The List

5 Forgotten Masterpieces by Bob Dylan

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. Letโ€™s take a look at just a few forgotten Bob Dylan songs that are worth revisiting!

Keep in mind that serious fans of Bob Dylan likely remember a few or all of the following songs. We just think they donโ€™t get as much love as his major hits, but they definitely should.

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1. โ€œMain Title Theme (Billy)โ€

โ€œMain Title Theme (Billy)โ€ is the opening track from Bob Dylanโ€™s 1973 soundtrack album for the film Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid. The album itself was Dylanโ€™s first soundtrack project, and it doesnโ€™t get as much love as it should. It birthed โ€œKnockinโ€™ On Heavenโ€™s Doorโ€, after all.

โ€œMain Title Theme (Billy)โ€ doesnโ€™t get as much attention as that mega hit, likely because itโ€™s a simple instrumental track. However, this song is absolutely gorgeous.

2. โ€œBorn In Timeโ€

Another forgotten but great Bob Dylan song, โ€œBorn In Timeโ€ was released in 1990 with the record Under The Red Sky. That particular album wasnโ€™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, itโ€™s a stellar album with a ton of unique celebrity cameos. โ€œBorn In Timeโ€ is actually a reworking of a song that didnโ€™t quite make it to Oh Mercy.

3. โ€œI Dreamed I Saw St. Augustineโ€

This underrated classic was first released via the 1967 album John Wesley Harding. Itโ€™s been covered by a ton of Dylanโ€™s contemporaries, from Eric Clapton to Joan Baez to Vic Chesnutt. โ€œI Dreamed I Saw St. Augustineโ€ is one of Dylanโ€™s finest folk-rock efforts, and itโ€™s a ballad that deserves more love.

4. โ€œSweetheart Like Youโ€

โ€œSweetheart Like Youโ€ 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 youโ€™ve ever reconnected with an old flame in less-than-ideal circumstances, youโ€™ll probably relate to this song.

5. โ€œPressing Onโ€

This forgotten Bob Dylan tune was released in 1980 with the album Saved. A song from Dylanโ€™s Christian era, โ€œPressing Onโ€ was praised by critics for being one of the best songs from Saved. Like many of Dylanโ€™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

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