Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan lives in the middle ground — 60 moderate songs that balance intensity with control. 29 quiet anchors and 6 songs where they let go completely.

The character of Bob Dylan

Across the 95 Bob Dylan songs we've measured, intensity averages 38/100 — calmer than the typical song we measure (46/100).

They run from Make You Feel My Love (the calmest here, 11) to Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (the most charged, 81), with layered textures most common and changes you can mostly see coming. It spans 1963–2020.

The widest dynamic swing belongs to Like a Rolling Stone.

5.4

Avg Intensity

Songs Decoded

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The songs that hit hardest

Masters of War intense

layered texture · moderate changes · DR 7 · 1963

Subterranean Homesick Blues intense

complex texture · frequent changes · DR 8 · 1965

Tombstone Blues intense

layered texture · moderate changes · DR 7 · 1965

Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 intense

complex texture · frequent changes · DR 8 · 1966

Band of the Hand (It's Hell Time Man!) intense

layered texture · moderate changes · DR 7 · 1986

Crossing the Rubicon intense

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 2020

The controlled burn

A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1963

Chimes of Freedom moderate

complex texture · mild changes · DR 7 · 1964

One Too Many Mornings moderate

smooth texture · moderate changes · DR 6 · 1964

With God on Our Side moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1964

Ballad of a Thin Man moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1965

Desolation Row moderate

smooth texture · none changes · DR 3 · 1965

From a Buick 6 moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 7 · 1965

Gates of Eden moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 5 · 1965

Highway 61 Revisited moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 7 · 1965

It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry moderate

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1965

It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1965

Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1965

Like a Rolling Stone moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 8 · 1965

Maggie's Farm moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1965

Mr. Tambourine Man moderate

smooth texture · none changes · DR 6 · 1965

Queen Jane Approximately moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 5 · 1965

Absolutely Sweet Marie moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 7 · 1966

I Want You moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1966

Just Like a Woman moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1966

Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1966

Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I'll Go Mine) moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1966

Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands moderate

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1966

Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 7 · 1966

All Along the Watchtower moderate

layered texture · frequent changes · DR 7 · 1967

Positively 4th Street moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1967

I Threw It All Away moderate

smooth texture · mild changes · DR 5 · 1969

Knockin' on Heaven's Door moderate

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1973

Idiot Wind moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 7 · 1975

If You See Her, Say Hello moderate

smooth texture · moderate changes · DR 6 · 1975

Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1975

One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below) moderate

layered texture · none changes · DR 5 · 1975

Simple Twist of Fate moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 7 · 1975

Tangled Up in Blue moderate

complex texture · moderate changes · DR 7 · 1975

You're a Big Girl Now moderate

smooth texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1975

Black Diamond Bay moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 5 · 1976

Hurricane moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 7 · 1976

Isis moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 7 · 1976

Joey moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 5 · 1976

Romance in Durango moderate

layered texture · moderate changes · DR 7 · 1976

Baby, Stop Crying moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1978

Changing of the Guards moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1978

Is Your Love in Vain? moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1978

Señor (Tales of Yankee Power) moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1978

Gotta Serve Somebody moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1979

Precious Angel moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1979

Slow Train moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 7 · 1979

When You Gonna Wake Up moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1979

Every Grain of Sand moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1981

Jokerman moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 7 · 1983

License to Kill moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1983

Man of Peace moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1983

Sweetheart Like You moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1983

Brownsville Girl moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 1986

Highlands moderate

layered texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1997

Love Sick moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 7 · 1997

Not Dark Yet moderate

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1997

Standing in the Doorway moderate

smooth texture · none changes · DR 5 · 1997

Tryin' to Get to Heaven moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 5 · 1997

False Prophet moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 2020

My Own Version of You moderate

layered texture · mild changes · DR 6 · 2020

The quiet ones

Blowin' in the Wind safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 3 · 1963

Don't Think Twice, It's All Right safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1963

Don't Think Twice, It's Alright safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 5 · 1963

Girl from the North Country safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 3 · 1963

I Shall Be Free safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 5 · 1963

The Times They Are a-Changin' safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 6 · 1964

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1965

Love Minus Zero/No Limit safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 3 · 1965

She Belongs to Me safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 3 · 1965

Visions of Johanna safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1966

I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1967

I Pity the Poor Immigrant safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 3 · 1967

John Wesley Harding safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 3 · 1967

The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 3 · 1967

Lay Lady Lay safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1969

Nashville Skyline Rag safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1969

Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You safe

smooth texture · mild changes · DR 5 · 1969

If Not for You safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1970

Forever Young safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 6 · 1974

Buckets of Rain safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1975

Shelter from the Storm safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 3 · 1975

Mozambique safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 1976

Oh Sister safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 5 · 1976

Sara safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 5 · 1976

Make You Feel My Love safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 3 · 1997

Things Have Changed safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 5 · 2000

I Contain Multitudes safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 4 · 2020

Key West (Philosopher Pirate) safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 3 · 2020

Murder Most Foul safe

smooth texture · none changes · DR 3 · 2020

Frequently asked about Bob Dylan

Answered from our measurements of every song above.

What is the most intense Bob Dylan song?

Of the 95 Bob Dylan songs we've measured, “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” scores highest at 81/100 for intensity — computed from its dynamic range, texture, sudden changes and tempo.

What is the calmest Bob Dylan song?

“Make You Feel My Love” measures gentlest at 11/100. It runs 72 BPM. The songs here span 11–81 on our 0–100 intensity scale.

How intense is Bob Dylan overall?

Bob Dylan averages 38/100 intensity across 95 measured songs — calmer than the 46/100 catalog average.

What is the average tempo of Bob Dylan?

The Bob Dylan songs we've measured average about 104 BPM — midtempo.

Which Bob Dylan songs are calm enough for background listening?

These measure in our gentlest band (steady level, no sudden shifts): “Make You Feel My Love”, “Key West (Philosopher Pirate)”, “Blowin' in the Wind”, “I Pity the Poor Immigrant”.

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