Bob Dylan has released quite a bit of music in his decades-long career. While his biggest hits are as immortal as music can get, some of his deep cuts and underrated tracks are more or less forgotten by casual fans. Let’s take a look at just a few forgotten Bob Dylan songs that are worth revisiting!
Videos by American Songwriter
Keep in mind that serious fans of Bob Dylan likely remember a few or all of the following songs. We just think they don’t get as much love as his major hits, but they definitely should.
1. “Main Title Theme (Billy)”
“Main Title Theme (Billy)” is the opening track from Bob Dylan’s 1973 soundtrack album for the film Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid. The album itself was Dylan’s first soundtrack project, and it doesn’t get as much love as it should. It birthed “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”, after all.
“Main Title Theme (Billy)” doesn’t get as much attention as that mega hit, likely because it’s a simple instrumental track. However, this song is absolutely gorgeous.
2. “Born In Time”
Another forgotten but great Bob Dylan song, “Born In Time” was released in 1990 with the record Under The Red Sky. That particular album wasn’t loved by a lot of listeners; some thought it was a less-than-ideal follow-up to the acclaimed 1989 record Oh Mercy.
Despite the fact that this album is rooted in nursery rhymes, it’s a stellar album with a ton of unique celebrity cameos. “Born In Time” is actually a reworking of a song that didn’t quite make it to Oh Mercy.
3. “I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine”
This underrated classic was first released via the 1967 album John Wesley Harding. It’s been covered by a ton of Dylan’s contemporaries, from Eric Clapton to Joan Baez to Vic Chesnutt. “I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine” is one of Dylan’s finest folk-rock efforts, and it’s a ballad that deserves more love.
4. “Sweetheart Like You”
“Sweetheart Like You” is an underrated track from the 1983 album Infidels. This song was quite a hit when it was first released, considering it peaked at no. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. If you’ve ever reconnected with an old flame in less-than-ideal circumstances, you’ll probably relate to this song.
5. “Pressing On”
This forgotten Bob Dylan tune was released in 1980 with the album Saved. A song from Dylan’s Christian era, “Pressing On” was praised by critics for being one of the best songs from Saved. Like many of Dylan’s songs, it has been covered by a number of musicians, from Alicia Keys to Antony And The Johnsons.
Photo by Jay Dickman/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.












Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.