The Lyrics: 1961-2020

This book is exactly what it claims to be: a collection of Dylan's lyrics, and about the best one there is. There aren't annotations, or essays, or anything like that. It is just very simply a collection of the lyrics to use as a reference, or to page through and read for pleasure. The lyrics are presented very nicely, in a large font, with each song getting its own page or pages if it's length requires more than one. The songs are presented in the order they appeared in on the album they were released in, with b-sides and other releases collected at the end of the section for the album that came out closest to when they were written. Each album has a title page with art from the album presented in black and white, and a page showing Dylan's hand written or typed draft of a song from the album. In terms of layout and content, it is almost just like the 2002 lyrics collection, only with the much needed update of 10 years of additional material. If you liked that book, you know basically what you're getting here. It is not 100% complete with everything he has written... I noticed that Marchin' to the City, a favorite track of mine that I think has only been released on Tell Tale Signs, was not included. The book does include many of the songs that he's written that weren't on his albums, though, and while there might be a couple obscurities missing, you will find a ton of great stuff anyway. As far as the claim that this collection features lyrics that have been newly edited by Dylan, I didn't find any yet, but I haven't read every lyric in the book or compared them all to earlier versions. I'm a big Dylan fan, but not a Dylanologist that spends his life studying every detail, so I look forward to the articles by those people which I'm sure are forthcoming that will examine the lyrics that have been changed. As far as supplemental material, multiple versions of the songs, color art, and extras like that, the large Dylan lyrics book from a couple years ago had more of those things. However, it was a gigantic, massive book, and it also cost a couple hundred dollars more than this one, depending on when you bought it. Personally, although that collection is beautiful, the size is an impediment for me. If you want a collection you can actually read, that one is awfully heavy and inconvenient. This is the one I would get. But in the meantime, if you want a book collecting the work of our greatest living songwriter, here it is, beautifully presented in a high quality volume. Doesn't get much better than that.

This hard cover book - The Lyrics 1961-2012 / Bob Dylan - is big (about 2"/ 5cm thick) and heavy (several pounds / a couple of kilos+) yet WAS POSTED IN A TOTALLY INADEQUATE FLIMSY 'ENVELOPE', resulting in receiving a brand new book - that was intended as a time dependent birthday gift for my son - looking used / 2nd hand with bent over / scuffed / damaged corners all round. Would not recommend this seller - SuperBookDeals - to anyone! Their packaging would be just barely adequate, if that, for a small soft cover novel. So suggest not buying anthing from them at all. As for the book itself, as the title says, it is (just) "The Lyrics 1961 - 2012", which hence includes only the lyrics from all the songs (and then a few extra's that wern't on the album/s) from all his studio albums from 1961 through 2012 inclusive. Don't be mislead by others who expected more from the book (than exactly what the title prescribes), after all the title does not say "the lyrics, alternate lyrics, and all the 'other' lyrics from every version of the same song Dylan has ever sung (as that would take numerous volumes ad infinitum). It is exactly what it says it is and rightly deserves five stars. Having had a copy myself since soon after it was first released, and still regularly peruse it, it is simply a must have not only for Dylan fans, but for anyone who enjoys poetry, and 'paintings' made of / with words. Whether you enjoy his music or not - and while a Dylan fan myself since the 60's, I am certainly not of the school that "Bob can do no wrong" by any means - he is a true genius, with his words and phrasing being remarkable, meaningful, hard-hitting and sublime; somtimes all at the same time: and as such they have endured the test of time, and will do so on through the ages. Truely a book you could be marooned on a deserted island with and be entertained forever.

exactly what I wanted - the lyrics of the entire Dylan collection! Great.

Beautiful book. A must for any Dylan fan.

I'm a big Dylan fan, and my husband bought this for me for my birthday. I'm just starting to read it, but it has all the lyrics!!!!

This is a must-have book if you are a fan of Bob Dylan! Also he wrote SO music for so many other singers, of any genre. He was quite the poet, and I certainly enjoyed just reading the lyrics to so many tunes I have loved over the years, and the words took on such a different dynamic when read rather than listening. I got this for a Christmas gift for my son and he says he certainly enjoys it.

Listening to Bob is difficult and for me inaccurate. I thought the opening line in "Jockerman" was standing on the cornier, catching your breath, instead of "Standing on the waters, casting your bread". The poetry once you get the words right, leave on doubt that he deserves the Nobel prize.

No hyperbole there. Dylan is one of the most profound and prolific writers of the 20th century. This is a complete collection of his works that any lover of poetry, philosophy, or storytelling will absolutely treasure. 10/10 - Highest possible recommendation

Note: just in case if it isn't clear already; the book is purely a collection of Dylan lyrics (so no additional commentary, analysis etc.)

Para escândalo de alguns (chegaram a dizer que era viés esquerdista do comitê), Robert Zimmerman, aka Bob Dylan, ganhou o Nobel de Literatura, o ultimo grande premio que ainda não havia levado (já tinha recebido o Oscar, o Pulitzer, o Grammy e o Golden Globe, entre muitos outros). Suas gravações venderam mais de 100 milhões de discos e ele influenciou profundamente mais de uma geração da musica popular moderna. No conjunto, musicalmente, a obra não chega a empolgar, no plano critico (há muita coisa comercial, a voz dele não empolga, os arranjos são tradicionais), mas as letras profundas são o real motivo do Nobel. De fato, acredito que é um problema para muitos, inclusive norte americanos, entender plenamente o que ele diz com sua vozinha anasalada em muitas obras primas de poesia que produz e produziu. Seu cancioneiro tem raízes profundas na cultura americana, com o ritmo das rodas dos trens que construíram o país, das canções populares de Woody Guthrie e Johnny Cash, o que é incrível num judeu neto de ucranianos nascido numa das cidades mais sem graça dos EUA, Duluth. Esse livro é uma oportunidade que nos mostra a obra de um cancioneiro rapsódico (sim, grande influenciador do Rap), cheio de visões emocionais ricas de sentido, de apanhados momentâneos das aflições de uma geração, não só americana, mas mundial. Letras épicas como "The times they are a-changin" ou mordazes como "Talkin' Bear Mountain Picnic" ou sentimentais como a de "Spirit on the water", por si só valem a pena, mesmo sem musica.

ボブ ディランの歌詞が、いつでもスマホで見れるのは、ありがたいです。Kindleの英和辞典もしっかりしているので、英語の勉強を兼ねて、毎日楽しんでいます。ただ、2001年までの歌詞なので、四つ星にしました。最新版を早く出して欲しいです。

Ok but the paper quality was ordinary

This isn't the book you will be taking down to the pub to answer those lyrics questions at the local quiz night. It's not even the book you will be sitting read while listening to the songs on your headphones. It's more something to be left on a shelve, taken down and looked at lovingly once in a while, leafing through parts. This book is big. No other word for it. It's heavy too, needs too hands. So what do we get for the admission price? Well to be honest I was disappointed at parts of the content. There are so many variations of Dylan's songs out there and with empty pages of room,...sometimes up to four blank pages in a row...there could have been so much more put in here. Instead, mainly they have played it safe, including the lyrics of the 'official releases'; both the normal albums and the bootleg series. Once in a while a version popped out that I had never seen before, but sadly that was a rare event. It will take some getting used to as well. The same songs are sometimes spread over several parts. I would have preferred both versions of some of the songs to be together. "If you see her say Hello" was after all re-worked before the album was released. So both versions would have been nice together instead of the later one first, and later on the earlier one. They followed the official release dates of each album as opposed to the date the song was written. I am sure had they done it the other way as many people would have been disappointed with that as they might be with the way they have done it. No win really. There are a lot of totally blank pages, sometimes you understand why, but sometimes, four in a row between an album cover and the first song does have you wondering. That all been said the book is a work of art in it's self. It's beautiful. You need to be careful when turning the pages, you really don't want this marked....wearing thin cotton white groves might be over kill but it will keep it looking beautiful for years to come. And if you are the sort of person that licks their thumb before turning a page you really shouldn't be owning this! LOL. The dust jacket is an understated light grey, with the actual cover a darker grey with the motif. The words are only on the hard cover, but peer through the semi transparent light grey dust jacket. I love the design but don't rate the logo much, personal choice that one. So final thoughts. It could have had so many more versions of some of the songs....but that could run forever so I guess the complier made a choice. The book as it stands is a work of art, lovingly put together. It just pours style. Is it worth the £84 I paid,...good god yes! You pay for what you get and this book is sheer style.