Hello, my name is Ben Burrell and welcome back to Bob Dylan album by album, a podcast that takes an in-depth look at each Bob Dylan's studio recording record by record.

I know I'm always mentioning this at the start of each and every episode, but it's really helpful for us if you can follow us on Instagram or Twitter.

You can find us at Bob Dylan podcast.

And we have a website as well. At the moment,

there's a blog post there about an alternative version of Episode 5's album, Infidels. Have a look

at that, Bob Dylanpodcast.com. So on with episode 6 part two. This is the second look at an album

that at the time of release did the unthinkable, and that is, adding to an already iconic back catalogue,

it has since become Dylan's masterpiece.

This is Blood on the Tracks.

Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood.

When blackness was a virtue, the road was full of mud.

I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form.

Come in, she said, I'll give you shelter from the star.

As I mentioned in part one of this episode, this album came at a time when Dylan was back on track.

No pun intended.

The previous record and tour were decent enough to be called a return to form by some areas

of the music press.

He'd also re-signed with his former label and musical Powerhouse Columbia, and was exploring

some new relationships in his personal life too, which forms part of the inspiration for

these songs.

After writing mostly on his Minnesota farm by sketching down ideas and lines in a red notebook, he managed to finish around 17 songs. After writing mostly on his Minnesota farm by sketching down ideas and lines in a

red notebook, he managed to finish around 17 songs, but when it came to the record, we only get 10,

...