anymore, I can guarantee you.

Listen to these lines when you hear the song:

"Well, the Book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy,

The law of the jungle and the sea are your only teachers..."

These lines are so soulful, you can hear every single intonation his voice makes, and that descent on the second line is absolute perfection. The way he holds the word "sea" sends shivers down me each time. This song is one of the main reasons Bob Dylan is one of the greatest male vocalists of all time. That is one powerful voice.

If you can find it, you can actually see Bob Dylan perform the song live on the David Letterman show with a backing band. The song is absolute perfection and just a legendary way to open what is now considered to be, one of the essential albums of rock music.

Fun Fact! My MA Thesis was partly based on the song "Jokerman." *applause erupts*

'Sweetheart Like You'

Now, if "Jokerman"didn't convince you of Bob Dylan's incredible vocal ability, then this song will definitely do that for you. Released as the A-Side to Union Sundown—this song is a brilliance of love and appreciation by Bob Dylan, some have called the song misogynist, but I don't think it is. I think it's sweet.

Some people also seem to think this song is about the American Military and the Christian Church. But I beg to differ. I think it's just a love song that's meant to add a bit of sweetness to an otherwise, very powerful album with some very dark themes.

His vocal ability on this song comes through in the soulful ballad-like sound of this song. The drums in the background are slow and steady and the instruments are subtle, putting Bob Dylan's amazing soul voice of the 1980s at the forefront.

The beginning of the song is purely iconic in every way as it is a sort of rolling-soulful deal that Bob Dylan softly and subtly gives his voice to:

"Well the pressure's down, the boss ain't here

He's gone North, for a while

They say that vanity got the best of him

But he sure left here in style..."

The first line of the song is absolutely incredible. Once you hear it, it will be difficult to skip this song because of that voice. The third line, as he descends on those notes, makes for a lovely listening experience. After another few lines comes in the definitive chorus which is just one of the most beautiful sounds you'll ever hear:

"What's a sweetheart like you doing in a dump like this?"

The way he holds the word "you" is incredible because he makes it ever so slightly louder and then, goes back to the same beat and rhythm as before. The scaling of "what's a sweetheart like you..." is just brilliant and needs to be heard to be believed, seriously. It is a beautiful vocal performance if there ever was one.

Personally, this is my favourite line from the song:

"She used to call me sweet daddy when I was only a child

You kind of remind me of her when you laugh..."

The last line of this set when he descends on that scale is an amazing thing and makes his voice sound absolutely awesome. His soulful vocals colour this song and he really does show you that he is not just a great lyricist, but has one of the most powerful singing voices in all of music.

I would love to hear a live version of this song, but unfortunately, he's never performed it live at all. Gosh, I hope we get one in the future because this song is so damn good.

'Neighbourhood Bully'

I promise I will stop writing so much for every song, but cut me some slack because we're approaching my favourite song on the whole album: "Neighbourhood Bully."

From everyone's point of view ever, "Neighbourhood Bully"seems to be a pro-Israel song. I don't look at it politically though, let's look at the damn music instead.

Bob Dylan displays a set of incredibly soulful vocals on this song yet again. He starts with the song's title after the build of of a guitar and the introduction of the drums - covering the sound of the Infidels albums with glory and his mark of greatness. Just to hear these lines is an experience of music:

"Well, the neighborhood bully, he's just one man

His enemies say he's on their land

They got him outnumbered about a million to one

He got no place to escape to, no place to run

He's the neighborhood bully."

The last line of the verse he sings so perfectly that it really fits in with the rock-soul vibe this song gives off. This song is angry, emotional, doubtful and even sarcastic. It's funny and completely depressing at the same time. But that rolling beat and Bob Dylan's unmatched vocal ability keeps you moving through the song at top-speed with nothing but absolute soul.

Out of the whole song, you really need to hear these lines to get a feeling for how powerful his voice can be:

"The neighborhood bully been driven out of every land

He's wandered the earth an exiled man..."

These lines have power, they have character and they have soul. The last line of this set is characterised by the way he almost shouts the word "exiled"—pronouncing in a way that he says "yes, you heard that correctly." It is a beautiful voice and a brilliant blend of music that is happening here. You need to witness it.

Oh, and yes there are these lines he sings perfectly as well:

"Then he destroyed a bomb factory, nobody was glad

The bombs were meant for him. He was supposed to feel bad..."

The first line of this set he sings low and steady, like he's building to the next part of the line. The intonation is complex and his voice sounds freaking awesome. Then the build and descent of "supposed to feel bad" which has an incredible sound.

These lines are also sung with such incredible soul that I cannot breathe when I listen to them:

"'Cause there's a noose at his neck and a gun at his back

And a license to kill him is given out to every maniac..."

I also like the way Bob Dylan weaves the name of the other song on the album, License to Kill, into the lines - whether this was on purpose, I don't know. But the lines "given out to every maniac" is one hell of a crescendo to the "Neighbourhood Bully" chorus. The first line of this set is brilliant, his voice goes really low and jazzy, it almost cuts the record it's so sharp. It is absolutely brilliant.

If you want more of that jazzy soul voice, then listen out for:

"He's made a garden of paradise in the desert sand..."

The way he holds "sand" ever so slightly is perfect for the sound of the song.

I promise the next ones will be shorter, but please, "Neighbourhood Bully"is my favourite Infidels song!

'License to Kill'

This song is mostly famous because of Bob Dylan's critique of the moon landing. But, I think what's even more important is, you guessed it, the man's incredible soul-voice that he brings to this song as well as all the other songs on this album. "License to Kill"is an evocative, steady, slow and subtle song with a driving drum beat that keeps a slow tempo throughout.

The various crescendos of the song colour it with emotion and tension and Bob Dylan proves himself as a real vocalist. He is, as I may repeat, one of the greatest male vocalists in history. His voice is perfect and this song is proof of that.

The opening lines after those quick drums are:

"Man thinks 'cause he rules the earth he can do with it as he please

And if things don't change soon, he will

Oh, man has invented his doom

First step was touching the moon..."

The descents on the last two lines of this set are brilliant to listen to when his voice sings them. But the most iconic part of this set to do with his vocal ability is the part where he sings "he will" - holding the "will" for a long time and showing off, mostly. His voice is so raw on this song, it is unreal to think that someone can actually sing like that because it sounds beautiful.

The chorus as it is:

"Now, there's a woman on my block

She just sit there as the night grows still

She say who gonna take away his license to kill?"

The way he holds the "who" and emphasises it is typical Bob Dylan, trying to give us a sense of meaning that we're probably looking for. But it's the difference between the subtlety of the first two lines of the chorus compared to the slightly louder sound of the last which always does it for me. He then quickly brings it back down again for the next verse. The slight rise in the vocals is at "who" and it sounds awe-inspiring.

You know which lines are coming next, don't you?

"Every noise-maker, spirit-maker, heartbreaker, back-breaker, leave no stone unturned,

You may be an actor in a plot that might be all that you got, 'till your error you clearly learn..."

This is the most powerful part of the song because of his damn voice when he sings that running of rhyming words. The beat gets loud and heavy and ever so slightly, changes the song into a power ballad. When he gets to "back-breaker" you can tell he's descending it back down in preparation for the next line. It sounds incredible.

The song itself is a wonderful mix between the steady drums and the soulful vocals of Bob Dylan to the lyricism and poetry of the song. It makes for the legendary impact this song has had over the years and man, does it sound so good!

I have drawn this out again, haven't I?

'Man of Peace'

"Man of Peace"is another one of those songs where Bob Dylan shows off some incredible vocal talent. Especially on that chorus which we'll look at momentarily. I want to talk about the way this song is presented to us first. It's heavy and it's swingy, it's got a strong drum in the background and so, Bob Dylan really has to use that voice to get it over the music. In typical Infidels style, we have that strong guitar sound as well, those shorter notes and that allows Bob Dylan to do all this intonation where he's basically showing off that soulful singing voice he has.

The opening lines before the chorus go:

"Look out your window, baby, there's a scene you'd like to catch

The band is playing "Dixie", a man got his hand outstretched

Could be the Fuhrer

Could be the local priest..."

This is where Bob Dylan is singing purposefully in a singular tone, in order to build up to the chorus. You can tell by the way he sings the last lines, he takes these pauses which allows the guitar to intensify slightly, making way for Bob Dylan's chorus:

"You know, sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace..."

That descent on the chorus is pretty perfect if you ask me. Bob Dylan's voice becomes more raw and soulful as he picks up his voice into another note to scale it down all the way to "Man of Peace," the title of the song. The way he holds "sometimes" is more evocative and feels more thoughtful than we normally make it out to be. Especially when he goes for it on the second chorus, he holds it a little bit longer even. The second chorus is an even longer scale as well as he holds most of the notes longer and drops them down slightly lower, showing off those vocals again. I will say this, he is one of the best male vocalists in history, do you just not expect him to use it? His voice is really raw in this song, it almost sounds like a similar way to when he sings "Neighbourhood Bully"as the way he sings "License to Kill"is similar to "Sweetheart Like You." They match as "Jokerman"stands alone.

My personal favourite lines of the song are:

"Good intentions can be evil

Both hands can be full of grease..."

This is just before that second chorus and the way he sings "both hands can be full of grease..." almost sounds like he's about to come to a stop at the end of the line, just to pick up that chorus again. It sounds incredible if you were to hear it and seriously, you do need to hear it.

'Union Sundown'

This is one of those songs that belongs in a smooth 1980s movie about rock and roll. "Union Sundown"is a great display of lyrics, vocals and unrivaled talent. It's such an under-appreciated song I could cry—as it is clearly a great, great song on its own and as part of an album. The most incredible thing about "Union Sundown" is that it is so damn clear about what it's talking about that Clinton Heylin must've had a hard time pretending like he's better than everyone else on this one.

The song has the driving quick beat that is similar to the way "Neighbourhood Bully"is carried and has that guitar on top which will make Bob Dylan's voice stand out as he sings shorter, but more complex lines than most every other song on this album.

The lyrics open in an incredible way, listing the different countries everything comes from:

"Well, my shoes, they come from Singapore

My flashlight's from Taiwan

My tablecloth's from Malaysia

My belt buckle's from the Amazon..."

The repetitive descent of each line is amazing to listen to and his voice is again, raw and unforgiving. He proves he can do the slow and soulful tune of "License to Kill"and then move straight on to "Union Sundown"which is a completely different state of affairs and requires more powerful, driving vocals. Both of these vocal types, Bob Dylan is very very good at—near on the best.

Let's have a look at the singing of the chorus:

"Well, it's sundown on the union and what's made in the USA

Sure was a good idea 'til greed got in the way..."

The way he sings the last line of this chorus is brilliant because he holds that last note for ages, the intonation of his voice is fantastic and sounds so soulful.

I'm going to try and keep this one shorter because we've got a while to go, but I would like to share my personal favourite lines from the song, if you will:

"But they used to grow food in Kansas now they grow it on the moon and eat it raw

I can see the day coming when even your home garden is gonna be against the law..."

I love these lines purely because he sounds like he's being funny. It's a light-hearted addition to the songs and well, he sings them with real character in a way that you can tell he's being almost sarcastic. It sounds brilliant and brings more dimensions to the song where Bob Dylan really gives meaning to it through his voice as well as his words.

'I and I'

"I and I"is another one of those soulful tunes where Bob Dylan shows off how well he can sing a rock/soul song. He does this song with pure power and intonation. His voice is pure, and raw and vibrant and he brings so much voice to it that this is what really makes the song that good.

The song begins with that guitar making a lovely sound whilst the drums beat out something slow and steady like "Sweetheart Like You." It is a really nice sound. The sound of the song itself before the singing kicks in, is like the start of a soul ballad, or a power ballad, something perfected in the 80s. Seriously, Bob Dylan really outdoes himself with this one and it needs to be listened to far more than it already is. The opening lyrics to "I and I"are some amazing words:

"Been so long since a strange woman has slept in my bed

Look how sweet she sleeps, how free must be her dreams

In another lifetime she must have owned the world, or been faithfully wed

To some righteous king who wrote psalms beside moonlit streams..."

The one thing I like about this verse is the last line. He drops it down to descend his voice, making it go really low before belting out the incredibly powerful chorus. He really does have a wonderful voice and this is him taking those vocals to the extremes. The chorus:

"I and I, in creation where one's nature neither honours nor forgives

I and I, one say to the other, no man sees my face and lives..."

The way he loudly states the "I and I" is brilliant and really emphasises that yes, this is the damn chorus. He makes the same descent in the next part of the first line, making it sound jazzy and soulful when he hits "honours nor forgives" - shaking his voice slightly.

The way he holds the "no" on the second line is brilliant as well as he prepares for yet another descent in his voice to a lower note.

These are my favourite lines in the song:

"Took a stranger to teach me, to look into justice's beautiful face

And see an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth..."

This happens before the chorus too and well, I have to say I admire the way he sings these as well. The way he ascends to "look into justice's beautiful face..." and that slight crescendo is brilliant.

I will stop talking about this song and move swiftly on to the next one now, I know this is getting a little long for just eight songs on the album, but I need you to know how much I appreciate the fact that Bob Dylan made such a good album in 1983. He is an actual genius and an absolute King.

Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight

Another slow and steady song where Bob Dylan produces the same subtle voice he used on "Sweetheart Like You"and "License to Kill"—I think that this is a heavily under-appreciated song and needs more people to listen to the way Bob Dylan puts heart and soul into it. He colours the song with a tinge of sadness, or discontent.

The song opens with the lines:

"Just a minute before you leave, girl

Just a minute before you touch the door

What is it that you're trying to achieve, girl?

Do you think we can talk about it some more?"

His voice being so slow and steady on this part really does add a certain character to the song; he's trying to tell the story and make the character come to life. The way the chorus comes in is absolutely amazing though, the way he holds those notes and adds that emphasis:

"Don't fall apart on me tonight, I just don't think that I could handle it

Don't fall apart on me tonight,

Yesterday's just a memory, tomorrow is never what it's supposed to be

And I need you, yeah"

The chorus is a beautiful mixture of tinging disappointment and a lost hope which Bob Dylan uses by stating "don't fall apart on me tonight" more than once and then, those poetic lines that follow it.

I promise I'll try to leave it here and move on to doing the conclusion of the article. I don't want to spend too long injecting you with Bob Dylan's Infidels - I want to leave some stuff up to you to listen to and make your own mind up from. But I do love that I am able to share this with you.

Conclusion

I love the Infidels album and I think it's one of Bob Dylan's finest albums ever. It may be short (and Blind Willie McTell may have been left off, I know some people still angry about that), but it is still amazing. It has a new sound that Bob Dylan experiments with as he comes out of the gospel era, but he still has that strong, gospel voice that was so prominent in the late 70s and early 80s. It is a true masterpiece of an album with each song wanting to be just as good, if not better, than the last. The opening and closing songs to the album are amazing and placed perfectly as Bob Dylan belts out some killer soulful vocals. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!