The Dylanologists

As the new millennium drew near, Bob Dylan was reinvigorated and ready to evolve yet again. However, and it may sound strange in retrospect, Dylan was in his mid-50's and seen as a has-been—a relic of a bygone era. What more could he possibly have to say?

"Not Dark Yet" is one of the best songs on an album that is overflowing with strong material after many years of lackluster sales and declining interest in Dylan. "Time Out of Min...

"Tomorrow Is A Long Time" is one of those strange Bob Dylan songs that has never been officially released on a studio album (much like "Blind Willie McTell" and "Things Have Changed"), yet it is one of his best and most profound tunes. What makes it so alluring? How did it end up on a greatest hits compilation in the first place? Join us as we explore this enigmatic track.

The Podcast: @TheDylanologistsPod

Adam: @dylan.ology

Jens...

This week we are locked in tight, but very much in range as we discuss a recent Dylan masterpiece—Things Have Changed. This song from early 2000 showcases Dylan in the new millennium, rejuvenated after the success of "Time Out of Mind." Much has changed since his early days in New York City, but the common refrain throughout the song still rings true: people are crazy and times are strange...

The Podcast: @TheDylanologistsPod

Ada...

We asked and you voted—"Simple Twist of Fate" was declared the winner of a recent Instagram fan poll. Blame it on a simple twist of fate...

Track 2 on "Blood On The Tracks" is easily one of the most popular songs on the beloved album. It is a song overflowing with evocative and visceral imagery—you may even feel a spark tingle in your bones or an emptiness inside to which no one can relate. Either way, grab your talking parrot, hea...

Another interview at last! Nordista Freeze joins us for our first interview as The Dylanologists. He is a musician from Nashville, TN who has been a Dylan fan for many years now. On this episode, he breaks down Dylan's impact on his life and art, while also sharing keen insights about Dylan and the music industry more broadly. 

Nordista Freeze: @NordistaFreeze

The Podcast: @TheDylanologistsPod

Adam: @dylan.ology

Jens: @dylan.olog...

Grab your pencils and walk into the nearest room... this week we explore Adam's favorite Bob Dylan song—Ballad of a Thin Man (don't worry—no one is naked here).

Ballad of a Thin Man is another song that has been interpreted a multitude of ways—it's about a journalist, the folk scene, Joan Baez, racism, LGBTQ+ rights, and/or Dylan himself. Something is happening here, but you don't know what it is. Perhaps that is the point, Mister ...

This week we explore Jens's favorite Bob Dylan song—Visions of Johanna.

Visions of Johanna is a song that defies simple analysis or explanation. It is overflowing with rich, textured imagery. It is one of Dylan’s most beloved, debated, and surreal epics, yet it all boils down to one simple truth: he misses Johanna, whoever that may be. Infinity isn't the only thing going up on trial...

The Podcast: @TheDylanologistsPod

Adam: @dyl...

Welcome to "episode 1" of The Dylanologists. This week we tackle a song that was voted in by our followers on Instagram.

"Changing of The Guards" was a marked shift for Dylan in more ways than one. Endless interpretations abound, but maybe that's the point—sometimes things aren't black and white; a situation can be interpreted 1,000 different ways; life is never really all that straight forward anyway. This song is emblematic of Dy...

"Like A Rolling Stone" is undoubtedly one of Bob Dylan's masterpieces. However, were it not for several fortuitous events, it may not have had the immediate impact that it did, and thus, the lasting legacy that exists to this day. The wordplay. The attitude. The volume. The subject matter. This was a sneer turned up to 11—proof that rock & roll could be something more than juvenile. This is the story of "Like A Rolling Stone."

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According to BobDylan.com, Dylan has 706 songs, but that number is nearly 1,000 when you consider outtakes, alternate takes, unrecorded songs, and material that has never seen the light of day. Given this fact, is it even possible to pick just one song that is universally considered to be his "masterpiece," or is this just a fruitless endeavor? What even is a masterpiece in the first place? On this episode of Nothing Is Revealed, w...

A Deep Dive into a Mysterious Album

For all intents and purposes, Bob Dylan, as the world conceived of him, had died after crashing his motorcycle on that fateful July morning in 1966. Now equipped with ample free time, a farm, and a growing family, Dylan had finally escaped the rat race that was very quickly getting out of his control. So, what would Dylan do with his newfound freedom? John Wesley Harding is pivotal in the equatio...

“Bob Dylan is dead! The CIA killed him. The mafia killed him... or the real Dylan is alive, but can never play music again.” A two-sentence story published four days later in The New York Times under the headline "Dylan Hurt in Cycle Mishap" said he was under a doctor's care. Rumors sprouted over the following months that he was gravely injured, blind, and/or permanently disfigured. So, what really happened in the events surroundin...

An Instagram Live Event with Adam & Jens (recorded live on Saturday, March 29, 2025)

To celebrate our 30th episode and crossing 4,000 followers on Instagram, we hopped on an Instagram Live to engage directly with our listeners. Over 500 people showed up throughout the hour-long event to ask us about meeting characters from Dylan songs, our dream guests to have on the podcast, our thoughts on Dylan's recent social media activi...

A contextual history of the night Dylan was censored by TV executives.

In May of 1963, Dylan was a complete unknown—just another aspiring musician with a passionate niche following, but no national profile whatsoever. Despite his lack of fame, he had secured what would surely be his big break with an invitation to perform on "The Ed Sullivan Show." One might have thought the chance to perform for a national audience on one of the b...

An Album Deep Dive

This week, we dive into Rough and Rowdy Ways, Bob Dylan's 39th studio album and his first collection of original songs since Tempest. Released after his trilogy of Sinatra cover albums, this album is a rich tapestry of themes, including art, death, assassinations, religion, and Dylan's own myth. Clocking in at 70 minutes and 33 seconds, Rough and Rowdy Ways has quickly earned its place as one of his most acclaime...

Adam's claim is that the Never Ending Tour is the best thing that Bob Dylan has ever done. That would mean it is above the 1966 world tour, Blood On The Tracks, the Rolling Thunder Revue, and everything else he has ever put to tape, toured, painted, sculpted, and/or malted, mashed, fermented, distilled, and aged. It is a bold claim, but one that Adam backs up with hard facts. On this episode, we (but primarily Adam) explore what th...

Bob Dylan's "Christian Era" is one of his strangest, and perhaps most controversial, eras. The songs were about God, Jesus, and man giving names to all the animals, while his concerts were filled with fire and brimstone sermons between songs. On this episode, we seek to contextualize this often overlooked and misunderstood period in his illustrious career. 

The Podcast: @TheDylanologistsPod

Adam: @dylan.ology

Jens: @dylan.ologist

White face makeup, a hat with ornate flowers, and an energy, an exuberance yet to be seen from the enigmatic Dylan are on full display in what many consider to be his most iconic era. The Rolling Thunder Revue was a 1975–76 concert tour by Bob Dylan. The purpose of the tour was to allow Dylan to play in smaller auditoriums in less populated cities where he could be more intimate with his audiences. Join Adam and Jens as they give a...