Bob Dylan Self Portrait CD

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Personnel includes: Bob Dylan (vocals, guitar); Byron T. Bach, Brenton Banks, George Binkley, Norman Blake, David Bromberg, Albert W. Butler, Kenneth Buttrey, Fred Carter, Jr., Marvin D. Chantry, Ron Cornelius, Charlie Daniels, Rick Danko, Dottie Dillard, Peter Drake, Delored Edgin, Jolie J. Fott, Bubba Fowler, Dennis A. Good, Emanuel Green, Hilda Harris, Levon Helm, Frederick Hill, Karl T. Himmel, Garth Hudson, Lillian Hunt, Martin Katahn, Doug Kershaw, Millie Kirkham, Al Kooper, Sheldon Kurland, Charlie McCoy, Martha McCrory, Barry McDonald, Richard Manuel, Oliver Mitchell, Carol Montgomery, Bob Moore, Gene A. Mullins, Gary Van Osdale, June Page, Rex Peer, Bill Pursell, Robbie Robertson, Alvin Rogers, Frank C. Smith, Maeretha Stewart, Anthony Terron, Bob Wilson, Stu Woods.
Engineers: Neil Wilburn, Don Puluse, Glynn Johns.
Originally released as a 2-LP set.
Personnel: Bob Dylan (vocals, guitar, harmonica, keyboards); Robbie Robertson (vocals, guitar); Levon Helm (vocals, mandolin, drums); Rick Danko (vocals, violin); Richard Manuel (vocals, keyboards, drums); June Page, Albertine Robinson, Martin Katahn, Dorothy Ann Dillard, Maretha Stewart, Hilda Harris (vocals); Charlie McCoy (guitar, harmonica); Al Kooper (guitar, horns, keyboards); David Bromberg, Fred Foster, Bubba Foller, Fred Carter, Ron Cornelius, Charlie Daniels (guitar); Pete Drake (steel guitar); Brenton Banks (violin, synthesizer); Sheldon Kurland, Doug Kershaw, George Binkley III, Byron Bach, Emanuel Green (violin); Marvin Chantry, Gary VanOsdale (viola); Martha McCrory (cello); Garth Hudson (saxophone, keyboards); Freddie Hill, Ollie Mitchell (trumpet); Dennis Good (trombone); Albert Wynn Butler (horns); Bob Wilson (piano, organ); Al Rogers, Kenneth A. Buttrey, Karl Himmel (drums).
Unknown Contributor Roles: Gene A. Mullins; Barry McDonald; Lilian Hunt; Anthony Ferron; Frank Smith ; Delores Edgin; Rex Peer; Carol Montgomery; Solie Fott; Norman Blake; Bill Pursell; Millie Kirkham.
There has never been a clearer attempt to shed an audience than Self-Portrait. At least, that's one way of looking at this baffling double album, a deliberately sprawling affair that runs the gamut from self-portrait to self-parody, touching on operatic pop, rowdy Basement Tapes leftovers, slight whimsy, and covers of wannabe Dylans from Paul Simon to Gordon Lightfoot. To say the least, it's confusing, especially arriving at the end of a decade of unmitigated brilliance, and while the years have made it easier to listen to, it still remains inscrutable, an impossible record to unlock. It may not be worth the effort, either, since this isn't a matter of deciphering cryptic lyrics or interpreting lyrics, it's all about discerning intent, figuring out what the hell Dylan was thinking when he was recording -- not trying to decode a song. There are times where it's quite clearly played for a laugh -- if his shambling version of "The Boxer" isn't a pointed parody of Paul Simon, there was no reason to cut it -- but he's poker-faced elsewhere, and the songs (apart from such earthed gems as "Mighty Quinn," which aren't presented in their best versions) are simply not worth much consideration. But, in a strange way, Self Portrait is, because decades have passed and it still doesn't make much sense, even for Dylanphiles. That doesn't necessarily mean that it's worth the time to figure it out -- you're not going to find an answer, anyway -- but it's sort of fascinating all the same. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
This willfully eccentric album is among the most misunderstood in Dylan's catalog. It's surely the oddest recorded moment in a career far from devoid of left turns. Dylan himself doesn't even appear on the opening tune, wherein a female chorus repeats a spiritual-sounding refrain over strings and organ. Some of the tunes pick up where NASHVILLE SKYLINE left off, with Dylan crooning over country-ish backup. Elsewhere, he tackles an unusual group of cover tunes, including GRolling Stone (9/3/70, p.40) - "...another musical explosion for Dylan, a breaking out from the constraints of his past work....Dylan has adapted a new sound, and with it has explored relationships and emotions that are no longer elemental, but which approach the complexity of life.."