An album which has recently reintroduced itself to my orbit is John Wesley Harding, by Bob Dylan.
My perspective on this record has tended to oscillate between two points. The first, which held sway for many years and was admittedly based on insufficient and superficial listening, was that it was a slight and bland work whose reputation and myth were out of proportion to its real artistic weight. The alternative view was that the first appraisal was harsh and my earlier assessment of the album as "lightweight" had militated against any more nuanced or thorough examination of its merits. I can report that after a more rigorous inquiry the strengths and charms of John Wesley Harding are no longer obscured from my view.
The songs, by and large, have a stripped down and austere flavour, with pared-down instrumentation. Story-telling is to the fore. If the stories themselves are sometimes enigmatic and mysterious, the language employed is generally more straightforward and less oblique than that which characterized Dylan's classic mid-60s releases.
In some ways the material is similar in tone and character to that from the "Basement Tapes" sessions, if less ebullient in its execution and production. Despite the more direct and literal mode of song-writing, there is still sufficient poetic acuity and wit to leave many of the songs open to interpretation, enveloped in an almost sepia-tinted haze.
The title track sets the pattern. In a sense, John Wesley Harding is one of the precursors to the emergent trends of "country rock" and the "retreat" to a more rootsy and authentic fashion of composition and performance. As always, although nominally part of a wider musical movement or scene, Dylan puts his own signature and stamp on things.
Looking at the lyrics and the delivery here, I get a strong sense that Bob was deriving great satisfaction and fascination from the process of putting together these tunes and stories, with their themes, spiritual and rustic. No longer under pressure to be the hipster or the troubadour for a generation, he could immerse himself in the simple joys of song-writing and poetry. 'As I Went Out One Morning' and 'I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine' are examples of these factors playing out in practice.
As for 'All Along the Watchtower', well Bob's version of the song has understandably been overshadowed by Jimi Hendrix's monumental and apocalyptic rendering, but the original presented here has its own quieter drama and charm, with the lyrics unencumbered by production excesses.
Some of the material on the record even arguably harks back to Dylan's very early albums, with their simplicity and more basic brand of expression and narrative - 'The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest', for instance.
There are references to 'Dustbowl' injustices and concerns, although presented in a restrained and even ambiguous way. The characters in the songs are often outsiders or outcasts, oppressed by societal pressures and prejudices. The tenor and structure of these compositions could well be illustrative of Dylan's literary inclinations and tastes.
It has become customary to refer to albums possessing "hidden gems". It could almost be said that the majority of the tracks on John Wesley Harding are hidden gems, but 'Drifter's Escape' and 'Dear Landlord' certainly stand out in this respect. This all rather serves to dispel any notion that the album lacks substance or depth. In its own way it is fuller and more thought-provoking than LPs which have garnered lavish praise. It packs a lot of content and expressiveness into a comparatively short running-time, with numerous murky corners, tangents and detours to explore and savour.
Perhaps as a listening experience the record packs less of an outright punch, and elicits less exhilaration, than other Dylan efforts, and one's enjoyment or appreciation of it might well depend on individual preference. attention span, patience and mood at any given moment.
An aspect of the album which intrigues me is the subject matter of the lyrics, and their approach to social and cultural issues. Dylan to me seems to be consciously delving into such territory, finding its possibilities and its themes stimulating and interesting, perhaps hoping that they would provoke corresponding levels of contemplation and reflection among listeners.
The religious imagery, often subsumed within other topics, is a feature, and despite its restraint it helps to equip this record with its distinctive hue and flavour. As with other singer-songwriters over the years, the religious themes may occasionally be intended as metaphors or symbolism for other matters.
I would contend that John Wesley Harding is a worthy contender to be held up with some of Bob Dylan's most important work. The songs are intelligent and interesting, and should encourage thought and imagination. Another thing to its credit is that this collection of songs is unpretentious, and it will be a rewarding process for those who persevere with it. The record incorporates subjects and musical elements which both hark back to his early output and also anticipate some of his later concerns and excursions. So disregard any notion of "blandness", and lose yourself in this album's crevasses and recesses.
