The Ballad of Hollis Brown

Written by: Bob Dylan
Album: The Times They Are A-Changin'
Year: 1964

117 ratings: avg. 4.4 / 5
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3 comments

Diana	Chilling. This song takes you into Hollis Brown's growing desperation on a personal level. Sep 14, 2009
Isis	My fave version is on the Live at BBC bootleg from '65. Gives you the chills. Mar 15, 2006
Nina	I was excited to hear the version of this on the Gaslight tapes--and after multiple listenings, I've decided I prefer this studio version. He sings it here with a restraint and fragility that gets across fear and awe--fear at Hollis's act, and awe at the mystery of more unknown life inevitably replacing the lives we've come to know. The Gaslight version is a tour de force of anger and tragedy--he sings Hollis Brown's story as if he owns it. It's a great performance, but I like the way he seems to grant a different kind of dignity to the suffering in the studio version. I feel the scary 7 breezes in this performance. Regardless--what a brilliant storyteller. This and Seven Wonders--these songs have every single word they need to tell a whole story, to deliver whole people. Jun 01, 2005
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