Album Cover Analysis

·         'Fish Eye' Effect

o   Exaggerates Dylan’s almost critical look

o    As if observer is viewing scene through eye glass of door or key hole

§  Scene is like glimpse into private life/thoughts of Bob Dylan

·         Album is like glimpse into Dylan’s beliefs and thoughts

·         Fallout shelter sign next to Lindon B. Johnson

o   Society heading for destruction

o   People need to take shelter, or make peace/changes, in order to continue existing

§  Lindon B. Johnson escalated war with Vietnam à sparked a lot of anti war movements

·         Atmosphere of wealth

o   Room is made a mess by hodgepodge of papers, records, and seemingly random items

o   Woman in background has look of prominence – adds to regal surroundings

§  Juxtaposition of mess and wealth is a critique on society

·         There is a lot going on in the world and many people are content to sit with their wealth rather than get involved

o   The issues of society cannot be ignored

·         Scattered albums: LPs by The Impressions (Keep on Pushing), Robert Johnson (King of the Delta Blues Singers), Ravi Shankar (India's Master Musician), Lotte Lenya (Sings Berlin Theatre Songs by Kurt Weill) and Eric von Shmidt (The Folk Blues of Eric Von Schmidt)

o   All influenced Bob Dylan’s musical upbringing

§  Is tying his current success “back home”

·         Mixture of folk, soul, and even hindustani styles

·         Harmonica and Dylan’s other album Another Side of Bob Dylan

o   Harmonica is signature instrument of Bob Dylan

§  Keeps folk theme in songs

o   Dylan tying himself back to his previous work to show growth

·         On mantle is Lord Buckley album The Best of Lord Buckley who influenced Dylan greatly

o   “jingle jangle” line in Dylan’s Mr. Tambourine Man take from Lord Buckley

§  Buckley’s style was carefully enunciated rhythmic hipster slang. Occasionally performing to music, he punctuated his monologues with scat singing and sound effects

·         Opened up Dylan’s eyes to new way of approaching music

·         GNAOUA magazine on mantle

o   Lord Buckley’s style also influenced Beat Generation

§  Next to Lord Buckley is a copy of GNAOUA, a magazine devoted to Beat Generation poetry

·         Bob Dylan reading article: Jean Harlow’s Life Story

o   She was an American film actress and sex symbol of the 1930s

o   Known as the "Blonde Bombshell" and the "Platinum Blonde", Harlow was ranked as one of the greatest movie stars of all time by the American Film Institute.

o   Harlow starred in several films, mainly designed to showcase her magnetic sex appeal and strong screen presence, before making the transition to more developed roles and achieving massive fame under contract

o   Harlow's enormous popularity and "laughing vamp" image were in distinct contrast to her personal life, which was marred by disappointment, tragedy

§  Shows distractions of Hollywood and pop culture when there are much more important issues to be concerned about in world

§  Criticism of superficiality of pop culture